Laugh Until/Because It Hurts: The Onion Does Sri Lanka

It’s been a rough several months reading the news out of Sri Lanka. But fortunately, The Onion noticed.

And thus we have the painfully hilarious Michelle Obama’s Arms Meet With Sri Lankan Refugees

(Spotted via Twitter. I’ve become a bit of a Twitter fiend lately.)

It is not unlikely that you have read or at least seen one article about Michelle Obama’s arms—her bold (?) sleevelessness, her workout routine, her admirably solid triceps and biceps and DISCIPLINE. The woman is RIPPED. Information about Michelle Obama’s arms is, for the most part, plentiful and straightforward and accessible. And this is comparatively ridiculous. As the piece indicates, it is pretty much like THE ARMS exist as an entity separate from the First Lady herself. Like THE ARMS are deeply important. You would think everyone cared about THE ARMS.

What else is going on in the world? A gentle jolt, courtesy of The Onion’s lede:

VAVUNIYA, SRI LANKA—In a rare diplomatic trip overseas, first lady Michelle Obama’s arms visited the largest refugee camp in Sri Lanka this week, bringing hope and comfort to countless victims of the nation’s 26-year civil war.

The article is actually weirdly informative. References to the number of displaced, the human rights minister, Manik Farm, the length of the war, the nature of ongoing suffering…

There are probably people who will only read about Sri Lanka in this one article. It’s comforting to think that if that’s true, at least those people will get not only a laugh, but also a very real sense of the most urgent issue in Sri Lanka right now: the people who need humanitarian aid. Well done, Onion. Humor and heart.

(Reminded me of the post-9/11 issue. Find American Life Turns Into Bad Jerry Bruckheimer Movie here.)

3 thoughts on “Laugh Until/Because It Hurts: The Onion Does Sri Lanka

  1. yeah, still not laughing. When I can debate Jan and/or MIA in a public forum, i’m sure there’ll be plenty of opportunities for mirthful stories as opposed to the needful.

  2. Great, yet another instance of a country engaging in arms trade with the Sri Lankan government, being spun as a humanitarian effort.