Buzz
In the high-speed environment of newspaper publishing, errors can occasionally sneak in, resulting in some truly legendary corrections. Below, we’ve highlighted 15 of the most entertaining ones. For a continuous dose of typos and corrections—whether laugh-out-loud funny or simply baffling—don’t forget to bookmark Poynter’s Regret the Error.
The Correction: “A recent article discussing the viral phenomenon of ‘Alex from Target,’ a photo of a teen bagging items at the retailer that took the internet by storm, inaccurately described a follow-up viral post featuring ‘Kel from Good Burger.’ The image was actually a still from the 1997 movie Good Burger, starring Kel Mitchell, and not a snapshot of a teenager at work.”
2. “Pigs Float Down the Dawson,” [PDF] The Morning Bulletin (Australia)
The Correction: “An error appeared in a story titled ‘Pigs float down the Dawson’ on Page 11 of yesterday’s Bully. The article, written by reporter Daniel Burdon, stated ‘more than 30,000 pigs were floating down the Dawson River.’ However, Baralaba piggery owner Sid Everingham actually mentioned ’30 sows and pigs,’ not ’30,000 pigs.’ The Morning Bulletin apologizes for this mistake, which was also repeated in today’s Rural Weekly CQ before the error was identified.”
3. “NFL Player's Off-Season: Trading Cleats for Yoga Mats,” Wall Street Journal
The Correction: “A previous version mistakenly stated that Mr. Celek had Two Chairs on his playlist instead of 2 Chainz.”
4. “Hiroshi Yamauchi, Who Led Nintendo to Industry Dominance, Dies at 85,” The New York Times
The Correction: “An obituary on Sept. 20 about Hiroshi Yamauchi, the former president of Nintendo, included a quote from a 1988 New York Times article that inaccurately described the Nintendo game Super Mario Bros. 2. The characters Mario and Luigi, featured in this and other Nintendo games, are plumbers, not janitors.”
5. “Hyaluronic Acid: Skin Care's Latest Star Ingredient,” Los Angeles Times
The Correction: “In a recent Sunday Image article discussing hyaluronic acid, a popular skin-care component and injectable filler, Dr. Nowell Solish was mistakenly quoted as saying that if individuals reconsider after receiving an injection, there is an anecdote. The correct statement should have been that there is an antidote.”
6. “Interview Spotlight: Richard Robinson, Brighton Science Festival,” The Argus
The Correction: “We wish to clarify that the statement ‘I have become increasingly convinced that we are heading for a disastrous confrontation and that the 21st century will be remembered for a terrible war between mankind and goats' was a reader-submitted question, not a response from Mr. Robinson. Additionally, the following paragraph, ‘People often underestimate how dangerous a goat can be – I personally know six people who have been seriously injured by goats, and the annual death toll caused by goats exceeds 2,000,000,’ is also a reader question and not a statement from Mr. Robinson. The Argus regrets the error and apologizes for the confusion.”
7. "Navigating Love and Autism," The New York Times
The Correction: "A Monday article about Jack Robinson and Kirsten Lindsmith, two college students with Asperger syndrome navigating the challenges of a romantic relationship, incorrectly identified the character from the animated TV show My Little Pony that Ms. Lindsmith mentioned using to uplift herself. The character is Twilight Sparkle, the studious intellectual, not Fluttershy, the compassionate animal lover."
8. “Tampa Bay Comic Con Hosts Speed Dating for True Enthusiasts,” Tampa Bay Times
The Correction: “In a Sunday article about a speed dating event at Tampa Bay Comic Con, a Tampa Bay Times reporter, unfamiliar with the intricacies of the Force (or Star Wars lore), misquoted moderator Croix Provence as saying, ‘Are you ready to find love in all the wrong places?’ The actual question posed was, ‘Are you ready to find love in Alderaan places?’ This reference was to Princess Leia Organa's home planet, briefly featured in the 1977 film. We deeply regret the error."
9. “Seeking a Definition?," The Washington Post
The Correction: "A May 31 Metro article covering the Scripps National Spelling Bee incorrectly spelled last year's winning word. The accurate spelling is serrefine."
10. “What Would Mr. Roeper Say?,” The New York Times
11. “Danielle Smith: Alberta's Sarah Palin or Canada's Future Leader?,” The Globe and Mail
The Correction: "François Mitterrand, the former French president, is said to have remarked that Margaret Thatcher possessed the lips of Marilyn Monroe and the gaze of Caligula—not Stalin, as mistakenly stated in an earlier version of this article."
12. "Historical Moments That Missed the Mark," The Miami Herald
The Correction: “A December 20 column by Glenn Garvin incorrectly claimed that the National Science Foundation ‘funded a study on Jell-O wrestling at the South Pole.’ This is inaccurate. The event occurred during off-duty hours without NSF approval and did not utilize taxpayer funds.” (Note: The Miami Herald has largely removed Garvin's archive, but the article can still be found reprinted at the Cleveland Post, where it is available in full.)
13. “Odd Fellows,” The Virginian-Pilot
The Correction: "Due to an editing oversight, a story titled 'Odd Fellows' in the Sunday Magazine section, which explored unique animal relationships, inaccurately described the interactions between Nikki the parrot and Mavish the cat. The parrot does indeed speak and often says, 'Give me a kiss!' while playing with the cat."
14. “Decoding the Mystery Behind ‘Heeere’s Johnny!’,” The New York Times
The Correction: “A previous version of this article misrepresented a scene from The Shining. The man seen with the individual in the bear costume is dressed in a tuxedo but is not wearing a top hat.”
15. “Corrections: March 11, 2014,” The New York Times
The Correction: "A previous version of these corrections incorrectly stated the publication date. They were printed on March 11, not March 10."
BONUS: “Waiting in the Wings,” Vogue
The Correction: “In the September feature on Chelsea Clinton, ‘Waiting in the Wings,’ by Jonathan Van Meter, Dan Baer was inaccurately described as an interior designer. He serves as a deputy assistant secretary for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor at the U.S. Department of State.” (via Huffington Post)
