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Vanity Fair has brought together the creative talents of Bono, Annie Liebovitz and Graydon Carter to to create a series of 20 covers for a special issue dedicated to sparking a discussion about the issues facing Africa and its people. Liebovitz describes the photo project as a “visual chain letter,” about Africa and is “spreading the message from person to person to person.” Now, y’all know I’m always down for some obnoxious observation here and there, but seeing the pairing of Maya Angelou with Chris Rock and supermodel legend, Iman, posing with Alicia Keys all in the name of raising awareness about Africa and its particular problems, is enough to make a snarky little brat like myself sit down and shut up.
Personally, I think my favorite might be George Clooney whispering into Jay-Z’s ear. I like to think he’s whispering sweet, humanitarian nothings.
The 16 other Vanity Fair covers featuring Condolezza Rice, George W. Bush, Desmond Tutu, Brad Pitt, Djimon Hounsou, Madonna, Maya Angelou, Chris Rock, Warren Buffett, Bill & Melinda Gates, Oprah Winfrey, George Clooney, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Iman and Don Cheadle are after the jump.
My favorites were Barack and Don, Ali and Barack Dijmon and Brad, Maya and Chris, Alicia and Jay, Iman and Alicia and Don and Iman.
Ahem…where’s the photo of the World’s Most Beautiful Humanitarian??
Love you Bono, you do Ireland proud!!
She is noticeably missing. As much as people hate on her I’d think even they’d agree she should be on there before Madge.
Iman gives her an honoroable mention.
Um…yeah. Why the HELL are Condoleeza Rice and George Bush pretending to care. I LOVED the idea when I first read and love every other cover but the three with them on it- what’s the point? Why do they even pretend to care anymore?
You know Sarah, i thought the SAME thing. But when you read the blurbs that go along with the pictures its understandable. If you check out the slideshow on Vanityfair.com you can see the blurbs. …or I can just post them here. LOL!
CONDOLEEZZA RICE
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has been President Bush’s right hand in efforts to increase aid to Africa. She was an instigator of PEPFAR (the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), and as a result the United States is supporting almost one million people on lifesaving anti-retroviral treatment in Africa. Dr. Rice was also a founder of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, whose goal is to tackle global poverty and corruption.
GEORGE W. BUSH
We at Vanity Fair didn’t think there could be a silver lining to the Bush administration, but perhaps it is, of all things, President George W. Bush’s work for Africa. As the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development–an independent monitor of global spending–reports, the U.S. has quadrupled aid to the continent over the last six years. In his 2003 State of the Union address, Bush pledged $15 billion to fight AIDS primarily in Africa, and two years later pledged a $1.2 billion initiative to fight malaria in the 15 African countries hardest hit by the disease.
Beautiful covers, too bad that continent is in such shables within. BTW, start at home, they should do covers for New Orleans, since so many Katrina survivors still live in poverty/
i wonder what they are whispering? “dude, did you know that africa is dying right now? let’s all donate some money, i think my conscience is itching.”… this so about vanity and not about africa. how come you hardly ever read interviews with african economists and intellectuals? because they tell those philantrophic twits to get the f out of there. if you wanna help then inform yourself about pharma testing, corruption and arms deals… try to stop supporting this madness, thats’s what you can do and it’s pretty hard already.
I’m sorry, but it looks like Madonna is fingering Maya Angelou. It’s vile…what an insidious set of covers. Once again, celebrities somehow make an urgent issue all about themselves.