In 2005, World of Warcraft character Leeroy Jenkins (played by Ben Schulz) became an internet legend. While his team carefully planned a battle, Leeroy came back from making chicken and charged into the fray, screaming his own name. Chaos followed. This viral moment is still routinely shared on TikTok today. Leeroy became an official non-playable character, and his name became shorthand for reckless bravery (or foolishness). It was later revealed that a group of friends staged the moment – but the fact it’s still being spoken about 20 years later proves its legacy.
A version of the original viral video, hosted on user J Jonah Jameson's YouTube channel
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Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
Curatorial section
The Story of the Moving Image → Moving Minds → MM-09. Catch of the Day
Measurements
2 minutes
Object Types
Moving image file/Digital
Materials
Screen recording of J Jonah Jameson's YouTube channel