Stephen Colbert Causes Chaos on Wikipedia, Gets Blocked from Site

News Type: Event — Tue Aug 1, 2006 6:00 AM EDT

odd-news, humor, citizen-journalism, wikipedia, stephen-colbert, comedy-central, vandalism, wikiality

Stephen Colbert on 'Wikiality' - the method of making something up, but getting enough people to agree with you so it becomes reality.

On Monday night's episode of The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert addressed the online resource Wikipedia, the encyclopedia that anyone can read or edit. Colbert praised Wikipedia for "wikiality," the reality that exists if you make something up and enough people agree with you - it becomes reality. Colbert's subsequent examples to prove "wikiality" would cause chaos on the site, and lead an administrator to subsequently block his account.

In the segment, Colbert logs on to the Wikipedia article about his show to find out whether he usually refers to Oregon as "California's Canada or Washington's Mexico." Upon learning that he has referred to Oregon as both, he demonstrates how easy it is to disregard both references and put in a completely new one (Oregon is Idaho's Portugal), declaring it "the opinion I've always held, you can look it up."

Colbert goes on to declare that he doesn't believe George Washington had slaves.

If I want to say he didn't that's my right, and now, thanks to Wikipedia *taps keyboard* it's also a fact.

Here's the fun part - Colbert actually did this. The Wikipedia articles on his show and George Washington were both edited by the user Stephencolbert to reflect the changes he declared on air as he tapped at his computer around 23:35 UTC - which is 6:35pm on the East Coast, during the taping of his show, hours before it aired.

It gets better.

Colbert then urged his audience to find the Wikipedia entry on elephants and create an entry that stated their population had tripled in the last six months, a fact he freely stated to not know if it was "actually true," with his sidebar stating "it isn't." Guess what happened next?

Scores of internet users took Colbert's bait, repeatedly vandalizing approximately 20 articles on elephants before all being placed under a lock. The move also subsequently caused Wikipedia administrator Tawker to block Stephen Colbert from the website, reportedly to verify his identity. Either Tawker is incapable of checking the above log times that corroborate Colbert, or, more likely, he just wants to be mentioned on Stephen's show (as evidenced by his notes on the block and blog entry).

All this trouble over a man who, as his user page noted, is a 'defender of truth.'

"And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the craziest @!$%#ing thing I have ever heard."

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{"commentId":1227716,"authorDomain":"zeedee11"}

Jason-210669

I just farted.

{"commentId":1227716,"threadId":"34384","contentId":"307864","authorDomain":"zeedee11"}

#76 - Thu Nov 29, 2007 5:56 PM EST

{"commentId":1252107,"authorDomain":"wisehuman"}

Wisehuman

Colbert is an idiot.
Wikipedia's article are created by a group of individuals dedicated to spreading the truth and more people watching it to make sure it stays accurate. To edit an article you need to cite a reference to a scholarly source OR a number of trusted sources (such as 2 or 3 popular new sources) and also mention your edit in the talks page of the respective article. If you do not do the above, your edit will be taken as vandalism and reverted and a message will be left for your IP by Wikipedia to tell you that you need to do the above in order to make changes to an article. If vandalism continues, the article goes on block so that only registered users (and in some cases only people with special privileges) are allowed to make changes. It effectively forces the article to be edited by Administrators only when the debate over a certain edit is over. And the only way for that to happen is to either mention new uncovered referenced facts or to edit in a way that does no conflict with known facts and still gets the message across.
Colbert, in defending his viewpoint, demonstrated little knowledge of how Wikipedia works and clearly constitutes a clueless idiot who opens his mouth without getting his facts straight. After his speech at the White House Correspondents Dinner, I was kind of proud of him, thinking that he always uses his 'Brain' rather than his 'Guts'. Apparently he has become one of the many he makes fun of.

{"commentId":1252107,"threadId":"34384","contentId":"307864","authorDomain":"wisehuman"}

#77 - Sat Dec 8, 2007 7:39 AM EST

{"commentId":1684063,"authorDomain":"malnoe00"}

malnoe

You can retire 12 Months from today with a $4000 monthly income guarantee, we do all the work for you, while you get paid!

{"commentId":1684063,"threadId":"34384","contentId":"307864","authorDomain":"malnoe00"}

#78 - Sat Apr 12, 2008 2:11 PM EDT

{"commentId":1778435,"authorDomain":"ravencrow1"}

The Big Raven

You americants believe ANYTHING as long as it feeds the greedy system that you all live to enjoy at everyone Elsie's expense . Here the BIGGEST lie americans believe in its called "MANIFESTED DESTINY"and from my people to yours "what a crock of bulls%&t!

{"commentId":1778435,"threadId":"34384","contentId":"307864","authorDomain":"ravencrow1"}

#79 - Thu May 8, 2008 8:17 AM EDT

{"commentId":1779191,"authorDomain":"Reader11722"}

Jack Trail II

This is all about the First Amendment. Let's not follow the gov't down the path of censorship. After all, censorship is becoming America's favorite past-time. The US gov't (and their corporate friends), already detain protesters, ban books like "America Deceived" from Wikipedia (before Colbert was ever banned) and shut down Ron Paul. Free Speech forever (even for Colbert).

{"commentId":1779191,"threadId":"34384","contentId":"307864","authorDomain":"Reader11722"}

#80 - Thu May 8, 2008 11:39 AM EDT

{"commentId":1779701,"authorDomain":"rsmllc"}

RSM LLC

Wikipedia is a reliable source ONLY when it comes to uncontroversial topics. Not all its contributors are equally honest players when it comes to intellectual, political or financial hot potatoes. Authority 'sharing' sites like Wiki are too vulnerable to organized and aggressive partisans who have the time or money to manipulate entries. They generally succeed in changing or removing entries through constant persistance (with the site locking out further changes or suspending the page). Try writing or editing a page about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and include ANY truthful, but negative info about the Israeli side---it'll be deleted or changed within hours. How about the other side of global warming (according to Wiki, what other side?). If you present the history of X corporation and happen to list its sins, a team of folks come right in and, voila, the sins are purged. And so on.

{"commentId":1779701,"threadId":"34384","contentId":"307864","authorDomain":"rsmllc"}

#81 - Thu May 8, 2008 1:37 PM EDT

{"commentId":1782865,"authorDomain":"mflynn5061"}

Max Fortres

I actually found a Wiki entry for a business competitor, I couldn't believe my luck. I went on and changed a few words here and there, completely changed the concept. Instead of being a cutting edge company, they now sound like complete buffoons and idiots. Their technical support services are pretty darn good even though none of the tech experts speak any English. Their 2 day shipping guarantee became 2 months. I changed it about 2 years ago, and nobody has ever caught on and changed anything. LOL

{"commentId":1782865,"threadId":"34384","contentId":"307864","authorDomain":"mflynn5061"}

#82 - Fri May 9, 2008 11:38 AM EDT

{"commentId":1789181,"authorDomain":"madjacke"}

Maddie-279156

Colber - sheer genius. Keep the dialogue rockin'. WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!

{"commentId":1789181,"threadId":"34384","contentId":"307864","authorDomain":"madjacke"}

#83 - Sun May 11, 2008 5:31 PM EDT

{"commentId":1836018,"authorDomain":"nilanthikasarathchandra"}

nilanthikasarathchandra

Did you see it? One more time? You won't get faked out here!

{"commentId":1836018,"threadId":"34384","contentId":"307864","authorDomain":"nilanthikasarathchandra"}

#84 - Fri May 23, 2008 11:35 PM EDT

{"commentId":1836025,"authorDomain":"nilanthikasarathchandra"}

nilanthikasarathchandraDeleted

{"commentId":1884473,"authorDomain":"dw0131"}

DW-301036

I wonder if Orwell realized there was comic potential in "1984"? Stephen Colbert for Minister of Truth, though I shudder to think of what HIS version of "Room 101" would be like....

{"commentId":1884473,"threadId":"34384","contentId":"307864","authorDomain":"dw0131"}

#86 - Tue Jun 3, 2008 4:22 PM EDT

{"commentId":2983257,"authorDomain":"jdouville"}

Josh-534837

i would just like to say that the colbert report is not making fun of other news talk shows or even trying to say anything about wikipedia, i honestly believe that the colbert report is one of the only ways a tv program can air that does not go along with government. it shows how truly chained and not free america is.it is so bad that the only way anybody can speak out is on a comedy outlet. if you watch the show they actually have a lot of tangible information that proves the invalidity of the american government on all sides and nearly every facet. and colbert point on truthiness was really a jab at how the american gov't says whatever it wants and is just believed and it's "peers" do not correct it, like wikipedia.

{"commentId":2983257,"threadId":"34384","contentId":"307864","authorDomain":"jdouville"}

#87 - Thu Sep 18, 2008 6:26 AM EDT

{"commentId":3659072,"authorDomain":"coyote1942"}

kittykitty

This "discussion" has deteriorated, in spite of some long-winded posts, and the use of three and four syllable words, into a dog and pony show.

{"commentId":3659072,"threadId":"34384","contentId":"307864","authorDomain":"coyote1942"}

#88 - Thu Oct 23, 2008 5:42 PM EDT

{"commentId":4011796,"authorDomain":"manoj-1"}

Press Digital

I really agree with the RSM LLC Thoughts.

Press Digital

Profile:-

{"commentId":4011796,"threadId":"34384","contentId":"307864","authorDomain":"manoj-1"}

#89 - Tue Nov 11, 2008 12:51 AM EST

{"commentId":4011843,"authorDomain":"manoj-1"}

Press Digital

<a href="www.pressdigital.com.au">Press Digial</a>

{"commentId":4011843,"threadId":"34384","contentId":"307864","authorDomain":"manoj-1"}

#90 - Tue Nov 11, 2008 12:58 AM EST

{"commentId":7376496,"authorDomain":"take2la"}

take2la

The wiki-ality is

Wikipedia is a better source than 90% of the sources out there...

Not if I say it isn't, it isn't -- which is Colbert's point.

It really just goes to the point that wiki admin can do or say anything they choose, its their site-- whether its realistic or true or accurate. And they do-- just as they choose.

I could claim the all gold in Ft. Knox is mine all I want.

It isn't going to matter to the guards when arrive with my wagon to collect.

The wiki admin wants to pretend it's above all-- especially us common hoards.

If wiki admin wanted to promote global warming as a marketing scam, I doubt its going to keep the coastal waters at bay when the caps melt & raise the sea level 20 meters.

But the page'll still be there.

Take it for what its worth. A free search engine, & you get what you pay for.

{"commentId":7376496,"threadId":"34384","contentId":"307864","authorDomain":"take2la"}

#91 - Sun May 31, 2009 2:03 PM EDT

{"commentId":8059838,"authorDomain":"adgam"}

magdalena villaronga

It is true about wikipedia not being reliable. someone wrote in info. about my brother and there were a lot that were not correct. I tried to correct the info. and whoever administer's wikipedia did a rather subtle but not real corrections. That is one reason I never look into it.

{"commentId":8059838,"threadId":"34384","contentId":"307864","authorDomain":"adgam"}

#92 - Mon Jul 6, 2009 5:27 PM EDT

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Stephen Colbert Causes Chaos on Wikipedia, Gets Blocked from Site

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