I discovered just now that a relative is “notable” enough to be the subject of a Wikipedia article.
I don’t mean some distant relative in an obscure branch that I only found by researching my family tree. This is someone I know well, whom I’ve had dinners with, whom I’ve met on many family occasions.
Is this unusual?
That depends whether your relative has done something signficant enough to merit a Wikipedia article. My Dad doesn’t have his own article, but he is mentioned in the articles on two of his co-authors, and his works are cited as references for further reading in others.
Depends.
Were you aware, prior to seeing the Wiki page, of the reason for the “fame” but just didn’t think of it as being Wiki-caliber important?
If yes, (you knew he was an excellent classical pianist but thought he mostly performed at family Christmas parties but it turns out he played Carnegie Hall), then no.
If no, (you knew he had a “thing” for candy but you had no idea he was heir to the Snozberry Candy Company fortune), then yes.
I was aware of the reason for his fame: He writes a weekly column in a newspaper. The newspaper is a medium sized daily in a major North American city. I don’t believe the column appears anywhere other than in that one newspaper.
Oddly, I found the article when I was looking in Wikipedia, not for him, but at the article for the newpaper. It had links to columnists, and I saw his name.
Then, no I wouldn’t say it is weird. Cool, but not weird.
My uncle has a Wiki page. I always knew he was a rugby player in Australia but never really gave it much thought. One day I was bored and started looking up the names of people I knew on Wiki to see if there were any cool people of note with the same name. (I was really bored.)
Turns out, lots of people who followed professional Australian and British rugby in the 60s and 70s know who he is. He was actually put on a calendar of former rugby stars a few years ago. Who knew?
Apparently your relative’s column is important to enough people to warrant recording it for posterity. Pretty cool.
Wait. Is your relative Ed Zotti?!?
Oh well, cool is cool.
No, he’s not Ed Zotti 