OlderVanity Fair “Africa Issue” 2007
The African-themed July issue of Vanity Fair is being guest edited by U2 frontman Bono — the biggest July issue ever. 20 covers, all shot by Annie Leibovitz reflect Africa and its supporters — Bono, Brad Pitt, Oprah Winfrey, George Clooney, Jay-Z, Djimon Hounsou, Chris Rock, Alicia Keys, Warren Buffett, Desmond Tutu, Muhammad Ali, Bill and Melinda Gates, Iman, Don Cheadle, Barack Obama, Madonna, Maya Angelou, Queen Rania of Jordan, President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Here’s a sampling of the celebrities involved:
BRAD PITT Brad Pitt’s activism in New Orleans, Haiti, and Africa has received worldwide attention. His involvement in Africa began in 2004 with visits to Ethiopia and South Africa; in 2005 he helped launch the One Campaign to Make Poverty History. He is also a co-founder of Not on Our Watch, which teamed with the International Rescue Committee to hold premieres of Pitt’s current film, Ocean’s Thirteen, to benefit Darfur. He interviews Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
DJIMON HOUNSOU Once a year, actor Djimon Hounsou visits his family in Benin, where he recently helped rebuild his childhood home. “The goal of the African people is to become self-sufficient,” says Hounsou, who served as a consultant on our portfolio, otherwise “sometimes it does feel like the white man’s burden. Some of the efforts need to be implemented by Africans who do good for the continent. Then people can see that their own people can really make a difference. We are not looking for a handout.”
GEORGE CLOONEY In 2005, George Clooney was going through the Oscar process when he read about the crisis in Darfur: “I wanted to take all the attention I was getting and do something positive with it. [But] you can’t just talk about an issue, you have to understand it fully, you have to be there.” With his father, Nick, Clooney traveled to Chad to film the 2007 documentary A Journey to Darfur. “The more time you spend with the people in the camps, who are holding on by a whisper and still believe that their lives will be better,” he says, “the more you believe that anything is possible.”
OPRAH WINFREY Through her Angel Network, the public charity she founded in 1998, talk-show host and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey has helped fund 28 schools in five African countries as well as personally creating the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, in South Africa, in 2007. She says, “Education is freedom; it’s the only way out. Despite the poverty and despair many of these young African children face every day, they have a fierce determination to get an education. I want to help give them the chance they deserve.”
Check out the full slideshow at Vanity Fair. All 20 covers will be on display in the windows of Barneys New York on Madison Ave through June 19.
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Posted to: Alicia Keys, Barack Obama, Bono, Brad Pitt, Chris Rock, Djimon Hounsou, Don Cheadle, George Clooney, Iman, Jay-Z, Madonna, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffett
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88 Comments
IT IS SO GOOD TO SEE BRAD BEING RECOGNISED FOR THE WORK HE IS DOING AND WE ALL KNOW HE REPRESENTS THE FAMILY,SO PLEASE STOP ASKING ABOUT WHY ANGELINA IS NOT INCLUDED,LETS GIVE BRAD SUPPORT AND BE HAPPY FOR HIM.beware of haters who want to divide them.
BRAD DID THIS FOR BONNO NOT OPRAH,SO CAN WE STOP THE B VS O THING AND STOP SOUNDING LIKE THOSE WHO SHALL NOT BE NAMED.THIS IS THE ONLY WAY VANITY FAIR IS GOING TO SEE BRAD,HE DID IT FOR AFRICA NOT VF.
Since part of the purchase price of each issue goes to charity - who the flip cares if celebrities are on the cover if it SELLS MORE ISSUES, and thus, gives more to the crises in Africa?
Love that the covers have:
Barack
Ali
Bill & Melinda Gates
Madonna
Bush
Bono
Clooney, et.al.
Any face that will put $$ into saving a child, any magazine that will increase interest, and hopefully, in the various problems that the continent faces is fine by me.
If a nekkid Angelina will do that - fine. If a George Bush will do that, fine. I DON’T CARE! People need to become aware, care and get involved.
sharon, tks for the pics. I realy like it. Angie isn’t in the cover but Brad is. I love BAMZPS.
this isn’t a brad and angelina thread, keep it in the other one.
WOW!!! Iman is still an african goddess!!!
Stunning!!!
There are so many people that have been involved in the African issue for so many years but they’re not on the covers, the people who are on the covers are the people of the day right now, the most popular people of the moment. That’s why they’re on these covers, because people need to see familiar faces in order to react. It’s as simple as that and no need to analyze who is there and why any further.
oalharbourqt | 06/06/2007 at 2:35 am
gena | 06/06/2007 at 3:24 am
Ella_ | 06/06/2007 at 4:00 am
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yeah, where’s angie? like the african tyke zahara is staring at us now — she that stares: where’s mom??? killjoys!
KELLY D kiss your fat aSS
Thanks Just Jared. Those are some stunning covers. Bishop Tutu is a man I greatly admire. I am glad to see diversity on Vanity Fair Covers and celebs representing a great cause.
Hehehe……..Brad AND Oprah in the same magazine….that´s really something.
But where are my Asien-people?
Wait a minute, wait a minute—-George Bush???
Brad, what are you doing?
Teaming up with the devil……but I´ll forgive this.
Oh Heavens….which cover to buy? Which cover to buy? All so beautiful.
I love the idea behind this shoot. It’s so good to see politicians and Artists coming together for a worthy goal. I say more grease to their elbows.
Thanks Jared.
This cover is awesome Jared. Thank you.
You really are the best !!
25 Gross | 06/06/2007 at 4:15 am
Disgusting? Isn’t that a tad dramatic? I’m sorry but I can’t see where the disgust stems from. A bunch of self-serving movies stars?!Well I don’t think it really matters to those people who finally get to drink clean water for the first time in their lives. I highly doubt the children given the chance to go to school will say “Why, i refuse to because these people are a bunch of self-serving movie stars” and I seriously don’t see the mothers who finally get real medications for their deathly ill children saying “Nope, nope their motives are suspect…so i refuse this drug on principle.I mean if we don’t have our principles, we might as well be dead”
In our haste to condemn these stars for trying to do something worthy, we forget those who really matter.
I see Graydon Carter finally figured out a way to get Brad to VOLUNTARILY do another VF cover!
My god all you Brangelina fans are obsessed! Angie is not even anywhere on this. Why was her name even brought up? Because Bradis on here? Why is everyone making this about them? The issue, regardless of whoever is on the cover and trying to get whatever publicity, is AFRICA, as the cover of Vanity Fair obviously states.
Please focus on that issue and let us all do something, anything, we can to make a change in the world for the better. Even if it doesn’t involve Project (Red). Choose your own organization to become involved in. Make the focus on the issues, not the celebrities.
The world does not revolve around Brangelina.
I guess getting Angie to do a cover was a little too obvious, huh?
BTW - Iman? Freaking Goddess! Look at that woman! She’s like 52 years old and still hits that supermodel pose sh#t like she invented it.
#25 Gross–
Any money at all that gets to the people of Africa is great. Many of the people in the poorer countries (which are probably most of them) live on less than $3 a day. Here in the U.S. we think nothing of stopping at Starbucks and plunking down close to $5 for a latte. Or those that smoke spend over $7 a pack. A bag of potato chips costs between $2.99-4.99 these days. We may not like our whatever–political system, but we have the freedom to speak and not be killed or maimed for our opinion–we may not like our education systems, but we have the right, freedom etc. to go to school. Did you know schools in many parts of Africa cost $17/year, but many many parents can’t even afford that? You may not care for these self serving stars from Oprah to Bono to Brad to whoever, but at least they are doing something. The monies raised by these self-serving stars goes to education, clean water, food, freedom and other things we take for granted. My question like that of many–is what has George Bush and Condie Rice done for Africa? Not much and they don’t deserve to be on the cover.
Iman brings up Angelina in her quotes “Africa needs everyone from Angelina to Aunt Gina”
Its good to see Jay-Z is still doing his part.
39 Passing Through | 06/06/2007 at 8:34 am
I see Graydon Carter finally figured out a way to get Brad to VOLUNTARILY do another VF cover!
______________________
heheheheheh
First off, this is not a B&A thread … hags go home! This is would be something great but I cannot get past that Bush is on the cover, I would never buy it!
PS. Just goes to show that BP was involved before the PR Parade entered his life. Due to his PR g/f everything is on display his involved and their private life, he will get very tired of her need to attn. Oh yeah,just b/c you dont like Oprah doesnt mean Brad feels that way … what is wrong with you ppl seriously???
Wow, I kind feel like we’re being spoiled…I love how a lot of my favorite people are on the covers.
Did y’all see George (Clooney) on Leno last night? He was charming as usual and he talked about how everyone had their kids on set during the filming of O13 and how it made a little sad. It’s ok George, you still have your puppy,
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/179/438705015_03aeb0a221.jpg
Oh and your African Goddess aka AG.
WOW amazing covers… I like the mix of figures, from different backgrounds and areas of the ‘celeb’ world (yes, including the political heads). They each have contributed to the effort and the discourse - can you say the same for yourself? ITA with African Girl — the people in Africa who survive day by day in unfathomable conditions need all the attention these famous faces can garner. I would have loved to see Angie on this personally, but just because she isn’t doesnt credit or discredit her, or the others, IMO.
JJ - i think someone asked already - are they sold separately or is it a fold out? Fold out would be SWEET.
(and ps- please let’s not turn this into another Brangelina thread?? go back to your forums! like Brad said, just look at the pretty pics and keep movin’ lol)
greetings from Holland,
I just don’t believe this, Angelina is not on the cover, I have her book, from 6-7 years ago, that what her done straigt to the field, and now not mention about what’s she done, now i know which is people with moral and dignity, if this is pure for Africa, i salute 100 %, but if only publicity, because before these people involed with this program, believe me Angelina has done first or before, Are’t they saw the last pics of Angelina in Darfur, when she hold a dirty and stink boy without underwear and chain on his feet, God forbid that picture, who Angelina was and is, my advice just buy the books of Angelina rather this mags, i feel something personal jealous for this woman, her books so much facination and get ready for cry alot, oh God i don’t believe this, sorry guys, i am just dissapoint….
Ha! thanks JJ. Now you could put up the cover of Parade magazine with Angelina on it. The covers look great and it’s wonderful that grownups can put aside pettiness for a good cause. Well done Bono & Graydon Carter. Maybe these stories and covers will help motivate some young people to try to help the less fortunate both here and abroad.
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