Many of us have wondered over the years what the differ- ence is between satire and reali- ty in the American legal system. I have the answer: one year, 11 months, and 10 days. Let me explain. On Aug. 3, 2000, The Onion—America's favorite satirical newspaper—published an article entitled, "Hershey's Ordered to Pay Obese Americans $135 Billion." This piece of comic fiction reported that the chocolate company had been sued by state attorneys general in a class action over the lack of warnings on its product, its marketing of products to children, and its having—most insidiously of all—artificially spiked its products with nuts and crisped rice to keep people addicted. The jury, by this satirical account, had responded by granting an enormous award. "This is a vindication for myself and all chocolate victims," said one of the plaintiffs. In addition, the company was ordered to place a warning on all of its products reading: "The Surgeon General has determined that eating chocolate may lead to being really fat."
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