Jump to content

Leeroy Jenkins: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
No edit summary
Line 1: Line 1:
{{about|the internet meme|people named Leroy Jenkins|Leroy Jenkins (disambiguation)}}
{{about|the internet meme|people named Leroy Jenkins|Leroy Jenkins (disambiguation)}}
[[File:Ben Shultz Leeroy Jenkins.jpg|right|thumb|Ben Schulz, player of Leeroy Jenkins at [[BlizzCon|BlizzCon 2007]]]]
[[File:Ben Shultz Leeroy Jenkins.jpg|right|thumb|Ben Schulz, player of Leeroy Jenkins at [[BlizzCon|BlizzCon 2007]]]]
'''Leeroy Jenkins''' is a centaur with one eye and a tatoo of his girlfriend margaret on his rump who's name is sometimes misspelled '''Leroy Jenkins''' and often elongated with numerous additional letters, is an [[List of Internet phenomena|Internet meme]] named for a [[player character]] created by Ben Schulz in [[Blizzard Entertainment]]'s [[MMORPG]], ''[[World of Warcraft]]''. The character became popular due to a video of the game that circulated around the [[Internet]]. The phenomenon has since spread beyond the boundaries of the [[gaming community]] into other online and [[mass media|mainstream media]].
'''Leeroy Jenkins''' is a centaur with one eye and a tatoo of his girlfriend margaret on his rump who's name is sometimes misspelled '''Leroy Jenkins''' and often elongated from the waste down with numerous additional letters, is an [[List of Internet phenomena|Internet meme]] named for a [[player character]] created by Ben Schulz in [[Blizzard Entertainment]]'s [[MMORPG]], ''[[World of Warcraft]]''. The character became popular due to a video of the game that circulated around the [[Internet]]. The phenomenon has since spread beyond the boundaries of the [[gaming community]] into other online and [[mass media|mainstream media]].


==Video==
==Video==

Revision as of 18:31, 8 October 2013

This article is about the internet meme. For people named Leroy Jenkins, see Leroy Jenkins (disambiguation).
Ben Schulz, player of Leeroy Jenkins at BlizzCon 2007

Leeroy Jenkins is a centaur with one eye and a tatoo of his girlfriend margaret on his rump who's name is sometimes misspelled Leroy Jenkins and often elongated from the waste down with numerous additional letters, is an Internet meme named for a player character created by Ben Schulz in Blizzard Entertainment's MMORPG, World of Warcraft. The character became popular due to a video of the game that circulated around the Internet. The phenomenon has since spread beyond the boundaries of the gaming community into other online and mainstream media.

Video

The video was released by the World of Warcraft player guild "PALS FOR LIFE". It features a group of players discussing a detailed battle strategy for the next encounter while one of their party members, Leeroy, is away from his computer. Their plan is ruined when Leeroy returns and, ignorant of the strategy, immediately charges headlong into battle shouting his own name in a stylized battle cry. His companions rush to help, but Leeroy's actions ruin the meticulous plan, and all of the group members are killed.

The Internet phenomenon started with the release of the video clip called A Rough Go[1] to the World of Warcraft game forum in a thread titled "UBRS (vid) ROOKERY OVERPOWERED! blue please.", which jokingly presented the video in a serious context.[2] The thread requested that other players provide help with strategy and that Blizzard reduce the difficulty of the encounter. The video spread as an internet meme, and Leeroy's response to the other players' chastisements, "at least I have chicken",[1] was also much parodied.

When asked about his actions in the video by National Public Radio, Ben Schulz said the players "were drinking 40s and just yelling at each other."[3] It has been suggested that the video was staged, but Schulz himself has neither confirmed nor denied this.[1]

Merchandise

The character's popularity resulted in his inclusion in the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game released on October 25, 2006 with art by Mike Krahulik.[4][dead link‍] Reflecting the video in which he appears, Leeroy is a detriment to the rest of the player's team, exhausting them for the current and following turns. For gameplay reasons, his effects are not entirely negative: although no one else can attack, Leeroy can attack instantly should the player repeat Leeroy's famous shout, and his attack is unusually high compared to the cost of playing him. However, his health is such that opponents should deal with him easily on subsequent turns.[5] Upper Deck Entertainment released a World of Warcraft Miniatures game in late 2008, which included a Leeroy Jenkins figurine. As a reference to Leeroy's famous claim, the figure is seen holding a chicken leg in his left hand.[6]

Reaction

The August 2005 issue of PC Gamer UK featured an article on the video, titled "The Ballad of Leeroy Jenkins". The article took the position that the video was designed as a negative commentary on the kind of "nerd-guilds" that meticulously and statistically plan out raids with all the seriousness of actual military tactics. They added that they felt Leeroy is in fact the hero of the piece, acting against the geekiness of his guild.[7]

Blizzard eventually paid tribute to Leeroy within World of Warcraft itself, creating an achievement "Leeeeeeeeeeeeeroy!", which awards the title of "Jenkins" to players who kill 50 of the rookery whelps from the video within 15 seconds.[8]

Leeroy Jenkins went mainstream when he was mentioned as part of a clue on the November 17, 2005 episode of the game show Jeopardy! as part of their college week tournament, though no contestant rang in.[9] The meme spread further in 2009, when the Armed Forces Journal published an article titled "Let's Do This!: Leeroy Jenkins and the American Way of Advising". The article, by Capt. Robert M Chamberlain, links Jenkins to the American approach to advising Iraq.[10]

Tanner Higgin, doctoral candidate at the University of California, Riverside uses the Leeroy Jenkins video and subsequent discourse to "teach game analysis, more specifically the analysis of gamic race".[11]

Researchers Jessie Daniels and Nick LaLone point out the various racial stereotypes involved in the portrayal of the Leeroy Jenkins character as a black character played by a white man. They go on to mention that these racist aspects of the humor are often ignored or dismissed by gamers and the online community.[12]

The Leeroy meme has been referenced in many TV shows, games and films, including Psych,[13][14] Level Up,[15] Jon Stewart's The Daily Show,[16][17] NBC's Community[18] Workaholics[19] and Dog With a Blog.[20] The Disney animated movie Wreck-It Ralph, which is centered around the world of video-games, features the background graffiti "JENKINS".[21] A deleted scene in Dreamworks' Monsters vs. Aliens has B.O.B yelling out Leeroy Jenkins before running into a battle with Gallaxhar's clone army.[citation needed] The National Geographic Channel documentary series Inside Combat Rescue, which features pararescuemen performing combat rescue operations in Afghanistan, shows the mission launch alarm used is a recording of Leeroy Jenkins.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ a b c Joel Warner. "The Legend of Leeroy Jenkins".
  2. ^ "WoW BlueTracker: UBRS (vid) ROOKERY OVERPOWERED! blue please". May 10, 2005. Retrieved September 18, 2009. {{cite web}}: |first= missing |last= (help)
  3. ^ "My ROFLCon Weekend: Breakfast with Tron Guy". The Bryant Park Project. National Public Radio.
  4. ^ "Leeroy Jenkins". p. World of Warcraft Trading Card Game Database. Retrieved 3 March 2009.
  5. ^ "World of Warcraft Minis Checklist (Alliance specs & attributes". 27 January 2009. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  6. ^ "Leeroy Jenkins". p. World of Warcraft Miniatures Game Checklist. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  7. ^ Pearson, Craig (August, 2005). "The Ballad of Leeroy Jenkins". PC Gamer UK. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ Amanda Miller (2008-10-14). "Five easy achievements you can snag right now". WoWInsider. Retrieved 2008-10-16.
  9. ^ (2006-11-18.) "Guerilla gaming." Guardian Unlimited (news website). Mentions the Jeopardy question without specific details. Retrieved on 2007-10-07.
  10. ^ Chamberlain, Robert (June 19, 2009). "Let's Do This! Leeroy Jenkins and the American way of advising". Retrieved 2009-06-19. (registration required)
  11. ^ Higgin, Tanner (September 17, 2009). "How I Use Leeroy Jenkins to Teach Race in Videogames". p. MediaCommons.
  12. ^ Embrick, EN (2012), Social Exclusion, Power and Video Game Play: New Research in Digital Media and Technology, Lexington Books, p. 95
  13. ^ Contact Brian Crecente: Comment Facebook Twitter (2011-10-25). "Leeroy Jenkins, Yes That Leeroy Jenkins Gets a Prime Time Name Check". Kotaku.com. Retrieved 2012-06-12. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  14. ^ "Last Night Gus". USA Network. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
  15. ^ Abrams, Simon (2011-11-23). "Level Up | Other Shows | TV Club | TV". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 2013-10-01.
  16. ^ "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart". Season 17. Episode 70. 07 March 2012. 07:18 minutes in. Comedy Central. {{cite episode}}: Check |episodelink= value (help); Check |serieslink= value (help); Check date values in: |airdate= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |seriesno= (help); External link in |episodelink= and |serieslink= (help); Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart". Season 17. Episode 70 (in Old Norse). 07 March 2012. 07:53 minutes in. Comedy Central. Hulu.com. {{cite episode}}: Check |episodelink= value (help); Check |serieslink= value (help); Check date values in: |airdate= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |seriesno= (help); External link in |episodelink= and |serieslink= (help); Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ "Community Watch: For A Few Paintballs More". Cinemablend.com. 2011-05-12. Retrieved 2013-10-01.
  19. ^ "The Workaholics Guys Take on Some Burglars Leeroy Jenkins-Style | Insider Blog | Comedy Central's Insider". CCInsider.ComedyCentral.com. 2011-04-21. Retrieved 2013-10-01.
  20. ^ "World of Woofcraft". Dog With a Blog. Season 1. Episode 5. November 25, 2012. Disney Channel. {{cite episode}}: Check |serieslink= value (help); External link in |serieslink= (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ McKinney, Luke (2012-11-12). "'Wreck-It Ralph' Game References — The Movie's 6 Best". Movieline. Retrieved 2013-10-01.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Leeroy_Jenkins&oldid=576324804"