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Weekly World News
Hillary Rodham Clinton on the cover of the Weekly World News. HistoryThe WWN was launched in 1979[1] by publisher Generoso Pope as a means to continue using the black and white press that the higher-profile tabloid, The National Enquirer, had been printed on, when the sister publication switched to color printing.[2] Like many supermarket weeklies in the U.S., the Weekly World News was published in Boca Raton, Florida. It was unique as a tabloid because it was printed entirely in black and white. Its longtime editor, Eddie Clontz, a 10th-grade dropout from North Carolina and former copy editor at small newspapers [2], joined the paper in 1981. In 1999, David Pecker bought American Media Inc., which owned the Weekly World News. Within the next two years, a lot of WWN's longtime writers and editors, including Clontz, Sal Ivone, Joe Berger, Bob Lind, Dick Kulpa and Leskie Pinson, were gone, replaced by young comedy writers.[2] Clontz left the paper in 2001, having been there 20 years, and died in 2004.[3] In the 1980s, the circulation of WWN peaked at 1.2 million per issue. In a filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission in March 2007, American Media said that sales of WWN in 2006 were only 83,000 per issue.[4] DiscontinuationOn July 21, 2007, parent company American Media announced that it would suspend publication of both the print and website version of Weekly World News, with the last issue being printed on August 3, after two weeks of 'reprint' issues (no new content).[1] Subsequent announcements instead gave August 27 as the last issue, and state that the online version will continue. [5] No reason was given for the decision; an editor with the paper said that "the reasons given don't make sense."[6] The paper advised potential buyers that its final issue would be worth considerably more on eBay than the newsstand price. In fact, on the cover of the final issue, readers were encouraged to buy several copies to sell on eBay. The Weekly World News is currently being published as a small insert within Sun magazine, with new material being printed alongside articles and columns from older issues. General approach to storiesThe WWN traditionally claimed that it always printed the truth (typical slogan: "Nothing but the truth: The Weekly World News!"). Many stories, however, appeared to have comedic intent. Confirming this, in Batboy Lives! a semi-serious introduction admitted that while Reader A reads the tabloid for real news, Reader B will read it for laughs. While the tabloid's main rival, Sun, carried a fine print disclaimer, the WWN never publicly questioned the accuracy of its own stories until 2004, when the paper began stating that "the reader should suspend disbelief for the sake of enjoyment". In recent years, Sun moved more toward articles on health, and miracle cures, mostly leaving WWN alone in its unique niche of basing a weekly publication almost entirely on "news" that the traditional media dared not report, such as sightings of Elvis Presley and the Loch Ness monster. On occasion, it ran strange-but-true stories, such as "DEVOUT CHRISTIAN ATTACKED -- AND HE'S THE ONE FINED!"[7] referring to conservative English street preacher Harry Hammond being fined after he was threatened by "homosexual liberals." Other verifiable stories included, but were not limited to, those of a giant mutant hog monster attacking Georgia.[8] It reported on the discovery of an infant dragon preserved in formaldehyde proving the existence of dragons, [9] although this was later proven to be a hoax [10]. It also quoted Vatican exorcist Father Gabriele Amorth on Pope John Paul II's battles with Satan.[11] 
The second of three possible future covers of the Weekly World News However, these stories were the exceptions. When most of the supermarket tabloids were acquired by Fleet Street publishers, they switched to celebrity gossip, but the Weekly World News remained devoted to weirdness. In the introduction to Batboy Lives! Sal Ivone, former managing editor, said, "If someone calls me up and says their toaster is talking to them, I don't refer them to professional help, I say, 'Put the toaster on the phone'." Derrik Lang, a former stringer for the paper, said, "That fat guy with the sunburned belly and that kid abused by his own shadow were living, breathing people with wilder-than-wild stories to tell ? in my head. I can't attest to the entire publication, but everything in my stories was fake ? you know, depending on how you define fake."[12] WWN was a journalistic leader in following the progress of Bat Boy, the half-bat, half-boy superhero; and P'lod, an extraterrestrial who became involved in Earth politics and had an affair with Hillary Clinton. Other important issues regularly reported on included the oncoming great depression/apocalypse, and newly found lost prophecies. WWN was also in the forefront of informing the public about alien abductions, the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, and time travel. WWN once carried a story about inhabitants of the planet Mercury who had proposed to establish a colony in San Francisco ? presumably they sought a more temperate climate, where lead was generally a solid. (In one of the latest, Iraq was revealed to possess a "time tunnel" capable of facilitating time travel.) Occasionally, stories published in the Weekly World News sent shock waves through the legal and law enforcement communities. For example, in early 1989, WWN published startling photographs on the front page of executed serial killer Ted Bundy on the autopsy table. Electrode burns on Bundy's shaved head with his fixed and dilated pupils staring into space could clearly be seen in the photographs. Angry and surprised officials in Florida vowed to catch the person responsible. Eventually, a low-level employee of the Alachua County, Florida Medical Examiners office was arrested and charged with taking and selling the photographs. Columns and features
Ed Anger's 1996 book Beginning on May 9, 2005, the Weekly World News went "All New", along with other tabloid papers, such as the National Enquirer which had become "Bigger?Bolder?Better". In the new Weekly World News, Serena and Sonya Sabak's psychic column was replaced by the horoscopes of Madame Malisa and Dotti Primrose's "Dear Dotti" was supplanted by an advice column called "Hi Dolly" written by a middle-aged, blonde woman reared somewhere south of the Mason-Dixon Line. The new WWN included a weekly "Weird Picture Search" by famed Mad cartoonist Sergio Aragones. Other features included Trivia, Test Yourself, Jokes and "Miss Adventure", "The Gayest American Hero", who has penetrated the mob, gone to Hollywood, and fought DRAG-U-LA traveling from the depths of the Earth's center to Outer Space. Two pages of comic strips became a popular feature, many spun off from feature stories. "SpyCat", created by Dick Siegel, was drawn by Ernie Colon. SpyCat spoke nine different languages ranging from Persian to "dog" and was armed with "Adamwestium" claws and deadly cat-of-nine-tails. He wrote free-form poetry when not waging war on America's enemies -- at home and abroad. "Matthew Daemon", also created by Dick Siegel, was written and illustrated by Mike Collins and was a spin off from the "SOS Matthew Daemon (Seeker of Obscure Supernaturals)" feature. Daemon's lair was located beneath Grant's Tomb. Daemon specialized in B-List Monster hunting. "Alien Baby" by Craig Boldman chronicles the adventures of Moogera the dead beat alien dad, alien baby Ethan, and Stacy, his Earth-born mother. "Bat Boy" is written and drawn by Danielle Corsetto and is a fictional creature that made several appearances in the tabloid. Recurring subjectsBat BoyPossibly the best known of all the stories to come out of WWN, Bat Boy was first featured in a 1992 issue after being found in a cave. He has since led police on a high speed chase, fought in the war on terror, led the troops to capture Saddam Hussein, bitten Santa Claus, and traveled into Outer Space. In 2000, he gave his endorsement to Al Gore. It was foretold that Bat Boy would become president in 2028. The story of Bat Boy was the basis for an acclaimed off-Broadway musical, Bat Boy: The Musical, though the play ended tragically and ignores the continuity of the original stories. In addition to articles, Bat Boy has been featured in a comic strip since 2004, though it's said that only the articles are the "true" story of Bat Boy. A Scientist"A Scientist", is typically shown and quoted. He was known as "A Scientist", to distinguish him from A Baffled Scientist. His findings are as close as WWN gets to having a reliable source. Page 5 HoneyEach week a different model was featured on page 5 and on the back page. She was usually wearing a bikini and a description of her was printed. This article has been absent from WWN since the Halloween issue of 2006.
"ALIVE!", starring (often) Elvis Presley
One of several "Elvis is alive!" covers. Another subject often tackled by WWN is the reemergence of many prominent figures believed by most to be deceased, including Hank Williams, Marilyn Monroe, John F. Kennedy, and Adolf Hitler. Among the most frequently printed reports were those asserting that "Elvis is alive." The WWN frequently reported Elvis sightings with a series of articles claiming that Elvis Presley had faked his death and had recently emerged from years of seclusion to prepare for a comeback. Obviously altered photos purported to show a gray-haired balding Elvis sneaking into a movie theater and coming out of a Burger King restaurant. When the US Postal Service conducted a poll to determine the design of the Elvis commemorative postage stamp, the WWN conducted its own poll pitting the USPS' 1950s Elvis and 1970s Elvis versus their own 1990s Elvis. The WWN's Elvis won. In 1994, the newspaper broke the news about the death of a popular rock musician long presumed deceased, running a front cover that said "Elvis Presley Dead!", revealing that he had been living a secret life since 1977, but was now "really dead" from heart failure after slipping into a diabetic coma. In a 2004 Washington Post article on Clontz's death, humorist Gene Weingarten claimed that he and Dave Barry were the sources of the story.[13] According to Weingarten, the WWN later reported that claims of Elvis' death had been a hoax. In an earlier telling of his story, Weingarten varied some details.[14] The World's Fattest...Numerous stories regarding shockingly obese people and animals made the pages of WWN, the most popular of which being Tonya, the world's fattest cat. After first being discovered, WWN encouraged readers to send in their guesses as to exactly how much they believed Tonya weighed. Weighing in at over 80 lbs, Tonya has been featured being adopted, and possibly sat on by the world's fattest woman. Later stories involved Tonya's attempts to lose weight through the "Catkins" diet, her struggle with anorexia, and claims that she had been eaten by the world's thinnest woman. Other stories have featured the exploits of the world's fattest couple at the gym, the world's fattest baby, and even a similar weight guessing contest featuring the world's fattest dog. One continuing story featured a morbidly obese man named Buster Simcus who had lost so much weight, it left 80 pounds of loose skin hanging off his body that he was planning to have surgically removed. By the next story, he blew up again, severely damaging his scars. Upcoming economic depressions
WWN June 6, 2005 WWN covered stories that featured analysis of a coming Great Depression in the immediate future, in which many prominent celebrities, politicians, and icons of business would become penniless. The cover story of the June 6, 2005 issue warned that the second Great Depression was "just weeks away." Because of this, Texas Oil Tycoons were planning to flee to Luxembourg, the only country to survive this economic crash. The consequences of this depression would include:
A follow up in the August 15, 2005 issue reveals plans by China to buy a controlling interest in all of America's banks, effectively buying out the nation's economy. According to the article, China currently owns more than 100 US banks totaling roughly 17 trillion dollars, making them the majority shareholder in America. Religion and Biblical relicsWeekly World News was often the first to report the findings of biblical relics, including Noah's Ark, the Garden of Eden (claimed by the tabloid to be in Colorado), and the discovery of additional commandments from God. The magazine obtained information when Jesus will return to Earth. WWN was also the first to speak of a pair of sandals worn by Jesus. Other stories disclosed that natural disasters such as earthquakes have opened up gates and portals to Hell from which demons have escaped which are now wreaking havoc upon the earth. A story shortly after September 11, 2001 showed the face of Satan appearing in a cloud of dust caused by the collapse of the World Trade Center. Similar stories had appeared before, wherein Satan's face had appeared in a thunderstorm. Following the terrorist attack on September 11 2001 WWN featured articles exposing plans for possible future terrorist attacks on the United States of America. A 2004 cover story leaked plans by Kim Jong-il to eventually invade and conquer the United States. Other stories featured profiles on the location and nature of Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction, including the news that Saddam Hussein had an arsenal of giant slingshots and Dinosaurs. In 2003, a series of articles profiled the ongoing relationship, and eventual marriage of Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden. Other stories have made claims that Bin Laden is actually a dwarf, that he recruited a cloned Adolf Hitler to join Al Qaeda or that he is in fact dead and that the CIA is keeping it a secret. Since being captured by Batboy, Saddam has been humiliated by female prison guards, won the United States lottery, and even demanded that the government pay for his sex change operation. The April 25 2005 issue of WWN revealed a thwarted attempt by terrorists abducted by aliens to hijack their UFO and fly it into the White House. Saddam Hussein's heartbreakThroughout 2003, just prior to the capture of Saddam Hussein, and persisting after his capture, WWN ran a series of articles on an alleged romance between him and Osama bin Laden. The setup of the plot alleged Saddam Hussein once starred in gay porn films. The "couple" apparently had a steamy, sensual affair, before a wedding was performed, with Hussein as the bride and bin Laden as the groom. Later, they traveled the globe, ending up in France. They adopted a shaved ape baby (Robert) that posed as a human child. After an argument, Hussein left for Iraq to be comforted in his home town of Tikrit by family and friends, and hid in the spider hole until Bat Boy discovered him. Saddam's Nuclear SubmarineIn 2002 WWN reported that Saddam Hussein was hiding in his Nuclear Submarine, called the "Saddam-tilus", in Lake Michigan. In this Submarine he had a theme park and half the Iraqi military. It was also reported that he was planning to launch his nuclear missiles at New York and Los Angeles saving Washington D.C. for his new capital, where he would demolish the White House and build a new palace made of the ruins of the White House. Also he planned to carve a statue of himself out of the Washington Monument. The article went on to further describe how he got the submarine into Lake Michigan. He used the help of bin Laden's "alien allies". The presidencyWWN is often the home to humorous political satire regarding current and past Presidential Administrations. The magazine scored an important beat when it disclosed that the founding fathers were all gay and that George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were actually women. Abraham Lincoln, according to the paper, was mentally insane and his ghost has also been spotted in the White House giving President George W. Bush advice on the War in Iraq. Stories regarding President George W. Bush usually capitalizes on the public's perception that he lacks intelligence. The paper has chronicled his plans to run for pope, his love affair with Janet Reno and his intention to nominate Yoda as Secretary of Defense. The paper also reported his secret plans to invade the moon (which may possibly be ready to explode and destroy Earth) and mine it for the rich oil reserves discovered underneath. The June 21, 2004 issue confirmed that Vice President Dick Cheney is actually a Robot, and that his frequent trips to the hospital are actually to allow him to get his circuits rewired. AliensAliens are another subject frequently tackled by WWN. Weekly World News blamed these creatures for holes in the ozone. A Roswell crash survivor, "Altair Bob", made contact with "WWN" via telepathic e-mail. Several factions of extraterrestrials have been using the moon to dump garbage. Martians have been monitoring the Mid-East crisis. Warrior aliens have been resurrecting the dead, fighting Big Foot and training in a mock US town hidden in Antarctica. San Franciscans have opened their hearts to immigrants from Mercury. One such alien who made several appearances in WWN named P'Lod, has been known to fraternize with known women of politics. It was reported that he and Hillary Rodham Clinton once had a close relationship, which ended up in a brawl between him and Bill Clinton who went on a jealous rage. After P'Lodd left Hillary, he expressed a lot of interest for Condoleezza Rice. In the June 7, 1994 edition, WWN reported that 12 U.S. Senators were aliens from other planets. The piece quoted several Senators or their spokespersons humorously "confirming" the story. The Associated Press ran a follow-up piece which confirmed the tongue-in-cheek participation of Senate offices in the story. WWN quoted Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX) as saying he was "amazed it took you this long to find out." Senator Alan Simpson's (R-WY) then-spokesman Charles Pelkey told the AP: "We've got only one thing to say: Klaatu barada nikto."[15] CryptidsCryptids and half-animal half-Human hybrids are frequently the topic of many issues of Weekly World News. Creatures such as Bigfoot, Merpeople, Real-life Catwomen, Half-Alligator Half-Humans, Frog Babies, Kangaroo Women, and many other creatures have swept the world by storm on various covers (Abominable Beachman strikes terror in Hawaii!) Merfolk
A photograph of the mermaid in the Weekly World News "captured" on April 17th, 2004 The most detailed account from the Weekly World News, recorded a mermaid being caught in a fishing net off of the coast of Florida on April 17, 2004. She was at least half-human, very sociable, and extremely intelligent. The mermaid measured five feet from the tip of her upturned nose to the end of her spiny, translucent tail. Experts which talked with WWN reporters say she was able to talk in a sophisticated "three dimensional language" that depends heavily on noises that could possibly be connected to the "click languages" prevalent in parts of Africa and on hand movements that look like sign language instructed to deaf people around the globe. A linguist who had spent several hours with the mermaid at an undisclosed marine study facility in Florida declared that once they are able to establish communication, everything known about human evolution, the specialness of human intelligence, everything thought about fish - "It's all going out the door". Four government agencies (at least) were reported as if involved in the care and study of the mermaid, including the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Institutes of Health. An unexpected discovery, the only definite goals at the point of her capture were:
The location of the research facility where the mermaid was being studied was never released to the public, but some 'sources' have led to an abandoned seafood-processing plant as an assumed location. DNA testing taking shortly after her capture proved that the mermaid's genes are split between both humans and fish; specifically, Homo Sapiens and a sea bass species that has been extinct for over forty thousand years. The pictures confirm the fishermen's verbal description ? "Up top, the mermaid has human breasts and arms, a pretty face and long, dark brown hair. Down below, she looks like any other fish, with silvery-blue scales, a sleek, tapered body and broad, powerful fins". U.S. Customs agents labeled the creature "an exotic fish not cleared for importation into the United States". Within hours of the exotic find, she was airlifted to the unknown marine research facility where the government scientists are said to be giving a complete medical check-up to see how closely connected to man is to the bizarre creature. One expert was quoted thusly: "If it can be recognized that humans share a substantial amount of genetic coding with the mermaid, the understanding of our origins may change. Instead of looking for missing links between man and monkeys in the jungles of Africa, we'll have to start searching for the missing link between humans and fish, and between humans and merpeople ? the mermaids and the mermen." Since she was so strong, two crewmen had to pin down the mermaid to the deck by putting their knees on her shoulders while a third blew marijuana smoke in her face to sedate her. She was placed in an aerated tank that is normally used to keep lobsters and bait fish alive, once she calmed down. President George W. Bush took a keen interest in the mermaid and her well-being. He felt so deeply about the mermaid that he ordered two personal chefs to help with the creature's dietary needs. The dishes which he believed would benefit the half-human, half-fish were "two of his favorite comfort foods ? Texas catfish and hush puppies with jalapeño bits. Details were released claiming the mermaid had a hearty appetite, thoroughly enjoying the food. At the paper's demise, it was working on a story that she had engaged in sexual relations with both Bat Boy and Elvis. In latest reports, she seems happy, broods when she's left alone, and perks up when she sees a human. Similar to their female counterparts, mermen are found within the pages of the Weekly World News. On June 17 2003, a merman was reported to have been caught in the South Pacific. The bizarre creature measured 28 inches, significantly shorter than a mermaid caught the following year in a fishing net (which measured five feet from the tip of her upturned nose to the end of her translucent tail). Though this most likely points to the fact that they might have been two separate merpeople species. Another contributing factor might have been the different area of the world in which it was caught. See also: Fiji Mermaid Freeze-dried babyA series of several articles dealt with a couple whose doctor told them they could not have more children, and whose only son, Christer, climbed out of his crib one night and drank chemicals under the kitchen sink. They decided to take his remains to a taxidermist and freeze dry him so he could stand in the corner, his hand grabbing the waistline of his diaper. The next story had them going to prison because it is illegal to dispose of a corpse in any manner other than burial or cremation without a statement in writing from the deceased. The parents eventually died in a boating accident. The final story had a billionaire collector of weird things buy Christer's remains in the couple's neighbors' garage sale for ten cents. Other stories
Cultural references
WebsiteIn October 2006, Weekly World News relaunched its website in color. The site included video reportage and an Interactive Bat Boy Map. Other new features include "Share your Sightings" and categorizing breaking news in "National", "International", and "Intergalactic" news bureaus. Headlines on the website are refreshed daily. Samples:
See also
ReferencesExternal links
de:Weekly World News fr:Weekly World News ko:??? ?? ?? pl:Weekly World News fi:Weekly World News Source: Wikipedia | The above article is available under the GNU FDL. | Edit this article
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