Have you heard about “The Dead Fox”? “The Dead Fox” is a student-run online satirical publication that launched last fall. The website features satirical articles that range in content from campus happenings to wider pop culture news.
It’s sarcastic, it’s silly, and it’s really, really smart.
It’s also mysterious. The students behind “Dead Fox” don’t exactly advertise themselves. Anonymous authors? How sneaky and suave. Who could the elusive masterminds behind “The Dead Fox” actually be? Perhaps a whole network of underground bloggers? Or is it one dude holed up in the creepy corners of Cannavino’s basement snacking on jalapeño chips?
As luck would have it, I may or may not have recently uncovered the identity of the “Dead Fox” writers, but for the purposes of this article we’ll just refer to them as “the authors.”
It began the same way many great creative works begin: with a bit of anti-establishment fervor. According to the authors, “The Dead Fox” was created to serve as an alternative to the school newspaper, The Circle. But it’s creation is nothing against other student journalists; it’s the system, man! The writers behind the site saw a need for a less constrained student opinion outlet, and so “The Dead Fox” was born.
“We think that Marist discourages student involvement in campus issues, and this is our way of trying to motivate students to ask questions and make a difference,” the authors said. By simply browsing the site, it’s clear to see the writers behind “The Dead Fox” are motivated to talk about issues that don’t always get talked about. And the best part is that no one is safe. Students and administration alike are criticized. It’s fair and it’s all in good fun.
The satire route was the perfect formula for their gnawing frustration. “We wanted to inform students but we also wanted to entertain them. So, we settled on a satirical publication,” the authors said. They consider it Marist’s version of The Onion. The Onion is a widely popular online satirical publication, known for posting clever and often outrageous articles such as the recent “Obama to Assure Nation that ISIS Campaign Will be Drawn-Out Ordeal They’re Used To.” After you spend some time on “Dead Fox”, go procrastinate on all that homework you can’t believe you already have by perusing the Onion for an hour or so.
What you can expect to find on “The Dead Fox” is a lot of making fun of Marist news. Through this site we learn to laugh at our school, and ourselves, we stay informed in a very unique way, and we are reminded exactly why the First Amendment is so awesome.
“The Dead Fox’s” most recent article is about the newly implemented Poughkeepsie Party Nuisance Law and this little satirical snack is just a delight. It involves Kevin Bacon circa 1984 donning a Marist sweatshirt. Need I even say more?
They post when they can and promote their content through social media and word of mouth. It’s a modest proposal, but it’s growing. “We do it because we enjoy it and we hope that other students do too,” the authors say.
So what can we expect next from “The Dead Fox”? It’s hard to say, but I’m hoping it involves those swanky (and unnecessary) street signs that have sprouted all over campus. (Seriously, when was that decision made? And how was I not invited to be a part of the panel that voted on the names? Half Moon Road anybody? Bueller??) Fingers crossed.
Now go. Read. Laugh. Think!
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Photo Credit: “The Dead Fox”