A Satirist’s Take on Fake News: A Conversation With Phil Hendrie

Before the “fake news” phenomenon, we had Phil Hendrie.

The renowned radio show host, satirist and vocal actor has shaken and shocked audiences for years by having outrageous conversations with himself on his “The Phil Hendrie Show,” which began on terrestrial radio and now takes its form as a digital download and podcast.

When Hendrie started creating characters using different distinct voices to be featured as “guests” on his show, he says he did not expect the reaction he received.

Listeners began calling into the studio mid-episode in response to the absurd false statements spewed by Hendrie’s colorful characters, fooled into thinking they were real people speaking about real events.

He took full advantage of this comedic opportunity and ran with it, and continues bringing vocal caricatures to life on his show to this day.

While the premise of “The Phil Hendrie Show” and what we’ve come to know as “fake news” both focus on deceiving consumers, Hendrie notes that there is a fundamental difference between the two.

Satirical entertainment like his is meant to be funny and only fool some people, while “fake news” is distributed with the intention of misinforming populations. Satire mocks an element of society by creating an alternate reality or exaggerating the one in place, all while honoring the way things actually are. “Fake news” seeks to hoodwink everyone, not just some, and it’s no laughing matter.

Annenberg Media reporter Savannah Sinfield spoke with Phil Hendrie about fake news, modern American media, today’s radio business and more amid current tension between American leadership and mainstream media. In the full interview, he elaborates on why he chose his career path, how journalists should protect the truth for both themselves and the public, and what we can do to educate news consumers on source reliability.