New York magazine shocked readers this week with a provocative cover showing both presidential candidates standing on a scale wearing only their underwear.
The issue itself was dedicated to health, not just that of the candidates, with articles and commentaries on mammograms and the latest advances in the treatment of brain cancer.
But the cover The image using AI eclipsed everything.
This has sparked a national backlash, with many calling it “extremely disrespectful”, “unnecessary” and “rude”.
The issue itself was dedicated to health with articles and commentaries on mammograms and the latest advances in brain cancer treatment. But the AI-generated image stole the show.
Others were baffled by the fact that such a “ridiculous” (in terms of the public) cover was accepted by the magazine’s management.
One said: ‘Was there no one else in the room when this was approved or was everyone in there taking bath salts?’
While another posted on the magazine’s Instagram page: “Why was this cover approved? How bad were the other options?”
The image itself shows President Biden, 81, and former President Trump, 78, standing on a scale as if they were in a doctor’s office for a checkup.
New York magazine executive editor Genevieve Smith said of the cover: “We had already been thinking about how to address the fact that this health issue would come up in the middle of the presidential campaign, when the presidential debate put the candidates’ health and age at the center of the national conversation.”
While the health of candidates is of vital interest to voters, the public expressed that a photo like this was far from justified.
In the words of one commentator: “Displaying potential world leaders (whether Ai or not) in their underwear is outrageous, unless this is a botched Emperor’s New Clothes analogy.”
Another put it more succinctly: “We didn’t ask for this.”