Perfect Fit, Lebron James on the Cover of Vogue with Gisele
Thu, Mar 13, 2008 By Tariq Ali
Lebron James and super model, Gisele, will appear on the April cover of fashion magazine Vogue. Actors Richard Gere and George Clooney are the only other men that appeared on the cover of Vogue.
The photo was taken back in January, not in New York, but in James’ home town of Akron, OH.
“Nobody says more about fashion size and shape than Gisele and LeBron,” Vogue spokesman Patrick O’Connell said. “LeBron is an amazing star and athlete that has crossed over into a cultural phenomena.”
Vogue is featuring athletes and models in an annual issue devoted to size and shape.
Being on the cover of a sports magazine is nothing new to James, who first appeared on Sports Illustrated’s front as a 17-year-old high school junior in 2002 next to the presumptuous title of “The Chosen One.” He is currently one of 11 athletes appearing on the cover of ESPN The Magazine’s 10th anniversary issue. Source: SI.com
Tags: Gisele, LeBron James, Vogue
OMG, people it’s a magazine cover. He’s an athlete, and I think that the people who look at him and see ‘Kong’ are the ones with issues. Hell, from the way the photo’s shot, she looks as tall as he does.
Its a disgusting cover insensitive to blacks and whites.
it is a ugly picture… He could have stood up a little and said hey lets take this picture again or something. Maybe he should have even worn a suit. We all know that he plays ball, but does he has to look like he is going to the local court around the corner. Gisele looks darn good as usual why can’t he?
The issue is about athletes and models and their sizes and shapes in the fashion world. If it was Tom Brady and Gisele or LeBron and Tyra there would have been people complaining about that. Congratulate LeBron for making the cover of Vogue and being featured in a positive story giving him kudos for being who he is. I think the cover is great. Even if you think he is acting like King Kong, no one said anything when Denzel said “King Kong aint got nothing on me” and neither does anyone in the game of basketball right now. Keep doing your thing Lebron, haters keep hating.
Taking a look at this cover I don’t see the hype everyone is bickering about. I see a man in an intimidating stance (which suits his style on the court…intimidating!!!) and a beautiful woman who has been literaly swept off her feet and not a woman in distress. Vogue has been doing cover shoots for a long time and I am sure they know what they’re doing. I would like to respond to some of the other posts…but that would be a waste of time.
This shoes the rasism sterotipe of the black man always got to have the white women. didint anybody listen to mr Obamas minister? This is jist the white man explyting the black man all over agen!
First thing that I thought when I saw this cover was, “Beauty and the Beast.” And yes, as a Black man, I hate this re-occurring portrayal in the media. If you don’t pay attention to Black images in the media then you probably don’t understand. Personally, I have to live with people’s misconceptions and their ignorance. Vogue missed an opportunity to place it’s first image of an African American male in a more positive light. Too bad for us.
I mean really people, get over the “black and white” crap. It’s Lebron James- one of the best basketball players today- and Gisele- the highest paid supermodels today- both at the top of thier game. All those offended by the cover need to deal with thier own insecurities.
There’s no insensitivity to the cover. The people having trouble with this cover are the same people having problems with their own prejudices. The title of the article is “The World’s Top Models & Star Atheletes”. She’s dressed for a photo shoot (her job) and he’s dressed for a game (his job). Those who have an issue with the cover need to stop putting their prejudices on innocent photos. They also need to stop their ignorance and read the article.
“typical white person” Qoute by Barack O’bama about his grandmother. Is this stereotyping? I believe it is yet I hear no outcry.
For him to be the first black man on the cover, he should have not been made to look so barbaric, so savage.
What is the problem here? Even LeBron himself said HE chose to show his intimidating side…
People are acting as if he’s some sort of clueless puppet who does what someone else says. These exact people who are upset are the one’s who keep the issue of racism and sterotypes alive.
It’s not the 60’s anymore people– I think it shows how far we’ve come from the times of segregation for LeBron to be completely comfortable portraying himself as he chose to next to Gisele without fear of anything except taking a bad picture. Which they didn’t- they both look great.
Why are people being hypersensitive?
As the issue is all about the best bodies of athletes and models– and he’s an athlete and she’s a model, why wouldn’t he look like he’s about to play basketball and her like a model??
It’s a picture – would anyone be complaining if it was Tom Brady and Tyra Banks in the same picture? No.
PEOPLE NEED TO GET OVER THEIR SKIN COLOR. I MEAN TO THINK THAT THIS COVER MAKES YOU THINK OF KING KONG YOU REALLY AHVE TO SIT THERE AND STARE AT IT FOR QUITE SOME TIME. GET OVER YOUR PERSONAL ISSUES AND STOP TRYING TO GET SOME ATTENTION. THIS IS A FREE NATION…HELLO! SLAVERY IS OVER!!!!!!
THE COVER IS CUTE! WHAT IS OFFENDING ABOUT IT? WHAT YOU GOT ISSUES ABOUT BLACK AND WHITES TOGETHER?? CHECK YOURSELF…YOU NEED JESUS!
I am a white middle aged man and she would bring the beast out of me too.
As a black man, I don’t see the problem. THAT FACE is the SAME FACE Lebron makes when he does a great dunk on someone… black OR white! Would the photo be the same if it was a white guy in an opposing team’s jersey.
I’m SICK of people looking for “hidden racial meanings” in images. If that were Tom Brady baring his teeth while holding Tyra Banks..what would the complaint be then. Cuz everybody KNOWS that white boys and black women don’t have a history, right? WRONG!
I am not at all suprised at the responses people are giving, anytime you have two different races involved in anything, it will always be about race….As Bruce Hornsby said “That’s just the way it is” Having said that, I want everybody to understand Lebron is not Stupid and he understands how to make a good decision and if he’s not, I’m sure someone in his camp, black of course would have told him otherwise…..
Get a life. She’s a model, he’s an athlete. I’m betting that LeBron makes that face during a game. All I see is a man with a lot of intensity and confidence in his game. Gisele is a supermodel and her smile, poise and figure she uses with great skill in her career. All I’m seeing is 2 people showing off some of the tools of their trades. It makes no difference which one is black or white. Why does everything have to be analyzed to death? Can’t a picture be a picture?
Some asked if Tom Brady and Tyra Banks were in the picture if anyone would be complaining. Unfortunately, I’m sure they would. It’s time to move past color and see people for who they are. I would love to live in a world where who you are and how you treat others is how you are judged, not by race, gender, sexual orientation, ect…. Please people, life is too short to hate someone because they are different. I’ve learned more from people of other races, faiths than I could have imagined and I welcome the chance for other experiences.
It is a wonderful picture of people being who they are, the athlete and the supermodel. Nothing more needs to be read into it.
I didn’t know anything about the cover until I heard it on the radio. Why does this have to be a black and white thing. It should be about celebrities making a hell of a lot more than all of use combined. People, grow up. This goes to show just how ignorant some of you are. And the sad thing, Giselle is a Brazilian supermodel, not white.
One question…if this was Steve Nash or Dirk on the cover, with the exact same pose, would anyone be screaming “King Kong” then? That alone is much more insensitive than the cover. People need to get a life and stop over analyzing every little thing. Give me a break!
I see videos of white women with Black artists all the time. And these women are in very revealing skimpy borderline skanky outfits (sometimes its just over the top) and yet, the media wants to make a big deal out of two very professional people, who have a photo session done very professionally for a “Best Bodies” article. That is all it is.
this is not a racist pick, that is ridiculous… it is however a horrible picture for both Lebron & Giselle.
What is exasperating the stero-type even more is your spelling and use of poor grammar.
LeBron is great and Giselle is not white, she is Brazilian. So get you facts straight.
My girlfriend (who happens to be white) brought the cover to my attention and because she did I know that there had to be controversy. So of course I saw the controversy right away as I am a black female. But honestly had I seen it any other way I would have not given it a second thought.
you all who is using all dat improper langwage need to get grip….. You are responsible for stereotypes. No one says anything about robin williams being hairy as a monkey. This is an aggressive cave man, take my woman pose… yes a little like King Kong.
Getting upset over this cover is idiotic. If Lebron, a black man, does not find the cover to be racist, then why in the world does anybody else? People need to be less concerned with what a couple of celebrities are doing, and more concerned with the problems in their own lives.
Rebbie, did you even read the article on the shoot? LeBron made the choice to pose like that. Find something else to complain about.
No one made him “look so barbaric, so savage” you moron. Were you there?
My goodness Mr. Madison you were right. It’s almost genius the way they did it. He who hath eyes that see.
please learn to spell correctly before replying to anything else….your message was lost in me trying to read your comment. -from a concerned sista…
DEFINITIOIN:Ignorance is the condition of being uninformed or uneducated, lacking knowledge or information. Therefore, if you cannot understand or are ignorant to the reasons that people don’t like the cover,or the image that it portrays… educate or enlighten yourself as to WHY people see what they see.
I LOVE THE COVER LIKE JILL SCOTT SAID HATE ON ME BECAUSE YOUR TO BLIND TO SEE AND KATT WILLIAMS EVERYONE HAS A HATER IF YOU NEED ONE PLEASE HATE ON ME THAT BRINGS ME MORE BLESSINGS
I can see both sides being a black woman married to a black man and knowing for a fact that in the eyes of many the past has done some damage and has left scares on many, especially our black men. When you or your culture has not gone through anything it is easy to say things like some of the comments I have read. Some black men feel that this is how they area viewed, as intimidating, scarey, beings. On the other hand lots of women see this as a man sweeping a woman off her feet and saving the day. For those of you that do not see color, the next time you see a black man, don’t move to the side in the elevator, don’t tense up, don’t clutch your handbag, because these are the things that add salt to a wound that can’t magically heal itself. So yes, I can see both sides maybe you should to. Rent Roots, ask your grand parents, go to the local library, ask a black man for a moment of his time and talk to understand where he is coming from.
Hey Bob you do realize that the photo has to meet LeBron’s approval before the magizine posts the photo right? Bear in mind that this comment is coming from a minority when I say Shut Up you Jackass! If you ask me the cover depicts a beauty and a bad ass. You race pimping idiot! Take your race card and cram it up your… Well in this case your mouth!
Ignorance is definitely what the issue is here. The caption at the bottom of the cover of the magazine states that he is a star athlete and she is a top model. Athletes are aggressive and passionate about what they do. Why is it so hard for people to think of this as art? I have better things to do than to be upset about a cover of Vogue! haha. To be honest it’s sad that in 2008, comments made in online news articles are still racist and ignorant.
This is why we need to elect Obama :)
OBAMA 2008!!
I’m a white guy who doesn’t follow basketball or read fashion mags. Not until I saw the other pictures that appeared inside the magazine did I realize there was clearly at least one other shot that should have been selected. Truth is we all see what we want to see. Has anyone heard from Annie the photographer? What did she see when she took it? Clearly the folks at Vogue saw magazine sales. Why can’t we all just get along?
sorry but he always looks good. if you look inside there’s more pictures of him. why judge a book by its cover? let’s get educated people. go alittle deeper and don’t look so dumb coming out with comments.
IT’S A MAGAZINE COVER… come on…
This “racism” thing just goes to show that stupidity and ignorance TRANSCENDS ALL !! For those that think this is a picture depicting LeBron James as “King Kong”…perhaps I can give you insight on the METAPHOR in it. LEBRON JAMES IS ON TOP OF THE BASKETBALL WORLD !! He is on the top of the perverbial Empire State Building of the NBA right now as we know him. GISELLE is on top of the perverbial Empire State Building of the modeling world right now as we know her. How’s that for METAPHOR ?? For crying out loud…
All you uneducated rascist IDIOTS need to get off the “racism” bus and get on with life in a country that gives us all the greatest gift of all. FREEDOM.
We all came from Europe, Mexico, Africa, Russia, etc (forgive me for leaving out any…I mean…EVERY other country) My angle is…we are ALL “blah blah-AMERICAN” Whether you’re Africa-American..Jewish-American..German-American. GEESH, the list goes on and on. The only people that rightly have the ability to CLAIM America is the NATIVE-AMERICANS !!!
Just keep in mind folks, we are all given the same opportunities in this great country that I have PROUDLY SERVED. Quit trying to CREATE CRAP out of nothing.
Amen!!
I was taken aback when I saw he cover for a variety of reasons. First, it simply did not make any sense at all. Second, where is the fashion element? Here is James dressed in a pair gym shorts and sneakers in major fashion magazine. What fashion sense is he portraying? Also, the fashion industry and its racism (which is a reality) from the Art Directors to the photographers to the people who make editorial decesions based upon hat is being sold are damn near all WHITE! That’s a stoncold reality even at magazines like Essence, whre most of the photographers who shot covers are white. Now, this is a crying shame when you consider the amount of money that blacks spend on gear and clothing in this nation. Vogue should be ashamed of itself pushing this NBA star fucks white woman image on its front cover. I don’t buy he damn magazine and blacks should really use this as a means to ask serious questions about the racist ass fashion industry that is controlled by white women and homosexual white men for the most part and major white controlled companies selling porducts. So much for being senstive.