The Rittenhouse Review

A Philadelphia Journal of Politics, Finance, Ethics, and Culture


Wednesday, October 02, 2002  

VANITY FAIR TAKES ON AUGUSTA NATIONAL
Heavy-Handed Photographer Preparing for Intimate Sessions

I just heard through the grapevine that Vanity Fair is planning to jump on the release of the membership roll of the Augusta National Golf Club with a special feature in one of the oh-so-glossy magazine’s upcoming issues.

As I understand it, VF has opted against a thoughtful textual treatment of the controversy surrounding the club’s all-male membership -- a spat that has both the National Council of Women's Organizations and the United Daughters of the Confederacy up in arms -- in favor of a collection of never-before-seen photographs.

A rate card for the issue is being prepared as we speak. I have heard a rough draft of the card reads, in part:

AUGUSTA NATIONAL MEMBERS EXPOSED!
38 Pages of Photographs by Annie Liebovitz!
Introductory Essay by Susan Sontag.

Special Insertion Rates Apply.
Favorable Editorial Content Positions Available.
Invitations to Issue Party Are Restricted.
No Fractionals!

Please Call Your Condé Nast Salesperson.

Word has it that while Annie Liebovitz will rely largely on her tired-and-true group-shot format -- Ooh! Aah! So many rich people! All in the same room! -- some of the photographs will feature black-and-white or sepia-toned nudes or partial nudes of America’s top CEOs.

Reportedly, Liebovitz and her subjects are comfortable with the prospect of nude poses. “I’ve been sucking up to Graydon Carter, Tina Brown, and all of these head honchos for years,” Liebovitz says. “Hell, I already have ‘woo-woo’ shots of half of these guys. This is easy money, but I will not let it compromise what’s left of my artistic integrity.”

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