Vogue Cover Part II

From David Hauslaib’s Jossip

http://www.jossip.com/somebody-should-tell-lebron-james-he-was-made-to-look-like-an-ape-on-vogue-20080328/

Here’s a World War I enlistment poster (via) from 1917, famous from its era, that encouraged men to sign up with the army to fight the German enemy. (Interestingly, the Germans found it so convincing, they Nazis used the same concept for their own World War II poster.)

So...was it an accident, an innocent, artistic, creative photo--or was it more sinister than that? In another world, where things were fair, objective and the playing field level (or at least more level) it’s a question we wouldn’t have to ask is it?

King Who?

LeBron James, Cleveland Cavilers forward, and arguably the new Mike, is on the cover of April Vogue—only the third man to make the cover (Richard Gere and George Clooney are the others). Great—right? Well, check the photo.

Not your typical, glamorous pose, is it? Can’t anything be simple? Some folks are offended. They feel King James looks a little too much like King Kong with Giselle Bundchen as Fay Wray. The photo is by Annie Lebowitz, who is known for placing her subjects in surreal settings—think Whoopi Goldberg submerged in a tub full of milk. Is Lebowitz provoking the viewer in her usual way? It’s the magazine’s shape issue and other athletes paired with models include Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno, and snowboarder Shaun White. But none of the other photos is as. . .intense.

So, is this a hot photo of a strong Black athlete doin’ his thing on the cover of Vogue? Or is this the Black man as noble savage—in case we were getting a little too used to looking at the guy in the slim suit and tie who is running for president.