I'm just glad Vogue has an actual model on their cover.

One of the major inconsistencies between the whole King Kong thing is that Fay Wray looks scared to death as Kong is holding her. Gisele looks nowhere near like that.
The fact is that James is an athlete, not a model. He screams and yells like that on the court and he was chosen for the cover because he was an athlete. It would have been a bit strange to style him debonnair like for an issue on shape and athletes.
People want to say its racist, but he himself admits that he chose to let out the emotion. Why is everyone blaming Vogue?
I thought he looked pretty tough and cool on the cover when I first saw it. It brings to mind the excitement of watching a really good sporting match. I don't see how people can look at him, AN ATHLETE remember, and say whoa, he's gonna eat me like a gorilla. It's just a little insane.

There are far more important things to worry about nowadays. People need to get over it

I also don't see how one can correlate a gorilla with a black man. Just because a gorilla has black fur doesn't mean its "black". That has bothered me a lot. I think its a little offensive that people who are claiming racism here are correlating the two just because they share the same "color". Seems a bit hypocritical to me. Frankly I also never thought of King Kong as a representation of racial issues either. He was an animal. Not a human.

interesting ekaterinaballerina--a nice synopsis.

i would add, also, that in part, by making the connection to king kong, people are, themselves, conjuring racism. i didn't get that when i first looked at the cover--i thought lebron was acting like lebron--fierce. i saw a b-ball player--not a killer gorilla.

i think its a pretty cool cover, actually--different than so many overly posed options that they could have used.

People really do need to get over it!!!

it would have been awesome if they could have had a female athlete next to lebron... but yeah right, when do we ever glorify women athletes???

I agree with EkaterinaBallerina. She pretty much took the words out of my mouth. All *I* see as a basketball player employing the same face/body language as he normally would while engaged in his sport of choice. Yes, he does seem overpowering compared to Giselle but I think that's only because he's a tall, muscular man while Giselle is probably very frail looking? It's an awkward shot/image no matter the connotations.

I think we can all celebrate the fact that an African-American male is finally on the cover of Vogue.

It has nothing to do with racial stereotypes and more to do with the fact that he is a huge athlete in more ways than one and standing next to gisele is a big contrast. I more focused on the fact that vogue thinks that "every shape" is only between sizes 0 thru 16!

I never would have thought King Kong from this cover. After I saw the picture and before I read the post, I actually thought it was cool they had a black athlete on the cover with Gisele.
Also, I think the racism claim is not due to the fact that one has black skin and the other has black fur, but the very ignorant idea that black people are more like monkeys and therefore inferior to the white race. (Like the racist fans making monkey noises at African players during European football games). If they were going for King Kong, then I think this is most definitely racist. Regardless of Vogue's intent, James has a great attitude.

This controversy is stupid. I see a basketball player not a gorilla. I don't see any type of abrupt or symbolic racism in the photo, people are wasting their time and taking this too far.

Does everything have to be over-analyzed. Gee-whiz...I'm glad Lebron is level-headed...I think it's a pretty cool looking cover!!!

I think it's interesting how hard people try to make everything racist.

i agree with everything said above... to be honest - the only thing i hate and bothered me about the cover was actually gisele.. i think it was a horrible pose/picture of her..

that is the most ridiculous thing! People try to stir up controversy about EVERYTHING. And really, the only people causing controversy are the people who make it up! I never would have assumed that this cover is racist! that is just absurd!

Oh jeez...people seriously over-analyze EVERYTHING. They must have way too much time on their hands.

I agree there are more things to worry about than a black athlete being on the cover of the fashion magazine. I love the cover. People need to stop turning everything into a race issue.

YAAAAAAAAAAwn!

I agree with Syako, why not a stylish female athlete?

Otherwise, I don't see what the big deal is.

I like the cover. I didn't get any king king or racist vibe from it ... and I'm black. I love the green dress, such a pretty color.

people are insane- i saw what everyone one else normal probably did- an athlete and a model. he looks like he's being fierce on the court and she looks like she's having a great time. people need ot get over the whole disecting everything for racism and sometimes take things at face value- good attitude le bron

its the way they look when they are doing what they are paid to do..him looking fierce (on the basketball court) and she looking rather graceful (strutting down a runway) just the way it works out.

People are always trying to stir controversy it's just a damn cover

I sooo didnt get that vibe! whats wrong with ppl!?

What a laaaaaaaame controversy. 1)Humans are animals, too. 2)This athlete embodies POSITIVE aspects of other animals we admire: strength, stamina, beauty, and a winning attitude -- it's not like on the cover looking through Giselle's hair for fleas to pick off. It is a compliment, not a dig. 3)The photo is only a part of a larger article -- one in which LeBron speaks very intelligently about health and fitness... sounds pretty humanizing and celebratory to me.

I agree with everyone who posted before, my first thought when I saw the pose was him being agressive on court, I really want to know who the controversy starters are, they're probably the same people who would read a children's book and then claim homosexual overtones because the cartoons in the book like to hold hands and whatnot.

My only issue with teh cover is Giselle's pose, I really don't like it, lol, and i think it woudl've been great if they could've used a female athlete I know there are some pretty ones out there, and with the Olympics coming up it would've worked well.

all i see is a 6'8" basketball player in a "game" pose and a grinning supermodel! nothing resembling a giant ape terrorizing a woman

Personally, I think Lebron looks great. It's Giselle that looks awkward as hell. And it's about time Vogue had a black man on their cover, it's 2008 for Christ's sake.

i think the cover is awkward.

I love LeBron's pose and the expression in his face. It completely fits with the theme of the issue. Giselle looks weird and oddly posed. Almost like she was photoshopped in there.

And the only way I MIGHT see this photo as a racist one is if someone pointed it out to me. Even then, it's a weak argument at best.

Also, while I love that Vogue has expanded its horizons and added (in this issue) fashions for women that are not size 2 and under, size 16 is definitely not the end of the size spectrum.

LE BRON has over 100 million dollars so the outcry is dumb he does not need this he did'nt have to do it and hello Andre Leon Talley has alot of say so I don't know why people are making a silly reference

king kong and damsel in distress was not even close to what i was thinking when i saw this awesome cover. to me it looks like any action shot taken in a photo shoot. they both look great and represent their industry. i don't see the big deal.

I think that the cover is great - for another magazine.
I thought Vogue was a fashion magazine, yet it seems that it's closer to being more like Cosmo than old Vogue these days.

I think he looks super fierce and his pose is way more "fashion" than Gisele's....whatever she's workin'.
Actually, you know what would have been great? Le Bron and Naomi. She could have looked all super fierce and over posed, in some high fashion to bring more of an edge to it.

I agree with what bluesarahlou said - I see it as such NOW that it has been pointed out; but it is a weak argument. Personally to me it is a non-issue.

I saw the cover a few days ago and the only thing I was wondering was what in the world is this issue about?

The second thing I thought about (upon seeing it this evening) was WOW!! Vogue actually has an article talking about women wearing size 16 clothes!

oh geez, lol. Reminds me of that West Wing episode.

Huh! I'm confused.

Attention everyone saying things like "seeing racism is racism" - you are actually wrong and (albeit commonly) unfortunately out of tune with the legacy of racial tension, discrimination and disparity that exists in and is the foundation of modern American culture and social organization.

The reason you don't notice the correlation between the composition of this image and similar more racially charged imagery (and fictional allegory) of the past is because you, most likely, enjoy the benefit of white privilege (please see here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_privilege - if you are unfamiliar with the concept, and look up various articles on JSTOR if you have access to that or at your local library- many sociologists and cultural anthropologists have written on this subject, generally in relation to the cultural formation of racial and/or ethnic minorities). If you are seen of/coded as/identify as white, the fact of the matter is that more than likely you, whether you hold racist beliefs consciously/subconsciously or NOT, benefit from the fact that as a white person you do not have to think about race because in our society you are the one 'raceless' group. You are the standard, you are not the 'other,' so when people point out how they are being marginalized it is understandably more difficult for you to empathize.

All that being said, please do not immediately dismiss when someone voices their opposition to a situation in which a group that they are categorized with is marginalized or otherwise exploited- it is unfair and often uneducated and lacking critical thought.

people are such idiots - it's people like these ones who are all overreacting that are the reason why stereotypes still exist. I'm so tired of people saying that strong black men is a stereotype - no it's not! I like the cover, even though I can't stand gissele and I'm wondering why she is on the cover, and I agree that she looks awkward and ugly - if they wanted a great body, they could have picked elle macpherson, heidi klum, tyra banks, or naomi campbell (I agree with "getpretty" she would have been fantastic) - great models with INCREDIBLE bodies that are really on top of their game, not some mediocre nitwit whose biggest fame right now comes from dating equally annoying tom brady...

oh, give me a break.

I think it's a little condesending to say that if people don't get the implied racism in this picture it's because they've been brainwashed by white privilidge. As a black woman who grew up poor, I did not see the supposed racism in this photo. I saw a basketball player making a gesture and facial expression much like those that he makes throughout basketball games. If you're going to cry racism, maybe you should get on LeBron James's case for perpetuating the stereotype, because he was irresponsible enough emulate a gorilla in photos and while playing basketball.

Seeing this cover,I was happy that Vouge chose a black athlete who is a good role model and well spoken, unlike many of his counterparts, particularly in the NBA, and I, ESPECIALLY as a black person who has worked VERY hard to get where I am (law school), I find it unsetteling to see how few popular role models there are for black (and in general) teenagers to look up to.

Rather than blaming white people for not noticing all the ways that racism is hidden in our culture, maybe whites, and minorities, in particular, need to focus even more than they are now, on their own communities and giving hope to the youth growing up in the midst of adversity. Blame and dwelling on the negative solves nothing. Look forward to how you can change a negative.

Sorry for spelling/punctuation, I get heated over this subject!
Focus on people like Le Bron and the strides he's made, rather than tarnishing his achievement with controversey and bringing him down to the same level as other atheltes who are also role models who shouldn't be (ie Ray Lewis, Pacman Jones, Ron Artest, Michael Vick)because you don't like the percieved connotations of the magazine cover.

I forgot to ring on Giselle...she looks awkward. It would have been waaaaay better if it was just him, or him with a female athlete.

I like the cover and I'm glad Lebron doesn't seem bothered by the comments.

ummm... whatever haha. i loooove lebron!!!

running home- well said! I agree with every word!

I think gisele looks pretty awkward here. I understand that Vogue may have been going for the contrast between big/strong/aggressive pose and frail/girly/happy pose....but it still looks pretty wonky. Love Lebron, can't stand Gisele!

I agree this cover would have been better with a female athlete. I don't think its really appropriate for Gisele to be on the cover of the 'shape' issue...they should have put a female athlete on the cover who works out to keep in shape and stay healthy, not one who works out to stay skinny as a beanpole!

To be fair to Vogue, there really isn't any safe way they could have gone with posing Lebron. Keep him in this (fantastic!) athletic pose-he is compared to a gorilla. Put him in a tailored suit-people would say they are trying to 'cover up' who he is as a powerful black athlete. Really its a lose-lose for Vogue when it comes to people judging possible racism with their first black male cover model.

Gisele looks HOT!

yes I agree! well said running home! (good luck in exams!)

it would have been interesting to see him with say, a female gymnast...contrast in size, etc. I think he is wonderful choice.

i love the color of Gisele's dress, that's about it.

I didn't think "King Kong" at all. I don't think he looks overpowering either. It more looks like his arm is really laying around her waist and she is leaning into him. She does have a big smile on her face. I love what he says. Kudos for him for dismissing the negativitly so. She really isn't one of my favorite people, model etc. She is a beautiful woman but that other Brazilian model Alesandra or the surfer girl Marisa Miller (who is also athletic) I would have rather seen.

oops negativity. Faulty typing.