A marketing firm has published an elaborate, holiday-themed parody of The Daily Memphian.
Signature, the Memphis firm, said the online newspaper had nothing to do with the parody. Instead, it was created for clients and friends of the agency for the holidays, according to Charles Marshall, the firm’s chief idea officer. Though, he said, “maybe we made it look too much like the original.”
The parody, called The Merry Memphian, comes with headlines like “FedEx New Distribution Center at North Pole Runs Into Blizzard of Disruptions” and “Clark Tower Adding World’s Longest Fire Pole.” It also features stories from columnists that parody DM writers like Chris Merryington (Chris Herrington), Geoff Coldkins (Geoff Calkins), and Jennifer Bells (Jennifer Biggs).
Maybe the most elaborate part of the Merry Memphian site is a poll to cast actors in a fake Craig Brewer movie called Memphis City Council: The Movie.
The poll asks who should play council chairman Frank Colvett, wrestler Jackie Fargo, cartoon character Baby Huey, or a potato. The choices to play council member Jamita Swearengen are Taraji Henson, Maxine from Batman Beyond, or Heather Hedley.
For council member Edmund Ford Sr., the poll suggests either Usher, John Ford Sr., or cartoon character Snidely Whiplash. For Dr. Jeff Warren, the poll suggests Bradley Whitford, Colonel Sanders, or Santa Claus.
The site also comes with fake ads for local and national brands. For example, Earnestine & Hazel’s is parodied as “Earnestine & Hazmat: Voted Memphis’ Most Dangerous Place to Eat.” Huey’s is “Chewey’s: Home of The World Famous Gristle Burger.” MemPops is “MEMPups: All-Natural Dog-Flavored Pupsicles.”
