Sunday, November 15, 2009

A-Gaga-Ghast over Fact-Checking Error; or, the Lost Entry in New York Magazine's Approval Matrix

Last week New York Magazine mistakenly identified its Look Book model, Frances Pierce, as Francine Prose (the novelist and professor).

I think that this error could have been nicely plotted on NYM’s approval matrix, at the intersection of “middlebrow” and “despicable” (NYM’s terminology).

The women *do* share initials, but I call this goof “despicable” because some simple attention to detail—like an individual’s proper name—would have been only professional.

I’m wondering whether a distracted-yet-starstruck English major intern is doing the fact-checking at NYM.

Maybe we’ll see Michael Bloomberg credited as Mel Brooks (this English major minors in theatre) in a future issue, or Derek Jeter as DJ Salinger, the writer/record spinner.

5 comments:

WendyB said...

I'm wondering who I will be? Or even better, who will be me?

Angie Muresan said...

Oh dear! I don't know Frances Pierce, but Francine Prose is one of my favorite authors.

M said...

Ugh! How embarrassing! I bet they just have zero funds for proof reading and fact checking these days. But still!

Belle de Ville said...

After my trip last week visiting the offices of Allure, Self, O, Town & Country, W, WWD, Women's Day, Women's Health, Elle and Vanity Fair I can assure you that all of these magazines are working on with very diminished staffs.
The recession has taken its toll on the print media...big time.

Elizabeth said...

Unacceptable.