Wikipedia:Fart
 | This is an essay. It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints. |
 | This page in a nutshell: Not all farts are notable. |
Some Wikipedia editors[A] often have a desire to put the latest, breaking wind news in articles. However, just because a piece of trivial information was printed in a newspaper or gossip magazine, or on a website, doesn't mean there is a requirement for it to be included on Wikipedia. Keep in mind: not every fart or burp is notable.
Magazines such as People and Us Weekly print information that interests readers that week regarding celebrities' purported dating activities, family disputes, and weight gain or loss. It's verifiable. That does not mean that Wikipedia needs to reproduce all of it. While there may be many articles in the space of a few days on a topic,[1][2][3] that does not mean it is of lasting significance.
Case studies
[edit]The Lohan paradox
[edit]
Q: If Lindsay Lohan farts in the forest, and a reporter is around to hear it, is it notable?
A: No. Because not every fart is notable. However some may be, depending on who or why.[4]
The Lohan paradox with a slice of Bieber
[edit]Q: If Ms. Lohan tweets about her fart in the forest, is it then notable?
A: No, and if Justin Bieber retweets about it, it still isn't.
The Zappa exception
[edit]Q: If Frank Zappa farted on a record, is that notable?
A: Yes. Everything Frank Zappa did on vinyl is notable.[citation needed]
The K-pop theorem
[edit]Q: If a K-pop artist's management agency announces via a portal (secretly owned by the holding company that also owns the artist's record company) that a teaser for a video accompanying the download-only version of a possible new single for the first full comeback may be released in the near future, should it be included in said K-pop artist's article?
A: No.
The Pimp president paradigm
[edit]Q: If the spouse of a United States presidential candidate (who happens to be a former president) poses with three fully clothed pornographic actresses, should it be included in either of their biographies?[5]
A: No, even though pimpin' ain't easy.
See also
[edit]Bibliography
[edit]Footnotes
[edit]- ^ You know who you are.
Notes
[edit]- ^ Busbee, Jay (October 3, 2010). "Mystery solved! At last, Cigar Guy's secret identity revealed!". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
- ^ Sportsmail Reporter (October 3, 2010). "Easy Tiger! The moment Woods's Ryder Cup challenge was halted... by a photographer". Daily Mail. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
- ^ Inbar, Michael (October 10, 2010). "'Cigar Guy': Fame is fantastic — and embarrassing: Man behind the viral sensation pops up on the plaza and talks about the phenomenon". Today. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
- ^ "Paris Hilton leaves fart sound phone messages for Lindsay Lohan". CeleBitchy. February 15, 2008. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
- ^ Doll, Jen (May 24, 2012). "Do We Really Care if Bill Clinton Posed with Porn Stars?". The Atlantic Wire. Retrieved May 24, 2012.