Parody Website Fools The Washington Post Into Thinking Sarah Palin Heading To Al Jazeera

[Newsjock]

http://www.mediaite.com/online/parody-website-fools-the-washington-post-into-thinking-sarah-palin-heading-to-al-jazeera/

“The Sarah Palin Story is a cautionary tale about what can happen when politics and celebrity meet,” beginsWashington Post contributor Suzi Parker’s profile of Sarah Palin’s move from Fox News Channel to the future cable news network Al Jazeera English. “Late last week Al Jazeera America announced the former vice-presidential candidate would be joining their news network.”

The only problem with Parker’s scoop is that the news of Palin’s move comes from the comedy news site The Daily Currant, which recently published a wide-ranging “interview” with Palin about her lateral career move. The Daily Currant describes itself as “the global satirical newspaper of record.”

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. I've given DU a hard time now and then for being fooled by satire sites.

I hereby apologize. If the WaPo can be fooled I guess Poe's Law is now in full effect and it is no longer at all possible to distinguish satire from reality.

However, you'd think that a "respectable" newspaper like WaPo would verify its sources and/or know that the Daily Currant is a satire site. There's really no excuse for this kind of mistake by a major newspaper.

[rocktivity]

13. DING DING DING! Velveteen Ocelot, you're our grand prize winner!

Last edited Sun Jul 13, 2014, 12:21 PM - Edit history (2)

...(Y)ou'd think that a "respectable" newspaper like WaPo would verify its sources and/or know that the Daily Currant is a satire site. There's really no excuse for this kind of mistake by a major newspaper.

Well, if even the New York Times can fooled by an Onion story -- oh, wait, you said a RESPECTABLE newspaper...


rocktivity

[TDale313]

2. Not sure whether to

Lmao or face palm this one (or both) Some people seriously lack the satire gene.

[LiberalAndProud]

3. I like Suzi Parker's work.

She just needs to remember to always check her sources. She has since corrected herself.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/wp/2013/02/12/sarah-palins-plan-to-reach-millions-of-devoutly-religious-people-through-al-jazeera/

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. NOt even the media can tell reality from satire anymore.

edited to add:
The reporter was fooled by the Daily Currant TWICE?
Amazing.

[Enrique]

5. the Daily Currant is a special kind of satire

it seems to be trying to fool people rather than make a point. This is not meant to excuse that Washington Post reporter, she should be embarrassed.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. I don't think they are especially clever or funny.

What they call satire is sometimes pretty close to what others might call libel.

[nxylas]

10. I was thinking that

Wondering whether the reason so many people were fooled is that they expect satire to be funny.

[rocktivity]

14. DING DING DING! Enrique, you're our OTHER grand prize winner!

Last edited Sat Apr 20, 2013, 04:21 PM - Edit history (8)

The Daily Currant...seems to be trying to fool people rather than make a point.

I once described The Onion as being able to "take a crumb of truth and turn it into a three-tiered cake with frosting." Andy Borowitz is in their weight class, but not the Currant, despite their claim that their international perspective is what distinguishes them. Because they try to exploit the moment rather than make a point with it, their crumbs of truth come out as wet, cold porridge.

The Currant's story about Marco Rubio's GOP state of the Union response speech is titled Rubio Introduces Bill to Fund Dehydration Awareness; the Onion's, Rich White People Get Latino Guy To Do Some Work For Them. See the difference?



rocktivity

[Puzzledtraveller]

7. Wow, Wapo duped LOL

[Buzz Clik]

8. Anybody -- ANYBODY -- who believe what they read in the web without rigorous validation...

... is a fool.

The WaPo should be ashamed and ready for a volley of well-deserved ridicule.

[Bennyboy]

9. So funny< I didn't bite on this one but have in the past.

How Wash Post did not already have the DC Flagged for satire is weird if you ask me. I know now for about two months I'd say that I knew (I got hooked once or twice myself)

They are great satire, cutting a bit closer to the truth than the Onion does.

[benld74]

11. The Sarah Palin Story is a cautionary tale about what can happen when,,,

contributing journalists DO NOT GO THE EXTRA step to VETT their OWN STORIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[obxhead]

12. Fact checking.

It's what legitimate news sources do.



If the WAPO can not or will not do this, then they should no longer be considered a legitimate news source.