UNT welcomes Scott Dikkers, founding editor of The Onion satire publication, on Sept. 18

Tuesday, September 2, 2014 - 17:22

What: Scott Dikkers, founding editor of the satirical publication The Onion, presents "Funny Story Behind the Funny Stories," part of the 2014-15 Mary Jo and V. Lane Rawlins Fine Arts Series, at the University of North Texas.

When: 8 p.m. Sept. 18 (Thursday)

Where: UNT's Main Auditorium, 1401 W. Hickory St., Denton

Cost: Tickets are $10 for the general public, $5 for UNT faculty/staff/alumni, free for UNT students (but ticket must be reserved in advance)

More information: Tickets may be reserved or purchased online at http://untuniontickets.com. More information on other events this season can be found at the Fine Arts Series Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/UNTFineArtsSeries.

DENTON (UNT), Texas – Millions of readers daily get their news from a site created by Scott Dikkers – of course it's all fake.

Dikkers, founding editor of the satirical publication The Onion, will visit the University of North Texas campus Sept. 18 (Thursday) to discuss how he and his friends started the publication that led to one of the most popular humor websites online today. His appearance is part of the 2014-15 Mary Jo and V. Lane Rawlins Fine Arts Series.

His presentation, "Funny Story Behind the Funny Stories," describes the entrepreneurial spirit he and his friends had when they created the humor publication in the late 1980s. In 2006, Dikkers helped to create The Onion News Network, which has spawned countless viral videos and three TV series. Dikkers is also the best-selling author of The Onion's first two original books, Our Dumb Century and Our Dumb World. His work has won the Thurber Prize for American Humor, a Peabody and more than 30 Webby Awards.

Before starting The Onion, Dikkers wrote and drew the comic strip "Jim's Journal." He has written and directed two feature films and performed on Saturday Night Live.

The event is at 8 p.m. in UNT's Main Auditorium, 1401 W. Hickory, Denton. Tickets are $10 for the general public, $5 for UNT faculty/staff/alumni and free for UNT students (but ticket must be reserved in advance) and can be reserved or purchased at http://untuniontickets.com. More information on other events this season can be found at the Fine Arts Series Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/UNTFineArtsSeries.

About the Mary Jo and V. Lane Rawlins Fine Arts Series

The Fine Arts Series began as the Lyceum Series in 1903 when UNT was North Texas Normal College. The series has grown over the past century while never losing sight of its purpose to enrich UNT students' lives and provide a higher quality of life at the university.  Now in its 109th season, the series continues to entertain and educate the campus community by presenting an exciting series of performing, visual and literary arts events. All Fine Arts Series performances are presented free of charge to UNT students.

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