Vogue Magazine - King Kong Lebron James

Tizzy Lizz^ · Subject: Vogue Magazine - King Kong Lebron James Tue Apr 01, 2008 6:48 pm

Did you see this cover?

www.writerblocks.com --- see it here
Basically they used Lebron James and some blonde (Gizelle or something like that) in a photo shoot that looks like a modern day King Kong. There were tons of other better photos to choose but they chose the barbaric one for the cover.

Same thing happened to Jennifer Hudson. They could have used the more glamourous photos but used the one with her mouth all open looking wild as the cover photo.

ignant

M.A.P. · Number of posts: 380 Registration date: 2007-11-20

At the risk of dodging rocks.... I don't think this cover is racist. It could just as easily be a white athlete. I think his image conveys aggressiveness and strength. Both necessary components of any successful athlete. The white woman on his arm? Another seemingly "necessary component of a successful athlete". lol!

I joke. But it could be a white guy + white girl. A black guy + black girl. A white guy + black girl. meh.

If it was meant to be stingingly racist then they missed the boat for me. It went right over my head. Brushed off the shoulders and rolled off the back.

alyson · Number of posts: 1143 Registration date: 2007-01-04

i agree with M.A.P.

i've been reading vogue for years and it is what it is. i bought the magazine in support.

the issue is a body issue celebrating the human form - the top athletes along side the top models in the industry. lebron's form is a sight to behold. while the pix on the inside is a beautiful shot, it doesn't convey an ounce of his strength that the cover shot does.

i think people are making too much of this. i.e. the media. i'm glad vogue stood behind this shot and decided to place it on the cover. it says to me: beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

_________________
alyson...

"yesterday was practice."
~ jg

Tizzy Lizz^ · Number of posts: 2317 Localisation: Illadelph Registration date: 2007-01-03

my cousin brought it to my attention...it was covered on BET news...and other blogs have addressed it that way. I think its offensive - especially next to King Kong. They also bypassed the better more sane looking pictures.

None of the white people ever look wild like that on the cover

I think it says beauty and the beast

glory · Number of posts: 731 Localisation: over philly Registration date: 2007-01-07

re: jennifer hudson - i'm not offended at all by that choice of photo.

re: lebron james - it's one of those things i wouldn't see as racist unless somebody pointed it out to me and then i... thought about it and THEN... reached. i think it's reaching.

sam I am · Number of posts: 476 Registration date: 2007-01-08

as far as the lebron photo, i'm gonna have to really sit this one out for a few before i give my 2 cents. it brings about mixed feelings and perspectives in me. my father schoolled us at a very early age about the subliminal undertones and messages in some of the movies and television programs we revered so much. although i reserve the right to change my mind i want to let it kind of marinate for a bit.
Respectfully, I think the jennifer photo is sexy. Period.
I can understand wherein these times when it is popular and profitable to objectify sisters negatively that a sister would be vigilant and discerning of media images of her likeness.
I see sex appeal, yeah. No doubt this is a nice flick of a pretty woman. Admittedly, it's not the traditional vogue mag glamour cover shot.
But, who needs that all the time?

sheeks84 · Number of posts: 96 Localisation: Philly Registration date: 2008-02-25

Re: Hudson: I think it's a nice pic of her. She looks good. Looks more like she's laughing than anything else.

Re: James: Bad thing. I saw the cover the day it hit newsstands before the controversy became public and my first thought was "Wow, they really on some King Kong isht." Maybe just because I was raised with a racially critical eye. Was it done that way on purpose? Who knows. I don't put it pass Vogue to exploit people tho. Even if they weren't thinking "king kong', they damned sure were thinking "aggressive Black male", which still perpetuates the stereotypes.

M.A.P. · Number of posts: 380 Registration date: 2007-11-20

sheeks84 wrote:

Even if they weren't thinking "king kong', they damned sure were thinking "aggressive Black male", which still perpetuates the stereotypes.[/color]

Were they thinking that or are you thinking that?

"The less you think about your oppression, the more your tolerance for it grows. After a while, people just think oppression is the normal state of things. But to become free you have to be acutely aware of being a slave." - Assata Shakur

I agree. And when I first saw the cover, I too indeed took a double take. Like ho...ho...ho.. wait one second... But I analyzed it. read the words that were on the cover (body issue) and made a judgement call.

Duane Face · Number of posts: 90 Registration date: 2008-04-03

Yeah well, white folks can be just as angry.

A black man strong arming the white woman, and she appears to be loving it. Enough to mess with a mans ego. Smile

And he probably did dust that thang off after collecting his paycheck. Can't blame the man.

sheeks84 · Number of posts: 96 Localisation: Philly Registration date: 2008-02-25

M.A.P. wrote:

Were they thinking that or are you thinking that?

Yeah I was thinking that they were thinking that. I was thinking of it as it relates to the stereotype. They may have thought of it the same way I did OR they may have just thought of it like athletes are supposed to be aggressive...but I still don't put it pass them. Neutral

The second thing I thought about the cover, later on, was "I wonder how White guys feel about that cover?" Like Duana said.
Oh... and I didn't even read the cover after I looked at the photo Laughing

BTW. I love that Assata quote.

Duane Face · Number of posts: 90 Registration date: 2008-04-03

I know, right. Laughing

Had no clue as to what magazine it was. I just walked past it in the store and was like,

M.A.P. · Number of posts: 380 Registration date: 2007-11-20

sheeks84 wrote:

BTW. I love that Assata quote.[/color]

One of my favorites too!

alyson · Number of posts: 1143 Registration date: 2007-01-04

i just think the image is being taken out of context.

_________________
alyson...

"yesterday was practice."
~ jg

Tizzy Lizz^ · Number of posts: 2317 Localisation: Illadelph Registration date: 2007-01-03

sheeks84 wrote:

Re: Hudson: I think it's a nice pic of her. She looks good. Looks more like she's laughing than anything else.

She looked okay in that pic compared to the more beautiful pics of her they put inside the mag.

My thing is...if you can point me to a VOGUE issue where they have the white folks king konging it, or just a bad cover of a white person...I will walk in the closest Borders and kiss the Lebron issue Smile

And my issue isn't that he's holding the white girl...its that he's King Kong with it. Interracial dating is here. Its a waste of energy to be mad at it these days.

I'm having issues with the Mandigo stereotype on a white magazine that's been out since 1914 and in 2006...was only the third time a Black person has been on the cover. That's my issue.

* a shame too, because in Alyson's defense...the magazine and fashion inside is worth the subscription.

M.A.P. · Number of posts: 380 Registration date: 2007-11-20

I think I may just be naive.

There were only 3 covers of Vogue with men. Ever. Including the one with Lebron.

Can't find the other one with Richard Gere. What if... The shot with Lebron looked like the George Clooney one.

Other candidate for vogue cover -

I think I wouldn't like that one either...

So there aren't many to choose from. But for women.. I could do without the following:

I wonder if these were black women would we say that it's reinforcing the stereotype that black women are overly sexual?

All of this is aside from the point.. The Lebron James one may be racist. I think I may just be naive.

Sidenote: I like this one Laughing