Remember when Lebron was on the cover of Vogue with Gisele??

I ran across this surfing to nowhere on the interwebz.
First off, magazine artistic editorial directors, people who make their living in the visual arts, from my experience tend to tilt towards arrogance. Not all of them, but many just think they KNOW more about life, culture and society than the rest of us.

Secondly, many photographers/editorial directors like to slip shit into the media that's going over the heads of most folks because they simply aren't aware of what's happening.

The posed pic below between Gisele and Lebron is DELIBERATE. Any time you see a professional shoot in a mag, or even a scene in a movie, EVERYTHING to the tiniest detail is set up to convey precisely the right image and mood.

The pic on the left is a WWI propaganda poster featuring the Prussian army symbolized by fierce ape carrying a club, fangs bared and carrying off a fair haired maiden trapped in his clutches.

Notice the pose, the mouth expression on the gorilla, the color of the dress worn by the fair maiden the style and flow of her hair. Also see the their orientation; ape on the left side, maiden on the right.
Now compare that photo to the Vogue cover.



That WWI poster wasn't only the inspiration for the Vogue cover, some artistic editor tried to reproduce EXACTLY the same image, substituting Lebron and Gisele for the ape and fair maiden.

So instead of being racially progressive with the Lebron/Gisele cover, they were sending a second, more insidious message that many consumers still picked up on even if they didn't know the artistic inspiration for the cover shot.

This is why my ass checks out nearly all conspiracy theories, because more than a few of them are based heavily in the truth.
Shame on you Vogue. If IR couplings bother you that much, don't put them on the cover of your mag.

Below is a photo taken from the same shoot. Aesthetically, which one is the more appealing shoot?? Unless you're trying to send a 'message' you think most people won't get.

 

While I am not the type who believes that there is some grand conspiracy against black men/people as a whole I am a firm believer that there are individuals in positions of power & influence who do use their status & power to manipulate circumstances whenever possible to portray black men/black people in an always negative light in some way. There obviously was an agenda being played out with the photo shoot posing & the choice to use that photo for the cover over other shots that clearly were taken during the shot.

 

Nice post

 

Why are you rehashing something from 5 years ago?
Unless you truly didn't know and are actually just discovering what millions blogged and discussed back in 2008...
Many had objected to this (including Jemele Hill)...saying it was a depiction of King Kong, and that pic you posted has been compared to them also.



Lebron was the first BM to have been on their cover back in 2008, and so it of course was highly scrutinized. Famed Annie Leibovitz was the photographer and I don't see her being deliberate, even though it came off as insensitive.

Here is a TODAY show interview segment on it with the editors...interesting debate but in the end...it's how you perceive it. Some say that's how Lebron is on the court expressive wise, others say what has been objected to, that "he's depicting a gorilla", etc.

http://www.today.com/id/21134540/vp/23163027#23807043

 

There was a similar flap with a Tim Tebow pose in GQ magazine where the photo was edited to resemble Christ on the cross. Somebody with power & influence looking to mock, imo.

 

It was the first time I saw the WWI recruiting poster that was the original inspiration for that photo, which was also partially the germ behind the idea for the King Kong movies.

The Vogue artistic director was creating a specific shot and I was surprised how parallel those photos were.

People at the time were offended by what was conveyed by that Vogue cover and pointed out the similarity to King King imagery, but there was a more specific origin for that photo.

BTW if Annie Leibovitz was the original photographer, I don't believe she accidentally came up with that concept for Lebron and Gisele.

Maybe it wasn't her concept specifically and it was floated to her by an assistant, but conceptually it's too similar to the original Prussian WWI propaganda poster. Besides it's odd. What b-ball player has that expression when he's dribbling?? What's he enraged about??

 

Politics, religion,race, sex. Those with power & influence will always seek to manipulate in one way or another in those areas. No use having power if you don't I guess....:smt102

 

If you ever GOOGLE images for that Vogue shot, the photo you highlighted appears along with King King ones.

Lebron did comment on his expression back then....

Yes Annie does stir the emotions with her work.. Vogue said...."We think Lebron James and Gisele Bundchen look beautiful together and we are honored to have them on the cover," ...so who knows if they understood the some ramifications that might occur from a cover like that.

BTW, I'm assuming you know that's Gisele in your AVI being lifted (exalted?) by BM. :smt110

 

No, I didn't know that was her.
Tom Brady must LOVE that!!lol

 

I bet Tom never pulls out this album for his buddies...

Haha, and all this time I thought you knew she was your AVI. It's a pretty well known shoot.

Here is the complete model shoot -

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FYI, your AVI pic when released in '09 was not without complaint, particularly from BW bloggers. :-o

 

I remember that one, too. I thought it was representative of the time. Gisele Bundchen, a supermodel from Brazil. LeBron James, a young pro basketball player for the Cleaveland Cavaliers. Both of these people were at the top of their game. That is what I saw in this photograph. No romance. No sex. Just two professionals.