# Have you ever vandalised a Wikipedia page for comic effect? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 3, 2007, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-vandalised-a-wikipedia-page-for-comic-effect/386598 "2007-01-03T21:20:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2007, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-vandalised-a-wikipedia-page-for-comic-effect/386598/1 "2007-01-03T21:20:59Z")
I did (I’m not proud of it - well actually I do think it was quite funny 😛 ), but it lasted approximately 1 minute before being reverted. I should point out that I don’t mean just replacing pages with **YOU SUCK!111** or switching pictures of respected politicians with bonobos and genitalia. Oh no. So… fess up! ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2007, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-vandalised-a-wikipedia-page-for-comic-effect/386598/2 "2007-01-03T21:27:08Z")
I haven’t, and I must say, I think it’s a deplorable practice. ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2007, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-vandalised-a-wikipedia-page-for-comic-effect/386598/3 "2007-01-03T21:40:26Z")
Yes, several times. I’m indefinitely blocked from editing. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2007, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-vandalised-a-wikipedia-page-for-comic-effect/386598/4 "2007-01-03T21:50:10Z")
Wikipedia, no. Wikihow, yes, and was temporarily blocked from editing. (Block has since been lifted. I’m still considering doing constructive edits to the article in question, but can’t be arsed). ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2007, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-vandalised-a-wikipedia-page-for-comic-effect/386598/5 "2007-01-03T22:22:21Z")
After a night of heavy drinking, my buddy “won” a bet by editing Mia Hamm’s page to say that she was the lady on TV who flashed the camera during the world cup. I think it lasted 4 hours. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2007, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-vandalised-a-wikipedia-page-for-comic-effect/386598/6 "2007-01-03T23:21:00Z")
[QUOTE=Sal Ammoniac] I haven’t, and I must say, I think it’s a deplorable practice. [/QUOTE] What he said. Wiki vandalism certainly falls below ethnic cleansing and moose diddling on the list of Worst Things in the World, but it’s annoying far more often than it’s funny, and it runs counter to what makes Wikipedia work. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2007, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-vandalised-a-wikipedia-page-for-comic-effect/386598/7 "2007-01-03T23:40:43Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] What he said. Wiki vandalism certainly falls below ethnic cleansing and moose diddling on the list of Worst Things in the World, but it’s annoying far more often than it’s funny, and it runs counter to what makes Wikipedia work. [/QUOTE] That depends. If it is funny, and easily recognisable as false, I’m okay with it. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2007, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-vandalised-a-wikipedia-page-for-comic-effect/386598/8 "2007-01-03T23:44:56Z")
I haven’t, but I ran across a horrific edit the other day. I was reading about the von Trapp family (hey, it was a Sound of Music kind of weekend) and when I got to the page about Georg…there was Tubgirl. It was gross, disgusting, unexpected and almost made me lose my dinner. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2007, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-vandalised-a-wikipedia-page-for-comic-effect/386598/9 "2007-01-03T23:47:46Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] What he said. Wiki vandalism certainly falls below ethnic cleansing and moose diddling on the list of Worst Things in the World, but it’s annoying far more often than it’s funny, and it runs counter to what makes Wikipedia work. [/QUOTE] If the moose’s lips said, “No,” but his eyes said, “Yes,” that’s a completely different story. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-vandalised-a-wikipedia-page-for-comic-effect/386598/10 "2007-01-04T00:23:44Z")
[QUOTE=Lsura] I haven’t, but I ran across a horrific edit the other day. I was reading about the von Trapp family (hey, it was a Sound of Music kind of weekend) and when I got to the page about Georg…there was Tubgirl. It was gross, disgusting, unexpected and almost made me lose my dinner. [/QUOTE] I agree that that sort of thing is deplorable. (As well as not funny.) Part of the reason I did it was simply to see how quickly it would be reverted. I was amazed and impressed that it took less time to revert than it took me to edit in the first place! FWIW, I’m the bitter individual responsible for [this version](http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Autostereogram&oldid=97559692) of the [Autostereogram](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autostereogram) page. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-vandalised-a-wikipedia-page-for-comic-effect/386598/11 "2007-01-04T00:47:28Z")
I think the people who do that are the same type as those who kick sandcastles at the beach. [QUOTE=Colophon] I’m the bitter individual responsible for [this version](http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Autostereogram&oldid=97559692) of the [Autostereogram](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autostereogram) page. [/QUOTE] I don’t see why you’re bitter. It’s a shark. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-vandalised-a-wikipedia-page-for-comic-effect/386598/12 "2007-01-04T00:52:34Z")
[QUOTE=Nanoda] I don’t see why you’re bitter. It’s a shark. [/QUOTE] You’re not fooling anyone, you and the rest of the hoaxers… ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-vandalised-a-wikipedia-page-for-comic-effect/386598/13 "2007-01-04T02:07:27Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon] You’re not fooling anyone, you and the rest of the hoaxers… [/QUOTE] Yeah, don’t let 'em fool you. It’s actually a sailboat. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-vandalised-a-wikipedia-page-for-comic-effect/386598/14 "2007-01-04T02:18:36Z")
[QUOTE=Lsura] I haven’t, but I ran across a horrific edit the other day. I was reading about the von Trapp family (hey, it was a Sound of Music kind of weekend) and when I got to the page about Georg…there was Tubgirl. It was gross, disgusting, unexpected and almost made me lose my dinner. [/QUOTE] Gah. I never have either but this is just…gah! ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-vandalised-a-wikipedia-page-for-comic-effect/386598/15 "2007-01-04T03:44:44Z")
If I’m seeing what’s intended, that’s one deformed shark. I think it’s one of those boats used in crew. -Lil ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-vandalised-a-wikipedia-page-for-comic-effect/386598/16 "2007-01-04T03:54:24Z")
I have created an obviously fake entry for a practical joke where several people convinced the poor unwitting victim that that particular day was in fact… some new holiday… damn if I remember… something like Natural History Appreciation Day or somesuch. Well, what holiday could go without being mentioned in a couple random blogs found via Google and Wikipedia – it made the illusion complete and was taken down as “Not sufficiently important” within three hours. ---
**Author:** ![Strinka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strinka/32/512_2.png) [@Strinka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strinka)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-vandalised-a-wikipedia-page-for-comic-effect/386598/17 "2007-01-04T04:05:55Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon] I should point out that I don’t mean just replacing pages with **YOU SUCK!111** or switching pictures of respected politicians with bonobos and genitalia. Oh no. [/QUOTE] So, what do you mean? ---
**Author:** ![Aunt\_Flow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed655f/32.png) [@Aunt\_Flow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aunt_Flow)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-vandalised-a-wikipedia-page-for-comic-effect/386598/18 "2007-01-04T04:25:07Z")
I dunno…I found the entire ‘Colbert elephant’ debacle particularly amusing. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-vandalised-a-wikipedia-page-for-comic-effect/386598/19 "2007-01-04T04:32:55Z")
[QUOTE=Hal Briston] Yeah, don’t let 'em fool you. It’s actually a sailboat. [/QUOTE] WTF? It’s tubgirl. You guys are all demented. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-vandalised-a-wikipedia-page-for-comic-effect/386598/20 "2007-01-04T04:50:00Z")
I’ve never vandalized a page but I did see one particularly hilarious one. It was on the [Jerry Jeff Walker](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Jeff_Walker) page - I looked him up because I noticed that a vintage Telecaster that was selling for many thousands of dollars on eBay was advertised as having belonged to him. So I come to his page, and all the way down at the bottom, it says: > [@](#): > > Jerry Jeff has an annual birthday celebration bash in Austin Texas with Mike Jak Balla. This party has become an enormous event in Texas and brings some of the biggest names in country music out for a night of picking and swapping stories under the Austin skyline. Mike Jak Balla kicks off the festivities by sodomizing a baby gorilla. I couldn’t help but laughing over that. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-vandalised-a-wikipedia-page-for-comic-effect/386598.md?page=2)