Wiki Screwup A Shock For Sinbad

Actor-Comic Says He's Fine; Wikipedia Error Said He Was Dead

(AP)  Actor-comedian Sinbad had the last laugh after his Wikipedia entry announced he was dead, the performer said Thursday.

Rumors began circulating Saturday regarding the posting, said Sinbad, who first got a telephone call from his daughter. The gossip quieted, but a few days later the 50-year-old entertainer said the phone calls, text messages and e-mails started pouring in by the hundreds.

"Saturday I rose from the dead and then died again," the Los Angeles-based entertainer told The Associated Press in a phone interview.

The St. Petersburg-based company, which describes itself as "the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit," leaves it to a vast user community to catch factual errors and other problems. Apparently, someone edited it to say Sinbad died of a heart attack. By the time the error was caught, e-mail links of the erroneous page had been forwarded to hundreds of people.

A note on Sinbad's Wikipedia page Thursday night said the site has been temporarily protected from editing to deal with vandalism.

Wikipedia was created in 2001 as a Web research tool. It has more than 1.6 million articles, contributed by members of the public.

A telephone call and an e-mail left for Wikipedia were not immediately returned Thursday night.

When asked if he was upset about the mix-up, Sinbad, whose real name is David Adkins, just laughed.

"It's gonna be more commonplace as the Internet opens up more and more. It's not that strange," the Los Angeles-based entertainer told the Associated Press in a phone interview.

Sinbad, who is currently on the road doing stand up, said he hasn't received an apology from the Internet site. He has appeared in the films, "Houseguest," and "Jingle All the Way."

[tuckerndfw]

Who cares if he is dead or alive?

Why does he even have a Wiki entry?

Maybe I should create an entry announcing my death.

Hmm.. somehow I doubt that would get much attention or be considered national news.

[abigail70]

So glad he's OK. He's a nice actor, and a great comedian. These things happen from time to time, but I'm so glad it turned out not to be true.

[mitch0927]

Go ahead tuckerndfw, and stay out of touch. Its comments like yours that people are sick of reading. As with Wiki, that proves my point in saying people can learn a lot more by opening up a real Encyclopedia Book (remember those)? Depending on Wiki to be acurate and true is a waste of time.

[ajaxrose1]

I agree. Anyone looking for accurate information about anything should steer clear of Wiki. It's an interesting concept, but it's not a reliable source. I'm glad Sinbad is okay, though. He's a comedian, so I'm thinking he could get some rather funny material out of this deal!

[obiquital]

Wikipedia is more accurate than the "real" encyclopedias. As long as you aren't an idiot and actually check the references, you'll be fine.

[agnim]

Wiki is a great site; but recommended only for the more alert of mind who know how to validate or when to take as valid conclusions written anywhere.

Errors happen in any encyclopedia; although one wonders if this so-called 'error' wasn't a stunt, publicity or otherwise.

And Sinbad 'Mark Twain' is too cool to take any 'exaggerations about his death' seriously. LOL

[agnim]

Posted by obiquital at 09:00 AM : Mar 16, 2007

A man after mi own heart.

Wiki is not for witless. LOL

[cgesualdo]

Wikipedia is more accurate than "real" encyclopedias? *Please* Where on earth is the data you base that opinion on? Encyclopedia articles are written by experts and often signed. Their credentials are checked. Wiki's religion expert is evidently a 24-year-old college drop-out.

[mitch0927]

I would say most of the posts in Wiki are know it all who think since they have a computer, they are the fore-most authority on everything. Reading text from a book of course is old fashioned and maybe antiquated, but it still works. Information that can be edited by anyone with a computer is something you shouldn't depend on. Something that was writen by "experts" and can reference it to other materials is something I would trust. Kids these days have no clue on what real research is all about.

[agnim]

"Wiki's religion expert is evidently a 24-year-old college drop-out.

Posted by cgesualdo at 09:10 AM : Mar 16, 2007"

If Wiki's religion expert is your criterion for judging the encyclopedia, then Wiki passes with even more flying colors: No one can go wrong writing about religion.
Religion is all MADE UP IDEOLOGY OF THE IMAGINATION! LOL

[agnim]

"Reading text from a book of course is old fashioned and maybe antiquated, but it still works. Information that can be edited by anyone with a computer is something you shouldn't depend on.

Posted by mitch0927 at 09:45 AM : Mar 16, 2007"

Whom do you think write your books?
SOMEONE(S) WITH A COMPUTER! LOL

Not everyone can just edit Wiki; and please note how relatively quickly the alert goes out and posts are challenged when considered wrong?

Wiki is a living encyclopedia.
It is not for the witless who don't know how to validate information or how to take information with at grain of salt until corroborated by other means, especially when the information is to be taken seriously.

No intelligent person is going to rely on ANY one source when the information is very important.
As with scientific knowledge, one will check and check again for authenticity.

[random_radar]

Wikipedia is the equivalent of the National Enquirer that anyone can write an article for.

[extremophil]

It should have just listed his career as dead. That would be accurate.

[kpbkpb]

welcome back..... again!

[rf35]

Wikipedia is primarily a source of entertainment. While it may be a swift way to update information as new discoveries are made or errors found, I would not trust it for any serious research. It is just too easy for personal biases or just plain bad info (like in this case) to creep in. However if I%u2019m Googling something up on a whim, I might see what it says about the subject as I%u2019m browsing through results.

[thgdriver]

I thought he died years ago, must have been just his act that passed.

[arthurcl1]

Yeah, Sinbads been dead for a while now I thought.
He is still trying to resurrect himself but no luck!

[mitch0927]

Agnim

Another kid who thinks everything was written using a computer. The books I read were typed on a typewriter, but maybe first hand written. I'm sure there are people out there that still use old fashioned research and writing. About Sinbad, he's a great guy and sometimes celebraties want to get out of the "limelight" and have a REAL LIFE....

[cgesualdo]

mitch: the books you read were written on a typewriter? What are you reading? If you're trying to find current information, a typewriter isn't the place to look. Even the printed Encyclopaedia Brittanica was written on a computer. The difference is, it can't be edited by just anyone with a will to do so. I won't say I never use Wikipedia. In fact, I even edit some of the entries myself from time to time. But if I need verified facts, I steer clear. And if I saw someone had died, I would be looking on the news sites for verification. If you're just looking for trivia, Wikipedia is your place. You just better prepare yourself to be corrected.

[agnim]

"However if I%u2019m Googling something up on a whim, I might see what it says about the subject as I%u2019m browsing through results.
Posted by rf35 at 12:22 PM : Mar 16, 2007"

And is googling any different from Wiki? LOL

[agnim]

"The books I read were typed on a typewriter, but maybe first hand written.

Posted by mitch0927 at 06:58 PM : Mar 16, 2007"

LOL
Mitch, knowledge is increasing and evolving so fast these days, that anything you have written on a computer is fossilized information. LOL

And no doubt those handwritten books are your source for thinking that 'celebrities' like Sinbad doesn't have a "real life"?

You obviously haven't been updated to the valuable role that artists play in EVERY healthy society?

The role of artists in a healthy society IS 'real life'. OK?
What is not real life is rummaging through antiquated books when more useful and updated knowledge is available. LOL

And don't tell me; those books are written in the language (dead) Latin, right? LOL

[vancouverboo]

Close enough for wikipedia. You get what you pay for.

Are the little boys and girls writing term papers based on wiki info? The stupiding down of America continues.