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Oops: Onion Dupes Bangladeshi Papers on Fake Moon Landing

By John Johnson,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 4, 2009 11:53 AM CDT

(Newser) – Satire just doesn't translate well. Two Bangladeshi newspapers have apologized to readers after breathlessly reporting a US scoop: Neil Armstrong thinks the moon landing was a hoax! Problem is, the story appeared in the Onion. "We've since learned that the fun site runs false and juicy reports based on a historic incident," wrote the Daily Manab Zamin. "The truth is that Neil Armstrong never gave such an interview. We are sorry."

In the Onion story, Armstrong calls a news conference to say he's been swayed by a passionate blogger and some "persuasive YouTube videos." He concludes that while the flight felt real at the time, it was all done at a sound stage, "most likely in New Mexico." Says the editor of the other duped paper, the New Nation: "We didn't know the Onion was not a real news site."

In this July 20, 1969, file photo, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin E. Buzz Aldrin plant a US flag on the moon. Allegedly.
In this July 20, 1969, file photo, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin plant a US flag on the moon. Allegedly.   (AP Photo/NASA, file)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 5 comments
cochiserocks
Sep 5, 2009 9:00 AM CDT
The onion stories on Mac and the one on Sony's latest offering are my favourite bits of satire - right up there with Brass Eye's 'Cake' expose! :-)
rocketrocketusa
Sep 4, 2009 5:31 AM CDT
Strange thing is, this actually happens fairly often with foreign media outlets. They have no idea The Onion is satirical and will report their stories as factual.
RogerMohajir
Sep 4, 2009 5:22 AM CDT
Yes, it is confusing. I remember reading in Bangladesh's newspaper of record, the Daily Chapati, that the United States had elected a black man president. Being an educated man, though, I knew that it was just some kind of hoax.

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