Yahoo Movies Guess what? That's still not Cormac McCarthy on Twitter
Every few years, it seems, Twitter users become enamored by the possibility that one of the greatest living American novelists has finally joined the social media platform that so many authors use to promote their work. But EW can confirm, once again, that Cormac McCarthy is still not on Twitter.
The celebrated author of dark American novels like The Road, Blood Meridian, and No Country for Old Men rarely gives interviews or engages in publicity of any kind, aside from one TV interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2007 and one print interview with The New York Times in 1992. McCarthy's absence from the public eye has created an aura of mystery around him, and a thirst to know what's on his mind and what makes him tick.
Jim Spellman/WireImage Cormac McCarthy
Perhaps this is why when @CormacMcCrthy tweeted last Friday, it turned more than a few heads. "My publicist is on my case about my infrequent use of this infernal website," the person behind the seemingly verified account tweeted. "He says engagement is down and so are metrics and something something who cares. There I wrote a tweet. Are you happy now Terry."
The tweet earned more than 122,000 likes, and author Stephen King responded jovially, which seemed like a potential confirmation of authenticity.
My publicist is on my case about my infrequent use of this infernal website
He says engagement is down and so are metrics and something something who cares
There
I wrote a tweet
Are you happy now Terry— Cormac McCarthy (@CormacMcCrthy) July 31, 2021
The sparse punctuation is in keeping with McCarthy's literary style — but the account isn't legit. McCarthy's real agent is Amanda Urban, not "Terry," and though she did not respond to EW's request for comment, she did confirm to The New York Times that this account "is definitely not Cormac."
McCarthy's publisher, Penguin Random House, did respond to EW's request, saying that yes, indeed, "The account is fake."
What made the saga even more confusing was that Twitter briefly gave @CormacMcCrthy a vaunted blue check mark, which is meant to signal authenticity, before taking it away again. But in a statement to the Times, a Twitter spokesperson confirmed, "The account referenced was verified by mistake and that has since been reversed."
This is not the first time a Twitter account has falsely pretended to be McCarthy, which means it probably won't be the last.
Back in 2015, EW confirmed with McCarthy's publisher that the account @cormacmccarthyw was not really him. A year later, in 2016, another rogue account pretended to be McCarthy's publisher and falsely announced his death. That, too, was debunked, as the 88-year-old author remains alive and well.
We can only wait with bated breath for the next McCarthy Twitter hoax — or maybe, just maybe, an appearance from the man himself.
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