Contact
Subscribe
Apr 14, 2008 
By 
Bill Harris has another interesting post on the ever readable Dubious Quality. He talks about race in the Resident Evil 5 trailer, and the historical implications of the Brute. As soon as I read it, I thought of one thing, the Vogue cover with Lebron James.
Lebron is the first African American male to be on the cover of Vogue, and that is trailblazing, but one cannot help but think of the Brute stereotype when they see this cover. It also evokes a good deal of King Kong to me, with the savage beast clutching the fair maid.
Annie Leibowitz (the photographer for this cover) is too smart an artist not to get these connections. Perhaps she is trying to play off of them, or comment on the incipient racism, but it all seems a little ham handed to me. I think we would be better off with an image of Lebron as the stylish black man, cultured and well dressed (as he always is off the court) or something showcasing his impish sense of humor. We really didn’t need to go all “where the white women at” on this one.
To continue the idea from Ken’s entry on speech, just because some people are denying there is a racial connotation to that cover, doesn’t mean there isn’t one.
Oh, and if anyone is offended.. well, I think you know the rest…
Last 5 posts by Ezra
- Glen Beck Wouldn't Lie, Right? - July 27th, 2010
- Bizarre Retraction of the Week - July 26th, 2010
- Wait, What? - July 22nd, 2010
- Another Chance to See if They Are Brass or Papier-Mache - July 21st, 2010
- What Is Best in Hoops? To Drive Your Enemies Before You - July 19th, 2010
6 Comments 
