| MATTHEW LYNCH,
EXECUTIVE EDITOR |
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If there’s a news topic that better exemplifies our era of endless content and infinite scrutiny than Jeffrey Epstein, I’m at a loss to provide it. The writers room at The Onion seems to agree. The satirical news brand, whose print edition rose from the dead last year, has generated considerable buzz this week with its new mockumentary, Jeffrey Epstein: Bad Pedophile, which seeks to both find comedy in a pitch-black subject and lampoon the public’s lust media that explores it. Today VF’s Chris Murphy discusses the project with Onion CEO Ben Collins, who has major ambitions. “The Academy: Do you like pedophiles? I don’t think you do,” Collins says of his smirky Oscar campaign for the film. “You know what you could do to prove it?”
Elsewhere today, Matthew McConaughey rewatches his classic roles, Savannah Walsh delves into the history of the showgirl trope as Taylor Swift launches an album-length exploration, and Donald Trump finds a novel way to fund his White House ballroom makeover. More tomorrow… |
If there’s one thing our increasingly polarized nation can agree upon, it’s that Jeffrey Epstein was a bad guy. Like really bad. The Onion thought such a dark situation would make perfect fodder for comedy. Cue Jeffrey Epstein: Bad Pedophile, a 20-minute documentary satire that blends fact and fiction as it skewers the deceased predator. In reality, Epstein and his crimes are no laughing matter. But The Onion’s editorial staff has found a way to mock him while also making fun of the true-crime documentaries that pop up like weeds on Netflix and HBO Max. “I’m supposed to say this—I run the company—but it is the funniest thing I’ve seen this year,” says Onion CEO Ben Collins. “And it’s deeply stupid.”
VF’s Chris Murphy chats with Collins about how the mockumentary took shape and where he hopes it takes him: the Oscars. |
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YouTube has agreed to fork over $22 million to Trump, which will be used for the president’s passion project. |
As Ryan Murphy brings a new series about murderer Ed Gein to Netflix, here’s a guide to movies that fictionalized his story—from Psycho to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. |
As Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl bows, these are the other bejeweled blondes who may have inspired the new album—and the unexpected song that started this era. |
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Alright, alright, alright. From Dazed and Confused to The Wedding Planner and Magic Mike, the actor walks VF through his career, revisiting some of his most memorable scenes. |
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