[Starguard]

Vogue Magazine took a shot of a Black Ball player hugging a rather attractive White model. Seems innocent enough right? But...for some, this image shows nothing more than a dangerous black man with a helpless white woman in his cluches. Something like "King Kong and Fay Ray"

Read this story and tell me what you make of it

Vogue cover with LeBron stirs up controversy

One analyst says NBA star looks like 'King Kong' in pose with Bundchen



Is Vogue cover photo racist?
March 26: Some say the image of LeBron James and Gisele Bundchen looks like a shot from “King Kong” and is reinforcing stereotypes. NBC’s Peter Alexander reports.

NEW YORK - When Vogue announced its April cover starring LeBron James and Gisele Bundchen, the magazine noted with some fanfare that James was the first black man to grace its cover.

But the image is stirring up controversy, with some commentators decrying the photo as perpetuating racial stereotypes. James strikes what some see as a gorilla-like pose, baring his teeth, with one hand dribbling a ball and the other around Bundchen’s tiny waist.

It’s an image some have likened to “King Kong” and Fay Wray.
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“It conjures up this idea of a dangerous black man,” said Tamara Walker, 29, of Philadelphia.

Photographer Annie Leibovitz shot the 6-foot-9 NBA star and the 5-foot-11 Brazilian model for the cover and an inside spread. Vogue spokesman Patrick O’Connell said the magazine “sought to celebrate two superstars at the top of their game” for the magazine’s annual issue devoted to size and shape.

“We think Lebron James and Gisele Bundchen look beautiful together and we are honored to have them on the cover,” he said.

James told The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer he was pleased with the cover, saying he was “just showing a little emotion.”

“Everything my name is on is going to be criticized in a good way or bad way,” James told the paper. “Who cares what anyone says?”

But magazine analyst Samir Husni believes the photo was deliberately provocative, adding that it “screams King Kong.” Considering Vogue’s influential history, he said, covers are not something that the magazine does in a rush.

“So when you have a cover that reminds people of King Kong and brings those stereotypes to the front, black man wanting white woman, it’s not innocent,” he said.

O’Connell, the Vogue spokesman, declined further comment.
In a column at ESPN.com, Jemele Hill called the cover “memorable for all the wrong reasons.” But she said in an interview that the image is not unusual — white athletes are generally portrayed smiling or laughing, while black sports figures are given a “beastly sort of vibe.”

Buzzer Beater: LeBron vs. Tom Brady
March 19: King James, Patriots QB and Gisele Bundchen in a twisted love triangle because of Vogue cover?
NBC Sports

For example, former NBA star Charles Barkley was depicted breaking free of neck and wrist shackles on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Dennis Rodman graced the cover of Rolling Stone with horns poking out of his forehead and his red tongue hanging out.

Images of black male athletes as aggressive and threatening “reinforce the criminalization of black men,” said Damion Thomas, assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology at University of Maryland.

But others say the image show James’ game face — nothing more. And they note that Bundchen hardly looks frightened.

“James is a huge, black beautiful masculine statue and Gisele is a feminine, sexy gorgeous doll,” said Christa Thomas, 36, a black account supervisor in Los Angeles.

“I didn’t see any kind of racist overtone to it,” she said. “I still don’t. I think there is such a hypersensitivity to race still in this country.”

Husni said it is too soon to know how the magazine is selling, though the controversy could increase sales as people rush out to get a “collector’s edition.”

If nothing else, Walker said the cover underscores the need for a more diverse workplace.

“If more people of color worked for Vogue in positions of editorial authority, perhaps someone in the room might have been able to read the image the way so many of us are reading it now, and had the power to do something about it,” she said

link:http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/23795226/

[Forbin]

More people just looking for something to complain about.

I agree the cover gives me a King Kong vibe, but in an unitentionally humorous way, not in any ridiculous "where da white wimmin at?" sterotype way.

[garamet]

LeBron can hug me anytime. Though Kareem's way ahead of him...

[CaptainChewbacca]

If she's helpless, she wouldn't be smiling.

[rightfulownership]

[Sokar]

I've decided...



Stupid.

[$corp]

It's the same menacing look that black men give white women on the DVD cover of the "Big Black Monster Dicks in Dirty Little White Chicks."

I blame porn.

[MiniBorg]

I see it when you mention it, but my first instinct was that they really wanted a model on the cover, so now it just looks cramped....

[Nova]

She certainly doesn't look....unwilling...lol.

I think this is a case of the sistas being pissed off that white women are fucking "their" men....



Or what Marso said.

[Anna]

Don't see a problem, here. Just look like people wanting to kick over invisible hornet's nests and reach in their asses for things to be offended about.

[oldfella1962]

Totally pegging the "don't give a shit" meter.
I can't stand basketball, and have no use for skinny fashion models.
I also see shitloads of black men with white women, so I'm used to that.

[Powaqqatsi]

This cover is definitely racist.



Why doesn't the white woman pictured have a fat ass and a weave?

They just assume that a white woman wouldn't wear that stuff? Racist!

[Marso]

Originally Posted by Shep

She certainly doesn't look....unwilling...lol.

I think this is a case of the sistas being pissed off that white women are fucking "their" men....



Or what Marso said.

What exactly did Marso say?

[Lt. Mewa]

Only fags read Vogue.

[Paladin]

Originally Posted by Marso

What exactly did Marso say?

Another unfortunate incident arising from similar avatars...

[evenflow]

Originally Posted by Paladin

Another unfortunate incident arising from similar avatars...

Let it go garamet, let it go....

[garamet]

Originally Posted by evenflow

Let it go garamet, let it go....

Okay, what did I miss here?

[evenflow]

Joke ruined on account of garamet changing avatar.

[garamet]

Originally Posted by evenflow

Joke ruined on account of garamet changing avatar.

Well, if it's any consolation, I changed the avatar before I read this thread.

[AlphaMan]

Some people just enjoy being offended. Fuck 'em. King Kong was an awesome movie with some racial overtones, but it had nothing to do with LeBron and Gisselle. As a matter of fact, the thought never popped into my mind until I read the article. I feel 10% stupider for having to address it.

I know how knee jerk people can be, but the truth is that no one should think that all black people feel this way. Some of the claims of racism are so far out there that I can't help but think that the person making them needs to study Freud's psycological theory of projection. I beleive that they will find that such people have extreme self esteem issues.

[The Exception]

Shit, if I had that woman in my hands I'd look like that too.

Babe.

[Tamar Garish]

Jesus.

It will be a great day when something like this is printed and not one dipshit says one word about the color of anyone's skin.

[AlphaMan]

Originally Posted by oldfella1962

... and have no use for skinny fashion models.

Oh I could think of a few...

[garamet]

Originally Posted by Tamar Garish

Jesus.

It will be a great day when something like this is printed and not one dipshit says one word about the color of anyone's skin.

Would be great, wouldn't it?

[Starguard]

[oldfella1962]

I feel slighted. I never got to fight giant gorillas wearing cool helmets when I was in Iraq. I guess they snuck them across the Syrian border before we got there.

[Jeff Cooper Disciple]

I seem to remember having to assault some giant gorillas wearing helmets and brandishing clubs on any FTX.

[Paladin]

Let me ask this: if it is a King Kong parody, is it necessarily racist?


(By the way, I think it's a great cover.)