Who is Leeroy Jenkins?
Published November 17, 2005
And he runs into the field of battle, initiating combat in a wild blur of chaos that ends up with everyone lying dead on the cold gray stone. Even for someone who doesn't play MMORPGs (and thus realizes how hard it can be to organize these big groups), it's hilarious. You can't help but laugh. While everyone is dying, they're swearing at Leeroy, bitching about the outcome, and trying desperately to salvage a mission that is absolutely unsalvageable.
There's a lot of speculation over whether or not the Leeroy Jenkins video is a fake, but I find it doesn't matter. The video is representative of certain behaviors in all online games — there's always that one guy (or girl... and I've been that girl, once or twice!) who screws something major up for everyone, through either an honest mistake or just plain impatient ignorance. And even though I, and my friends, play another game, the Leeroy meme spread like wildfire through our community because we could relate.
The fact that such a question appeared on Jeopardy!, even just the college edition, says something about the movement of video games into mainstream culture (though I think it says more that the smarty-pants contestants couldn't answer!). It's becoming more and more acceptable to play, and to discuss, video games at any age than it was even a few years ago.
Or maybe it's just that Leeroy is irrepressible. I've shown the video to co-workers who've rarely held a controller in their lives, and they loved it. But I'd like to think it means that video games continue to creep out from behind the veil of uncool geekery and are moving onward into the mainstream.
- Who is Leeroy Jenkins?
- Published: November 17, 2005
- Type: News
- Section: Gaming
- Filed Under: Culture: Humor and Satire
- Writer: Alisha Karabinus
- Alisha Karabinus's BC Writer page
- Alisha Karabinus's personal site
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Comments on this articleComments
I would have been more impressed if Trebek gave us this answer:
"The hero who travelled from Tantagel Castle to slay the Dragonlord was this legendary warrior's descendant."
Leeroy is totally a moron, but soooo funny. I really, really want that soundbite as a ringtone, but I've been too lazy to download it.
And Suss, there was a whole category of video game questions, apparently! There were probably all sorts of neat references in there -- this one was just supposed to be the hardest. It's certainly the most random, and if I'd ever made a list of Things I Bet Will Never Turn Up on Jeopardy, this would have been tops.
There was an amazing category on Jeopardy one time that Jeopardy legend Ken Jennings didn't get one question right in: '80s Rock Ballads.
I guess you could say it was foreign to Trebek and Foreigner to Ken.
This line:
"Even for someone who doesn't play MMORPGs (and thus realizes how hard it can be to organize these big groups), it's hilarious. You can't help but laugh."
is a lie. the video is not funny. some guy yells his name on a video game... wow, hahah, hilarious.
please. there was nothing funny about it.
Not only Leeroy os a moron, the while raid is f*cked up ad does'nt know a thing about how to play wow.
Instead of running after the jerk, they should just have stayed in the room and waiting for things to cool down, the whelps would de-spawn.
Another thing, i believe that the video is a fake.
I think the question is perfect. Although it's game specific, people who have never played WoW know who Leeroy Jenkins is. I've never played Wow but Leeroy is my hero.
Yah, well while the question may be easy for anyone who played Wow, it gave anyone who is aware of the gaming world a better chance of answering the question.
Hey, I see a Randwolf. :) Yeah, I think it was a definite indication that the kids on Jeopardy that day were NOT gamers, or had friends who were. I don't even know that WoW really enters into beyond that being the game they happened to be playing.
Re: #6 -- HOW is Leeroy not funny? It's not that he yelled his name. It's that planning these big events is a staple of any MMORPG and there's always one asshat who's gotta not come prepared, or hare off and start fighting, or otherwise screw things up.
This is very funny. Leeroy's scream and then the rest of the idiots whining. Priceless. No one had to follow him in. It's a game and some people need to lighten up. I didn't notice anty women playings.
"Me" is probably one of those uptight nerds, sitting at home on Saturday nights watching Dr. Who episodes, except the Tom Baker ones because he thinks K-9's addition made the programme childish, who gets mad when people don't bring their own 20-sided die to D&D games.
this video is hilarious and i think "LEEEERROOOY JEEENKKIIINS!!" is funny, that has become my battlecry in wow and many people cant help but laugh. I belive is video is not fake. If ur a hater of this vid then that is ur probelm and should just keep quiet about.
I'm quite sure that video's a fake, but who cares. That's not the point. The point is, it's hilarious.
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Speaking as someone who has encountered a few Leeroys on occasion, I can only say:
Leeroy is a moron.
But I expect that doesn't answer the question. ;)