' LeBron shrugs off criticism of Vogue cover Cavs star says he was just 'having fun' and photo was best one they had
By Brian Windhorst
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Sunday, Mar 23, 2008
MILWAUKEE: LeBron James has done lots of magazine covers and heard lots of criticism for various things in the past five years. So he's brushing off the heat he's getting about his most recent close up.
James made a measure of history when he made the cover of Vogue's April issue alongside supermodel Gisele Bundchen. He was just the third male in the history of the publication to make the cover and the first African-American male.
But after the photo hit newsstands, some thought that his pose and facial expression gave off a poor impression. The most vocal was an ESPN.com columnist who said James resembled King Kong cradling a ''fair-skinned love interest.'' The writer said James ''looks like he's on his way to a pickup game for serial killers'' and was an example of ''a black athlete being reduced to a savage.''
James, who was aware of the story, shrugged off the comments.
''I was just having fun with it, I was just showing a little emotion,'' James said Saturday. ''We had a few looks and that was the best one we had. Everything my name is on is going to be criticized, in a good way or a bad way. Who cares, honestly, at the end of the day.''
James said he enjoyed working with famed photographer Annie Leibovitz, who did the photoshoot in Akron. He said there were no regrets.
''I am happy with it, absolutely,'' James said.


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