Wikipedia's language being unintentionally funny

[u/Specific-Antelope-72]

[u/strawberry-don]

[u/christoskal → u/strawberry-don]

The best part is that even the companies call it like that now.

For example :

https://group.mercedes-benz.com/company/news/electric-popemobile.html

[u/YikesTheCat → u/christoskal]

Pope Francis had a lot more sense of humour than John Paul II. Francis would do pope jokes. I'd be highly surprised he objected to "popemobile".

[u/whiskeytown79 → u/YikesTheCat]

Man, I was thrown off by the past tense here. I totally forgot that Pope Francis passed away and we have Pope Leo XIV now.

[u/Glitter_puke → u/whiskeytown79]

Pope Leo, who has signed at least one Popplio pokemon trading card. I do hope we continue this trend of popes being human.

[u/DaedalusHydron → u/Glitter_puke]

If the White Sox win the World Series under his tenure, there will be an astronomical amount of interesting pope-related things since he's a huge White Sox fan.

particularly because they were complete ass before he came around, so there's a bit of divine intervention happening here now that they're actually decent.

[u/EffectiveAmphibian95 → u/DaedalusHydron]

Is it ethical for the pope to call in divine favors for his favorite baseball team?

[u/AvenRaven → u/EffectiveAmphibian95]

The Voice of God just has better cell reception with his prayers is all.

[u/Euphoric-Skirt7649 → u/Glitter_puke]

| I do hope we continue this trend of popes being human

As opposed to when they were bunnies

[u/Opening_Agent_5279 → u/Euphoric-Skirt7649]

Wait let's continue this trend instead

[u/Xombridal → u/YikesTheCat]

Yeah imo the pope should be one of if not the most relatable popular figure, and humor is the easiest way to do that

[u/Specific-Antelope-72 → u/strawberry-don]

Ah cmon pope! have a bit of fun!

[u/a_literal_idiot_616 → u/strawberry-don]

in italian it's even funnier, la papamobile

[u/punkate]

[u/scrimmybingus3 → u/punkate]

Prime Wunkus.

[u/thedoginthewok → u/scrimmybingus3]

Wunkimus Prime

[u/MygungoesfuckinBRRT → u/punkate]

He is John Wunkus, inventor of the wunkus

[u/iadnocad → u/MygungoesfuckinBRRT]

Owner of the wunksdale wunkadome

[u/DrPhilihprD → u/punkate]

I've spent a lot time on r/wunkus lately and I'm ashamed to say the word wunky has woven itself into my daily thoughts

[u/Anxiety_timmy → u/DrPhilihprD]

Ive infected my friends with it. We unironically call silly animals wunk.

[u/TheGruesomeTwosome → u/punkate]

Educational wunk. He will be posted online for learners.

[u/zehamberglar → u/punkate]

His ass IS being made an example of.

[u/svetvnoske]

[u/svetvnoske → u/svetvnoske]

a bit unrelated but I also find image-text combinations on Wikiquote quite amusing

[u/T0M95 → u/svetvnoske]

I know the text is Niko's lines from the opening few hours of Grand Theft Auto IV, but what on Earth could possibly be the use of it under this image

[u/Nothatisnotwhere → u/T0M95]

It shows big cockroaches

[u/fish_master86 → u/svetvnoske]

What's that from?

[u/svetvnoske → u/fish_master86]

from Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Images

[u/Federal-Fondant-671 → u/fish_master86]

The quote is from Grand Theft Auto IV.

[u/Fiskmaster → u/Federal-Fondant-671]

Which GTA IV character said "This image of a helicopter over the Sydney Opera House shows neither adequately."?

[u/RouteAverage3112 → u/Fiskmaster]

vlad, before getting killed

[u/Federal-Fondant-671 → u/Fiskmaster]

Sorry I left that on tbe wrong comment...

Or did I?

[u/Hondo_Ohnaka66]

I can't find it but my favourite is the picture of a bird (I think a parakeet) in front of a connect 4 game with the caption "a gamer"

EDIT: found it

[u/RockAndGem1101 → u/Hondo_Ohnaka66]

25th and 27th President of Georgetown University

[u/Force_Glad → u/Hondo_Ohnaka66]

Omg, that's adorable

[u/TeaRaven → u/Hondo_Ohnaka66]

Where is this one located? Didn’t see it under “gamer,” “Connect Four,” or when I looked up the 25th & 27th President of Georgetown University…

[u/PurpleThylacine → u/TeaRaven]

Presumably a vandalization of this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_A._Maguire u/Rhangdao u/Hondo_Ohnaka66

[u/The-Akkiller]

A classic

[u/Glorious_Comrade → u/The-Akkiller]

Dat early 2000s camera flash sweat sheen

[u/Electrical_Ranger469 → u/The-Akkiller]

The way it says 'Victim Misses' just makes me laugh for some reason.

[u/AGQuaddit → u/The-Akkiller]

"victim" lmfao

[u/cogit4se → u/The-Akkiller]

https://www.inverse.com/input/culture/wikipedia-high-five-too-slow-photos-mystery-couple-solved

[u/Schmooto → u/cogit4se]

This was beautifully written. Thanks for sharing.

I especially loved this sentence:

[u/Specific-Antelope-72]

Also this one, which my reddit app didn't send for some reason.

[u/RouteAverage3112 → u/Specific-Antelope-72]

Also the main picture for the skeleton page

[u/toughtiggy101 → u/RouteAverage3112]

Awesome ghost rider

[u/RouteAverage3112 → u/toughtiggy101]

It's in Australia so it makes sense.

[u/DropMurky1317 → u/RouteAverage3112]

Also on the same page

[u/Competitive_Swan266 → u/DropMurky1317]

Is that a fucking Dan Bull reference

[u/SirMetaKnight82 → u/RouteAverage3112]

This goes so fucking hard

[u/Object279stalinium → u/SirMetaKnight82]

r/picsthatgohard

[u/Zachthema5ter → u/RouteAverage3112]

Hell yeah

[u/Simple_Substance4829 → u/RouteAverage3112]

I love that on the sign next to it it has this ominous line that goes "The horse is the same, but this is not it's first rider."

[u/Anonpancake2123 → u/RouteAverage3112]

[u/LowConcentrate8769 → u/RouteAverage3112]

It's him, the horse man

[u/jamison_the_ranger → u/RouteAverage3112]

Homofarnsworth frolicking with dinosaurs

[u/ahmed0112 → u/RouteAverage3112]

My personal favorite Wikipedia joke is in the article "List of Cetaceans"

Where if they don't have a picture of the specific Cetacean they'll write "cetacean needed"

A play of "Citation needed"

This is actually the last cetacean that doesn't have a picture so this joke might be over soon

[u/PCRFan → u/Specific-Antelope-72]

My app shows a slideshow of one image

[u/SolidGuide5223 → u/PCRFan]

r/iswiped

[u/oneCOLDone → u/SolidGuide5223]

This guy wipes

[u/Winjin → u/PCRFan]

I only see a broken pic instead of second one, probably that's why you can't swipe to the broken one

[u/KlausVonLechland → u/Winjin]

It was too funny and become contained and secured as a memetic hazard. For your protection.

[u/Ernest_Mateu → u/Specific-Antelope-72]

i love how it says probably lol

So there's a possibility that the monkey is writing hamlet?

[u/Nurgle_Pan_Plagi → u/Ernest_Mateu]

The chance of a monkey randomly writing Hamlet is low, but never zero.

[u/Digit00l → u/Ernest_Mateu]

That is indeed how probability works, the probability of writing Hamlet by just randomly hitting keys on a keyboard are greater than 0, not much greater, but greater still

[u/Kiwi8_Fruit6 → u/Specific-Antelope-72]

the chance of a chimpanzee writing Hamlet is low, but never zero

[u/Fantastic-Banana-301]

[u/SirBananaOrngeCumber → u/Fantastic-Banana-301]

Not pictured: quacking like a duck

[u/Weemewon → u/SirBananaOrngeCumber]

But then how can we be sure it’s a duck?

[u/benchley → u/Weemewon]

Build a bridge out of it?

[u/Illustrious_Dot9049 → u/benchley]

Can't you also build bridges out of stone?

[u/Epiphany818]

Not really the text but I just love this

[u/GlacierBayAK → u/Epiphany818]

the cat's name is cooper btw

[u/Epiphany818 → u/GlacierBayAK]

Incredibly important information, thankyou

[u/Definetly_Noah → u/GlacierBayAK]

We all love cooper

And the guy who told me the name

[u/Any_Arugula_6492 → u/Definetly_Noah]

Now kith

[u/cross2201 → u/GlacierBayAK]

I love cooper

[u/multivitaminegummy → u/Epiphany818]

Was about to comment this pic before I saw it mentioned; it really is that good

[u/Felixassain]

On the page "All horses are the same colour"

[u/RemTheFirst → u/Felixassain]

[u/Chess42 → u/Felixassain]

It’s actually a really fascinating theorem

[u/Correct_Challenge868]

Auwawawa WHERE'S THE ONE WHERE THERE'S A MAN BESIDE A PENGUIN AND IT SAYS "John (?), biologist. On the left"

[u/see_me_shamblin → u/Correct_Challenge868]

[u/D4rk3scr0tt0 → u/see_me_shamblin]

I'm glad they clarified

[u/OK_x86 → u/D4rk3scr0tt0]

I imagine your average Wikipedia editor is one of the most pedantic people on earth. I'm here for it.

[u/kissmekatebush → u/see_me_shamblin]

I think the penguin looks rather interested?

[u/GooberMcNutly → u/kissmekatebush]

He's listening closely so he can use those lines back as a slam in what he considers an impromptu rap battle.

[u/ikonfedera → u/Correct_Challenge868]

Guy Standing, sitting

[u/charles_tucker_iiii → u/ikonfedera]

[u/Fiskmaster → u/charles_tucker_iiii]

I went to the page to check if the caption's been removed by now, and it technically has, but they replaced it with a screenshot of the caption, which is arguably funnier

[u/Winjin → u/Fiskmaster]

The best part here was that they were trying to argue that Wikipedia has to be "neutral" as in "not funny at al" but they still have to record big memes and controversies, so whoever was having a stick up their ass immortalised this, lol

[u/Drow_Femboy → u/Winjin]

Yeah it was a very silly argument. On one side, "this is a completely accurate caption that happens to be amusing, it should stay" and on the other side "WIKIPEDIA IS VERY SERIOUS BUSINESS NOTHING AMUSING ALLOWED"

[u/ExpressionWorried300 → u/Drow_Femboy]

Which is funny because Wikipedia has an entire category for "humorous essays"

One of my favorites is "Wikipedia:Please be a giant dick, so we can ban you" with this image

Edit: It's also known as WP:PBAGDSWCBY. They made an acronym for this shit

[u/_Halt19_ → u/Winjin]

we love the Streisand effect

[u/lIlIlIlIlllIlIllllll → u/Fiskmaster]

don't worry, the caption still survives on the page for the other guy standing

[u/FunDependent9755 → u/ikonfedera]

Cetacean needeed

[u/_Pigdog → u/FunDependent9755]

Crustacean needed

[u/Redpower5 → u/_Pigdog]

Circumstance heeded

[u/imjustarandomsquid]

[u/Force_Glad → u/imjustarandomsquid]

Himmler had something similar (to Göring) and poor old Goebbels had no balls at all

[u/KubaSamuel → u/Force_Glad]

What's up with German high command and balls? (Or the lack of them)

[u/Force_Glad → u/KubaSamuel]

It's a WWII English marching song

[u/DefinetlyNotAlt → u/imjustarandomsquid]

What could possibly be the context behind this

[u/Vaamu]

[u/AntamiIIa → u/Vaamu]

Shoutouts to this photo he made in response

[u/JeltkingFloof → u/AntamiIIa]

[u/BrilliantFly6117 → u/JeltkingFloof]

Forgot I had the evil twin

[u/Illustrious_Bird_737 → u/AntamiIIa]

Phenomenal. Jan Smit is a favorite grandpa for sure.

[u/Alesilt → u/Vaamu]

He looks like a smiling friends character, I love him

[u/rustyhumbucker]

The DECtalk speech synthesizer has this gem:

(deleted and re-added to include better image)

[u/FaagenDazs → u/rustyhumbucker]

Ah yes, cats. Famously known for all individuals being the same size 

[u/Inahero-Rayner → u/FaagenDazs]

Much like horses being the same color

[u/DumpsterDragon818]

…Why is there a swipe option, but nothing to swipe too?

[u/Specific-Antelope-72 → u/DumpsterDragon818]

something my phone, sorry 😔

[u/eydirctiviyg → u/DumpsterDragon818]

That's a bug Reddit has occasionally

[u/Impossible_Walk742 → u/DumpsterDragon818]

...did you wipe?

[u/Definetly_Noah → u/Impossible_Walk742]

Yes

[u/Gingerdeadman763 → u/Definetly_Noah]

HE WIPED

[u/Definetly_Noah → u/Gingerdeadman763]

Joker your line was "Officer Balls" and also laughing

[u/schmuddy_bhuddy → u/DumpsterDragon818]

He wiped

[u/rei_otacon]

[u/LeoNickle → u/rei_otacon]

That's not true I talked to one once and he even explained to me atomic theory

[u/No_Counter_6037 → u/LeoNickle]

that's why it says "probably"

[u/Murda-P]

[u/opopopuu → u/Murda-P]

I love that thing

[u/mamamissinginaction]

[u/Mertoot → u/mamamissinginaction]

Nah hold up I'm sorry WHAT? 😭

[u/RouteAverage3112]

The trout population might vary

[u/Neurospicy_Nightowl → u/RouteAverage3112]

[u/Iateurm8]

[u/Proud_Finish]

recently found this gem

[u/SemjonML → u/Proud_Finish]

Whenever people use "Us", "They", "Elites" or other vague generalizations I would like to add these wiki annotations.

[u/GreatStateOfSadness → u/SemjonML]

FYI these are called "weasel words " and once you start looking for them you'll find them everywhere. 

[u/2Ken2Humano → u/GreatStateOfSadness]

How could you not add this from the article??

[u/N1ght_Dr34m3r → u/2Ken2Humano]

this is my favourite image on wikipedia 🥹

[u/PSlb]

[u/Puzzleheaded_Mix3103 → u/PSlb]

[u/ForeignCredit1553 → u/Puzzleheaded_Mix3103]

PURPLE-

[u/BiDude1219 → u/Puzzleheaded_Mix3103]

PURPLE!!!!🟪🟪🟣🟣🟪🟣🟪🟣🟪🟪

[u/RouteAverage3112 → u/PSlb]

[u/someone_12421 → u/RouteAverage3112]

Well she IS canonically bi

[u/1gazillionpangolins]

(Technically Wiktionary, not Wikipedia, but it still counts)

[u/-Speechless]

Gorilla Gorilla Gorilla

[u/AccomplishedForearm → u/-Speechless]

Find that funny, it’s the real scientific name /NEU

[u/GregTheMad → u/AccomplishedForearm]

Gorillas have such an amazing presence, they had to name them trice.

[u/BigBoyMcDoy]

Meanwhile there were the Guy Standing wars... 

[u/Fabiocean → u/BigBoyMcDoy]

I heard that by the end of it there was only one Guy Standing

[u/GrimDallows → u/Fabiocean]

Boooooo

[u/LeoNickle → u/BigBoyMcDoy]

[u/Every-Elderberry3795]

[u/mohgwynsbestservant → u/Every-Elderberry3795]

Genuinely WHAT was his problem😭

[u/CanIScreamPlease → u/mohgwynsbestservant]

Cocaine. That's not a joke, he was obsessed with it and gave it to pretty much anyone.

[u/BaldursFenceDoor → u/mohgwynsbestservant]

Clearly his mom's penis was his problem.

[u/rejnka → u/BaldursFenceDoor]

[u/-UpsetNewt-]

[u/-Speechless]

[u/Purple-Bluejay6588 → u/-Speechless]

Free my man

[u/UltimatrixUser5690 → u/Purple-Bluejay6588]

They did in 1929

[u/-Speechless → u/-Speechless]

[u/Sombracuriosa]

The other day I discovered that, to illustrate the Spanish entry for "sleep," they use a koala as an example.

[u/Key_Number_4961]

Its just a burning memory...

[u/Some-Culture-2513 → u/Key_Number_4961]

Ah yes, the horngus (nutte sac)

[u/Orphankicke4167]

insert static electricity cat

[u/Skipspik2 → u/Orphankicke4167]

Cat name is Cooper
Source is from the original image "Cooper and styrofaom"
https://web.archive.org/web/20160127002423/https://www.flickr.com/photos/mcgraths/235112299/

[u/Imaginary_Choice2492]

this is so poetic tho. makes me wanna browse the wikia to find more quotes like that

[u/Canotic → u/Imaginary_Choice2492]

I think there is one with a polar bear trying to eat a submarine and the caption just says "submarines are not edible."

[u/Mighty_Eagle_69420 → u/Canotic]

Yeah, you gotta open them up for the delicious guys inside like, like a box of Smarties. What a silly polar bear.

[u/Canotic → u/Mighty_Eagle_69420]

I would actually, completely unironically, watch a horror movie where a polar bear accidentally got onboard a nuclear sub. Like they have to surface through the ice quickly due to some malfunction, they open the hatch without checking for polar bear, the first guy gets eaten and the bear goes inside. Good luck with small arms fire onboard a sub. Let's say they can't close all the hatches due to Reasons (The, uh, air filter is broken and the air can't ciruclate then, and they'll suffocate, or whatever).

[u/Mighty_Eagle_69420 → u/Canotic]

Someone put this guy in charge of Netflix or Paramount or something and give him a blank cheque

[u/94939539939371715005 → u/Imaginary_Choice2492]

[u/cyberpunksaturday → u/94939539939371715005]

(Knowing this fills you with DETERMINATION.)

[u/Qay99]

[u/mamamissinginaction]

egg

[u/TheEpicTriforce]

Unrelated, but I love the discussions about including certain things on Wiki articles like "should we put a picture of a spider on the page for Arachnophobia?" or "is Steve Irwin's death relevant enough to put on the page for Stingrays?"

EDIT: For those wondering, the answers are No, and Yes (under Stingray injuries), respectively.

[u/I_Killed_Steve_Irwin → u/TheEpicTriforce]

Yes to the last question

[u/Idigmoles]

[u/ahmed0112]

My personal favorite Wikipedia joke is in the article "List of Cetaceans"

Where if they don't have a picture of the specific Cetacean they'll write "cetacean needed"

A play on "Citation needed"

This is actually the last cetacean that doesn't have a picture so this joke might be over soon

[u/Crafty-Branch9505]

I reached another level where there is NO FUCKING SECOND IMAGE, AND I RECOGNISE IT, BUT I STILL WIPE

[u/lnTheGrimDarkness]

[u/TheGoodKusch]

My all time favorite on "All Horses are the Same Color"

[u/73747463783737384777]

One of my favourites xx

[u/Trytytk_a]

There is this one

[u/Kulandros]

This is what is referred to as 'dry humor,' and I disagree, it's intentionally funny.

[u/savoury_burrito]

[u/Legitimate-Total-574]

[u/black-eagle23]

article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_over_Avian_Carriers

In computer networking, IP over Avian Carriers (IPoAC) is a humorous but ostensibly functional proposal to carry Internet Protocol (IP) traffic by birds such as homing pigeons.

[u/black-eagle23 → u/black-eagle23]

There also was an example of "data loss", but unfortunately they removed the image

[u/Suburban_Rhonda]

My favourite.

[u/Causal_Modeller]

A classic one.

[u/Clean-Elderberry8835]

Obviously intentional, but deserves a mention.

[u/Duckegoose]

[u/Bicksaurus]

And not a single mention of Neil here, shameful

[u/TruePianist]

[u/Same-Engineering-899]

[u/Every-Elderberry3795]

[u/ProGamer8273]

Guy Standing sitting

[u/Camo_007_]

pretty sure they're intentionally funny

[u/hukto0o]