fakery

McDonald's Tries to Improve Image By Serving Reporters Non-McDonald's

Enid Shaw · 08/18/14 05:45PM

When you think of McDonald's, the corporate powers that be behind the golden arches would really prefer if your mind didn't immediately flash to expired garbage meat or wages barely preferable to indentured servitude or even their terrifying new toothed box of a mascot. No, McDonald's would rather be synonymous with class, sophistication and refinement, which is why they've taken to rounding up reporters and bloggers and serving them, basically, a bunch of food that is not McDonald's.

White House Suddenly Decides Fake News Is a Bad Thing

John Cook · 05/13/11 11:28AM

Whenever you see a photograph of the president making a major address from inside the White House, it's really a picture of him saying "peas and carrots, peas and carrots" after the speech while photographers get their shots. Not anymore, though! For some reason, the White House has decided to stop participating in that particular form of fake-news manufacturing. It will continue to fake other news events, though. [AP, photo via Getty]

Jennifer Lopez, American Idol, and the Mystery of the Disappearing Ass Brace

John Cook · 05/06/11 01:15PM

We all know reality television shows, including and especially American Idol, are basically serial hoaxes. But couldn't they try a little harder to maintain the illusion? Idol producers went to elaborate lengths last night to falsely present Jennifer Lopez's on-air performance as "live," but they left behind a few editing artifacts proving that it was taped.

Che For Sale

Hamilton Nolan · 06/06/08 12:03PM

Two of the revolutionary hero (to some) Che Guevara's kids said this week that they've had enough of their dad being used as a branding icon for advertisers of all stripes. "The appropriation of the figure of Che that has been used to make enemies from different classes" is "embarrassing," said one of his daughters. That's true. But Che's image today is largely made up of consumer products, that people buy in solidarity with a complicated man whose popular representation is—to say the least—highly simplified. Below, ten of the most important Che items that any dedicated revolutionary should own. Get em before they're outlawed.