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CatNip/LeBoring/Vogue Ig'nant

batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
edited March 2008 in Strut Central
Lebron James??? appearance on the latest issue of Vogue Magazine has drawn much more discussion than being only the third man to grace the cover and the first African American man to do so. Immediately after the release of the cover artwork, issues and questions arose if the photo taken by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz for Vogue???s ???Shape Issue??? which has a multiple page spread featuring world class athletes and acclaimed models.Some are wondering if Lebron James??? aggressive facial expressions coupled with his arm around the Brazilian model Gisele Bundchen has racial undertones drawing parallels to King Kong. While some individuals have been quoted to say that this cover ???further racial stereotypes of black men being a dangerous threat???, Vogue has released a statement stating that the cover ???sought to celebrate two superstars at the top of their game??? for the magazine???s annual issue devoted to size and shape.Before any opinions are made or conclusions are drawn, I personally think that it would be of much value to view Vogue???s video feature of the focus of the issue - the comparison between brawns and beauty and how both athletes and models are a symbol of both.Photography is a form of art. Like a painting, 1000 people can interpret 1000 different ways. Is this cover racist? Is it innocent? Was the supposed ???King Kong pose??? inspired by his nickname ???King James??? or was that not intended to be interpreted at all? Please let us know what message you interpret from this cover.
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  Comments

  • white_teawhite_tea 3,262 Posts
    This reminds me of Bill O'Reilly's surprise that black people weren't like "MFer I want more iced-tea" at a black restaurant.
  • ElectrodeElectrode Los Angeles 3,127 Posts
    He's big, strong and gets hot women. So, yes, it's appropriate. People read too much into stuff.
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    He's big, strong and gets hot women. So, yes, it's appropriate. People read too much into stuff.

    You British?
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    Vogue is weak, they all are. When was the last time you saw someone who wasn't white on the cover of a fashion magazine? Or in an editorial? How sad is it that things were actually better 20 or so yrs ago in this department when you had Iman, Tyra, Veronica Webb, Naomi Campbell, Alec Wek (OK, she's a little more recent) and Jenny Shimizu as major figures and now who? Chanel Robinson, Ajuma Nasenyana, Yasmin Warsame and....? Ads are only a bit better and that's only because they are mostly using celebrities.
  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    Vogue is weak, they all are. When was the last time you saw someone who wasn't white on the cover of a fashion magazine? Or in an editorial? How sad is it that things were actually better 20 or so yrs ago in this department when you had Iman, Tyra, Veronica Webb, Naomi Campbell, Alec Wek (OK, she's a little more recent) and Jenny Shimizu as major figures and now who? Chanel Robinson, Ajuma Nasenyana, Yasmin Warsame and....? Ads are only a bit better and that's only because they are mostly using celebrities.

    There was a piece in the Times about six months ago about the virtual disappearance of the Black model in the world of high fashion.

    b/w

    Tyra's not that old!
  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    He's big, strong and gets hot women. So, yes, it's appropriate. People read too much into stuff.

    You British?

  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    Yea, my mistake, her modelling yrs were more like 10 yrs ago. I like how ANTM is trying to balance things out, but the series name is a bit of an oversell - lol. Not one of the winners is a top model at all! In fact they are all more in the "where are they now?" category.
  • verb606verb606 2,518 Posts
    If he didn't have his arm around her, would we be having this conversation?
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    If he didn't have his arm around her, would we be having this conversation?

    Loc: United Kingdom
  • keithvanhornkeithvanhorn 3,855 Posts
    he's ugly but not king kong ugly. i'm more offended by the "leboring" comment. i'd put him in my top 5 entertaining players.
  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    If he wasn't Black, didn't have his arm around her, the wind wasn't blowing her hair, she didn't have the evening wear on, there wasn't a growl on his face and if she wasn't blond would we be having this conversation?
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    he's ugly but not king kong ugly. i'm more offended by the "leboring" comment. i'd put him in my top 5 entertaining players.

    Take that to the NBA thread......
  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    he's ugly but not king kong ugly.

    Why are you always harping on how "ugly" Lebron supposedly is? This is at least the third time you've poasted about it.

    I don't think most people agree with you--he's definitely got a winning smile.
  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    If he didn't have his arm around her, would we be having this conversation?

    Loc: United Kingdom

    Nice one, mate!
  • dayday 9,611 Posts
    If he didn't have his arm around her, would we be having this conversation?

    They've never had a Black man on the magazine cover before and this is image they choose to portray.
    Look at this beyond just the King Kong shit and how it speaks to the underlying fear some white people have of the "aggressive/angry Black Male" etc. It's a fucked up picture for what it implys more than anything else. Why couldn't dude be smiling in a suit holding the ball? Or something like this:

  • Terry_ClubbupTerry_Clubbup 833 Posts
    --he's definitely got a winning smile.


    Well if he got a winning smile then why did he fix his face to scream and growl and act a king kong do you think they paid him specifically to growl like king kong instead of smile or do you think maybe he fixed his face because that's what he wanted to do, a grown man making decisions, now who's ignant, peace.
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    now who's ignant

  • keithvanhornkeithvanhorn 3,855 Posts
    he's ugly but not king kong ugly.

    Why are you always harping on how "ugly" Lebron supposedly is? This is at least the third time you've poasted about it.

    I don't think most people agree with you--he's definitely got a winning smile.


    because its the only explanation for why he hasn't really blown up. he's on his way to be the nba's all-time greatest player, and the guy even has a good sense of humor, but i don't see nike marketing him like they did mj, who was more gq.

    on the looks scale, i'd put lebron somewhere between sam cassell and that dude from gonzaga who was a lottery pick.
  • DB_CooperDB_Cooper Manhatin' 7,823 Posts
    now who's ignant


    The dude who put the question mark there.
  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    --he's definitely got a winning smile.


    Well if he got a winning smile then why did he fix his face to scream and growl and act a king kong do you think they paid him specifically to growl like king kong instead of smile or do you think maybe he fixed his face because that's what he wanted to do, a grown man making decisions, now who's ignant, peace.

    If I had wanted your opinion then I would of said I wonder what Terry_Clubbup thinks of this and does he like Lebron's smile, but I don't believe I did and you came in here shooting off your opinion anyway like just anyone can say anything they want in here, now who's ignant.
  • verb606verb606 2,518 Posts
    If he didn't have his arm around her, would we be having this conversation?

    They've never had a Black man on the magazine cover before and this is image they choose to portray.
    Look at this beyond just the King Kong shit and how it speaks to the underlying fear some white people have of the "aggressive/angry Black Male" etc. It's a fucked up picture for what it implys more than anything else. Why couldn't dude be smiling in a suit holding the ball?



    I guess what I meant was, would we be having a conversation about King Kong? Aggressive-looking black man: yes. Blond white (or white-looking) woman: yes. All the points are critiques are valid. I'm not trying to ride for the picture or anything. I guess I just find it unfortunate that King Kong had to be dragged into it.

    Since's it's Vogue, you'd think they'd want him in a fly-ass Armani or something. If they wanted the "top of their game" thing, they could have at least had him in a more game-type pose and with a game face like "I'm about to dunk on you" instead of the primal scream, which is a bad look, no doubt.
  • G_BalliandoG_Balliando 3,916 Posts
    To know how racist this really is, wouldn't you first have to know how much involvement LeBron himself had in choosing the photo or making up the pose to begin with? What if he wanted to use this picture?
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    If he wasn't black, would we be having this conversation?

    I don't think so, cause apparently he needs to be smiling and in a goddamn suit for people to feel he's "safe".
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    What if he wanted to use this picture?

    Even if he did prefer this shot, do you think James has the power to override the Vogue editors?

    He's Not MJ/Woods/or ALI..........yet.
  • G_BalliandoG_Balliando 3,916 Posts
    Not saying he does or doesn't, but if he liked that shot, would you still think it's racist? Does that imply that he's not smart enough to see that he is buying into a racist plot against him?
  • keithvanhornkeithvanhorn 3,855 Posts
    If he wasn't black, would we be having this conversation?

    I don't think so, cause apparently he needs to be smiling and in a goddamn suit for people to feel he's "safe".


    in all seriousness, the photo is a bad look. it definitely plays on stereotypes and, although dude is a beast on the court, he's also half magic johnson style, so the whole intense growl look is not really appropriate. its vogue, so his presence is questionable to begin with. if they really want him on the cover, let the man dress the part or at least play his role (smooth nba dude), not dennis rodman wild man.
  • G_BalliandoG_Balliando 3,916 Posts
    Could be that LeBron wants to shake his image up a bit, no? Like Bassie said, does he have to be smiling and in a suit to be acceptable? That seems more racist to me...
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    Not saying he does or doesn't, but if he liked that shot, would you still think it's racist?


    Yes

    Does that imply that he's not smart enough to see that he is buying into a racist plot against him?

    Yes


    And where are the responsible Caucasoids to inform him of that editorial choice?

    Im sure he was shown this before it went to print, at least i would hope so.

    Ive heard that its really out of the models hands after a certain point.
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    Could be that LeBron wants to shake his image up a bit, no? Like Bassie said, does he have to be smiling and in a suit to be acceptable? That seems more racist to me...

    Why couldnt Giselle be in sports gear?
  • keithvanhornkeithvanhorn 3,855 Posts
    Like Bassie said, does he have to be smiling and in a suit to be acceptable? That seems more racist to me...

    yea, the king kong theme was actually vogue's second choice....

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