LeBron James and Gisele Bundchen VOGUE Cover Causes Racial Stir…And No One Understands Why???
What the…
This ain’t no coincidence. The enlistment pic was sent to me by a prominent writer soon after the issue hit the stands. It’s the same damn pic. The weapon of choice is different and Gisele isn’t topless, but you get the idea. Annie Leibovitz definitely has some explaining to do for this bullcrap–Mizzo
Once again a national publication has taken the liberty of pissing off the Black community. The April issue of VOGUE focuses on NBA superstar LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers and supermodel Gisele Bundchen, girlfriend of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. The cover of the magazine draws comparison to the King Kong/Fay Wray pose - James is shown baring his teeth, clutching the waist of Bunchen with his shoulders hunched in a gorilla-like pose. This recent development opens the door for James, who is arguably the most popular player in the NBA to address this issue and others concerning race in sports and how Blacks - specifically how Black men are viewed.
VOGUE magazine has been in existence for 113 years, in that time there have been a grand total of four Blacks to grace its cover - LeBron James being the first Black male.
It seems to me that the editors at VOGUE have driven home a point that they have been trying to make for decades.
- The Black male is a threatening entity - savage like at times.
- The Black secretly desires White women
- Our instincts and emotions are primal, even in today’s world.
There are other photos in the publication that could have been placed on the cover but were not.
LeBron finds himself in the same seat Tiger Woods was in a couple of months ago. When do you say, “Hey, this is wrong.” or “This may be offensive to some people.” or just say flat out, “I’m not taking a photo with that pose.” He has that power and I’m sure that if he would’ve objected to the photo it would not have been taken. Sometimes I wonder if Black Athletes know how much power they really have. They don’t have to take photos that depict them as slaves (Charles Barkley) a cross-dresser (Ricky Williams) or a skit that has them as some White woman’s boy toy (Terrell Owens/Nicolette Sheridan).
I’m sure that there are those out there that are just as outraged because a Black man is seen on the cover clutching a White woman as I am for him being depicted as a savage.
I would like to think that James’ position would be more solid than the one taken by Woods who has stated that he is multi-racial and not specifically Black. James is by all means Black, he is from the inner city and is familiar with the struggles in the Black community, he has the street credibility, not to mention the adulation of a generation that seem to relate to him and is looked upon as the face of the NBA.
After reading James’ comments on the cover controversy, I’m not too encouraged.
“Everything my name is on is going to be criticized in a good way or a bad way. Who cares what anyone says.” LeBron inexplicably stated.
While the MSM and White America commend James for taking the “high road” we’re left on the same dusty trail looking for someone to come along and lead.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not looking for LeBron James or any other athlete to become a Ghetto Messiah, all I’m asking is to read between the lines when you’re asked to do anything, consider us as you would your own family. We’ve got you’re back, just don’t forget us. They can care less how you appear to them. To VOGUE, it’s all about selling magazines, to the Cavaliers it’s about selling tickets, at NIKE, it’s about selling sneakers.
I’m more concerned about you selling your soul.
March 27th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
James’ handlers weren’t doing their job here, and I don’t know if James actually thought of the imagery and the similarities beforehand.
What we have here is pure Conveyor Belt, accelerated since LeBron went straight to the pros — and certain parts of history aren’t taught.
March 27th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
I was telling Mizzo yesterday that James’ people were at fault as well for not seeing this. Good points.
The history lessons need to be taught and driven home.
March 27th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
LeBron James has one thing on his mind: money, money, money and of course, more money. Everyone needs to pa-leeze stop acting as if he gives a damn about anything outside of his own personal universe. And pa-lease dont tell me that Lebron is unaware of his ’star power’- even IF the editors had said “do your best King-Kong impression” James would have still cashed the check. He’s proven himself to be capable of one thing, shooting hoops. Barking up the Lebron tree for some brotherly love just aint gonna happen my friend.
March 27th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Paaaaaleezzzze lol Aren’t you Mexican now?
March 27th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Not looking for any love from LeBron- I don’t know where I gave you that impression but that wasn’t my intention for this piece. It was to point out for one that unless athletes, actors and whoever else don’t take a stand on how they’re depicted in anything that people will have them looking any kind of way.
I just want Black athletes to realize who they are know their history and avoid situations like this.
I’m not looking for brotherly love - if anything I’m trying to show some by pointing things like this out.
March 27th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Lebron and his handlers were played by Vogue. Annie Leibowitz and Anna Wintour went smooth Harlem Globetrotters on King James…and while he was laughing with them, he naively didn’t realize he was being laughed AT. They knew what they were doing…unfortunately Lebron and his handlers did not. Trust, King James and his folk were told “this is such an artful piece, it depicts your fearlessness, your strength….”…..and some other crap they spewed all the while knowing EXACTLY what the reaction would be. They were aiming for controversy all along.
No one is asking Lebron to speak out on injustice at the Democatic National Convention or lead a march on Washington to protest police brutality - damn….just don’t let yourself be depicted as the stereotypical Mandingo beast. How hard is that? You’re the first black male to be on the cover of this magazine….THE definitive fashion magazine of the freaking world and you’re on it looking like an extra from Birth of A Nation…….damn.
March 27th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
What she said…
March 27th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Thanks Miranda, that was all I was trying to say. Read between the lines, think things through, and don’t be so quick to look for the dotted line.
March 27th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
I think the most controversy James was expecting was being on the cover with a White female. There is no way LeBron can look at that photo and the King Kong poster and not see a correlation.
March 27th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
TBR - I don’t know if the man looked at a King Kong poster and it registered. It obviously doesn’t matter that much to him, and I’m not surprised — who’s going to teach him? The decline of quality teaching in schools since I graduated high school (and that’s not even a decade ago) has increased, so he’s just the latest of a generation of kids that don’t know about what came before.
(Yeah, I know we say “the parents”, but sometimes that ish just doesn’t happen.)
March 27th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
True.
March 27th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Agreed with the point that these public figures need to have some… get their MIND RITE even… but i agree with STN that LeBron was shuffled along the way so quickly, he doesn’t even think twice about the larger scale of his depiction.
I can’t say 100% that everyone in the process “knew what they were doing” like Miranda said, though…………………………….. but there are a lot of reasons people could be offended by that cover, and the folks who put it together knew anywhere between one to all of them.
Why is it that women tend to be shown as dominated by males? Why is the jock (no matter the color) shown as a “brute” as if he only knows women and hoops? How did Spalding manage to score an ad-spot by pure luck?
March 27th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
“luck” meaning the right spin of a bouncing ball…
March 27th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
That conveyor belt theory is 100% legitimate and is a large part of the issue.
March 27th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
[...] yesterday, whether it portrayed the King Kong imagery that has been written about by both D-Wil and the Starting Five folks, as well as ESPN’s Jemele Hill. One of my friends sent me Jason Whitlock’s [...]
March 27th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
It’s all about understanding the history behind the controversy. People on the outside wouldn’t understand the situation at all, however they feel the right to tell African Americans to “let it go.”
David Beckham would not have been posed on the front of Vogue with Tyra Banks, Beyonce or any other black woman for that matter. Hell he’d probably be all decked out in a freshly taliored suit. But when it’s Lebron, this is what we get….
It’s all about understanding your history people…
March 27th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
LeBron should have posed on the cover with a nice suit and tie with a very rich cigar sticking out of his mouth…..with AKeys or someone just as bad. That would have been hot. But nooo Vogue noooo. I can’t wait to speak to LeBron next week.
March 27th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Mizzo - Be careful, Ben Wallace has his back now. Might be like one of those old wrestling roll-ons when the 4 Horsemen jump Dusty Rhodes in the lockerroom or something. Take Moses or one of those cats in there with you. Don’t wanna hear, “Big Ben stepped on my typing hand.”
March 27th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Mizzo - you’re a poet. If you weren’t my hero before (and I think you might have been), you sure are now.
March 27th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Yeah that would be crazy. I’ll turn my glasses around when I speak to Bron Bron.
Carolyn! Sup? How you doin? Nice poem. Are you reciting it to me?
TBR wrote the piece…I can’t claim it.
March 27th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
That’s the thing about heroes. Like the wind. Poof - they’re gone.
March 27th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Put em on straight if it gets too loud and Wallace gets up! Don’t think he’d hit a brotha w/glasses. Better yet - throw Eskin in front of him.
March 27th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
LoL that would be crazy seeing Eskin all in there like Van Gundy on Zo back in the day.
Hey I can still be ya hero baby girl. Thanks for stoppin’ by
March 27th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Not to worry. Ben doesn’t even have his own back at the moment. Saw the Cavs game at the Q last night. No Boobie, No Ben, No Fun.
March 27th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
That’s right he’s out. Just cut him from my fantasy team. C. Kaman and M. Camby made Ben expendable.
March 27th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Does anyone else think Kaman looks like a serial killer?
March 27th, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Either that or someone that shoot up a Starbucks.
March 27th, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Someone that might shoot up a Starbucks. My bad.
March 28th, 2008 at 12:21 am
Tim,
Believe me, there are pre-shoot meetings to go over “concepts” and post-shoot meetings to narrow down the selection before Anna Wintour gives the final yay or nay…and every person in the room can sniff out the slightest bit of edge, controversy, as far from normal, teensy weensy bit of outlandishness for these cover pics.
This is the FIRST African-american male on the cover and its purely coincidental that he was chosen for this honor with a best bodies pictorial with Gisele?? Gisele is the “security blanket” to put him on the cover in the first place. That’s A. B - Vogue is a fashion magazine, period. Is there anything to support the unasked notion that the cover was always gonna be Lebron? For some reason, I sense an unspoken belief by everyone that LeBron walked in the door as the cover boy - I would bet he didn’t, he just walked OUT the cover boy after they saw that picture and knew the conversation it would generate.
March 28th, 2008 at 2:04 am
Sadly Lebron is too young and too clueless to truly understand why this could be offensive, so he gets more of a pass than Tiger who had Earl to guide him. But this cover offends me mainly because Vogue and everyone else know damn well that Serena has a better body than Gisele
March 28th, 2008 at 2:07 am
Damn right!
March 28th, 2008 at 6:45 am
I will support the Serena statement 100%
March 28th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Check out the latest issue of ESPN The Mag, you won’t be disappointed.
March 28th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
[...] Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. The cover of the magazine draws comparison to the King … credit : [...]
March 28th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Mizzo, here’s a sightly different take, maybe somewhat twisted:
http://blackfivesblog.com/?p=367
March 28th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
[...] Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. The cover of the magazine draws comparison to the King … credit : [...]
March 28th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Mental note - read BFB every day instead of just lifting their material for stories.
Claude - posted Well-dressed Basketball Player on BallHype. Everyone should see this.
March 28th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
I just read that column, very well done.
March 28th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
OMG,
The dress is even similar. Stop Playin!
March 28th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Strength to your wisdom… Power to its direction!
March 28th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
All points well made, no argument, but I see the same pose and expression (without the woman) after dunks in every NBA game. All a photog would have to say to LeBron is “Do that thing you do after a dunk,” and she’d have this photo.
Isn’t it also worth thinking about what this pose means in relation to the posturing of athletes during games? I’d be more offended by the Vogue cover if both people were not doing what they do all the time in other contexts.
On the other hand, context is everything.
March 29th, 2008 at 3:29 am
Hall context my Black ass. This is proof of racism. Face it. There’s no plausible denial here.
All that about posing after a dunk is a bunch of bull. The dress, the facial expression..”lady liberty” shying away…wtf….even down to the weapon of choice.
March 29th, 2008 at 4:12 am
Ive just sat here for the last hour putting together a long and eloquent expression of my thoughts on this topic, but screw that. Someone needs to get in touch with the Vogue creative team and find out WTF they where thinking, the balls of these cats.
You all need to relax on Lebron though, we can say youth lack of better education, or knowledge of history, etc, but I guarantee you that you show him the cover and this poster and his answer will be different. He will definitely acknowledge that he was used, putting his faith in the “professionals” to put together a ’strong’ and ‘fearless’ depiction of him and they used him. While he thought they where laughing with him all the while they where laughing at him.
In these ‘modern times’ we hope for the best but more often than not we are still let down.
March 29th, 2008 at 10:27 am
[...] reading to much into things. That was until earlier on this morning when I came across a post at The Starting Five, which had the Vogue Cover followed by what seems to be a poster of the King Kong character (see [...]
March 29th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
KING james……………….KING kong
calm down
March 29th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Jemal what’s your point?
March 30th, 2008 at 2:37 am
So, if you’re a very, very young man with millions who has just been ETERNALLY PIMPED by a 113 year-old magazine, a 58 year-old pasty editor Anna Wintour and a 58 year-old photographer Annie Leibovitz, how do you save face?
There is NO WAY you can stick to the story about “personal criticism” because you really don’t even get hate mail. Most people love you — and this isn’t about you - personally. It’s about you collectively - the GROUP You - the WE - the “They” “Them” “Others.” This didn’t have to be LeBron James…it simply had to be someone with a woeful lack of self-knowledge. Fiddy Cent would have done just fine. In fact, he’s done just fine with his “Educated Savage” plantation walk for Vitamin Water. His perp walk from MC to maestro was intended to be as absurd’s as Charles Barkley’s “uncivilized” deodorant commercial two decades ago.
Barkley is still a buffoon/coon ignant ass reactionary caricature. He’s styled himself as a “new Black man” with no information but high volume, multiple opinions and a platform for dissemination of irrelevant distractions. LeBron could travel that path - but it seems to be inconsistent with his demeanor. He needs an exit strategy that allows him to recognize and frame this masterful pimp game that has been run down on him by two white women. The lesson to be learned is really simple.
“Child, you have no permanent friends - only permanent interests…and it is not in your interest to ever, ever, ever look like an APE in an international publication…now finish your supper and go to your room.”
If you know someone that can get close enough to clarify this thing - he should be made to recognize that he’s been a pawn in grown folks business - and he should stay out of grown folks business until he’s grown. He’s not grown or wise or protected. He is in a perilous position - and he need look no farther than the buffoon with the gambling habit and the empty brain for what can happen when one’s abilities of body and not aligned to one’s abilities of mind.
Pull his coat if you can. And snatch Fiddy while you’re at it.
March 30th, 2008 at 2:44 am
And if you’re not quite clear what the problem is with Barkley - just ponder for a minute that a multimillionaire from a destitute Black community has pissed away great sums of loot on bullshit - while that destitute community remains destitute — and he spends the bulk of his time as a comic relief on a TV show.
This is not how grown men spend their time or money. This is how persons who have been redirected from the truest aims of their own spirits spend their time and money. It surely is a tragic thing - $40M slaves - right down the chains.
March 30th, 2008 at 3:06 am
Well said brotha. Where the hell you been? Gimme a shout.
March 30th, 2008 at 3:36 am
Will do. Temple 4 and 5 are almost 10 months old. Doin’ the daddy thang. Baby girl decided to crawl today after spending the last week walking (with a little help, of course). She’ll be working on her speed - so it’s gonna be ON around here.
March 30th, 2008 at 3:50 am
Wow. Get it all on video cause it’s definitely going to be on. Keep them safety latches handy for the outlets and cabinets.
March 30th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
Temple,
As always giving us a lot to think about.
March 30th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
I always say guys like you and Mizzo need your own show. Yes, money is nice and we all need it but when money causes us to dance and shuffle it becomes a bad thing. Just look at the election coverage. The character of J.Wright has been trashed and there have been very few people of color on tv to give our view of him and why he feels the way he does. It’s a shame because there are prominent blacks with millions.The problem is too many of them are dancing or simply don’t care about the masses. It’s just a shame. Unlike other groups we don’t stick together and help each other.
March 30th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Actually Michelle, other groups have their ills amongst themselves. It’s just that they agree to present a unified (as possible) front to others outside the groups.
We can’t even agree to disagree amongst ourselves without taking it outside to have others referee it.
And temple3…banging as per.
March 30th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Dang Sankofa, you are SO right about that. I get so sick of it…..
A little off topic - but since we’re talking about stupid folks it fits - I have yet to actually view any of this “Pastor Manning” person on youtube or whereever..whenever someone calls to tell me he is again on Faux News, (which I try to deliberately NOT watch) I refuse because apparently they have this idiot on there day after day after day. Is he demented?
March 30th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
I haven’t been on this site since Jemele’s interview I assume, but nice to see you are still doing the do. This site is becoming pretty popular at my place of employment so please please keep up the good work. One thing. What’s up with the interviews? They are my favorite conversations on the web and what separates you from others. Mizzo, does SLAM have you on lock like that? Be careful my brotha. Stay true, you know how they do. It’s good to see you getting some national shine, but honestly, the starting five can be a meal ticket as well. Make this your priority Miz, trust me when I tell you this, but the streets is watchin’. I mean some powerful folk.
Until whites come out against their own when bullsheeyt like this happens, they have no credibility as a race. They exacerbate our collective response with their absurd reticence. Stop defending nonsense and look in the mirror. Cowards……………
What BLACK brick is next?
March 30th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
Just wanna share in case anyone hasn’t read this piece by Tim Wise on counterpunch.org:
http://www.counterpunch.org/wise03182008.html
March 30th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Sankofa,
I guess what I meant to say is we don’t support each other in business. The crab in the basket syndrome. We are consumers of companys that don’t even bother to advertise to us. Instead of coming together we sometimes separate. We black folks have a lot of money but we don’t spend it on us. Unless we are talking about a pair of Jordan’s. He certainly doesn’t care about the plight of blacks and a huge portion of that money goes to Nike. 40 million dollar slave is alive and well. I agree with you though when you say others have their own problems. I just wish we could all work together and be happy.
March 30th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
Miranda,
Thanks for the link. That was a great article on the J. Wright subject.
March 30th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
Prolyfik,
I’m with you. Mizzo, what’s up with the interviews?
March 31st, 2008 at 12:24 am
Thanks for both of your comments. Have you noticed the change in the site since we took back the comments? That’s the reason. Trust me brotha and sista, I’m real, right and exact when it comes to my voice. Ain’t nothing gonna change this. I gotta get out there and spreading myself around in journalism is gonna make that happen. I do appreciate the concern. Keep it coming.
Check this out:
http://speedingbulletnetwork.com/
I have more of my opinions on this subject under the NBA heading and also on the bottom left under the starting line. I get heated but I know you all understand.
March 31st, 2008 at 1:44 am
Michelle, Miranda
Stevie Wonder sang..”if you believe in things you don’t understand, you’ll suffer”. I was explaining to a co-worker in relations to the Obama factor and how ritual magic- yes! magic-as us confused and doing things in an hypnotic state. Basically the magic of psychological manipulation is used to make our condition appear real becaue we are conditioned through trial and error, muscle memory and punishment and reward to believe we are at best inferior and at worst wretcheds of the earth.
It is only natural for you not to want to be around an inferior wretch, even if they look like you. But that’s the magic of White Supremacy and it’s practice of the caste imperative.
Extreme conditions demands extreme solutions, the early Nation of Islam and the UNIA for example showed us the way. Today we have the wonders of the internet/mass communication that wasn’t around back then, but we should never forget the mitigating factor for success in our community…each one teach one.
it seems simple, but often we look for complex answers were simple ones reside.
ALUTA CONTINUA!
March 31st, 2008 at 2:03 am
Sankofa,
I have been missing your wisdom.
March 31st, 2008 at 2:10 am
Damn Mizzo, I guess you told them!
March 31st, 2008 at 2:34 am
Co-sign on what Michelle said - both times! LOL
Mizzo indeed laid it down on that audio - thanks for the link!
Sankofa,
Thank you……”Each one, teach one” used to be the mantra………..but now we’re at “I got mine, screw you”.
March 31st, 2008 at 2:40 am
Thanks michelle, i am learning from everybody here even the detractors.
Knowledge is king.
March 31st, 2008 at 2:42 am
Miranda from pyramid dwellers to ghetto dwellers. The making of the knee-grow.
March 31st, 2008 at 2:50 am
Thanks ladies. I wanted to calm down but I thought in this instance rage was needed. If you click on the NBA heading you’ll hear much more that I have to say on this.
March 31st, 2008 at 2:54 am
I hope we reach someone. Anyone.
March 31st, 2008 at 7:45 am
wow…i was already displeased by that cover for obvious reasons…but man, your find of the gorilla pics really drives the point home. to your question….NO, athlete’s do not know of the power they yield…because they really dont have power to begin with. how can one gain power when all their life they have been catered to and coddled? there image and auras are built on the asskissing of others who have their own agendas…all they’ve had to do was was run the fastest and jump the highest and be rewarded for that..the moment they lose a step or step out of line, they put in risk of losing everything…i cant think of any athlete that truly has power…i really wouldnt want them to aspire to be powerful….id like for them to have more control if anything, so that stupid ish like this doesnt happen…again.
March 31st, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Folks we’re having problems accessing the back end of the site to post new content. Bear with us. Everything should be peace sometime around noon.
March 31st, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Note to Prolyfik…I take offense to your comment: “Until whites come out against their own when bullsheeyt like this happens, they have no credibility as a race.” No credibility as a race? I’m White, and while my “race” does a lot of fucked up things, dont lump us all together like that. I wouldn’t rip on any race as a collective-thats just ignorant. There are pa-lenty of us “white people” who share the same views as the peeps on this site and it seems a bit counterproductive to say we got no cred-some of us do.
March 31st, 2008 at 7:11 pm
What’s with the “Pa-leeze” and “Pa-lenty” in your comments. Sistas don’t talk like that and female as a whole don’t talk like that. The statement, “There are pa-lenty of us “white people” who share the same views as the peeps on this site” you say you’re white but you’re crossed up trying to use street slang. My conclusion - You’re a white male, way too much in touch with his feminine side.
March 31st, 2008 at 7:45 pm
I’m really gonna need Lebron to step up and take some responsibility here. Like, seriously. My jaw fell open IMMEDIATELY when I saw this image. In what America is an image like this NOT obscenely offensive? We’ve got to stop letting these athletes slide, allowing them to offer weak explanations for offensive imagery and take “the high road” when they should be speaking up. I already couldn’t stand the Cav’s and wasn’t fond of Lebron, but it’s officially a wrap.
March 31st, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Jacinta - I can’t say I was hoping for LeBron to take responsibility for the photo because there is the possibility that he and his camp were led astray on this…then again maybe not.
I’ve come to the acceptance that the majority of Black Athletes are no different than the ManTan character in ‘Bamboozled’ - by the time they realized that their Soul has been compromised it’s too late.
People react like we’re looking for Black Athletes to become political leaders or something like that, that isn’t the case I personally want them to be accountable for their knoweldge of self, whether it comes from parenting or being mentored. If Tiger Woods had knowledge of self GolfWeek would be used for fish wrapping and Kelly Tilghman would be looking for work.
Tiger has no knowledge of self for two reasons: It was never taught to him and he never found it important enough to look into.
March 31st, 2008 at 9:19 pm
man…I am so jealous of my pops man…in his day, Black athletes, for the most part, were smart enough to not let stuff like this slide…they had a self awareness about themselves to where, hey, they would have known better than to pose like that anyway…instead of doing it and potentially being tricked or misinformed like young lebron…..man, i a reaaaaalyy hoping he just didnt know what they were up to.
March 31st, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Delinda,
Let me say I don’t think all whites are selfish, greedy, dishonest people that can’t see the forrest for the trees. In fact I know they aren’t since I have honest, caring white people who are my friends and family. You have to admit though when it comes to public situations like this one many whites show their true colors. Now that’s a shame. As soon as we think race relations are improving in this country something like this or the J. Wright and we seem almost back to square one.
April 1st, 2008 at 12:15 am
Brother Report- Pa-leeze dont be rippen on my white female slang, if its good enough for Mizzo, it should sit well with your Philli ass. And thank you Michelle…I agree.
April 1st, 2008 at 12:45 am
Damn how did I get in that? People we’re working hard to get the site fixed and refresh the content. Bear with us a little longer
April 1st, 2008 at 2:53 am
Miranda summed it up pretty well in her first comment. Not that he his guilt free by any means, but on some level, Lebron was exploited… still waiting for some Leibovitz commentary…
April 1st, 2008 at 3:18 am
If there is a best case scenario with all of this bs it would be that Bron Bron was exploited. I don’t know if I agree totally that he was. Why didn’t the 200,000,000 dollar man politic for a Armani suit and nice Cuban cigar like Mike would have? Something’s fishy here. Annie has to come out with something as well…like right now.
April 1st, 2008 at 11:53 am
Delinda - It’s Philly, sweetheart.
April 1st, 2008 at 2:06 pm
This real problem with this photo has nothing to do with the King Kong image and everything to do with lebron being with a white woman. If James had taken the same photo with Naomi or Tyra nary a word would have been said.
April 1st, 2008 at 2:39 pm
You may be correct in your last sentence - but since those in charge at VOGUE chose not to put Lebron on the cover with a Black woman - instead chosing to depict him as a savage with a secret desire for a White woman that’s what we’re talking about.
April 1st, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Again, Lebron has to take some responsibility. Yes, it’s very possible that he didn’t know what they were doing when the editors and photographers were taking the pictures– maybe he was caught up in the moment. But the second he saw the completed cover– the image– he should have been offended, and consequently spoken up. i’m not buying that whole naive thing…at all. People will gloss over and justify things in their own minds just so they don’t have to rock the boat. I think that’s the case here. Add that to the fact that he feels white folks (Giselle, David Stern, etc. etc.) love and have accepted him, and it’s even easier to justify this imagery as innocent.
April 1st, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Eric…
Can you clarify that?
April 2nd, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Eric,
WTF??????
April 2nd, 2008 at 2:40 pm
I’ll post an interview with Ed Berliner of SpeedingBulletNetwork.com around dinner time today. It was a very good conversation describing where Blacks and Whites might stand on this issue and why.
April 2nd, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Delinda,
Your welcome!
May 25th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
Lebron does not appear savage as you are speculating at but as a basketball player who is known for his powerful roar like a lion. Gisele looks more than happy to be gracing his side so do you think you have blown this out of proportion instead of focusing on better arguments like inner city children not getting the education they need or even being treated equally as other people? That jails are still ridden with innocent black men and women just because it was an easy blame for a racially segregated and biased system? Or perhaps even the fact that employers still look over people by race and that in today’s society there is such a heavy weight maybe you chose an easy target. Charles Barkley broke the chains. He is not a slave anymore in that photo. He looks powerful and beautiful. Ricky Williams looks like a sweetie pie which would make people think differently because he is so thick in appearance it gives him a softer feel. I have no idea what your problem is but you need to get real. That enlistment photo is naughty but comparitively it is as if the Vogue cover dispelled the ignorance of the enlistment ad. If you cannot deal with that then be forever stuck in your mindstate in which nothing will overcome while you waste your time on a MAGAZINE COVER while kids miss out on freedom and while brothers and sisters are still in prison.
May 25th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
“Shortee Speaks” I hear everything you say but if you challenge yourself to read the content on this site you will understand we give credence to every single injustice bled on Blacks from our vantage point.
I spoke with LeBron, not on this issue, but on others…so maybe I’ve softened my stance (not really) but I do and will forevermore hold ANY Black man, woman or child to a higher standard than that of the purported establishment.
I say Blacks because in this context we are what we speak of.
I cannot sit idly by while we are being smacked with the shit bag of hatred and respect diminished.
Oh I didn’t write this post.. My bad.
Shortee, cut off his body and see his mind. Answer an important question and I’ll respect your stance: What do you say to the photographer who emulated the enlistment photo “Shortee Speaks”? What about the powers that be. What culpability should they have?