Editors from The Onion, a satirical weekly newspaper which has evolved into an online phenomenon, showed a slideshow of notable headlines and reader e-mails Tuesday night to laughter and applause from an audience of about 200 in the Owen L. Coon Forum.

During the presentation, which was sponsored by Hillel Cultural Life, Editor in Chief Carol Kolb and Associate Editor Amie Barrodale discussed the publication’s sometimes controversial coverage.

According to Kolb, The Onion is sometimes accused of mocking Bush too strongly with headlines like “Bush Regales Dinner Guests With Impromptu Oratory on Virgil’s Minor Works” and “Bush to Make Up Missed National Guard Service This Weekend,” but Kolb said writers try to lean neither right nor left.

“The Republicans are who is in power right now, so of course we’re going to attack them and make fun of what they do,” Kolb said. “We’re not trying to change anyone’s politics. We’re just trying to be funny.”

In terms of the presidential race, though, Kolb said it’s easier to make fun of Bush than of Kerry, who has been in headlines such as “Kerry Makes Whistle-stop Tour from Back of Yacht” and “Adorable Democratic Candidate Believes He Actually has a Chance.”

“It’s a matter of record that (Bush is) stupid,” said Kolb to audience laughter.

When it comes to more sensitive topics, Kolb said editors try not to be offensive, despite the criticism they have received for stories like “Columbine Jocks Safely Resume Bullying” or “African American Community Terrified by Ask Murderer.”

“Anytime something is a touchy subject, we think very carefully about what the topic of the humor is,” she said.

Sometimes people also do not realize the articles are untrue, Kolb said, recalling that when The Onion ran a story headlined “Congress Threatens to leave D.C. Unless New Capital is Built,” the largest paper in Beijing stole the story and published it in Chinese, alongside The Onion’s Photoshop image.

Hundreds of readers also were misled by the headline “Harry Potter Books Spark Rise in Satanism Among Children,” Kolb said. One, a schoolteacher, e-mailed the newspaper and asked, “Could you please give specific references, books or page numbers for quotes such as, ‘Jesus died because he was weak and stupid?’

Hillel Cultural Chairwoman Sirena Rubinoff said she was entertained.

“It wasn’t meant to be life-altering or incredibly intellectual,” said Rubinoff, a Medill sophomore. “It was a fun evening.”

Reach Tina Peng at [email protected].