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Are You Offended?
Published by Stacy Gilliam on Friday, March 21, 2008 at 11:11 am.
See a comparison between LeBron James and King Kong on the April issue of Vogue? One sports blogger does and takes issue with James’ decision to take such a shot.
Blogger writes: Some people who see the Vogue cover and see the inescapable similarities between King Kong and King James will blame Vogue and/or photographer Annie Leibovitz for the ape-like visage of James, mouth agape, all 6′9″, 260 pounds of his blackness charging out of the cover with Bundchen swept up in his arm and her in her best German-Euro version of Ann Darrow. Let’s break from the descriptions and call this like it is: King Kong. The Great Ape. King James. The Great Ni*ger…LeBron’s image clearly means a lot to him, maybe even as much as pursuing a championship. And that’s why I can’t understand why he would allow Vogue to feature him with supermodel Gisele Bundchen in such a distasteful manner. LeBron has Gisele in one hand and a basketball in the other. LeBron is dressed in basketball gear, with his muscles flexing, tattoos showing and bared teeth. Gisele, on the other hand, is wearing a gorgeous slim-fitting dress, and smiling.
Is the blogger too sensitive, or does he make a point?
people make a big deal outta nothing all they trying to say is lebron is the king kong of basketball!!!! DUH! leave it alone please!
I THINK THE COVER JUST PORTRAYS LEBRON AS BEING STRONG ON THE COURT AS WELL AS THE KING OF BASKETBALL. WHY DOES EVERYTHING HAVE TO BE RACIAL. IF LEBRON (KING JAMES) HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE COVER, I AM SURE HE WOULD NOT HAVE DONE IT. COME ON PEOPLE, LET’S LOOK AT THE PICTURE AS A WHOLE. LIKE TEA SAID, HE IS THE 3RD AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN TO EVER GRACE THE COVER OF VOGUE MAGAZINE. TRUE RACISM IS HERE AND IS HERE TO STAY SO LET US AS AFRICAN AMERICANS FOCUS SOMETHING POSITIVE INSTEAD OF ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE NEGATIVE ALL THE TIME BECAUSE AFRICAN AMERICANS AREN’T GOING ANYWHERE AND NEITHER IS THE CAUCASIANS.
This is the reason people can’t get past racism cause of people reading into stuff to much.Evidently he doen’t see it this way that is why he agreed to it.Who has to time to sit and think about stuff like this.When is it gonna come to a end people.King Kong was the star of this movie and so is Lebron.
it’s a joke, and i think they meant it size wise
now if they were bashing him and saying that he really looks like him then it would probably be personal, not everything is said about black people has to be a racial thing, i dont think he looks like king kong but someone might and if thats how they feel who cares, lebron is doing well and as long as his happy with himself thats all that counts at the end, sometimes stuff like that are brought up just to get attention and to cause disagreements
wowwwwwwwwwwwww k black ppl, we need to chill out. Lebron will do what Lebron wants with Lebron’s life. ARE YOU GETTING THE PICTURE!?!?!?!
That blogger is way too sensitive. Hell yea, there’s comparisons. I could take a picture with me giving some of my white buddies a piggyback ride and all of sudden, we’re perpetuating a throwback to the slavery days. that is some B.S. i was actually giving the writer a chance until “King James. The Great Ni*ger.”
that PUSHED it!
i hope lebron finds you and DOES like King Kong, take you to the top of whatever ignorant ivory tower you fell from and leave you there to rot.
…& #8230;&# 8230;..r idiculou s.
Its ppl like that writer that make race relations some tabloid-fodder spectacle. we bring it to the big screen, we all get charged up and then we chill and NOTHING CHANGES.
If yu wanted to make a point, CALL LEBRON AND TALK TO THE MAN. i’m gna go take a walk now….this actually got me angry.
people lighten up are you saying lebron looks like a gorilla
A “SISTA” in his arms would have “NAILED IT”! Vogue screwed this one up!
i dont see nothing wrong about it.
yes this is a disgrace!
it illustrates the renowned racist joke:
“how do u stop a bm from raping a wf?…throw him a basketball”
shame on lj and these racist mag editors!!!
alicia banks
http://www.geocities.com/ambwww
what in the world is every talking about. It’s just a picture plain and simple. This looking for racism in every little thing is getting to be a bit much now. If he left like he was being made to look like king kong or like an a** then he would not have to the shoot. Lets give him some credit he is not some dumb kid. this young man has proven himself in this industry. Please black people lets get it together and stop worrying about how other people view us. This is just craziness.
wow i have alot 2 say about dis pic…. let me start by saying WTF IS DAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN….. people now a days juss dnt think wen there doing things
STOP BEING SO DAMN STUPID, REMEMBER HIS NAME IS “KING JAMES 221;R 30;̷ 0; UHHH KING KONG!!!!
i don’t see anything wrong with it. to me the only thing racist about it is when you see the king kong picture and vogue’s and think ape and black man…you’re racist. they call him King James and i think it was just something done to put him with that persona with the King Kong type of thing. King James, big strong and dominating some things.
You got to be kidding me. King Kong…. Not at all. Stop reading into everything my brothers and sisters. Lebron has closed to 200 million in endorsments, I don’t think him or his team of advisers would have done this if it was a negative idea. He didn’t get there by makin stupid decisions thats for sure.
THAT DON’T LOOK RIGHT
People please,,It is just a picture and a pretty clever one from a marketing standpoint,,,,,Did anyone notice that there is a caption underneath the picture? The issue is devoted to shape,health and wellness and also features other top athletes and models. LeBron represents the best of the best and that is why he was chosen to grace the cover.It is an honor and Vogue gave him mad respect.Magazine covers are designed to attract consumers and I am certain many people who do not read Vogue bought the issue or at least read the article. It was a wim/win for both Vouge and King James.
Take offense at King, Source, Vibe and other so called urban magazines and the way they portray people on their covers every month…
I don’t think that the cover is offensive. People play to much into racism. Everytime something “looks” offensive everyone and they mom wants to call it offensive. Stop acting like babies.
I saw it from the begining. What the blogger says is true. Altough I’m not offended,but he should be. That’s what balck men get for not statnding up for the black woman and apreciating thier beauty. He should have requested one of the many beautiful balck women in hollywood be on the cover with him. But, that’s the way of the world.
shape and health uh! GBD, you say it is a caption
under the picture that states that. OK that may be. images have been used for social distinction for years. rather it be a woman holding a pan of baked cookies in her hand to give to guest while the husband sets in the recliner reading a paper.
Or the couple taking food during a crisis are searching for food but,the shot of two people from the opposite race caring food, are labeled thieves. OH! what am I saying the media would never pertray African American’s as vicious beast. through the images on mags, shame on me.
RIDICULOUS! The blogger seems like a racist trying to stir up some controversy. Look at the wording. Definitely not a description I would read from an African American blogger. Ni*ger? Come on!!! This person probably saw the cover and it reminded them of the King King cover, dug it up and blogged to start racial tension. Never underestimate the mind of a racist. I’m happy to see that most people aren’t easily influenced!