Basket Ball Superstar, Lebron James of The Cleveland Cavaliers, will be appearing on the front cover of vogue’s April issue with Super Model Gisele Bundchen. Famed photographer, Annie Leibovitz, took the photo. James is 1 of 3 men who have appeared on the cover with super models in the 116-year history of the magazine.
The other 2 men who have appeared on the cover with super models were: Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford in 1992, and George Clooney who appeared with Gisele Bundchen in 2002.
The difference here is that: the photo of Lebron James and Gisele Bundchen, (unlike the other couples), has created a heated debate, and is fueling controversy.
As a matter of fact, it has stirred up so much controversy, that it was a featured story on “The Today Show”.
I wonder why?
In addition, James is not only 1 of 3 men that appeared on the cover with a super model, but in 116 years, he is the first African American to be featured on the cover with a (White Supermodel).
Here we go again! Talking about a nonexistent problem in America. The one that most people ignore, rather then address:
RACE!
When I first heard the story; without immediate investigation, I knew the controversy was smothered in racial overtones, like a chicken-fried steak with country gravy.
Let’s check the statistics to confirm my intuition.
Richard Gere-Cindy Crawford 1992- No Problem!
George Clooney-Gisele Bundchen 2002-No Problem!
Also in this same April addition are:
Olympic Swimmer, Michael Phelps-Caroline Trentini-No Problem!
Snowboarder, Shaun White-Daria Werbowy-No Problem!
Speed Skater, Apolo Anton Ohno-Doutzen Kroes-No Problem!
Of course, this also is not LeBron James’s first magazine cover appearance.
He is indeed a superstar in many arenas.
Sports Illustrated, 2002-When he was a high school senior-No Problem!
1 of 11 athletes on ESPN’s 10th. Anniversary issue-No Problem
Recently Featured On:
Fortune-No Problem!
Men’s Health-No Problem!
Black Enterprise-No Problem!
Vogue April 2008 Issue: LeBron James-Gisele Bundchen-PROBLEM!
The comments are coming in, and there are not very positive about this picture.
Some commentators say that the photo is perpetuating racial stereotypes. James strikes a gorilla-like pose, baring his teeth, with one hand dribbling a ball and the other around Bundchen’s waist. They say it is a depiction of the movie” King Kong”, in which the ape grabs Fay Wray around her waste and picks her up.
Tamara Walker, age 29, from Philadelphia said:” It conjures up this idea of a dangerous black man”.
Damion Thomas, assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Maryland Said: Images of black male athletes as aggressive and threatening “reinforce the criminalization of black men”.
In my personal opinion as a black male, I would have to say that if the intent was to foster and spread further, the image of the angry, dangerous, criminal black man, I did not see it that way, because I don’t identify with that, and I know that all black males are not like that. I just seen an African American man doing something that no other African American man had done before him.
And if the intention of the magazine’s publishers was to perpetuate this negative stereotype of the black male, then the message was targeted to ignorant white people who are going to think what they want to think about black people anyway, so I don’t think this cover really makes that much of a difference.
We know that the reason for all of the controversy on both black and white people’s part is because he is an African American, and because of the interracial element of the magazine cover.
The problem for some people is just the fact that a black man is on the cover with a white woman.
For some illogical reason, there are some people who believe that they have the right to tell other people who to hang out with, who to talk to, who to have sex with, who to pose with, who to do business with, and also, who to marry and have a family with. This is especially true, once a person reaches a certain level of success and fame. If a man or woman is hooked up with somebody other then somebody from their race, some people feel that these people belong to them, and that this is a violation of their rights.
However, what I have found is: that the people who have these types of attitudes towards these people, are the very people that would have not given these people the time of day, if it were not for their fortune or fame. However, if someone suffering from this malady would like to be healed, all they need to do is, turn the situation around and think! What if someone told me? Who to hang out with, who to talk to, who to have sex with, who to pose with, who to do business with, and also, who to marry and have a family with. Would they live and die, according to someone else’s purpose.
I don’t think so.
For me, I am just happy to see this black man on the cover of vogue, and to see his level of achievement in his professional life. His personal life is his.
But I guess that the most important statements made about the cover were from the people who were on the cover.
Bundchen, (who is the girl friend of New England Patriots Quarterback, Tom Brady), wasn't intimated by James's frame.
"He doesn't really make you feel small, even though he is big," she says in the magazine. "I think my leg is like the size of his shoe."
LeBron 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?”
And that’s just fine with me!
http://www.gregcoleman.com/
The other 2 men who have appeared on the cover with super models were: Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford in 1992, and George Clooney who appeared with Gisele Bundchen in 2002.
The difference here is that: the photo of Lebron James and Gisele Bundchen, (unlike the other couples), has created a heated debate, and is fueling controversy.
As a matter of fact, it has stirred up so much controversy, that it was a featured story on “The Today Show”.
I wonder why?
In addition, James is not only 1 of 3 men that appeared on the cover with a super model, but in 116 years, he is the first African American to be featured on the cover with a (White Supermodel).
Here we go again! Talking about a nonexistent problem in America. The one that most people ignore, rather then address:
RACE!
When I first heard the story; without immediate investigation, I knew the controversy was smothered in racial overtones, like a chicken-fried steak with country gravy.
Let’s check the statistics to confirm my intuition.
Richard Gere-Cindy Crawford 1992- No Problem!
George Clooney-Gisele Bundchen 2002-No Problem!
Also in this same April addition are:
Olympic Swimmer, Michael Phelps-Caroline Trentini-No Problem!
Snowboarder, Shaun White-Daria Werbowy-No Problem!
Speed Skater, Apolo Anton Ohno-Doutzen Kroes-No Problem!
Of course, this also is not LeBron James’s first magazine cover appearance.
He is indeed a superstar in many arenas.
Sports Illustrated, 2002-When he was a high school senior-No Problem!
1 of 11 athletes on ESPN’s 10th. Anniversary issue-No Problem
Recently Featured On:
Fortune-No Problem!
Men’s Health-No Problem!
Black Enterprise-No Problem!
Vogue April 2008 Issue: LeBron James-Gisele Bundchen-PROBLEM!
The comments are coming in, and there are not very positive about this picture.
Some commentators say that the photo is perpetuating racial stereotypes. James strikes a gorilla-like pose, baring his teeth, with one hand dribbling a ball and the other around Bundchen’s waist. They say it is a depiction of the movie” King Kong”, in which the ape grabs Fay Wray around her waste and picks her up.
Tamara Walker, age 29, from Philadelphia said:” It conjures up this idea of a dangerous black man”.
Damion Thomas, assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Maryland Said: Images of black male athletes as aggressive and threatening “reinforce the criminalization of black men”.
In my personal opinion as a black male, I would have to say that if the intent was to foster and spread further, the image of the angry, dangerous, criminal black man, I did not see it that way, because I don’t identify with that, and I know that all black males are not like that. I just seen an African American man doing something that no other African American man had done before him.
And if the intention of the magazine’s publishers was to perpetuate this negative stereotype of the black male, then the message was targeted to ignorant white people who are going to think what they want to think about black people anyway, so I don’t think this cover really makes that much of a difference.
We know that the reason for all of the controversy on both black and white people’s part is because he is an African American, and because of the interracial element of the magazine cover.
The problem for some people is just the fact that a black man is on the cover with a white woman.
For some illogical reason, there are some people who believe that they have the right to tell other people who to hang out with, who to talk to, who to have sex with, who to pose with, who to do business with, and also, who to marry and have a family with. This is especially true, once a person reaches a certain level of success and fame. If a man or woman is hooked up with somebody other then somebody from their race, some people feel that these people belong to them, and that this is a violation of their rights.
However, what I have found is: that the people who have these types of attitudes towards these people, are the very people that would have not given these people the time of day, if it were not for their fortune or fame. However, if someone suffering from this malady would like to be healed, all they need to do is, turn the situation around and think! What if someone told me? Who to hang out with, who to talk to, who to have sex with, who to pose with, who to do business with, and also, who to marry and have a family with. Would they live and die, according to someone else’s purpose.
I don’t think so.
For me, I am just happy to see this black man on the cover of vogue, and to see his level of achievement in his professional life. His personal life is his.
But I guess that the most important statements made about the cover were from the people who were on the cover.
Bundchen, (who is the girl friend of New England Patriots Quarterback, Tom Brady), wasn't intimated by James's frame.
"He doesn't really make you feel small, even though he is big," she says in the magazine. "I think my leg is like the size of his shoe."
LeBron 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?”
And that’s just fine with me!
http://www.gregcoleman.com/
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