Whedonesque : Comments on 15667 : Onion Parody: FCC Okays Nudity on Television if it Involves Alyson Hannigan.

Yeah, the Onion is pretty hilarious.

userpjx | March 04, 03:39 CET

Too funny! And yet, somehow, I really do agree 100%!

Calledon | March 04, 03:45 CET

Very funny.
And yet so sad that the FCC has such a wacky attitude toward the human body.

jcs | March 04, 03:51 CET

Makes absolute perfect sense to me. Make it so.

Haunt | March 04, 03:54 CET

That was amazing.

the FAT indian | March 04, 03:58 CET

Odd. I always thought the FCC was run by the Amish, thus explaining how they can fine ABC for obscenity for a show that hadn't been on the air for three years.

impalergeneral | March 04, 04:07 CET

You know, even if we didn't already know, it should be quite obvious that this is a parody, 'cause as far as I can tell, there isn't a governmental body in the US of A displaying that much good taste and common sense these days...

Rowan Hawthorn | March 04, 04:52 CET

I'd love to know what Alyson thinks about this!

zillah | March 04, 05:24 CET

Heh, gotta love the Onion.

Dizzy | March 04, 05:27 CET

The Onion is brilliant. They always give away the entire joke in the headline, and then somehow make it even better in the actual article/video.

Jona | March 04, 05:43 CET

I request a return of a version of the Fairness Doctrine for this case. If Allyson's gross girly bosom must be displayed, there must be equal time given to James Marsters' luscious bosom.

Arsenal | March 04, 06:13 CET

In all fairness to any doctrine, we'd need three seasons of anyone's girly bosom just to catch up to what we've already had of the other.

Rowan Hawthorn | March 04, 06:56 CET

No electricity in Amish homes, so not too much concern about television standards and practices.

Pointy | March 04, 07:01 CET

Oh, Arsenal, you came so close... but you spelled Alyson's name wrong, therefore disqualifying you. Plus, the phrase 'gross girly bosom' makes everyone think that you are 7 years old. Also, James Marsters' chest is displayed approximately every third episode. You do watch Buffy, right? ;)

zeitgeist | March 04, 07:02 CET

Every third episode, zeitgeist? I think it might be every third scene. ;-)

UnpluggedCrazy | March 04, 07:14 CET

Well, yeah ;) I was giving the benefit of the doubt.

zeitgeist | March 04, 07:29 CET

So, is there a petition we can all sign or something?

zz9 | March 04, 07:32 CET

Everyone knows the FCC is run by Cobra Commander, not the Amish.

flakbait | March 04, 07:52 CET

I, for one, require more evidence of flute usage.

Whistler | March 04, 08:06 CET

I found that more creepy than funny...

Out of Objects | March 04, 08:30 CET

About time our tax dollars started working for what's right for a change. Way to go, FCC! ;)

Shiai | March 04, 08:47 CET

Ok, well, who hasn't thought that nudity on television would be ok if its Alyson? I really enjoyed the creepy FCC guy!

chance | March 04, 09:10 CET

I was born with Onion-immunity. Have yet to see them do anything I find funny. I usually get told I just don't get it because I don't know American culture. Fine.

Caroline | March 04, 10:54 CET

OK, I know I'm risking veering off topic here.

Caroline, what do you think of this (my favorite & only two words) Onion headline:

Ringo Next

No? OK, your shields are holding.

RBB | March 04, 11:12 CET

I'd love to know what Alyson thinks about this!

I'd love to know what Alexis this about this!

crossoverman | March 04, 11:46 CET

there isn't a governmental body in the US of A displaying that much good taste and common sense

Rowan, this made me laugh as much as the video itself. Like any real gov't guy would even know of Veronica Mars, let alone the fact that Alyson was ever on it (sadly, though not in a swimsuit). I think Charisma's appearance mostly made up for it...mostly. And now I'm sounding creepy.

InevitableTraitor | March 04, 12:12 CET

Arsenal Umm...I really don't think you can call a man's pectoral region a "bosom," without, you know, getting socked on the nose for it. And...luscious? I hope you were trying for funny, because otherwise that's just...so many levels of wrong.

Sometimes being on dial-up isn't entirely a bad thing - I can't watch this video.

ShadowQuest | March 04, 12:29 CET

Caroline, what do you think of this (my favorite & only two words) Onion headline:

Ringo Next

My personal favorite was "Ebert Victorious". :)

Melisande | March 04, 13:14 CET

I'd love to know what Alyson thinks about this!

I'd love to know what Alexis this about this!

I'd love to know what Alyson thinks about what Alexis thinks about this.

I don't really know American culture that well but I know what makes me laugh and about 7.24 times out of 10 'The Onion' does just that. There's a "trick" to their schtick and in some ways the formula is pretty, well, formulaic but it's still good (and occasionally great) satire.

(couldn't possibly pick a favourite headline overall but just from that page "Child Bankrupts Make-A-Wish Foundation With Wish For Unlimited Wishes" brought minor mirth ;)

And having not seen the video, can I say how enlightened America seems to me ? I just wish we also had rules about regarding nudity on television, sometimes I forget exactly how i'm meant to do it and rules, or at least guidelines, would be bloody handy.

Saje | March 04, 13:58 CET

The scene that comes to mind is Willow in leather in Doppelgangland saying, "Oh, look at those!"

MissKittysMom | March 04, 16:40 CET

My fave Onion headline, which is written in like 72-point type, is "Man Walks on the F*******g Moon!" For some reason, that one gets me every time.

But I think this one was clever because it plays on the adorableness/sexiness of Alyson Hannigan, which is her best feature.

Dana5140 | March 04, 16:50 CET

I love too many Onion headlines to pick a favorite, but this one always makes me giggle:

Evengelical Scientists Refute Gravity with New "Intelligent Falling" Theory

Dizzy | March 04, 17:14 CET

Well,if we're doing the favorite headline thing, I've always had a soft spot for:

Hemingway Shoots Lions, Self.

Septimus | March 04, 17:20 CET

I heartily endorse these new guidelines and will vote for them in the next election.

nugent2112 | March 04, 19:08 CET

"Kennedy Shot 127 Times from 43 Different Angles."

I might be persuaded to sign the petition to see this rule established if the nudity in question also involved Eliza, but maybe I'm getting greedy.

ManEnoughToAdmitIt | March 04, 19:11 CET

Jane Espenson recently dissected some Onion headlines on her blog and wrote about a This American Life segment that explored how their writers' room works. I find them sometimes very funny, sometimes not, myself.

Sunfire | March 04, 19:45 CET

From "Our Dumb World" (the Onion's Atlas)

"Albania: the Haiti of Europe"

nugent2112 | March 04, 20:51 CET

No One Makes It To Burning Man Festival

Not a great headline, but my all-time most favoritest Onion article ever.

[ edited by Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner on 2008-03-04 18:13 ]

Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner | March 04, 21:11 CET

I love the Onion's written stuff, and all the headlines you folks chose have made me laugh. Especially Dana's. But I don't think the style translates well to video - the human "interface" screws up the retelling, IMHO.

The Day Today was the Alpha and Omega of in person news-spoofing for me (yes, dating myself once again, I know.)

SoddingNancyTribe | March 04, 22:03 CET

Where's the funny?
This documentary is too one-sided. Ms Hannigan can ACT, don't forget.
That scene at the end of Season Seven after Xander has his eye gouged out, and Alyson is sitting on his bed in the hospital trying not to cry, and failing. Not many could pull that off they way she did.

Mild Mike | March 04, 22:04 CET

This past issue's "idiom shortage" headline cracked me up, but I do think it would have been more effective had it been accompanied by tasteful, artistic images of (for example) Alyson Hannigan.

Ghalev | March 04, 22:07 CET

Documentary? And no one is saying the woman CAN'T act and no one is forgetting it.

[ edited by zeitgeist on 2008-03-04 21:26 ]

zeitgeist | March 04, 22:34 CET

Documentary?
I completely agree, Zeitgeist, the one-sidedness of that piece DOES bring into question its eligibility for inclusion in the CANON of factual presentation.
Its woeful DISREGARD for Ms Hannigans professional integrity, not to mention its misrepresentation of the role of memory in our cognitive APPRAISAL of Ms Hannigans perkiness is, er, woeful.

Mild Mike | March 04, 22:48 CET

Look people, there's more to Alyson Hannigan than acting talent and a lovely personality you know, she also happens to look great naked (~~i've~~ i'd imagined). When are we going to learn that people aren't just depth, depth, depth and stop forcing them into non-naked boxes (unless they're see-through obviously) ?

"Speak Your Brains !" SNT ;). Kind of agree, if you're not going the "way over the top" route it actually feels less immediate with people in the loop. Better in words (and the odd wacky graph).

Saje | March 04, 22:51 CET

RHTG, never saw that Burning Man one before. Funny, funny. Boy, do I have people to send that to.

jcs | March 04, 23:48 CET

My favourite Onion headline would have to be "Dog Urine Lowers Heart Attack Risk, Say Snickering Researchers", although you really have to read the whole article.

Anyways, the Alyson Hannigan story reminds me of the good ol' days when I had to explain to my friends who thought that I only watched Buffy to see Buffy herself that not only was the series worth watching on its' own merits (writing, storylines, etc.) regardless of actress eye candy, but it was Willow and not Buffy who provided most of said eye candy! =D

WryBread | March 05, 00:12 CET

Mild Mike - Please don't take this the wrong way, but are you a specially programmed Whedonesque Spam Bot or are you just taking the piss? :)

I ask this because the link is a JOKE.

zeitgeist | March 05, 00:52 CET

I'd bet on the latter I think zeitgeist ;).

Saje | March 05, 01:50 CET

Yeah, Mike. Never forget the smiley! Learn from Saje.

ETA: :)

[ edited by jcs on 2008-03-04 22:55 ]

jcs | March 05, 01:55 CET

I was hoping so, but I didn't want to assume ;) Saje learned to use smileys the hard way as I recall :D

zeitgeist | March 05, 01:56 CET

That's the only way I learn anything though ;).

Saje | March 05, 01:58 CET

WryBread, you got my favorite Onion article picked. Excellent! (Nice posting name, too.)

k8cre8 | March 05, 02:12 CET

"Bill Clinton: Screw It, I'm Running For President" made me laugh out loud a few weeks ago. Mostly when he started describing how everyone else running had been shaking hands wrong-- "NO! Warm double-clasp!"

Sunfire | March 05, 02:18 CET

SNT: Couldn't agree more - the Day Today raises the bar for any spoof news show - the episode in which they turn an ordinary interview into an all-out instant war is superb.

Wemb | March 05, 03:25 CET

OK, this has officially topped my "favorite Onion video clip," supplanting the prior champion -- track down their "Ninja Parade" bit.

Ninja Parade Slips Through Town

[ edited by zeitgeist-to add link and remove signature- on 2008-03-05 01:26 ]

Hey, somebody stole my signature! Stop, thief! Come back here with my "J"! Police! Arrest that letter-bandit!

[ edited by Jay Tea on 2008-03-05 04:39 ]

Jay Tea | March 05, 03:43 CET

All I can say is if Alyson ever decides to "reveal" herself to the world, I hope it's in a humorous way. She does comedy so well.

quantumac | March 05, 07:36 CET

Ok... that clip made Coca-Cola come out my nose. It has been a while since I've had a clip give me fizzy nostrils.

[ edited by Mort on 2008-03-05 08:29 ]

Mort | March 05, 11:28 CET

Hello zeitgeist.
I was in two minds as to whether I should reply or just walk away, so I’ll do both.
One of the attributes that people here on Whedonesque (quite rightly) say about the site, is the general air of goodwill and easy-going discussion that holds sway. I certainly adhere to that view.
The idea that anyone here, not just me, would even contemplate the possibility of Alyson not being a good actress is almost as absurd as the idea that this Onion piece could be a documentary.
Your first response to me, which has since been changed (why?), stated “And no one is saying the woman CAN act and no one is forgetting it” seemed to me at the time a funny response and in keeping with the “absurdist” character of the thread.
Your amended response, and the second one (I don’t know what a Whedonesque Spam Bot is) strikes me as intemperate and in rather stark contrast to the air of goodwill I referred to earlier. Especially from someone whose name is coloured yellow.
And at no time in the few years I’ve been coming to this site have I come across a comment like yours concerning “taking the piss”. Or maybe I haven’t been looking hard enough.
Either way it leaves a rather sour taste in the mouth.
Mild Mike, signing out…

Mild Mike | March 06, 03:35 CET

March 04 2008