Wikipedia:Top 25 Report/September 23 to 29, 2018

The Top 25 Report

This page contains material that is kept because it is considered humorous.
Such material is not meant to be taken seriously.

Most Popular Wikipedia Articles of the Week (September 23 to 29, 2018)[edit]

Prepared with commentary by Stormy clouds and Igordebraga

← Last week's report – Next week's report →

Supreme Allegations[edit]

More so than any report in recent memory, this iteration of the Top 25 Report is dominated by one major story - the ongoing confirmation hearings of Brett Kavanaugh for the vacant seat on the US Supreme Court, and the allegations of sexual misconduct levied against him. The story accounts directly for some eight of the items listed below, the majority of which reside in the top half. With view counts of just over 300,000 sufficient for a place in the report, there is no denying that it was a quiet week for Wikipedians. However, the perusers of the encyclopedia ensured that the report has some diversity, with entries originating from the silver screen, the back pages of the newspapers, and even Reddit. Thus, an undeniably unusual report, dogged by sexual assault and the cryptic complexity of American politics yet nonetheless, a curious list, and one which we hope that you enjoy.

Without further ado, for the week of September 23 to 29, 2018 the 25 most popular articles on Wikipedia, as determined from the WP:5000 report were:

Rank	Article	Views	About
1	Brett Kavanaugh	2,451,649	History has a tendency to repeat itself, it seems. In 1991, a Republican nominee for SCOTUS was embroiled in controversy during their confirmation hearing as a result of allegations of sexual harassment made by our #7, leading to furore and debate galore amongst the public, and a chasm-like schism between members of Congress on the issue. Once again, this week, Capitol Hill has consumed itself with such matters, as Kavanaugh, Trump's nominee for the vacant seat on the court, has been accused of sexual assault by Ford, and this has inadvertently created a political firestorm, with raging rhetoric between those who believe the allegations, and those who accuse them of being a political stunt aimed to stall the nomination until mid-terms. Evidently, this has captivated Wikipedians worldwide.
2	Christine Blasey Ford	1,613,591
3	Bill Cosby	836,293	Completing a trio of sexual assault related stories in the Top 3 for this week, we have the sweater-wearing celebrity behind The Cosby Show, who has seen his star fall dramatically amidst a conviction for rape. Cosby, once dubbed "America's Dad" at the height of his popularity, was sentenced to a jail sentence from 3 to 10 years during the week, leading vast swathes of Wikipedians towards his article.
4	Deaths in 2018	719,113	Once again, the list of the fallen attracted swarms of Wikipedia's denizens, morbid curiosity and intrigue propelling them to the list like a moth to a flame (bröther). Interestingly, the list remains so high despite the fact that none of the victims of the Reaper feature in this iteration of the report.
5	Lindsey Graham	616,461	Lindsey Graham has taken a starring role in the investigation and confirmation hearings of #1, representing the GOP by supporting Kavanaugh in spite of the allegations. This has led media outlets to declare him to be Trump's greatest ally in the Senate. Graham seems determined to enact the President's will to select a nominee for the Supreme Court, as detailed in the Constitution. Luckily, Graham has always upheld the importance of this executive right.
6	Tha Carter V	601,874	The long-delayed and possibly last album by rapper Lil Wayne (#8) got finally released on September 28.
7	Anita Hill	575,395	Anita Hill was a major source of controversy in American politics of the early 1990's, shaking Capitol Hill in a manner which only Monica Lewinski would replicate throughout the decade. Hill alleged that she had been the victim of sexual harassment perpetrated by Clarence Thomas (#12) during his confirmation hearing for the Supreme Court. The controversy swirling around #1 and #2 has obviously brought Wikipedia's attention back to this starkly similar case. History has a tendency to repeat itself, it seems.
8	Lil Wayne	570,512	Dwayne Carter, self-proclaimed "Best Rapper Alive" who isn't one of the Reptilians but certainly looks like like a giant gila monster, released Tha Carter V (#6) after six years of work.
9	Tiger Woods	560,038	The most famous name in world golf, and the second most decorated player ever, both in terms of PGA Tour wins and majors, Tiger Woods has exploded back into the spotlight this season, rediscovering form after, to the world, it seemed he was finished. Tiger confirmed his return as one of the sport's apex predators with a comfortable victory at the season-ending Tour Championship, and subsequently celebrated by losing four games for the US team at #16. Next month, he will face Phil Mickelson in a winner-takes-all match in Vegas. If Phil's game is as desolate as his dancing (thank me later), then Tiger will likely reign supreme.
10	Asia Cup	485,664	I don't like cricket, no, oh no; I love it. The Indian sub-continent has an affinity (to put it mildly) for cricket. Throughout the past fortnight, fans of the sport were treated to a veritable festival of the game, played using its more approachable ODI system, as the best nations of Asia competed fiercely with each other. This tournament, played in the UAE culminated with a closely contested clash between reigning champions India and their Bengali neighbours, with India triumphing by three wickets to retain their throne.
11	Mark Judge (writer)	476,935	Another article which has seen a spike in views correlating directly with coverage of Kavanaugh's hearing. The aptly named Judge was a centerpiece of the hearing, as Ford (#2) alleged that he was in the the room where it happened. Judge conducted an interview regarding the conduct of his judicial friend (#1) with the Feds, where he reputedly stated that he had no recollection of the incident. Consequently, the writer found himself playing an integral role in the journey Wikipedians undertook to better comprehend the controversy.
12	Clarence Thomas	469,797	Another biography which can trace its high page views to the man atop the report, Thomas is one of the eight judges on the body which Kavanaugh is seeking to ascend to. His nomination, back in 1991, proceeded amidst similar levels of controversy after Anita Hill (#7) brought his conduct into question with allegations of sexual harassment, and triggered a change in public perception of female involvement in federal politics, which many believe contributed to the Year of the Woman just a few months later.
13	A Star Is Born (2018 film)	463,351	The well-known story of musicians falling in love and she rises to fame while he declines gets its fourth remake (not counting stories inspired by it, such as The Artist), with Bradley Cooper starring and directing, and Lady Gaga (pictured) in the female role. It hits theaters this week following great acclaim from reviewers, so it might be a contender for both box office success and awards nominations.
14	Jeff Flake	428,761	While our #5 is a Republican senator who supports the subtle presidential position on Kavanaugh's nomination, our #14 is a member of the GOP who is taking a different approach to the issue, condemning Kavanaugh and supporting the alleged victim of his assault, our #2. Flake, the senator from Arizona, has courted spiking interest from the populace for his opposition to the Don and his party line on this topic, following somewhat in the footsteps of his deceased counterpart.
15	Maniac (miniseries)	427,108	"She's a maniac, maniac on the floor..." Emma Stone (pictured) reunites with Superbad co-star Jonah Hill in this Netflix series, as both play strangers who bond during a pharmaceutical trial. If this image is any indicative, things might get surreal.
16	2018 Ryder Cup	369,905	The biennial feast of intercontinental golf took place this weekend, with the heavy hitters of the USA and their continental counterparts duelling in Île-de-France, both seeking victory of the prestigous cup, named for the contest's founder. Hopes for US retention of the trophy were high, given the major discrepancy between the titles won by Spieth, Koepka and co. and their opponents. However, buoyed by brilliant performances from Francesco Molinari, amongst others, the Bjorn-Again Europeans won in resurgent, riotous fashion by a seven point margin, extending their twenty-five year unbeaten streak on home soil.
17	Venom (2018 film)	364,590	A movie about a Spider-Man villain without the webhead, but featuring writing seemingly straight out of the grimdark Venom comics of the 90s, violence toned down to fit lower ratings, and this glowing endorsement by star Tom Hardy? Hardly promising! But given how big comic book movies are, Venom has a great chance of topping next week's report.
18	American Horror Story: Apocalypse	364,531	The eighth season of the FX hit anthology has continued its run, and evidently has continued to capture the imagination of Wikipedia's purveyors. This time round, the horror stems from, as the title would suggest, an apocalyptic scenario in the aftermath of the Third World War, and is set in a bunker under the command of two women, including the fear-inducing character of Miriam, portrayed by Kathy Bates (pictured). Not quite the scariest Bates ever, but up there.
19	Patrick Mahomes	318,735	Mahomes, a rookie quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, has lit up the NFL with sublime offensive performances in recent weeks, and left his team sitting pretty with a 4-0 record. The breakthrough star of the season thus far, Mahomes has left Wikipedians mesmerised, and this has sent swarms of football fans towards his article to investigate the new star on the rise.
20	United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary	316,513	New editors to Wikipedia are urged to undertake the Wikipedia Adventure, but this iteration of the report indicates that a different type of adventure, clicking through all the links related to the defining controversy of the week - see #1, #2, and a considerable amount of the commentary, for more. Amongst these are the bipartisan congressional body which oversees the confirmation of Supreme Court justices nominated by the executive branch, currently headed by Chuck Grassley and Dianne Feinstein.
21	Operation London Bridge	316,444	An entry courtesy of Reddit now, but not the usual suspects. People became fascinated during the week witht he elaborate protocol which the British government have in place in preparation for the Queen's death. The plan is complex, and incorporates a wide array of details, ranging from broadcasting regulations to the funeral plans in Westminster Abbey - Here's a good video explaining it. If the recent trends are any indication, record view counts can be anticipated once "London Bridge" falls.
22	Elon Musk	315,540	Musk has been a somewhat constant fixture on various iterations of the report in recent months, has he has been embroiled in seemingly constant controversy, from questionable comments regarding a cave diver in Thailand, to smoking a joint during an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience. Then, once the SEC began a lawsuit against the Lord Protector of the Internet, Musk stepped down as chairman of Tesla. All of this controversy has kept interest in Musk on a constant high (pun intended), keeping him in the report.
23	Ryan Fitzpatrick	314,736	Like our #19, Fitzpatrick acquired his fame courtesy of gridiron, as he is quite adept at tossing the aul' pigskin about. Somewhat of a journeyman, having played for seven teams, Fitzpatrick is signed on this season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and in spite of a promising start, which included consecutive NFC Offensive Player of the Week titles and a win against the reigning champs, Fitzpatrick's prospects have deteriorated dramatically following a dismal display against his ursine opponents at the weekend, and he now appears to be destined for the Bucs' bench.
24	Chekka Chivantha Vaanam	313,499	A blockbuster release from Kollywood, the Tamil language cinema sector, has snuck onto the report this week. The crime drama has received decent reviews, with particular praise being directed towards the score of AR Rahman, and will be looking to rake in the crore.
25	A Simple Favor (film)	309,464	The "Gone Girl as a comedy" audiences never knew they needed, and subsequently got good reviews and box office. Starring Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick (pictured), as the disappeared girl and the one who discovers she was a mysterious/manipulative woman, A Simple Favor redeems director Paul Feig after the internet unfairly asked for his head just because of Ghostbusters. And as a bonus, while the movie is #4 at the box office, the article is definitely getting higher views than the top 3 (Night School, Smallfoot and The House with a Clock in Its Walls).

Exclusions[edit]

This list excludes the Wikipedia main page, non-article pages (such as redlinks), and anomalous entries (such as DDoS attacks or likely automated views). Since mobile view data became available to the Report in October 2014, we exclude articles that have almost no mobile views (5–6% or less) or almost all mobile views (94–95% or more) because they are very likely to be automated views based on our experience and research of the issue. Please feel free to discuss any removal on the talk page if you wish.

Note: If you came here from the Signpost article, please take any discussion of exclusions to this article's talk page.