Idolator

Did Bono and Condi actually appear together for this photo? I thought Leibovitz shot them all individually and then spliced the covers together. I could be wrong about that.

Yesterday, I watched Oprah and she was photographed by herself.

'We eagerly awaits' is lolcat dialogue, right?

Looks like the randy gnomish Oirishman is whispering something lewd to that Angel of Harlem.

How awkward. A composite of weird selects, totally incongruous with one another. Condi in the middle of saying something, Bono on some Nosferatu-type shit behind her. I hope it folds out into more panels -- what surprises might they hold. The back of George Clooney's head, perhaps?

One can only hope.

The photos look so dumb and fake. And why, exactly, is Desmond Tutu sharing a cover with Brad Pitt? Ugh.

I imagine the photo editor dipping her/his head in silent shame as Bono told them "No, it's fuckin' brilliant!"

Oh my. It's a "concept". Go to vanityfair.com and click the slide show link on the left, 'See All 20 Covers'. I'm pleased to report it only gets better. And by "better", I mean "more random".

Seriously, after like the third dissolve you just kind of start chuckling (the Barack Obama/Muhammad Ali vignette is rendered in a particularly unfortunate pose.)

OK, so I just actually watched that, rather than just react to that weird picture of Condi. I retract my former comment. I'm not sure what I think of that other than it's vaguely disquieting.

No Nelson Mandela? I'm surprised!

Seriously, what IS Barack Obama doing behind Muhammad Ali there? Preparing for insertion? Photoshop in a composite of Obama spitting onto his palm and you've got the black version of Brokeback Mountain.

Put them shits together, and you've a modern day allegorical painting. Eerie.

And omigod - did you see the headline at the bottom? "PRINCESS DIANA: THE LOVE THAT GOT AWAY." Double and triple BLECH.

Seriously, though, this photo spread is beyond tasteless and tacky. I love celebrities, y'all, but not when they are telling me what to do from behind the tinted windows of their Escalades. It's a fucking coterie of rich people flogging their moral wisdom to the masses and expecting people to be "inspired" by it. Even better - it's Victorian charity all over again with all the hypocrisy and vanity perfectly intact.

No Tom Waits or Patti Smith?

You really start to think the conservatives have a point about Hollywood democrats.

@The Mozfather: Ya totally. Bono's all like, "Before I save the world I need some funky red shades to match this background." Rubbing shoulders with powerful people is an excellent excuse for not making relevant music anymore.

It's very easy to be critical about celebrities who get involved with causes. Yes, some are involved for selfish reasons...BUT the truth is most celebrities do more than you or I.

@Christian John:

MOST do?

You sure?

@Christian John: Maybe that's because they have millions of fucking dollars and loads of free time in between projects. No one is saying they don't genuinely care about their causes but they also seem to relish being treated as global crusaders instead of just good looking dipshits who write catchy songs or star in big movies where stuff blows up. It also absolves any of the guilt they may feel for not being able to identify with working class people.

I'm with Christian John on this, at least as far as Bono goes. That man does a LOT for his causes and knows quite a bit about it, too. Sure, he's an arrogant prig and all that, but he does his research and works pretty tirelessly for his causes. That's why I think the last record was such crap. Too distracted...

@Lucas Jensen: No one says that celebrities can't do good things. What I despise is the Annie Liebowitz/Vanity Fair-sanctioned self-deification.

"Hey, here's something cool: Brad Pitt and Desmond Tutu! Let's compare a tireless campaigner against apartheid, discrimination and AIDS to a jet-setting pretty boy with a personal trainer who happens to feel giving away a small portion of his massive fortune is a good thing."

All of us can do some good, but not all of us can be heroes. Let's not get the two things confused.

It hit me now. Condeleeza is impersonating Sharon Stone or Madonna! Best impersonation I've seen in a while.

It just hit me yesterday that the reason I hate Bono and his campaigning is that he makes it look cool to donate to charities, and that's their only draw. The moment the cool person telling you to care disappears from your TV or doesn't publicize themselves enough (or with enough new cool shades), you stop caring.

Genuinely charitable people, though, inspire other people to give and be charitable, no matter who's on your mag covers at the moment. But being genuinely good would include, you know, giving up self-aggrandizing poses and stuff.