[LINK] "Sun Media Is in it for the Lulz"

[rfmcdonald]

Vice's Patrick McGuire's <take on Canada's Sun Media Network, known for its brand of tabloid newspapers and its little-watched television channel, is dead on. And it's funny. See the sample below.

It’s been a little while since we checked in on our favourite indie art collective Sun Media, the owners of an impressively outrageous shock art TV network called Sun News and a newsprint zine called The Toronto Sun—as well as some other new media art projects targeted to people who run in deeply obscure, alternative circles. But lately, Sun Media’s satirical coverage of Canadian culture has been gaining some high-profile negative attention. It seems like much of the Canadian media is missing the entertainment value of Sun’s ongoing attempt to troll the entire country. Sun Media’s own fanbase also appears to be losing track of the humour of Sun’s stunts. So as a result of all that, we thought we would catch you up on Sun Media’s latest outbursts of artistic obscenity.

Yesterday, as an April Fools gag, the Toronto Sun declared through a shoddy graphic design job on their front page that Justin Trudeau was their “man” and the “best choice for PM.” The Sun’s front cover is flatteringly reminiscent of VICE Canada’s exclusive photograph of King Robbie Ford of Toronto, as it depicts Justin wearing a cartoon crown. While our photo of King Robbie is a genuine photograph of a King speaking with his subjects—that was not doctored whatsoever, because he’s the King and it’s easy to find a real photograph of a King living that King lifestyle—one cannot help but notice the similarities between our image and theirs.

Anyway, given the Toronto Sun’s reputation for being a fairly conservative zine that balances out its radical ideals with crudely shot photos of half-dressed women, its readership was totally fuckin’ shocked to read that the Sun would back a dude like Justin Trudeau. A VICE Canada investigation into the online comment section of the Sun’s satirical announcement revealed that the paper had not yet schooled its audience on their own unique brand of shocking satire. A Sun fan named Norman wrote: “I was so angry as I read the column. I was ready to dump Sun news.” Some guy named Michael described his realization that the story was a prank, by commenting: “Good Lord! I was about to jump off the CN Tower!” A classy lady named Amy added: “You guys almost made me throw up breakfast.” And of course, Mitch from Stratford ON just had to chime in to say: “if Justin Idiot becomes the prime minister of Canada God help us.”

It’s clear that Sun Media is so shockingly cutting edge, it can even go over the heads of its own readers. But does Sun care that they are misunderstood, artistic geniuses? Nope! Because in the end, Sun Media gets all the lulz—and that’s what DIY art collectives like Sun Media truly care about. Even if they’re the only ones laughing.