Talk:Richard Roeper

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[edit] 'Killer Klowns' Error

The error which Roeper debunked on his August 13, 2006 show about "Killer Klowns From Outer Space" being his favorite show was introduced on June 28, with this edit: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_Roeper&diff=61028407&oldid=61008646 and removed on August 12 (in response to, I'm guessing, an early airing of the show?) with this edit: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_Roeper&diff=69138605&oldid=68931909 JamieMcCarthy 04:17, 14 August 2006 (UTC)

Matthew5000, can you explain why Roeper's reference to his own Wikipedia article on-air is inappropriate for mention? Just linking to Wikipedia:Avoid_self-references doesn't help me understand, since that article actually gives this exact situation - a TV host referencing a Wikipedia article on-air - as an example of an appropriate mention: "For example, a discussion of Stephen Colbert's call for vandalism of the Elephant article might be appropriate for the articles on the Colbert Report..." JamieMcCarthy 13:35, 14 August 2006 (UTC)

Roeper has been on the air for four years and mentioned all sorts of little things that are not listed in the article, because they are not particularly important. The fact that he mentioned Wikipedia one time is, similarly, not particularly important. To maintain a neutral point of view, if the article mentions his on-air statement that the Wikipedia article about him contained a mistake, then it should mention all the other trivial things he has referenced over the years. We, as Wikipedia editors, have a tendency to think that his reference to Wikipedia is particularly noteworthy, but that is not a neutral point of view. As for Stephen Colbert, the articles about him and his show do not (at present anyway) mention his call to vandalize the Wikipedia article elephant: [1] [2] [3]. Presumably the editors of the articles concerning Colbert and The Colbert Report felt that Colbert's occasional on-air mention of Wikipedia was not noteworthy enough to include in the article, as compared to all the other things that Colbert mentions on his show. --Mathew5000 16:37, 14 August 2006 (UTC)
Also have a look at the Talk pages associated with articles on Colbert and his show. Talk:Stephen Colbert#Colbert encouraging vandalism gives the reason why the article Stephen Colbert should not mention his call to vandalize the elephant article. At Talk:The Colbert Report there is a lively ongoing debate about whether the article The Colbert Report should mention it. Also it might be fair to include what Roeper said in the article Wikipedia in popular culture if you want to edit that article. --Mathew5000 16:56, 14 August 2006 (UTC)
Wikipedia in popular culture is a good idea, I'll see if it fits in there, thanks. I'm looking at Truthiness right now and see that a Huffman-Colbert exchange citing Wikipedia makes the list. I don't see why that's important if Roeper's comment is not, nor why it's important if, as described in Talk:Stephen Colbert#Colbert encouraging vandalism, one joke about Wikipedia is "not much more significant to his life and career than any other joke he's made." Also, Roeper mentioned on-air this weekend that he checks his own entry frequently and I infer from the rest of Talk:Richard Roeper that he's talked about Wikipedia on-air other times as well. So this is pretty confusing. But I accept that this mention stays off Richard Roeper. JamieMcCarthy 18:01, 14 August 2006 (UTC)
Well, lots of people who have articles in Wikipedia check them frequently. It isn't particularly remarkable; it would be like saying in the Richard Roeper article that he brushes his teeth every morning. True, but not relevant to what makes him of encyclopedic interest. Also a good way to test whether a mention of Wikipedia is important enough to add to a particular article would be to substitute a different reference work, like Encyclopedia Britannica. Suppose, hypothetically, that Richard Roeper mentioned on his program that he looked himself up in Encyclopedia Britannica and found that the article there stated incorrectly his third-favourite film. Would that factoid be worth mentioning in the Wikipedia article? No; it just is not significant enough to his notability that some reference work made a mistake about him and he pointed it out. That's true whether the reference work is Encyclopedia Britannica or Wikipedia. Of course, his mention of the Wikipedia mistake certainly should be discussed on this page (i.e. Talk:Richard Roeper), just not in the actual Wikipedia article (Richard Roeper). That's my opinion, anyway. --Mathew5000 19:26, 14 August 2006 (UTC)
Ok you guys, I wrote that original sentence about The Godfather being his favorite movie, and True Romance being his third favorite. And I happened to be watching the Ebert & Roeper show when he starting reading that sentence, only to hear some ass had changed it to Killer Klowns from Outer Space. So, I changed it, then some ass changed it back, so I decided to find the actual article where I found the True Romance info, and attacted it. So there it is, stop changing it.

[edit] Birthday

Does he not realize he could have changed it himself it it was wrong? Ace-o-aces 13:18, 9 February 2006 (UTC)

guess not - Kevin, 9 February 2006

Anonymizing webservers aren't that trustworthy, and besides, the last thing he needs is a good stalking or two. Cut him some slack. The same thing goes for IP numbers, and all those telephone operators that like to sit around and monitor (or buffer) "private" conversations and connections. Remember the Lily Tomlin bit about the lady operator on Laugh-in? On the other hand, there are too many paranoid people in the world, so you make a good point.

[edit] Birthdate - message to Richard Roeper

BTW, Mr. Roeper, if you're reading this, since you have hinted on the show that you are, a confirmation on your birth date along with a citation to a reputable source would be greatly appreciated. :) Cheers... Mad Jack 05:42, 12 August 2006 (UTC)

What, his own column is not a "reliable source" about his own birthdate?
This sort of nonsense is why people make fun of Wikipedia.
Davidkevin 09:19, 28 August 2006 (UTC)
Where does his own column give his birthdate? And I'm removing the two citations. Neither IMDB nor NNDB are reputable sources, especially not on birth dates. Error after error with these sites. Mad Jack 18:37, 28 August 2006 (UTC)
It's mentioned here. No sources there, either, though. Sorry, Jack. Oh and David, thanks for thoroughly unhelpful 'tude, BTW. ACS (Wikipedian); Talk to the Ace. See what I've edited. 20:34, 2 September 2006 (UTC)
if you go to http://birthdatabase.com/query.php and search for Richard Roeper, it says his birthdate is 17th October 1959.

[edit] Ebert's Illness in August 2006

Should we add something about this period in which Roeper hosted the show with guest hosts, including Jay Leno and Kevin Smith?

[edit] Homosexuality?

Under "Early Life," the article states (probably due to vandalism):

He [Roeper] is a homosexual.

The statement is uncited and unproven, and while it might be worth mentioning something about it due to the prevalence of such rumors, I'm going to remove it. If someone has a valid reason for keeping it there then discuss it under here. --Bloodbeard 01:52, 2 September 2006 (UTC)

Gosh, you know, we really need to start watching these pages for stuff like that. No, he isn't gay, as he has said himself, but that "he is a homosexual" thing was on here for two days before it was removed. Considering Roeper himself visits this page, that doesn't exactly send out a great message about Wikipedia's reliability. Mad Jack 18:13, 2 September 2006 (UTC)

Hello, here is a column where Richard discussed this issue:


"Nope, sports fans aren't ready to cheer for gays

May 26, 2002

BY RICHARD ROEPER SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST

'Are you a homosexual?" Given the fact that I was sitting across from Howard Stern on his home turf and we were on the air, the question was hardly a surprise. Stern is the King of All Media--and the King of All Invasive Questions.

But it's one thing to hear Howard pose that question on his radio show or to see him asking it on the E! Channel rebroadcast of the program. It's another thing to be the interviewee.

This happened about a year ago, when I was in New York with Roger Ebert promoting our show. After noting that I was single and have never been married, Stern asked about my sexual orientation.

Loyal readers might recall that many years ago, I came out of the closet as a raging heterosexual, and that I have always been proud of my straightness--while respecting and fiercely defending the rights of others to march to any drummer that makes them dance.

Nevertheless, I felt myself levitating above the moment as Stern asked the question and I pondered my response.

I considered that perhaps I should be Buddha-cool like Richard Gere, who for 25 years has refused to answer questions about his sexuality, let alone any of that nonsense about the gerbil.

But I'm not Buddha-cool. I believe I don't have a homophobic cell in my being--but I wasn't about to dodge the question and let Howard and his crew have their comedic way with me.

"No. I am not a gay man," I stammered as my face flushed red.

Mercifully, there were only a few more questions about my personal life before the conversation swerved in another direction. The sweat left my brow, and the moment passed.

Not that I still don't hear the "Roeper is gay" stuff from time to time--usually repeated to me by a friend who will say something like, "A friend of mine was out with these guys the other night, and your name came up, and this guy said he knew for a fact that you were gay."

"Did he sleep with me?" I say. "Because if he knows for a fact that I'm gay, then he must have slept with me. Tell him I miss him!"

When I'm told the name of "this one guy" who made the assertion, he's never anyone I know. He's just some chatterbox fool, repeating what he heard from somebody else, who heard it from somebody else.

Google around on the Internet and you'll find similar statements about my gayness--always made by anonymous chat-roomers who are trading unsubstantiated assertions with strangers. (Can there be a lonelier or more ignoble hobby?)

And hardly a week goes by when I don't receive an unsigned e-mail or postcard from someone calling me gay, though they're usually not that polite about it.

Funny though. In 15 years, no one has ever thought it would be an insult to say I'm "a $#!*$#!@& heterosexual."

And yet some people say anti-gay sentiment is fading in this country.

Also, on Howard Stern, Richard Roeper's then 23-year-old model girlfriend Annabelle was interviewed on Howard Stern and revealed that she's brought home to Richard other people for threesomes. So I don't believe that classifies him as being gay. ;-) Here's the link to the interview: www.marksfriggin.com/news06/4-24.htm

I think hes a faggot

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