Jimmy Wales storms out over Wikipedia founder question

Jimmy Wales walks out of podcast after being asked if he’s Wikipedia founder or co‑founder

Wikipedia co‑founder Jimmy Wales abruptly ended a podcast interview after being asked to clarify whether he is the “founder” or “co‑founder” of the online encyclopedia.

The interview lasted less than a minute before Wales, clearly frustrated, stood up and walked off, telling the host not to ask “stupid questions.”

Wales began by introducing himself simply as the founder of Wikipedia.

When the host pressed him repeatedly about the exact wording of his title, Wales reacted sharply, saying the question was meaningless and unnecessary.

Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales walked out of an interview just 48 seconds in after host Tilo Jung asked whether he was the ‘founder’ or simply a ‘co-founder’ 💀🤣
pic.twitter.com/ja82MYjviH

— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) November 15, 2025

His sudden exit quickly went viral, drawing widespread attention and sparking online debate about the credit for Wikipedia’s creation.

Although Wales played a central role in launching Wikipedia, Larry Sanger is also recognized as a co‑founder, and the two have had differing views over the years regarding their respective contributions.

Wales’s reaction highlights the ongoing sensitivity surrounding discussions of Wikipedia’s early history and the credit given to its founders.