King Kong was taken, by force, from his home, forced to perform, escapes, can’t fit in, looks for and finds love, kidnaps love (bad monkey!), and then is killed by an non-understanding world.

Meanwhile, Giselle looks quite happy.

No, I definitely think I agree with you all on this one. Racism is the elder statesman of publishing rags.

Ay, Dios mio…

Mono and mona, no?

You got a black dude with a white chick on his arm…and the subconscious mind of a lot of folks goes BESERK…I wish I could say the observations weren’t true…but in my gut…I totally know there are a lot of families thanking God it’s a photo on the cover of a mag and not who their daughter is bringing home…

Why are so many MEDIA PRODUCERS so ignorant of the race thing? (That’s a rhetorical question.)

Thank you for recognizing the rainbow of racism, and not just that against the Latino-Diaspora!

Muy bien!

that cover is shameful and no one is calling Vogue on it….
Shameful yet predictable..sigh.

Oh, Alex, you are my favorite Guanabee writer, but you already knew that. Right?

Anyhoo, one thing I should point out is that the person responsible for this picture is the one and only Annie Leibovitz. As I’m sure you know, Annie is one of the most influential photographers in the fashion world. Unlike many photographers, she as more creative freedom and she can almost do whatever her heart desires. She also has a knack for capturing provocative and interesting images that generate a lot of interest (remember her John Lennon and Demi Moore pictures?). And it appears that she has done it again—I mean, we are discussing one of her pictures. Also, she tends to interact more with her subjects. It’s conceivable that she and LeBron agreed to use this particular image.

Whether or not she’s making some sort of statement about race or racism is anyone’s guess. But I DON’T think it’s shameful. This is simply Annie doing what she does best: creating ART!

while annie may be creating art i think shes relying on racial and ethnic stereotypes to do so.

@ Guana: And you are my favorite commenter named Guana Bust A Nut, babycakes, but I can’t take credit for this particular post.

@Alex: Ha! So, how many Guana Bust A Nuts do you know? Wait, don’t answer that question. I’ll just assume that you know more than 2. Also, for some strange reason, I thought you covered fashion. Anyway, stay beautiful!

I am confused, who is the beast again, cause Gisele has huge man hands!

Surprisingly I didn’t see it as racist but I actually don’t like the picture. LeBron is very intense in this picture and I think Gisele could have given a little bit more than a smile. She looks like a rag doll which is why it gives that King Kong feel. If anything his resemblance to King Kong is that he is big, strong and should be feared .
Annie Leibovitz is a very provocative photographer, she knows how to find and expel emotion and personality from her subjects

http://www.nytimes.com/library/photos/leibovitz/bourgeois.html

i’m a fan of hers so i find it hard to believe that this was her intention. her photography is HOT…to bad her exhibit at the brooklyn museum ended.

@la roncha: You and I are on the same page. Hm, great minds think alike … yes?

@mare: Amen!

@ G Bust …
Most of the time but I’m a little on the crazy side

And even if you don’t see the King Kong reference, Vogue’s stupid shit still calls upon this theme.

http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/brute/

Where’s Al Sharpton when you need him??

Why isn’t the NAACP making an outcry about this? Vogue is comparing the black male (nay…Black People)to a primate and, apparently, they are getting away with it. James may not perceive himself to be a gorilla which is why he got all gung ho with that pose, but, ummm….the motives of the photographer are clear crystal clear (and I will drink a gallon of gasoline if he/she/it is a black person).Why have James dress darkly (“fur”) from head to toe,mouth agape like some furious beast; wearing those odd shoes.. and there’s old Fay Wray Giselle striking that classic pose.. Eh… Hey Vogue and the rest of you racists out there,… don’t you ever get tired of being hateful? You could have easily of placed a watermelon or a chicken drumstick in his hand dribbling the basketball. May you rot in hell.

http://www.naacp.org/about/contact/form/

Yes…yes… Stereotypes of black people as gorillas… But, what terrible stereotypes exist out there about Caucasians??

http://www.dailyheights.com/images/jo-jo%20the%20dog-faced%20boy.jpg

Any attempts to “white wash” this clear affront to the dignity of Black People deserves a retort that: Maybe we shouldn’t end with “imagining” that any racially insensitive statements were being made with the Lebron James cover; maybe we should also delve deeper and ponder whether or not the Holocaust actually happened… I would love to see Lebowitz come up with a cover of a Shylock-type character holding a fist full of meat in one hand and a fist full of gold coins in another as he smiles unabashedly. How artistic!

It has subtle racist overtones and because there are no REAL people of color in positions that make decisions (and no Andre Leon Talley DOES NOT COUNT), there was no one in the room to speak to this issue. I think this size and shape issue every March is going to become the token black issue, Jennifer Hudson’s shot last year was ruined having her mouth all open like “I am woman beast hear me roar”, and now Lebron looking like King Kong. If Vogue is going to continue to throw us a bone every March, KEEP your bone I’ll look for my fashionable black covers from Eb*ny and Essence. Thank you very much. At least the the white queens over at Mens Vogue use black men in a much more flattering fashion, and some would even say a bit tooo much. But then I think that speaks to their secret BIG BLACK D*CK sexual fantasies which are not really secret. Ok I’ll stop now LOL

I think anyone that looks at that cover and sees King Kong is the one that is racist.

Boy, I sure am glad that everyone can look past the color of a person’s skin.

I’m also apparently glad I’m not black. That way, I can’t be put on the spot to consider my opinion of a fucking magazine cover.

I had to actually read an article about the cover—one titled “Is the New Vogue Magazine Cover Racist”—all the way to the middle of the article before I could figure out what they were talking about. You mean, and you REALLY mean, I’m supposed to automatically think of the black man as a monkey?

And don’t go using this logic of “ingrained” racism for white folks, because it isn’t there. You would think, if it were a part of my brain, I would have spotted it right away. We were raised in the schools of the post-civil right era, and I was raised in a South that was only twenty years out of those dark days, and those of us that didn’t graduate into the world where color is secondary to a person’ character did not make it very far. Those folks ended up running gas stations (that, as justice prevailed, were bought out by minorities).

The reality is, Lebron James is a millionaire basketball star. He is also a reflection in a large mirror on a significant part of the black community: Tatted-up, thuggish on the court, using his size and stature to intimidate other players.

He is only part of the discussion on race. And don’t forget, a discussion goes TWO ways. It’s time for the other side to listen.

Look I have to go with crackity jones on this one I didn’t see it until someone else poited to it. On top of that I still don’t see it, leibowitz can take a picture of whatever she wants at this point she is an american icon and has lived through more than any on the silly kids on this site have. LeBron is big and strong and fierce, giselle(man hands aside) is willowy and slender this shot captures that very well. If this was tiger woods posing with his (white) wife you might have an arguement.

P.S. if this was say Tyra Banks would anyone have said this?

P.P.S I don’t remember a single bad thing being said about tiger marrying a white woman, but how could that be with us all being so racist?

These pigs at Vogue never seize to amaze. When are you going to stop steriotyping blacks? Get a life and find othger ways to sell your disgusting ideologies.

there are much bigger fish to fry in race relations. tyra banks would be a much better fit. ghetto booty lol. thats what we brothas like. get a life

The examples this website gives of the white guys smiling is bs…george clooney and gere are not athletes…i dont see the big deal, i know how some people can think of it in a bad way.

Isn’t Lebron having one of his best seasons? Why not celebrate his dominance in basketball with a picture of him doing this?

If it was Michael Jordan the picture would not be him looking agressive.
They have different styles etc.
What do you expect? A big manly agressive (by that I mean his sports image that he is known for) guy to be doing some gay cheesy smiley pose????
THOSE ACTORS PLAY ROMANTIC ‘hunky’ CHARACTERS IN MOVIES, HENCE THE ROMANTIC POSE ON THE MAGS!!
(If it was say, Taye Diggs, he would be doing the cheesy romantic pose, or the cocky/confident pose)

I am absolutely sickened and down right embarrassed at whoever brought this issue up.

To relate a black person to a monkey is one of the worst insults and we would crucify any normal person who said it. I suggest that the people who suggested it are either trying to cause trouble, or racist themselves! as this ridiculous jump to relate him to King Kong would not come from any rational individual. (I think even a racist person would take a while to come up with a connection to King Kong)
Who the h*** first suggested this imagery existed?

His pose looks nothing like King Kong.
BUT, now people are nodding along because the issue was brought up and they don’t want to be seen as “ignoring racism” “brushing a racial problem under the carpet” Terrified of being seen as racist themselves or betraying their own race (if they are black)

I’m saddened that this man’s moment has been tainted by this ridiculous accusation and turned into something it’s not. How shameful of the people who created buzz over this non-story.
Please don’t be afraid to admit that this is not a big deal

I saw this and right away it seemed “King Kong”-like.

This comparison didn’t help.
pic.

i sure hope Le Bron got his dicked sucked by the model…

I think the cover is right on. Lebron is not a supermodel or actor, Lebron is a superstar. He does not sweep woman off their feet, he plays basketball. He is displaying the same intensity and aggresiveness on the cover as he is when he plays basketball. Anyone who has seen this guy play in the playoffs see the picture for what it is - I’m going to win, beat you, and I’m the best, no matter who’s in my way. It really does represent Lebron, in my opinion. I dont see a gorilla look his eyes in an attempt to land the white woman. I see a man who is on a quest to win championships and be quite possibly the best to ever play. Remember Lebron is the first since Jordan to have such an effect in the media, and this is one more way in which to do it. Don’t look to far into this picture. Focus on his profession, what you see on the cover is exactly what his competitors see and fear. We should be so lucky as to get a glimpse of it.