The Onion's digital director helps satisfy America's hunger for journalistic honesty with a steady stream of fake news. Here are some of the photos he may or may not have taken himself, but they've influenced both his reverence for world events and the irreverent ways he covers them. Here's Thurston in his own words:

There's a lot going on in this image: the two Mandelas, freedom fighter and president. My mother in a pure moment of silliness. The location, my friend Mawi Asgedom's Chicago apartment. Mawi is one of the most inspiring and generous people I know. My mom and I were in Chicago because Mawi hooked us up with tickets to see Oprah (a dream of my mother's). He has weathered extreme hardship, built an amazing business and inspired me to write my first book. There isn't a caption long enough to capture what this image means to me.


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