In December 2004, BBC World viewers tuned in to receive the surprising but welcome news that Dow Chemical was fully accepting responsibility for the 1984 Bhopal disaster, a toxic gas leak in which 18,000 people were killed. Even better, Dow spokesman ‘Jude Finisterra’ announced a $12-billion aid package for the people of Bhopal. The broadcast was seen by millions.

The Yes Men had struck again. Gonzo journalists, media pranksters, Swiftian satirists, the Yes Men are Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno. They pose as corporate spokespersons, make uncanny replicas of company websites, and infamously published a spot-on parody of the New York Times. Among the headlines: “Iraq War Ends” and “Nation Sets Its Sights On Building Sane Economy.” It’s screwball nonfiction with a pointed purpose. Can they find a way to defeat the cult of greed and save civilization from its excesses? Yes, they can. Sean Farnel.

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