Larry Flynt’s Hustler sticks it to the Republican Party with new porn parody

Smut peddler and First Amendment champion Larry Flynt has no love for the conservative wing of the Republican Party.
His Hustler porn studio frequently targets politicians in its movies, but seems to go after family values-preaching Republicans with extra vigor.
Hustler has done six Sarah Palin porn parodies vs. two Barack Obama porn parodies to date.
Last May, Flynt endorsed Hillary Clinton for president.
Less than a week before the Iowa caucuses, the first electoral event of the presidential campaign, Hustler released “Republican Candidate Wife Swap.” (The Iowa caucuses are Monday.)
The porn movie features portrayals of Republican politicians Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Jeb Bush, Chris Christie and Rick Santorum, as well as Fox News talker Megyn Kelly.
The movie comes with the following disclaimer: “This is a parody movie featuring a fantasized version of certain political figures and celebrities, and should not be taken seriously.”
The actors likely don’t spend much time discussing the issues of importance in the 2016 presidential race.

Is there a porn app for that?

Ever since the launch of the first video cassette recorders, the adult entertainment industry has stayed on the cutting edge of consumer technology.
The VCR allowed consumers (ok, men) to watch porn at home instead of going to a XXX movie theater or adult bookstore. It created a boom in the porn industry and helped to spur adoption of home video more broadly.
The porn industry also gets credit for jump-starting the commercial Internet by providing a killer app for going online: dirty pictures and videos. And it pioneered in e-commerce by taking online payments.
Earlier this month in Las Vegas at the CES trade show, still known to many by its old name the Consumer Electronics Show, virtual reality was a huge topic of interest. Commercial headsets from Samsung, Oculus, Sony and HTC are just starting to hit the market.
While Hollywood tries to decide what kind of content to make for VR goggles, at least one major adult studio, Naughty America, is already making VR porn. It was at CES demonstrating its VR offerings at a hotel near the convention.
It’s a running joke in the consumer electronics industry that when a new technology emerges the porn industry will be one of the early adopters. New technology? What’s the porn app for that?
That was the case with high-definition video, 3D video and now 4K ultra high definition video. It also was true with apps and online video streaming for smartphones and tablets.
Late-night TBS talk-show “Conan” even made fun of the pornification of technology in a comedy sketch. In a parody of ABC’s “Shark Tank,” the judges are only interested in whether they can have sex with the product.
For a history of how adult entertainment has shaped the technology industry and vice versa, check out “5 Ways Porn Created the Modern World” by Cracked, “8 Ways Porn Influenced Technology” by Thrillist, and “In the tech world, porn quietly leads the way” by CNN.
Let’s look at some recent technologies and see if there are porn applications for them.

Virtual reality

Before the first true virtual-reality goggles even hit the market, adult movie studios were making VR porn for do-it-yourself Google Cardboard smartphone headsets. They ramped up their efforts after Samsung’s smartphone-based, Oculus-powered Gear VR hit the market.
Up next are high-definition virtual reality goggles from Sony, HTC and Facebook-owned Oculus.
Prominent virtual reality porn providers include Naughty America and BaDoink. (See article at Investors.com)

Google Glass

When Google Glass was seen as the next big thing, some porn makers rushed to be the first to shoot video with the smart eyewear. Google Glass provides a small eye-level display and a forward-looking camera.
In July 2013, adult film actors James Deen and Andy San Dimas filmed a point-of-view porn movie using Google Glass for MiKandi and XBiz. (See article by XBiz.)

3D printing

When consumer 3D printers arrived on the scene, people wondered what anyone would want to make with them.
Well, the sex products industry came up with an answer: 3D-printed dildos and other sex toys.
(See article by XBiz.)

Drones

When small unmanned aerial systems, aka drones, started to become popular as flying cameras, Brooklyn film studio Ghost + Cow Films shot what it said was the world’s first drone porn. The movie, called “Drone Boning,” was released in November 2014.
(See articles by The Cut and AVN.)

Wearables

Wearable devices like fitness trackers (Fitbit) and smartwatches (Apple Watch) are becoming a big new category of consumer electronics.
Of course, some entrepreneurs see wearable devices as a way to track sexual activity and performance.
Spanish smartphone maker Geeksphone last year came out with a fitness tracker bracelet called GeeksMe, which includes a sex tracker. (See article by TechCrunch.)
And a firm called Lovely launched an unsuccessful crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo to make a smart sex toy designed to worn at the base of the penis during sex. It tracks performance and provides additional stimulation through vibration. (See article by the Huffington Post.)

Snapchat

When messaging app Snapchat introduced a feature called Snapcash, porn found an application for it. Snapcash allows people to send money using payments service Square.
“Strippers and porn stars have started to use Snapchat to send videos and photos of themselves naked for a small fee,” New York Times writer Nick Bilton said in a Feb. 25, 2015, article. “Some transactions are as inexpensive as $1 to $5 for a few personalized photos. The prices can reach double digits for personalized sex shows.”
In the world of social media, porn stars also have found a home on Twitter and Tumblr.
And in terms of payments, online porn companies were early adopters of the cryptocurrency bitcoin.

Robotics

Some erotic product companies want to take virtual reality to the next level by adding a physical stimulation component to the visual one.
Masturbatory aid purveyors are making robotic sleeves than that imitate the sensation of oral, vaginal and anal sex for men.
(See articles by XBiz, the Huffington Post, AVN and BuzzFeed.)
Can humanoid sex robots be far behind?

Photos: Promotional art for Naughty America’s VR videos; Conan O’Brien jokes about drone porn.

A record 12 post-apocalyptic TV series currently airing

A record 12 post-apocalyptic themed TV series are currently airing on U.S. television networks. And it could soon be 13.
A good argument could be made that pop culture mirrors the present collective mindset of the populace. People have a pretty gloomy take on the world right now. The global economy is sputtering, the Middle East is war torn, Europe is being flooded with refugees, and the U.S. is mired in political conflict.
Since President Barack Obama took office in January 2009, 19 post-apocalyptic TV shows have premiered. (It’s 20 if you count “You, Me and the Apocalypse,” which premieres Thursday on NBC. That show begins with a pre-apocalyptic scenario that could go post-apocalyptic.)
During the two terms of his predecessor, President George W. Bush, two post-apocalyptic shows premiered in the U.S.
The popularity of such end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it type shows brings out the dime store psychiatrist in me.
Maybe it’s cathartic to watch characters surviving under the worst situations imaginable. Viewers can always tell themselves that at least they’re not THAT bad off.
Apocalyptic events in TV shows currently airing include zombie uprisings (“The Walking Dead,” “Fear the Walking Dead” and “Z Nation”), alien invasion (“Colony”), biblical rapture (“The Leftovers”), viral pandemics (“The Last Ship,” “The Last Man on Earth” and “12 Monkeys”), animal uprising (“Zoo”), and war (“The 100,” “Into the Badlands” and “The Shannara Chronicles.”)
“You, Me and the Apocalypse” will bring a seventh apocalyptic scenario. The comedy takes place in the last days of mankind as a comet is on a collision course with Earth.
Is that comet a metaphor for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton becoming the next president of the United States?

Photos: Promotional artwork for season three of “The 100,” the midseason premiere of season six of “The Walking Dead,” and the premiere of “You, Me and Apocalypse.” 

2016 predictions: From politics to entertainment

The year 2016 has just gotten started. But one thing that’s basically finished is making year-ahead predictions.
Here’s a roundup of the 11 articles I did on the subject for Tech-media-tainment.

Ballsy tech industry predictions for 2016 (Dec. 31, 2015)

A year from now Hillary Clinton could be president-elect or in jail (Dec. 31, 2015)

Fingers crossed for Alzheimer’s breakthrough in 2016 (Dec. 31, 2015)

Hit “Star Wars” movie could lead to popular baby names (Jan. 1, 2016)

Entertainment predictions: Final season for ‘Walking Dead’ announced and more (Jan. 1, 2016)

Top 20 celebrities predicted to die in 2016 (Jan. 1, 2016)

2016: The year we drink our meals (Jan. 2, 2016)

Psychic predictions for 2016: celebrity breakups, babies and deaths (Jan. 2, 2016)

Late predictions for 2016: Obama becomes a dictator, Europe overrun with terrorists (Jan. 23, 2016)

Cuba the hot travel destination for 2016 (Jan. 24, 2016)

Marijuana legalization movement seen growing like a weed in 2016 (Jan. 25, 2016)

Photos: Mad magazine covers featuring 2016 presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

Marijuana legalization movement seen growing like a weed in 2016

The marijuana legalization movement is expected to pick up steam in 2016.
Forbes contributor Debra Borchardt says 2016 will be a “big year” for legal marijuana.
“2015 was a pretty amazing year for progress in the legalization of marijuana. Four states and the District of Columbia legalized recreational marijuana, many states decriminalized it and several more states approved medical marijuana. But for all the advances made in 2015, the year was just a run up to 2016, when the presidential election is expected to be accompanied by a ramp up in legalization,” she said.
Fortune predicted last month that six more states will legalization weed in 2016.
“Initiatives to land marijuana legalization on 2016 ballots are well underway in Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Nevada, while a handful of other states could also put legalization to a vote,” Fortune.com writer Tom Huddleston Jr. wrote.
They hope to join Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington state and D.C., which have already legalized marijuana.
Leafly, an online cannabis information resource, said Nevada is almost a sure bet to legalize weed this year. It also said the odds favor legalization in California and Maine because of their strong medical marijuana programs.
Based on T-shirts and knick-knacks I saw for sale in Las Vegas earlier this month, I’d say businesses there are generally in favor of legalizing cannabis. And hotels like the Excalibur are making sure non-smoking rooms also prohibit pot smoking.

Photos from gift shop and non-smoking hotel room at the Excalibur Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas in January. (Photos by Patrick Seitz)

Cuba the hot travel destination for 2016

Several travel and market research firms have pointed to Cuba as one of the hottest tourist destinations of 2016.
“Since the December 2014 announcement that the United States and Cuba had agreed to restore diplomatic ties, travelers have been rushing to see the last of the old Cuba even as brands are competing to be the first in,” research firm J. Walter Thompson Intelligence said in its year-ahead report.
Airbnb, American Airlines, Delta and JetBlue are among the travel firms fighting for tourist dollars in the newly open market.
“Cuba’s tourism market is set to take off, and a full repeal of the U.S. economic embargo – an idea that seems to be gaining steam – would have far-reaching effects,” JWT Intelligence said. CheapFlights.com listed Cuba among its top five hot destinations for 2016.
“Tourist travel to Cuba is still officially banned, but the reestablishment of diplomatic relations in early 2015 has cracked open the door for visitors. And signs point to more and more of an infrastructure for Americans to gain access to Cuba,” CheapFlights.com writer Emily Fisher said. “There has already been a notable upswing in Americans traveling to Cuba and, as travel to and within the country gets easier, interest will grow even faster.”
Global travel search engine Skyscanner listed Cuba as its No. 2 destination for 2016, behind Ponta Delgada, the Azores.
“After years in the cold, Cuba is back on the world stage as the U.S. restored diplomatic relations with the country in July and continues to loosen restrictions on trade,” Skyscanner said. “If more restrictions are lifted we may see flights from the U.S. and the arrival of U.S. hotel chains opening in Cuba in 2016.”
Many people want to experience Cuba before it changes from the influx of foreign brands and financing.
“Having been shut off for so long, Cuba is trapped in a time warp, with crumbing colonial buildings and 1950s cars. It is like nowhere else on earth,” Skyscanner said.
One question I have about Cuba is: When will we see the first Major League Baseball team based in Cuba? That might take a while, but I’d expect to see a AAA minor league franchise in no time.
In December, the MLB asked U.S. government for special permission to sign players in Cuba, Reuters reported.

Late predictions for 2016: Obama becomes a dictator, Europe overrun with terrorists

For a day or two around New Year’s Day I published a host of 2016 predictions curated from around the World Wide Web.
Unfortunately, some prognosticators didn’t stick to that timetable and posted their predictions for the year ahead after 2016 had already started.
What follows are some of those late predictions for 2016.

Barack Obama will be the last president of the United States

A blind psychic from Bulgaria who died in 1996 allegedly predicted dire events for the U.S. and Europe for 2016.
Baba Vanga, known as the “Nostradamus from the Balkans,” reportedly said the 44th president of the U.S. would be an African American and that he would be the last president the country ever had.
This prediction could mean that President Barack Obama “will attempt to usher in a New World Order by oppression and indoctrination, followed by tyranny and a complete takeover of the nation,” conservative blog Mad World News said in a Jan. 4 article. “Not only that, but many believe Obama will institute martial law to cancel the elections and stay in power, which would be unprecedented and likely cause a violent insurrection.”
As for Europe, Vanga reportedly said the continent would be overrun by Muslim terrorists this year.

Tough presidential race ahead for the Republicans

Republican political consultant Karl Rove made his 2016 predictions on Jan. 6 in an article in the Wall Street Journal.
He predicted that the GOP will hold its first multi-ballot convention since 1948. At least two ballots will be needed to pick a Republican presidential nominee.
If Donald Trump gets the nomination, the GOP will lose the race, he said. If Ted Cruz gets the nod, his chances are “dicey.” But if “any of the other major (Republican) candidates” is nominated, he or she will beat Hillary Clinton in a close race.

Big growth ahead for e-sports

Many are predicting e-sports to be the next big professional sport. Competitive video gaming already has 100 million engaged fans, says investment bank Jefferies.
“E-sports has exploded in popularity due to the emergence of connected gaming platforms like Twitch, which has audiences larger than many cable networks,” Jefferies said in a Sept. 17 report. “More people watched League of Legends finals than NBA Finals Game 7.”
Jefferies included e-sports in its Jan. 13 year-ahead predictions.
Here’s a good question: When will Sports Illustrated devote its first cover to an e-sports player?

Some mega-unicorns to go public this year

RBC Capital Markets on Jan. 12 made its predictions for the Internet sector in 2016.
In its “Top 10 Internet Surprises for 2016,” RBC made a list of potential “surprise” events in the year-ahead. It defines surprise events as those that the average Internet investor would find highly improbable, but that RBC thinks has a reasonable chance (30%+) of occurring.
Those predictions include:

• Some mega-unicorns will go public in 2016 instead of waiting until 2017 or later, which is the prevailing wisdom. Those high-value private companies include Uber, Airbnb, Spotify, Snapchat, Dropbox, Pinterest and Lyft.
• Facebook will enter China.
• Twitter’s monthly active users will decline.
• Yahoo!’s fundamentals improve and Marissa Mayer remains CEO.
• Yelp gets acquired.

Media industry mergers and acquisitions

BTIG analyst Rich Greenfield posted his top 16 media industry predictions for 2016 on Jan. 4.
Among his predictions:

• Comcast bids for T-Mobile.
• Lionsgate acquires Starz and sells Epix.
• Amazon creates a standalone streaming video service.
• Comcast launches an over-the-top Internet TV service.
• Biggest movie of the year: “Finding Dory.”
• Biggest movie flop of the year: “Independence Day: Resurgence.”

Big changes at Yahoo

S&P Capital IQ analyst Scott Kessler released his 16 predictions for the Internet sector for 2016 at the start of the year.
Among his predictions:

• Yahoo will announce a CEO change.
• Yahoo also will announce a major M&A transaction worth more than $1 billion (perhaps involving the sale of an important asset or business).
• Alphabet will start disclosing YouTube revenues.
• Akamai is announced as an M&A target for a larger company looking to get strategically stronger and take share in “the cloud.”

Artwork: Illustration of President Barack Obama as a dictator from TeaParty.org.

The best magazine covers of 2015 in review

My analysis of magazine covers from 2015 is complete.
I wrote four articles this month that looked at the most controversial and significant magazine covers and issues of the past year. I also looked at celebrity nude covers and the popularity of Rihanna as a cover model.
Here is a rundown of those stories:

Top 20 naked celebrity magazine covers of 2015 (Jan. 17, 2016)

The 20 most controversial magazine covers of 2015 (Jan. 18, 2016)

The 20 most significant magazine covers of 2015 (Jan. 20, 2016)

Why is Rihanna on so many magazine covers? (Jan. 21, 2016)

Photos: Pop star and fashion icon Rihanna in the jaws of a great white shark on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar (top); all 24 covers of Sports Illustrated celebrating the U.S. women’s World Cup victory.

Why is Rihanna on so many magazine covers?

It’s not your imagination – pop star Rihanna is on a lot of magazine covers.
And for good reason – the issues on which she graces the cover sell well. Simple as that.
In 2015, the Bajan beauty was on the cover of Vanity Fair, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, V Magazine, Dior Magazine, Fader, NME and T - The New York Times Style Magazine, among others.
(See articles by WWD, Bustle, MTV and Fortune.)
For up-to-date news on Rihanna magazine covers, check out Haus of Rihanna and Famous Fix.

The 20 most significant magazine covers of 2015

Some prominent magazine covers last year were as notable for their subject matter as their design.
After running down the 20 most controversial magazine covers and the top 20 naked celebrity magazine covers of the year, it’s time to consider the most significant magazine covers of the year.

Sports Illustrated; July 20, 2015

Sports Illustrated had a field day making covers for the U.S. women’s soccer team winning the 2015 World Cup.
First, it made a stunning digital cover with the team celebrating with the trophy.
Then, it created 24 covers for the print magazine: one cover for each of the 23 players and their coach.
(See articles by Sports Illustrated, the Daily Mail and the Huffington Post.)

Charlie Hebdo, January 2015

French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo courageously illustrated the Prophet Muhammad on the first cover of its publication after a terrorist attack on its offices.
The cover showed a crying Muhammad holding a sign reading “Je Suis Charlie,” the viral refrain of support for the staff of Charlie Hebdo.
On Jan. 7, 2015, two Islamic terrorists killed 12 people and injured 11 others at the offices of Charlie Hebdo in Paris. Witnesses said the attackers yelled, “We have avenged the prophet.”
Some Muslims believe any depiction of the Prophet Muhammad is blasphemous, and Charlie Hebdo has published multiple satirical depictions of the prophet in the past.
Many U.S. news media refused to run a photo of the cover for fear of angering Muslims.
(See articles by Reason, the Boston Globe, the Verge and a follow-up article by Reason.)

Time; April 20, 2015

Time magazine earned kudos for its April 20, 2015, issue with a cover story on the implications of the fatal shooting of African-American man Walter Scott by Charleston, South Carolina, police officer Michael Slager.
(See article by the Huffington Post.)

Time; May 11, 2015

A few weeks later, Time magazine earned similar praise for its dramatic cover spotlighting the Baltimore riots after the death of Freddie Gray at the hands of police officers.
(See articles by the Huffington Post and Time.)

National Geographic, November 2015

National Geographic raised the temperature on the global warming debate by devoting an entire issue to the subject.
National Geographic’s “Climate Issue” has been nominated for an Ellie Award by the American Society of Magazine Editors. The 2016 National Magazine Awards for Print and Digital Media will be awarded on Feb. 1.
(See articles by National Geographic and ASME.)

Bloomberg Businessweek; June 15-28, 2015

Also nominated for a 2016 Ellie Award is Bloomberg Businessweek for its single-topic issue entitled “Code: An Essay.”
Bloomberg devoted its entire issue to the topic of software engineering.
(See articles by Bloomberg, the Huffington Post and another piece by HuffPo.)

Newsweek; Jan. 2-9, 2015

Newsweek had a bestseller on its hands with its cover story on the Bible. “So Misunderstood It’s a Sin,” the subhead said.
(See articles by Newsweek and CNN Money.)

Time; Dec. 21, 2015

Time magazine picked German Chancellor Angela Merkel its 2015 “Person of the Year.”
It faced the usual criticism for not picking someone controversial. (In years past, it has overlooked Edward Snowden, Osama bin Laden and others.)
(See articles by Reuters and Reason.)

Sports Illustrated; Dec. 21, 2015

Sports Illustrated picked tennis great Serena Williams as its 2015 Sportsperson of the Year.
(See articles by Sports Illustrated and the Daily Mail.)

Vogue, September 2015

Beyonce nabbed the cover of Vogue’s September issue, the fashion magazine’s most important issue of the year. She is just the third black woman, after Naomi Campbell and Halle Berry, to appear alone on the September issue cover.
(See article by the Huffington Post and a follow-up piece by HuffPo.)

Maxim, June and July 2015

Men’s magazine Maxim dumped its traditional Hot 100 list of sexy women and chose singer Taylor Swift as No. 1 on its reinvented Hot List.
The magazine wanted to “redefine what hot means,” according to editor-in-chief Kate Lanphear. Swift was chosen as much for her accomplishments as her good looks.
(See articles by WWD, the Huffington Post and Entertainment Weekly.)

Forbes; July 20, 2015

Singer Katy Perry was named the top-earning female celebrity of the year by Forbes magazine and earned a cover photo.
(See article by the Daily Mail.)

Sports Illustrated; June 15, 2015

Sports Illustrated commemorated the Triple Crown victory of racehorse American Pharoah with a dramatic cover photo.
(See article by Sports Illustrated and a critique by the Huffington Post.)

The New Yorker; June 22, 2015

The June 22, 2015, cover of the New Yorker magazine sparked a debate about kids spending too much time in front of computer screens.
(See article by the Huffington Post.)

The New Yorker; Sept. 14, 2015

The Sept. 14, 2015, cover of the New Yorker poked fun at rapper Kanye West and his stated plans to run for the presidency in 2020.
(See article by the Huffington Post.)

New York; Oct. 5-18, 2015

New York magazine turned a critical eye toward the state of Times Square in its Oct. 5-18, 2015, issue. Its racy cover was a parody of the famous Alfred Eisenstaedt photo of a U.S. sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square on V-J Day.
(See articles by New York magazine and Cover Junkie.)

Maxim, September 2015

Actor Idris Elba became the first ever male to appear solo on the cover of Maxim magazine with the September 2015 issue.
Maxim is trying to reinvent itself as it and other lad mags struggle.
(See article by the Daily Mail.)

Zoo, December 2015

British lad mag Zoo published its final print issue in December. The cover series featured the magazine’s usual array of beautiful busty women. Zoo’s end followed the demise of other lad mags, including Loaded, Nuts and FHM.
(See articles by the Daily Mail, the Guardian and the Telegraph.)

Details, December 2015

Conde Nast printed its final issue of men’s magazine Details in December with actor Eddie Redmayne on the cover.
(See articles by the Daily Mail and the Wall Street Journal.)

Oh My Vlog! July 22-Aug. 18, 2015

The premiere issue of Oh My Vlog! magazine was roundly criticized online. The new publication focuses on the superficial world of video bloggers, a new class of celebrities primarily on YouTube.
(See articles by the Huffington Post, Wired and Glamour.)

The 20 most controversial magazine covers of 2015

Last year, I wrote about “the 20 most talked-about magazine covers of 2014 (that didn’t feature nudity).”
That article was a mix of controversial covers and significant news-making issues.
This year, I’m splitting that list into two posts: one about the most controversial magazine covers of 2015 and one about the most significant magazine issues of 2015.
I’ll start with the most controversial magazine covers of last year.

InTouch; Jan. 26, 2015

InTouch magazine caused a firestorm when it created a cover that showed what Olympian Bruce Jenner might look like as a woman. At the time, Jenner was rumored to be undergoing a sex change. Ultimately he saved his big reveal for Vanity Fair magazine and a prime-time special on ABC.
(See articles by the Washington Post, the New York Daily News, and ET Online.)

Vanity Fair, July 2015

Bruce Jenner emerged as Caitlyn Jenner on the cover of Vanity Fair’s July 2015 issue.
The cover was revealed on June 1.
(See articles by the New York Times, Huffington Post, the Daily Mail and the Hollywood Reporter.)

Cosmopolitan UK, February 2015

To raise awareness about the injustice of honor killings, Cosmopolitan UK created a shocking cover for its February 2015 issue that shows a woman suffocating in plastic.
The cover references the horrific 2004 honor killing of 17-year-old British Pakistani woman Shafilea Ahmed by her Muslim parents, after she refused an arranged marriage.
(See articles by Adweek, Business Insider and Design Taxi.)

Maxim Korea, September 2015

Maxim’s Korean edition caused a stir with its September 2015 issue. It featured actor Byeong-ok Kim smoking a cigarette next to a car along with the headline “The Real Bad Guy.” Sticking out of the car’s trunk are a woman’s bare and bound legs.
Many condemned the cover and inside pictorial as sexualizing violence against women.
(See article by the Huffington Post.)

New York; July 27-Aug. 9, 2015

New York magazine featured 35 of the women accusing comedian Bill Cosby of sexual assault on its July 27-Aug. 9, 2015, cover.
(See articles by the Huffington Post, Entertainment Weekly, and the Daily Mail.)

Ebony, November 2015

Ebony magazine featured a shattered portrait of Bill Cosby’s TV family on its cover. The magazine looked at the impact of Cosby’s alleged crimes on African American popular culture.
(See article by the Daily Mail.)

Newsweek; Feb. 6, 2015

Newsweek sparked outrage with its cover showing a woman whose skirt is being lifted by a computer cursor. The illustration was for the magazine’s article “What Silicon Valley Thinks of Women.” (See articles by TechCrunch, Huffington Post and another piece by HuffPo.)

Sports Illustrated, Winter 2015

Sports Illustrated got pulses racing with the cover of its 2015 Swimsuit Issue. Some felt model Hannah Davis revealed a little too much as she was pulling down her bikini bottom in the photo.
(See articles by Inquisitr and the Daily Mail.)

Complex, August-September 2015

Reality TV star Khloe Kardashian got people talking with her cover shot on the August-September 2015 issue of Complex magazine. The photo showed off her big booty.
(See three articles by the Daily Mail: one, two and three.)

Rolling Stone; July 16-30, 2015

Rolling Stone got in hot water for putting reality TV star Kim Kardashian (Khloe’s sister) on its July 16-30 cover, instead of a music artist.
Kardashian wore a sea captain’s cap and a nautical striped top that displayed her overflowing bosom. The photo looked like a joke about motor-boating.
Rolling Stone was criticized for its cover choice by singer Sinead O’Connor and the editor of Rolling Stone’s Australian edition.

Interview, Dec. 2015-Jan. 2016

Kylie Jenner, half-sister of Kim and Khloe Kardashian, stoked her own controversy with the Dec.-Jan. cover of Interview magazine.
Able-bodied Jenner posed in a wheelchair for a fashion shoot for the magazine.
(See articles by the Daily Mail and the Huffington Post.)

InStyle, March 2015

InStyle magazine came under fire for its March 2015 cover photo for allegedly lightening the skin color of African American actress Kerry Washington.
(See articles by the Huffington Post, Access Hollywood and Starpulse.)

Education Next, Spring 2015

Conservative-leaning journal Education Next created a stir with the cover of its spring issue, which features an African-American family with a mother holding a baby and a fading image of the father.
(See article by Education Week.)

Philadelphia, October 2015

Philadelphia magazine was criticized for showing a striking lack of diversity on the cover for its education issue in October 2015.
About 52% of the students in Philadelphia’s schools are black, but none of the seven kids on the cover were African American. (Five were white, one Latino and one South Asian.)
(See articles by the Washington Post, the Huffington Post and Philadelphia City Paper.)

Mpls. St. Paul, March 2015

Mpls. St. Paul magazine was called sexist for featuring 15 male chefs and no female chefs on its March 2015 cover about the region’s best restaurants.
(See articles by JimRomenesko.com and Mpls. St. Paul magazine.)

Time; March 23, 2015

Time magazine was accused of putting devil horns on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton for the cover of its March 23, 2015, issue.
However, Time magazine says it’s faced the horns controversy many times before because of the shape and placement of its nameplate.
(See article by the Huffington Post.)

Maclean’s; Nov. 16, 2015

Canadian magazine Maclean’s took flak for its Nov. 16, 2015, issue and its sympathetic portrayal of a convicted terrorist.
(See article by the Daily Mail.)

Flare, March 2015

Canadian fashion magazine Flare featured five make-up free, unretouched models on its March 2015 cover.
(See article by the Daily Mail.)

GQ, August 2015

Comedian Amy Schumer upset the Walt Disney Co. and some fans with her GQ parody cover which featured her getting frisky with C-3PO and other Star Wars characters.
(See articles by the Daily Mail and Entertainment Weekly.)

Time, Aug. 17, 2015

Time magazine became the butt of a thousand jokes after it released the cover to its Aug. 17, 2015, issue. It featured cover boy Palmer Luckey, inventor of Oculus Rift, prancing midair while wearing his virtual reality goggles.
The Time cover was ridiculed online and quickly became an Internet meme. Even Time joined in on the fun.
(See articles by the Huffington Post and Time.)