Jay McInerney Dismissed from New Yorker Fact-Checking After French Fluency Claim Disproved

Renowned author Jay McInerney, widely recognized for his seminal 1984 novel "Bright Lights, Big City," was dismissed from his early career role as a fact-checker at The New Yorker after his stated fluency in French was disproven by errors in an article he vetted. The incident, occurring early in his professional life, involved a piece reported from France where his linguistic shortcomings led to significant factual inaccuracies. This detail has been widely acknowledged, including by McInerney himself.

Before achieving literary fame, McInerney, aspiring to a writing career, briefly worked at the prestigious magazine in the early 1980s. His tenure as a fact-checker was short-lived, as he has openly admitted to not being suited for the meticulous demands of the role. This period at The New Yorker preceded his breakthrough as a novelist, which cemented his place in contemporary American literature.

According to a recent social media post from The New Yorker, McInerney "will admit he was not a great one; he got fired when his claim that he could speak French was disproved by a litany of errors he let through in a piece reported from France." This specific misrepresentation on his resume led to a critical failure in verifying facts for an article covering French elections, which required direct communication with non-English speaking sources in France. The subsequent discovery of these errors prompted his swift departure from the magazine.

The New Yorker has long been renowned for its rigorous and often legendary fact-checking department, a standard established early in its history to ensure accuracy and mitigate legal risks. McInerney's dismissal underscores the magazine's unwavering commitment to factual integrity, even in its formative years. His story serves as a notable anecdote within the institution's celebrated history of maintaining journalistic standards.

McInerney has openly discussed this early career setback, humorously referring to himself as "probably the most famous former New Yorker fact checker." He has even claimed to be the "first person ever fired from The New Yorker," a claim the magazine's archives have found difficult to definitively confirm. This experience, though a professional misstep, ultimately contributed to the rich tapestry of his literary and public persona, even inspiring elements of his most famous novel.