Wikipedia Co-Founder Storms Out Of Interview After Host Asks If He Was “Founder” Or “Co-Founder”

ByMF Jones

Wikipedia founder/co-founder Jimmy Wales went on the Jung & Naiv podcast the other day, and got very touchy when he was asked to clarify whether he was indeed the founder or co-founder of the site.

This all happened within the first few seconds of the podcast starting, and ended with Jimmy Wales storming off set and Jung & Naiv being left with their shortest podcast interview ever:

Wales: I’m Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia.

Jung: You’re the founder or co-founder?

Wales: I don’t care. It’s the dumbest question in the world… It doesn’t matter.

Jung: Isn’t that like, when it comes to Wikipedia, a problem? What are the facts?

Wales: Well, it’s not a fact, it’s an opinion.

Jung: But for you, you’re the founder…

Wales: Can I just say again, it doesn’t matter. I’ve answered your question four times… You know what? I’m done.

Sensitive topic, it seems. Not sure why, though – even his own Wikipedia entry says he co-founded the site:

Image

Nothing wrong with being a co-founder, Jimmy! Especially for a big time website like Wikipedia. Maybe the site was his idea and the other guy (Larry Sanger) just helped him work on it and build it? Perhaps he could have clarified that instead of rage-quitting the interview and looking like the most fragile person on the planet.

Who knows? Maybe he was just having a bad day. Still, bit ironic for the founder/co-founder of Wikipedia, of all people, to be so evasive when asked to lay out the facts.

For the podcast host who set up a barrier and hired men in hazmat suits to help him avoid making contact with guest Bonnie Blue, click HERE.

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