Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Mr. Winkle

The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was keep‎. (non-admin closure) SWinxy (talk) 02:01, 15 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Mr. Winkle

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Expired prod with one notable source which is probably a fluff piece, created by a banned user a very long time ago and never improved beyond draft quality (though that’s kind of insulting to some drafts). Dronebogus (talk) 10:51, 31 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Note: This discussion has been included in the list of Animal-related deletion discussions. Dronebogus (talk) 10:51, 31 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Keep. The mutt has received media coverage: Web phenom "Mr. Winkle spreads pooch Prozac" (CNN), "Mr. Winkle" (Entertainment Weekly), "The Glorious Story Of Mr. Winkle, First Animal Star Of The Internet" (BuzzFeed), and a review of his owner's book of photos of him (Publishers Weekly). Clarityfiend (talk) 11:08, 31 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Haven't looked into depth into other sources yet, but these all look like pretty standard fluff pieces/sources and are pretty poor for trying to claim notability. KoA (talk) 14:40, 31 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Note: This discussion has been included in the list of California-related deletion discussions. Hey man im josh (talk) 11:50, 31 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Delete. All coverage is normal fluff pieces, meaning this mutt lacks any real notability. SilverTiger12 (talk) 15:30, 1 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Delete. Had a chance to look for more on this after my initial comment and still nothing. Just fluff pieces you'd find as filler in a variety section (even for the CNN article), not true WP:SIGCOV or GNG. KoA (talk) 00:24, 2 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Just a note that my delete comment includes sources like Cunard provided below. Those are the type of fluff pieces I was referencing, so the mere existence of a list of sources like that does not imply notability. KoA (talk) 19:02, 12 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Keep per the significant coverage in multiple independent reliable sources.
Analysis of the sources
Mr. Winkle received significant coverage in multiple books and news articles. He was profiled in books published in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2017, and 2021. This satisfies Wikipedia:Notability#Notable topics have attracted attention over a sufficiently significant period of time. Mr Winkle received substantial coverage in national sources like the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and the San Francisco Chronicle. This satisfies the principles underpinning Wikipedia:Notability (events)#Diversity of sources, though this topic is not an event.
The creator is not banned
MakeRocketGoNow (talk · contribs), the article's creator, is not a banned user. The article was created on 12 May 2005. The creator was blocked on 16 February 2021 with this message: "{{checkuserblock-account}}: Compromised account: Please see: w:en:Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Arshifakhan61". There is more background at Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Arshifakhan61/Archive#16 February 2021, where a checkuser wrote, "It is apparent from CheckUser information that this sockmaster is attempting to compromise preexisting accounts, most likely by trying passwords obtained from a data breach on another website. The above four accounts are Confirmed to have been compromised by Arshifakhan61."
Sources
1. Book sources:
  1. Stall, Sam (2007). 100 Cats Who Changed Civilization: History's Most Influential Felines. Philadelphia: Quirk Books. pp. 75–78. ISBN 978-1-59474-163-0. Retrieved 2023-03-21 – via Internet Archive.
    The book notes: "Just when things couldn't get any stranger, they did. The local newspapers broke the story, which quickly exploded into an international media sensation. Smelling a colorful human interest piece, press from around the world fell upon the juicy item like, well, Lewis going after an Avon lady. Overnight, Cisero, her embattled neighbors, and anyone else with the vaguest connection to the cat started fielding calls from everyone from CNN to Inside Edition to The Daily Show to the BBC. Lewis got his own page on myspace.com, and Save Lewis T-shirts hit the market shortly thereafter."
  2. Lowe, Paul, ed. (2017). "Mr. Winkle as Rosie the Riveter". 1001 Photographs You Must See Before You Die. New York: Universe Publishing. p. 107. ISBN 978-0-7893-2768-0. Retrieved 2023-06-07 – via Internet Archive.
    The book notes: "Mr. Winkle is the canine muse of the successful documentary photographer Cara Jo Regan (born 1962). Regan adopted the diminutive dog as a stray, and soon found that his unique appearance prompted extraordinary reactions from people when she took him for walks. His lineage is uncertain, but possibly mixes Pomeranian and Chihuahua. Regan began photographing Mr. Winkle in a series of constructed studio sets as a variety of "characters," including this pastiche of the famous feminist icon Rosie the Riveter. Mr Winkle became an unexpected international phenomenon, with Regan producing a series of calendars of him. Mobbed by crowds at personal appearances, Mr. Winkle even appeared as a guest star on Sex and the City, where he upstaged Carrie Bradshaw (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) at her first book signing. Time magazine named him "Best Internet Celebrity of 2002" and he rapidly became the first global Internet animal superstar, gaining 65 million hits by 2006."
  3. DeMello, Margo (2021). On the Job: An Encyclopedia of Unique Occupations around the World. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio. pp. 6–7. ISBN 978-1-4408-6350-9. Retrieved 2023-06-07 – via Google Books.
    The book notes: "Some internet animal celebrities do not have outside agents representing them. For instance, Mr. Winkle, a small Pomeranian mix who was rescued by photographer Lara Jo Regan in 1996 (and died in 2019), gained his celebrity thanks to his adorable looks and the talent of Regan, who photographed Mr. Winkle to highlight his best characteristics (such as his huge eyes, bear-shaped ears, and perpetually hanging tongue) and promoted him on her own website. In the years before social media, Regan's work was so effective that she not only got a three-book deal from Random House, countless television appearances, and an appearance on an episode of Sex and the City (where he upstaged star Sarah Jessica Parker at a book signing), but he was also named the first Internet Celebrity of the Year by Time in 2002. Like other owners of internet celebrity animals, Regan ended up devoting much of her career to promoting Mr. Winkle and selling his merchandise"
  4. Miele, Christine (2006). Loevesque, Jennifer (ed.). 1001 Reasons to Love Dogs. New York: Harry N. Abrams. p. 90. ISBN 978-1-58479-526-1. Retrieved 2023-06-07 – via Internet Archive.
    The book notes: "A tiny dog resembling a teddy bear, with a prominent pink tongue and enormous dark, expressive eyes, Mr. Winklelis truly one of a kind. Rescued from an industrial area by award-winning photographer Lara Jo Regan, Mr. Winklerose to stardom in 2001 with Regan's calendar titled "What is Mr. Winkle?" launched on mrwinkle.com. Books, cards, plush toys, media appearances, and worldwide recognition were to follow. ... Called "The Cutest Dog in the World" by the national media, he has graced the covers of Animal Wellness, Pet Life, and Time Magazine for Kids, and has been written up in major newspapers from L.A. to London. He sparked a wave of Winklemania across the globe, thanks in part to mrwinkle.com, one of the most popular websites in the history of the Internet, garnering over 65 million hits and counting. Mr. Winkle even landed a came on the cable TV series Sex and the City, playing himself at a book signing."
  5. Uncle John's Slightly Irregular Bathroom Reader. Ashland, Oregon: Bathroom Readers' Institute. 2004. pp. 480–481. ISBN 978-1-59223-270-3. Retrieved 2023-06-07 – via Internet Archive.
    The book notes: "So far Mr. Winkle has been the subject of five calendars and three books, and his fame continues to grow. He receives an average of 100 e-mails a day, many of them from fans who have seen him on Today, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, Sex and the City, and other TV shows. "I feel like I'm the keeper of a magical elf," Regan told the San Francisco Chronicle. "I'll take him to a party, and what was a staid affair is suddenly full of happiness and whimsy. It's almost as if he knows it's his mission to enchant people." (If Mr. Winkle's fame continues to grow, we'll have to rename this article "Famous for 25 minutes.")"
2. Newspaper and magazine sources:
  1. Ringe, Alexandra (2001-03-04). "Petropolis; Cashing In on Being Cute". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
    The article notes: "Regan shot a Mr. Winkle calendar and started selling it in September -- along with Winkle's World videos, greeting cards and posters -- at www.mrwinkle.com. Soon after, Mr. Winkle appeared in newspapers and on TV, then on the ultimate launching pad for commercial cuteness, The Rosie O'Donnell Show. The site got four million hits a month. By November, Regan had to turn her studio into "a fulfillment house" to handle all the orders."
  2. Iovine, Julie V. (2002-01-20). "Petropolis; Cashing In on Being Cute". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
    The article notes: "Since publication in November, Ms. Regan's first book, What Is Mr. Winkle? has sold 25,000 copies. Two more books are in the works, and Mr. Winkle plush toys, games, puzzles and remote-control robots are due from Mattel by Christmas. And Disney wants to do the movie, Ms. Regan said."
  3. Levine, Bettijane (2003-07-12). "Bow wowed". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
    The article notes: "But Mr. Winkle is a dog. A 5-pound dog (about the size of a large squirrel), with fluffy apricot-colored hair, bright-as-glass button eyes, a koala bear’s ears and a perfectly rounded little cherry-red tongue that peeks from one side of his mouth as if it had been sewn in place for optimum adorable effect. ... Ronald Reagan’s daughter, Patti Davis, waited almost two hours for a signed book. She was assembling a birthday package for her mother, Nancy, and “I wanted Mr. Winkle to be a part of it,” she said."
  4. Arp, Dennis (2000-09-22). "Tony as a Teacup, Bigger Than Life". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
    The article notes: "First, there’s his diminutive size. People can’t believe that, at 5 pounds, Mr. Winkle is fully formed. Then there’s his squirrel-like tail, and his bright-red tongue, which hangs perpetually limp from his elfin mouth. Even when he eats, it never seems to go all the way back in. Plus, he has a bouncy, off-balance walk that makes him look battery-powered. Except when he’s really, really happy. Then he prances like a tiny Lipizzan stallion."
  5. Alexander, Donnell (2008-02-14). "A Winkle and a nod to films that go beyond cute". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
    The article notes: "It's inherently compelling to see a cute little dog wearing human clothes. But Mr. Winkle is something else. This “Canine Cindy Sherman” stars in the 47-minute “Big Top Winkle,” and the silent-film-informed action sort of swirls around its surreal toy star. The miniature’s cuteness beguiles in such a way that it ceases to be only about the comedic baddies who line up to exploit Mr. Winkle. It’s also about the viewer and her or his own animal trip."
  6. Chonin, Neva (2003-06-23). "Leader of the pack / Fluffy Mr. Winkle has fans panting for calendars and books in his image". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2021-01-26. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
    The article notes: "Regan's Winkle odyssey began six years ago when she lost her way in an industrial wasteland outside Bakersfield while on assignment for Newsweek magazine. A bundle of muddy, matted fur limped into her car's headlights; she got out to investigate, and the bedraggled creature toddled into her arms. Feeling the tug of destiny, she took him back to her Los Angeles home and spent the next two years nursing him to health."
  7. "What Is Mr. Winkle?". Publishers Weekly. Vol. 248, no. 43. 2001-10-22. p. 76. Archived from the original on 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
    The review notes: "This campy photo gallery depicts a fuzzy miniature dog, Mr. Winkle (a familiar sight to many from his calendar, Web site and many media appearances), with his Chihuahua's rounded cranium and a tongue too long for his mouth."
  8. Britton, Jason (2001-10-22). "Stories Behind The Book. What Is Mr. Winkle?". Publishers Weekly. Vol. 248, no. 43. p. 26. Archived from the original on 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
    The article notes: "Mr. Winkle's rise to fame began last year, when Regan, an award-winning photographer for a number of national news magazines, compiled a Mr. Winkle calendar and a Web site to promote it. After a story ran in the L.A. Times and other media outlets (including CNN and The Rosie O'Donnell Show) picked up on it, Regan was flooded with orders. The Web site, www.mrwinkle.com , has received more than 22 million hits since last October."
There is sufficient coverage in reliable sources to allow Mr. Winkle to pass Wikipedia:Notability#General notability guideline, which requires "significant coverage in reliable sources that are independent of the subject".
Cunard (talk) 11:17, 7 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]

These are the types of sources that were referenced in delete votes above about them mostly being fluff, many of which I had look over before giving my initial comment. Even the first source characterizes it as human-interest story as opposed to something encyclopedic in nature. To quote form there Human-interest stories are sometimes criticized as "soft" news, or manipulative, sensationalistic programming. Human-interest stories have been labelled as fictitious news reporting, used in an attempt to make certain content appear relevant to the viewer or reader. That's in part why this falls moreso into WP:NOTNEWS. KoA (talk) 19:07, 12 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]

WP:NOTNEWS has four bullet points. It says: "Ensure that Wikipedia articles are not:

Original reporting.
News reports
Who's who.
Celebrity gossip and diary.

An article about Mr. Winkle is not original reporting, who's who, and celebrity gossip and diary. The most relevant bullet point is "News reports", which says:

Wikipedia considers the enduring notability of persons and events. While news coverage can be useful source material for encyclopedic topics, most newsworthy events do not qualify for inclusion and Wikipedia is not written in news style. For example, routine news coverage of announcements, events, sports, or celebrities, while sometimes useful, is not by itself a sufficient basis for inclusion of the subject of that coverage (see WP:ROUTINE for more on this with regard to routine events). Also, while including information on recent developments is sometimes appropriate, breaking news should not be emphasized or otherwise treated differently from other information. Timely news subjects not suitable for Wikipedia may be suitable for our sister project Wikinews.

Mr. Winkle was covered substantially in books published in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2017, and 2021. With sustained coverage spanning 17 years, it is clear that Mr. Winkle has "enduring notability" under Wikipedia:Notability#Notable topics have attracted attention over a sufficiently significant period of time, so WP:NOTNEWS does not apply.

Cunard (talk) 06:22, 14 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]

WP:NOTNEWS is policy, it always applies. The bulk of sources you bring (including the books) are in the same vein as celebrity gossip, who's who (among pets), etc. which are frequently referred to as fluff pieces, human-interest, etc. in notability discussions. Long lists of poor sources like this do not justify notability. We also need to be careful about cherry-picking only parts of that policy. The spirit of that policy is that Wikipedia is not a newspaper. Newspapers, etc. may print stuff like that, but just because those types of sources print stories about it, does not mean it is an encyclopedic topic. Things like this are why we have NOTNEWS policy because of those differences. KoA (talk) 19:01, 14 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Relisted to generate a more thorough discussion and clearer consensus.
Please add new comments below this notice. Thanks, - 🔥𝑰𝒍𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑭𝒍𝒂𝒎𝒆 (𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒌)🔥 01:18, 8 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Keep the source analysis helps, appears notable. Article could use an update. Oaktree b (talk) 12:03, 8 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Keep as per the sources listed by Cunard. The subject seems to satisfy WP:GNG. Blue Edits (talk) 11:33, 8 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Keep, per what Cunard has listed above. Also, I would like to note that prior to the nomination for deletion, the page seems to have been badly vandalized (i.e. the references were removed and replaced with plain-text "[1]", "[2]", etc. I don't know how the heck that happened, but it has the effect of making the article look like it has no references, so I am fixing it. jp×g 22:50, 9 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]

The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.