Wikipedia Makes Steve Cuozzo Go Crazy

The Post's Steve Cuozzo devotes a column to Wikipedia's many mistakes about NYC. Though he admits he uses it "on such essential matters as which actress plays which bimbo in 'Gossip Girl'," he doesn't understand why its non-pop culture entries--like that of New York City--are so wrong. Besides issues with street information, out-of-date crime data, real estate/architecture details, and the NYPD's community policing initiative, Cuozzo clears up the entry about the NY Post, explaining the 1983 "Headless Body in a Topless Bar" headline was not written by "onetime employee named Paul Beeman. In fact, it's a matter of historical record that the headline was written by then- managing editor VA Musetto (who is today The Post's film editor and Cine File columnist)." [Via Gawker, which thinks Cuozzo's "going to be up 'til at least midnight trying to correct all these things."]

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By Jen Chung in News on August 28, 2008 2:00 PM

Comments [rss]

Spirit of 76

In other words, you enjoy being an asshole. My, what an achievement. Your mother must be so proud.

Toby von Meistersinger

It is quite fun to add fake and inaccurate info to Wikipedia. Challenge your friends to see how long your fake information/article lasts for a fun game.

It also upsets the infinite number of monkeys typing at random trying eventually to produce an entire encyclopedia.

JMH

Traditional media has an axe to grind because they're losing business to new media. No Steve, no particular motive to trash the Internet here, is there?

chris

Crap. I made some typos, too bad no one can fix them for me.

chris

The reason why not everyone can edit the NYC entry is because most people will just defile it. The whole thing would end up looking worse than you're average NYC comment thread. Such is the tragedy of commons.

I could edit it, but then again I don't, because I've got better things to do... like constantly deleting entries about silly NYC only celebrities because they do not meet Wikipedia's notoriety threshold.

Outter Burrougher

certain articles, including the main entry for New York City, cannot be edited by anyone, you suggest changes which are then discussed and eventually someone (i don't know who) decides whether or not to make the change. There was something I wanted to correct in the NYC article a month or so ago and learned this then.

Politburo

For all the bitching people do about Wikipedia, they could save everyone a lot of time by just fixing the shit themselves.

But then I guess you eliminate a source of easy-to-write columns...