Buzz
The New Yorker Covers are artistic illustrations or paintings that appear on the front of The New Yorker, a prestigious American magazine established in 1925. Known for its in-depth articles on popular culture, social issues, and short fiction, the magazine is highly regarded for its meticulous fact-checking. Its covers, often humorous and topical, are iconic. However, some proposed covers have been deemed too controversial, insensitive, or offensive to publish. Below are ten such rejected covers, featured in the intriguing book Blown Covers.
10. Mayor Giuliani
In 1997, Haitian immigrant Abner Louima was brutally assaulted and raped by white police officers. Mayor Giuliani faced criticism for his reluctance to investigate the case, leading to accusations of bias. This banned cover, illustrated by Harry Bliss, subtly captures the mayor's perceived prejudice.
9. Health Care
Following the introduction of Obama’s health reforms, The New Yorker published an article discussing the new bill. This illustration depicts a Democrat examining the health of hesitant Republicans. The cover was ultimately rejected, along with an even more provocative image showing a donkey about to perform a rectal exam on an elephant. Illustrated by Lou Romano.
8. Women Terrorists
Around 2002, female suicide bombers emerged, exploiting privacy regulations. The New Yorker planned to feature an article on this topic. However, this image was dismissed due to concerns that it might offend peaceful Muslim women. Illustrated by Barry Blitt.
7. Teen Pregnancy
The issue of teen pregnancy, frequently in the news at the time, was under intense scrutiny. This cover was rejected for being overly controversial. The artist later expressed regret for creating this triptych of pregnant women and children. Illustrated by Art Spiegelman.
6. Sarah Palin
As anti-Palin sentiment reached its peak, The New Yorker was flooded with unflattering illustrations of her. This humorous depiction shows Sarah relying on a cheat sheet scribbled on her hand to recall how to perform her duties. Illustrated by John Cuneo.
5. Fat Nation
Alongside the above image, another contender for the issue on Obesity in America featured a starving black child receiving chocolate bars from a white man on Halloween. Mark Ulriksen’s painting portrays overweight Americans precariously balancing on a high-wire, surrounded by fast food reminiscent of McDonald’s.
4. Michael
Michael Jackson had been suggested as a cover subject before, but this particular illustration, linking Christmas to the allegations of misconduct against him, was deemed inappropriate. Ultimately, the magazine decided against using it. Illustrated by Barry Blitt.
3. The Priest
With a significant Catholic population in the United States, this seemingly harmless depiction of a priest with a group of young boys was considered too controversial to publish. Created during the peak of revelations about priests sexually abusing children, Barry Blitt also submitted a sketch of the Pope striking a Marilyn Monroe pose, attempting to hold down his cassock over a New York City grate.
2. Smoking Girl
Art Spiegelman, who also illustrated item 7, later regretted creating this image, though more for its design than its offensiveness. He remarked, “I once drew a cattle car headed to Auschwitz: One man was on his cell phone, annoying everyone. […] Sometimes it’s good to clear the air.”
1. Abu Ghraib
Numerous cover ideas were proposed for the Abu Ghraib torture issue. This particular design draws inspiration from medieval torture, with figures on the sides, while the central focus shows US military personnel waterboarding a detainee. The composition was influenced by the classical painting “Deposition of Christ,” which the New Yorker editors felt crossed a line. Illustrated by Richard McGuire.
