Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Leroy Jethro Gibbs (4th nomination)


 * 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__EXPECTED_UNCONNECTED_PAGE__. I see no support for deleting this article. Liz Read! Talk! 15:32, 5 September 2023 (UTC)

Leroy Jethro Gibbs
AfDs for this article:


 * – ( View AfD View log | edits since nomination)

Although there is a Reception section, I don't think it warrants the character's notability. Parts of the Reception section are listicles, which does not prove notability. The reviews may prove some kind of notability, but they seem to only mention him in passing. A quick Google search does not give much to prove the character's notability.

I am sending this to AfD because I may be wrong and there are independent, reliable sources that don't just talk about him in passing (see Ziva David as an example). If there is not, I would recommend a merge and/or redirect to List of NCIS characters. Spinixster  (chat!)  14:59, 29 August 2023 (UTC)
 * Note: This discussion has been included in the deletion sorting lists for the following topics: Fictional elements, Science fiction and fantasy,  and Television.  Spinixster   (chat!)  14:59, 29 August 2023 (UTC)
 * Keep Upon a quick read-through, this article absolutely has problems. It feels bloated, and it seems to teeter over the line into in-universe perspective. However, if the issue is whether the character is notable on its own for its cultural impact, I feel satisfied that it is. I typed "cultural impact of Jethro Gibbs" into Google--not even Google Scholar--and got a page full of strong-looking sources right away (two of which are probably usable): Reuters Newsweek 2022 People didn't just write about this character when the show was in its heyday. There's recent stuff too. That's in addition to blogs and YouTube videos analyzing the character. We wouldn't use most of them for sources, but they're there. Darkfrog24 (talk) 20:38, 30 August 2023 (UTC) EDIT: And some of this stuff on Google Scholar might be good ...  And I'm seeing more than one editorial comparing Gibbs to real-life political figures... Darkfrog24 (talk) 20:41, 30 August 2023 (UTC) Addendum: This article has been nominated for deletion a lot, but the last time was over thirteen years ago. A request for revaluation was not inappropriate. Darkfrog24 (talk) 22:16, 30 August 2023 (UTC)
 * I'll be evaluating the sources:
 * The first source is an opinion piece, which isn't bad, but it doesn't necessarily prove notability.
 * The second is a WP:TRIVIA / WP:NOTTVTROPES of sorts, which also doesn't necessarily prove notability but can be used in the storylines section.
 * Fourth source compares him to real-life political figures, which also doesn't necessarily prove his notability but can still be used.
 * The Google Scholar sources can still probably be used, though depending on what they cover, they may or may not prove notability. Spinixster   (chat!)  03:17, 1 September 2023 (UTC)
 * Excellent, you should evaluate the sources. However, I think the fact that journalists writing editorials (I mean the Reuters and Citizen-Times sources) use this fictional character as a touchstone when evaluating real-life society and politicians is very much indicative of that character's notability. It shows that he's leaked out of his own sphere and into the general cultural consciousness. The second author mentions Jethro Gibbs in the same breath as John Wayne and expects the reader to know who he is without explanation. Darkfrog24 (talk) 03:27, 1 September 2023 (UTC)
 * I interpreted it as meaning that the character is popular enough for people to know who he is. Popularity doesn't equal notability (WP:N: Determining notability does not necessarily depend on things such as fame, importance, or popularity—although those may enhance the acceptability of a subject that meets the guidelines explained below. So your best hope is Google Scholar. Spinixster   (chat!)  08:13, 1 September 2023 (UTC)
 * "My" best "hope"? I think you might be overestimating my role in this. Darkfrog24 (talk) 12:13, 1 September 2023 (UTC)
 * You are once again misinterpreting what I'm saying, but whatever, I said what I said. Spinixster   (chat!)  14:07, 1 September 2023 (UTC)


 * Keep per sources found by DarkFrog. Willing to change votes depending on how the discussion goes but I think what's been discussed satisfies. Pokelego999 (talk) 05:42, 1 September 2023 (UTC)


 * Keep per WP:HEY. The citations provided, and comments made, by DarkFrog have convinced me that standalone notability is established. A. Randomdude0000 (talk) 03:54, 3 September 2023 (UTC)
 * Keep, at this point. A lead character in a highly notable series will almost always have sufficient coverage, and this one does. BD2412  T 14:50, 4 September 2023 (UTC)
 * Keep, the sources found by DarkFrog seem sufficient to showcase notability, though the article and especially the "Personality" section is in an absolutely parlous state. Devonian Wombat (talk) 02:49, 5 September 2023 (UTC)


 * 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.