This is a truly magical time of year. With the Writer's Strike nearing and end (fingers crossed,) it seems that The Academy Awards have been handed a stay of execution which means there will be much ink and space given to pretty skinny people in expensive clothes. Really, The Oscars are like The Superbowl for me and even though I haven't seen any of the nominees, I have definite opinions about who deserves to win.
Another thing that lands with a loud plop at the newsstand this month is Vanity Fair's annual Hollywood Issue. A barrage of the same old faces shot by the same old photographer, it hasn't been interesting for years yet I still have to see it for myself. I can't help it.
Part of the fun is trying to guess who will land in the "black" spot of the cover each year. For the uninitiated, the "black spot" is the space grudging given to a black actor of actress on one of the non-cover fold out spaces. Chris Rock appeared on the cover of the Hollywood issue once but I can't recall another person of African descent making the fold.
This year's winner is the lovely Zoe Saldana and what a striking image she cuts. Dead center on the fully folded out cover wearing a old school glamazon Dior bathing suit. All the reclining actresses around her stading figure seem to fade into the background. The contrast between her skin and the bathing suit really draws one's eye to her figure and she almost appears to be on display for the bored vacant eyes around her. Interesting choice to say the least.
So yes, I will trudge down to the bookstore and flip through this issue from cover to cover but is it really worth buying? Who knows. My guess is that there will also be a pic of Will Smith or Don Cheadle and maybe a Ruby Dee to round things out but I don't think I'll be leaving the store with this one tucked under my arm.