LeBron on the cover of Vogue - controversy?

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

Saw this on the opening page of JJobs.com.
Thought it was intersting... Is there a controversy?
Some are charging the cover is a stereotypical depiction of a black man as a savage and a (white) woman as a prize (so I guess we could also throw in the objectification of women as a sex objects as well).

http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2008/03/vogue-lebron-james-african-americans.php


The cover

Thoughts?

 

[PeteyPirate]

My thought is that I would like to be Tom Brady for about eight seconds.

 

[mustangj17]

Bron Bron is getting thick.

 

[Football_Bat]

My first thought is either Gisele is extremely tall, or LeBron is hunched over while dribbling. LeBron is 6-8.

I didn't think of any other significance to the cover shoot. Mainly because I've moved on from that stereotype. I thought society largely had, too.

 

[GBNF]

I wouldn't have viewed it like myself, but I can understand the argument. Interesting.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Some really have nothing better to do.

 

[PeteyPirate]

My first thought is either Gisele is extremely tall, or LeBron is hunched over while dribbling. LeBron is 6-8.

I didn't think of any other significance to the cover shoot. Mainly because I've moved on from that stereotype. I thought society largely had, too.

I think I read that Gisele is 5-11, but more importantly, how much does she weigh?

 

[novelist_wannabe]

Bron Bron is getting thick.

I noticed that on a wwl highlight the other day.

And if I had Gisele that close to me, I'd probably look savage, too.

 

[Armchair_QB]

Saw this on the opening page of JJobs.com.
Thought it was intersting... Is there a controversy?
Some are charging the cover is a stereotypical depiction of a black man as a savage and a (white) woman as a prize (so I guess we could also throw in the objectification of women as a sex objects as well).

http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2008/03/vogue-lebron-james-african-americans.php


The cover

Thoughts?

Anybody charging that is just looking for a reason to be offended and needs to **** the hell off like right now.

 

[kingcreole]

Saw this on the opening page of JJobs.com.
Thought it was intersting... Is there a controversy?
Some are charging the cover is a stereotypical depiction of a black man as a savage and a (white) woman as a prize (so I guess we could also throw in the objectification of women as a sex objects as well).

People who think that probably also found the movie version of "Jesus Christ Superstar" racist because Judas was played by a black man (who continued to play Judas in the stage version up until his death a few years ago).

 

[alleyallen]

Secrets of the best bodies with the two of them standing close to each other. Sorry...don't see any controversy here.

 

[alleyallen]

Saw this on the opening page of JJobs.com.
Thought it was intersting... Is there a controversy?
Some are charging the cover is a stereotypical depiction of a black man as a savage and a (white) woman as a prize (so I guess we could also throw in the objectification of women as a sex objects as well).

People who think that probably also found the movie version of "Jesus Christ Superstar" racist because Judas was played by a black man (who continued to play Judas in the stage version up until his death a few years ago).

I think if people saw what some scientists believe Jesus REALLY looked like, they'd be shocked.

 

[Rumpleforeskin]

I see nothing wrong with this.

LeBron was a big guy coming out of high school. I couldn't believe he was his age when he entered the NBA. Dwight Howard as well. I think Howard is far more muscular than James, but LeBron is the superstar.

 

[Ace]

If they superimposed the Empire State building in the background and had him swatting biplanes instead of dribbling a basketball while carrying fair Giselle, I'd really have a problem.

 

[sportschick]

That cover shot is soooooooooooo photoshopped.

 

[Steak Snabler]

Apparently the punchline of that old racist joke about how to keep five black guys "away" from a white woman isn't true ... ;)

 

[bigpern23]

I can see how it evokes imagry of Kong and Ann Darrow. That was actually the first thing I thought of. Of course, I always loved King Kong and thought of Kong as a sympathetic figure, so in my view it's a compliment. 8)

From an art perspective, the photo that ran is a much more dynamic photo than the alternate shot that website thinks is the less offensive shot.

I don't know ... it doesn't bother me, but then again, as a white guy, I've never been compared (in looks and intelligence) to a gorilla the way many black people and their parents have been.

 

[bigpern23]

Let me add that LeBron, the black man in question, doesn't seem to have a problem with it, so why should anyone else? He obviously didn't feel like he was being made to look like a savage or a gorilla.

There have been much more inflammatory depictions -- the Barkley cover on SI springs to mind (which was, of course, supposed to be provocative) -- that I thought were much ado about nothing, too.

 

[Rumpleforeskin]

I think a more controversial thing was SLAM (?) airbrushing the tattoos off Allen Iverson.

 

[zebracoy]

That cover shot is soooooooooooo photoshopped.

That was my first thought. That's the only thing I find offensive here.