Jeff Lawson, the co-founder of the cloud computing company Twilio, appears to be the new owner of the satirical news website The Onion. The website was recently sold to a company called Global Tetrahedron, which is connected to Lawson. Global Tetrahedron was also the name of a fictional evil megacorporation in a long-running gag on The Onion, but it has now taken on real-world significance. It appears that Lawson is behind this acquisition.
The sale of The Onion was confirmed by G/O Media CEO Jim Spanfeller in an email to staff. He stated that Global Tetrahedron, the new owners of The Onion, consist of four digital media veterans who have a strong passion for The Onion and comedy-based content. Spanfeller also mentioned that the entire staff at The Onion will remain intact in Chicago, proving to be a vital part of the acquisition deal.
Lawson’s purchase of The Onion comes after his resignation as Twilio’s CEO in January. He faced challenges within the company, including layoffs and pressure from activist investors. When asked about his ownership of The Onion, Lawson vaguely responded with questions about what The Onion and a tetrahedron are, leaving the conversation uncertain.
Lawson’s move into the satirical news media industry surprised many, including former Twilio employees who anticipated his entrance into politics. G/O Media declined to comment on the details of the acquisition.