Is the Chicken McNugget Lady's 911 Call a Fake News Story?

Hey, have you heard the one about the woman who called 911 three times because she didn't get her chicken nuggets?

It is, in fact, real news. In fact, after the story broke yesterday, it's all over the Internet and even on the homepage of CNN.com. She did commit the crime of misusing 911, that it wasn't a real emergency. But I mean, seriously, how absurd (but perhaps devilishly witty) is it for the reporter to include these riveting details?

Customers at the McDonald's where the incident occurred had mixed feelings about the McNugget meltdown. Daniel Slaton said he typically orders McNuggets when he goes to McDonald's, saying simply, "I just like them better than anywhere else."

So, at first, I thought it might be a joke. It is indeed pretty funny. I thought perhaps the news story was somehow related to The Onion, a "fake news" organization.

And (in perhaps a subconscious effort to try to erase the story and its reflection on some people's seemingly misguided and irrational tendencies to see injustice instead of normal interpersonal conflict from my memory) it made me think about how great it would be if it was a fake story.

Seriously, what a great fake news headline! "Woman Calls 911 After McDonald's Runs Out Of Nuggets"

At first, it reminded me of a time when I walked into Arby's and they told me I couldn't order a roast beef sandwich because they were out of roast beef. I just laughed and went to Chipotle.

Then, it reminded me of my respect and admiration for the work that goes into producing news satire and parodies, specifically for The Onion News Network, an amazing process that actually starts with the writing, and meticulous editing, of great fake news headlines.

If you're not familiar with The Onion, you've got to check it out. The best way I can describe it is that it's like those fake commercials on Saturday Night Live, but instead of product parody, The Onion produces news satire and parody. But the irreverence and often over-the-line, look at current events is all so frighteningly similar...and maybe even insightful.

For example, fake SNL commercials reflect American consumers' propensity to buy the brand of cereal with the most fiber, or to go to any length to control their dog's "bladder challenges." Whereas The Onion's fake news reflects American's love-hate relationship with conventional journalism.

We laugh at what we buy and we can't get enough of our own stupid news. It's all my kind of humor.

Here are my three favorite The Onion headlines:

• "Sean Penn Demands To Know What A**hole Took SeanPenn@gmail.com"
• "Kevin Bacon Linked To Al-Qaeda"
• "Nation's Dog Owners Demand To Know Who's A Good Boy"

Here are my three favorite Onion News Network stories:

• Apple Introduces Revolutionary New Laptop With No Keyboard
• Historic ‘Blockbuster’ Store Offers Glimpse Of How Movies Were Rented In The Past
• Are Violent Video Games Adequately Preparing Children For The Apocalypse?