Star Tribune Comments On Plagiarism Claims Against 3 Decade “Top Critic” Colin Covert

MINNEAPOLIS, MN. (THECOUNT) — Colin Covert has “resigned” after a plagiarism investigation conducted by his 30-year employer, Star Tribune Media Company, turned up language that was “too unique” to be anything but pilfered from someone else’s work.

In a note posted to the paper’s website Monday evening, editor Rene Sanchez says the company received information from a reader claiming similarities between Covert’s reviews and reviews published in major media outlets.

(PHOTO: Nikki Tundel MPR News)

The following ‘note’ was posted to an offworld ‘blog’ area of the Star’s website:

“Nine” had used a unique phrase from the late New Yorker film critic Pauline Kael. Editors confirmed the phrase — “self-glorifying masochistic mush” — was used by Kael in 1974.

After additional research, editors identified other phrases in Covert’s “Nine” review that are identical to phrases in other reviews written by Kael, including “archaic big-musical circus,” “comic-strip craziness” and “stardust is slightly irritating.” Further examination of some of Covert’s work identified eight other reviews that contained unique phrases used previously by writers for the New York Times, Paste Magazine, vulture.com, the Wall Street Journal, IndieWire and Hollywood Reporter.

The reviews by Covert in question span many years, but one was published as recently as November 1. In that review, of the film “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”, Covert wrote: “There’s breathtaking craft and control in her performance, but not once do you sense the tools at work.” A year earlier, in a Nov. 27, 2017, review of “Call Me by Your Name,” Jon Frosch wrote in the Hollywood Reporter: “There’s breathtaking craft and control in the performance, but not once do you sense the tools at work.” source

Covert issued the follow statement:

“I’m sorry to say that through too many mistakes over the last 30 years I have compromised the Star Tribune’s meticulous reputation for integrity,” he said in a statement. “The paper has given me the opportunity to craft a wonderful, important career and through its benefits safeguarded me through three serious health crises. It is no exaggeration to say that I am grateful from the bottom of my heart. When blunders occur it is proper to admit them, correct them and move on.”

Covert, who was awarded the coveted “Top Critic” badge on highly influential Rotten Tomatoes website, has been stripped of his status and his reviews relegated, redirected to the Star’s “note,” on the “resignation.”

Editors also apologized to its readers and to “the writers and publications from which the material was taken.”

Minneapolis is a major city in Minnesota that forms “Twin Cities” with the neighboring state capital of St. Paul. Bisected by the Mississippi River, it’s known for its parks and lakes. Minneapolis is also home to many cultural landmarks like the Walker Art Center, a contemporary art museum, and the adjacent Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, famed for Claes Oldenburg’s “Spoonbridge and Cherry” sculpture, according to wikipedia.