Philly Mag issues apology, retraction for fabricated sniper story
Philly Mag is in the news again, this time for issuing a retraction and apology in the wake of Anthony Gargano's article, "The War Within."
Philly Mag issues apology, retraction for fabricated sniper story
Philly Mag is in the news again, this time for issuing a retraction and apology in the wake of Anthony Gargano's article, "The War Within." Gargano's piece chronicles a Marine sniper, John P. Boudreau, who claimed to have killed a whole bunch of people in the Middle East, and the internal struggles he experiences while grappling with the "reality" of having killed so many people.
Turns out that the guy was making it up.
Philadelphia magazine editor Tom McGrath published an apology on The Philly Post on Friday explaining that the piece was largely sourced by Boudreau himself. So, even though the article went through the normal fact-checking process, many of the exaggerations and/or falsities made it into the final article.
In retrospect, of course, there were red flags that all of us missed along the way, as well as a major failure on our part to use outside sources to verify the information we’d been given. While other publications have certainly been duped by sources over the years, that in no way lessens our responsibility or culpability in this case. In plain terms: We blew it.
McGrath references the debate surrounding Robert Huber's "Being White in Philly" piece while addressing Philly Mag's second controversy in as many months.
Philly Mag has never shied away from controversial topics or edgy stories (witness the hubbub that ensued over our cover story last month about race in Philadelphia). But no matter what the story, we have always prided ourselves on trying to tell the truth—to the best we can discern it—in our pages. With this story, we failed in that mission.
Gargano, a WIP host, also issued a statement in the form of a blog post on The Philly Post.
And so I sit here a fool, sickened that I unwittingly led the magazine, a group of caring, diligent editors, and our readers into John Boudreau’s troubled world and his web of deceit. I recklessly ran the red lights that arose while writing this story and sped past all of the basic reporting, which is heresy for a 22-year veteran of the craft. For that, I apologize. I should have seen it from a mile away, and I didn’t see it from nose to nose.
While Gargano admits some fault and apologizes for his missteps, he's also upset.
I don’t know what stabs at me more: that I prayed for this man on countless nights, crawling into his twisted cocoon with fantastic gullibility, or that the story provides a disservice to the true heroes who protect our nation.
Though the piece has been pulled from the web, it was published in Philadelphia magazine's April issue, which is on newsstands now.
Gargano is about as much of a sports talk host as he is a thorough journalist— Redguy- Agreed.
Hereeeee's 'Ant'!:
AWWWEEESUMMMM DOOOOOOD. Ya know, uh, he coulda raked in that game if he was the bit hitter that he professes to be, but, ya know, DOOOOOOD, uh, he's simply weak, a wuss, ya know, Jacko. Uh, thanks for thuh call DOOOOOOD, awhsum. Yuh know, Glen, I needa eat.
Virtual commenter. Virtual host. Virtual writer. Virtual columnist. A figment of his own imagination. And a waste of time to listen to. Phake Philly.— 24sDad - And I forgot the CUZZ part of the bad act.
'Cuz' why?— 24sDad - i've only read two stories from this rag, including this one. no surprise they didn't bother to check their facts. they print crappola anyway.— black dog
- I always thought mush-mouth Gargano should have stayed with writing, but I guess I was wrong about that, too. What a total f-up. Nice fact checking, Philly Mag and Gargano. Here's the odd thing. He usually only talks to Paisans on the radio. Where'd the French guy come from??
- I keep a copy of Philly Mag in my bathroom, but not for reading.— johnny rotten
- Just because you are "a 22-year veteran of the craft" does not mean you are good at it.— Tartan69
- When is Philly.com going to issue an apology for just about everything?— #1 With A Bullet
- im agree #1 w.a.b
and that was a great story about being white in philly - skipped a lot but great either way— shotgunfred - Being duped in Philly . . .— bemused
- Being duped in Philly . . .— bemused
- I dig Gargano. Very nice, likeable guy. Got duped. Should have clearly been fact-checking, but sometimes things happen.— bwillie
- Hahaha...Gargano is a Souf Philly wannabe who grew up in Souf Jersey. His show with the movie and burger guy is horrid. Yo beau, do the Tonner a favor and take the act somewhere else. And while you're at it, take the movie guy, Wheels and McCarthy with you.— hunglikeaton
- hey, hunglikeamouse, why don't you take your inane comments to someplace that cares what you think. I'm sure you'll find one somewhere. — mike l
- Actually mike I, you responded to the Tonner, thus, YOU care.
Is Ant-uh-knee your boy or something? Take yourself, and his wanna be Souf Filly act back over the Walt Whitman bridge where you both belong.— Knuble - I read far enough into the story to know it was a fake when Gargano called him a "Marine Assasin" and that he'd killed 2,000 people. Even the most basic familiarity with the military and warfare would tell anyone that this whole thing was a fake. Gargano IS a SoufPhilly wannabe and an idiot to boot.— Tannhauser
- Cuzzz sounds like a complete moron on the radio anymore. now he has something in print to back it up.— dwbitner
- "...take the movie guy, Wheels and McCarthy with you". -hunglikeaton
Agreed. McCarthy has a mangina (if they do a shot into the booth check out his man-fupa) and Wheels flat out stinks...worst thing about the Phils' recent Opening Day: Chris Wheeler talking during it.— CaptAwesome - please a ton of better writers and journalist, including people like Oprah have been duped by people like this it happens— Iknowyourider
- Gargano and his buddy Mikie Miss on 97.5 are both prejudice against other nationalities.... especially the Irish!!!
— henry hill - This is nothing new for this rag. In 1974 they put a writer in the Gino's I was asst. manager in to write an expose of the food chain. Couldn't believe the amount of stuff they made up. Kind of set me straight for all the other lying leftwing reporting.— georgel
- Whadya expect from a magazine that has ZERO military vets on staff? Same for almost all news or other articles we read about the military or national security issues - no vets as journalists. Yet the chump readers will believe everything written by rookies about the military. One of many reasons to bring back the draft.— BustedUpGrunt
- I knew this story was not true as soon as I read 2,200 kills. Legendary SEALs sniper Chris Kyle had 160 confirmed (255 claimed). We were supposed to believe that "John P. Boudreau" had 2,200?— sean0915
- So Gargano was pretending to be a journalist? C'mon. You sort of have to be literate, don't you?— Bartleby
- "Gargano, a WIP host, ..." This is all you need to say.
These chuckleheads, like Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity and the rest, make money and keep viewers and listeners and advertisers by stirring up controversy. It would seem this particular chucklehead extended that buble of opportunity to include writing for a less than forthright magazine (which seems to survive on plastic surgery advertisements).— a4049412 - You left out Mathews, Schultz, Maddow, Sharpton, Toure, Hayes.
Chucklehead.— dmn - I actually know this Bordeau clown. He's from Chester Springs and our daughters were in pre-school together. Within five minutes of meeting him a few years ago, he's in tears over his fallen comrades. A few minutes later, he's telling me he was a stunt double for Marky Mark in Invicnible and The Shooter. I knew he was a whackjob immediately. How did Gargano not know? How did he not fact-check his claims? And I'm a fan of the Cuz. His rep takes an enormous hit in my book.
- there comes a time in one's life when one must fact check himself...— ikemcmichaels
- Pretty gutsy to make fun of Gargano and hide behind the on line funny names. I would assume that his embarrassment and hurt are pretty sufficient in hat he had to do the unthinkable and apologize for his efforts. Pretty obvious that his mistake has hurt him deeply but the hits about his speech and his ability are unfounded and cruel. But then again that's what gutless bullies who don't sign their name are all about. Scott Soffen— YIPO
- "hunglikeaton"....."the tonner"......Seriously, what grown man feels the need to make up such names for himself? Even if you feel it's true, dude, you come across like you're still in 7th grade.— riles1875
- It is funny that the Inky is calling out poor journalism. There are a few good reporters in this paper, but the quality is so poor due to the changes in ownership, etc.— TR3
- Awww, DUUUUDDDDEEEEE, gotsta check da sources Cuuuuzzzz. DUUUUDDDEEEE, dats sloppy work dere DUUUUUUDDDDDEEEEE.— b,ill a,tkins
- Bernie from Broomall is a north korean spy.
- I love that the Inquirer and Philly Mag have it in for each other. At the least, it's about time someone got the balls to call the arrogant dailies out. The Inky and the DN are like bullies.— everydayguy
- Yeah they love printing stories about homosexuals. Because they love them. — dmn
- Yeah they love printing stories about homosexuals. Because they love them. — dmn
- Gargano made a mistake and apologized for it. The story did not hurt anybody but that doesn't matter to the segment of the public that loves to attack anyone. I guess that Gargano's critics never made a mistake in their lives.— Drumgoole
- It hurt anthony gargano, his editor, the magazine, and journalism in general. it also could be construed as hurting the marine and the armed forces in general. people making mistakes has nothing to do with it. and really, this wasn't a "mistake" as it's generally defined, it was more like journalistic malpractice.
- There is no better radio personality that represents Philly better than the Cuz... I just hope that a momentary lapse of reason does not tarnish the decades of excellent commentary and analysis that he has provided. With a world full of so few heros, sometimes we just desperately want to believe.— mikeyv683
- Gargano is hard to listen to--not as hard as the morning idiots are or Tony Bruno is or Gonzo used to be--but hard.— Bartleby
- No editor worth his salt could have read that story and not raised red flags aplenty. The story, unfortunately, is no aberration; it is emblematic of the sorry state of journalism.— Zatopek
- This carelessness could cost human lives. Such people should never be employed as "news" writers. He was so quick to believe and spread lies about the Marines. Why?— ArtWrtr
- Journalism is dead: it is all Gonzo and Columnist style writings. Bring back Bill Conlin, oops, just don't let him wrfite anything about kids.— STEPHEN1988
- Is he a crossdresser too, like ole S&M Buzz?— toandfro99
