Another possibility is Melania Trump, who turns 49 on April 26. If People wanted to feature her on the cover, which they haven't done since the 2016 campaign, a story about her life as the first lady, the "challenges" that come with being married to Donald and how she stays "forever young" at 49, could happen this week. (Yes, that's snark. People has previously described two famous women, Jennifer Lopez and Julia Roberts, as staying forever young at age 49; read my thoughts about that here.)
I've pointed out here many times that People is ignoring Melania and I admit I continue to wonder why that's so. Given that the primary purpose of the cover story each week is to drive single-issue sales at grocery stores, airports and newsstands, do the editors just not think Melania's face on the cover would sell magazines? I would say she's just as intriguing, for better or worse, as Reba McEntire's new relationship, Joanna Gaines' 5th baby and Dax Shepard & Kristen Bell's marriage, all of which have been featured as the main cover story recently. Is it really a business decision or is there a political undertone as well? It's possible they've reached out to Mrs. Trump for an interview and been told no, but they could still run a "write-around" article with quotes from "friends," "sources" and "Melania insiders." I'm sure there are many, many sources out there who would be happy to dish about Donald's wife.
For what it's worth, unlike previous first ladies Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama, Melania also hasn't been featured on the cover of Vogue. In an interview with CNN, quoted by Jezebel, editor-in-chief Anna Wintour explains why not, not that Melania cares, you understand:
Melania Trump doesn’t even want to be on the cover of Vogue, even though former First Lady Michelle Obama appeared on its cover in 2009, 2013, and 2016. So the de facto ban on her appearing in the magazine doesn’t even matter to her. She is fine!
“To be on the cover of Vogue doesn’t define Mrs. Trump, she’s been there, done that long before she was first lady,” Trump’s spokesperson Stephanie Grisham told Fox News on Friday (Trump was on the cover in 2005, long before she was a first lady). “Her role as first lady of the United States and all that she does is much more important than some superficial photo shoot and cover.”
The statement is in response to Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour’s subtle diss during a recent interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, who asked how Vogue chooses what women to profile, why the magazine has chosen to cover more Democratic women than Republicans, and why Vogue put first ladies Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama on the cover.
“You have to stand up for what you believe in and you have to take a point of view,” Wintour said. “We profile women in the magazine that we believe in the stand that they’re taking on issues we support them, we feel that they are leaders.”
“If you’re talking about the first lady [Michelle Obama] or Senator [Kamala] Harris, obviously these are women that we feel are icons and inspiring to women from a global perspective,” she said. “I also feel even more strongly now that this is not a time to try—and I think one has to be fair, one has to look at all sides—but I don’t think it’s a moment not to take a stand.
“This just further demonstrates how biased the fashion magazine industry is, and shows how insecure and small-minded Anna Wintour really is,” Grisham said. “Unfortunately, Mrs. Trump is used to this kind of divisive behavior.”
Please continue to Be Best, Melania. (No link, this is the entire article.)
Please continue to Be Best, Melania. (No link, this is the entire article.)
Here's Melania's Vogue cover, dated February, 2005, from a January 5, 2017 article at British newspaper/website The Telegraph:
The Telegraph article, published just a few days before Donald's inauguration, is interesting too:
[W]hat can we learn about the so-far, so-quiet new First Lady from the accompanying (now-vintage) interview, and what might it tell us about the way that she is approaching shopping for the second most important dress she will wear in her life; her inauguration gown?
When it came to her wedding dress Melania actively sought Vogue’s advice. The Donald proposed in May 2004 with a 12 carat, $2 million Graff diamond, on the night of the Dangerous Liaisons Costume Institute Ball (also known as the MET Gala) which was co-sponsored by Vogue. The new Mrs Trump-to-be was also, as fate would have it, wearing an Atelier Versace couture dress inspired by Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! that Donald had bought for her at a Vogue auction a few months before. In all the excitement, he had outbid himself from $27,000 to $30,000, just for the fun of it. So when Melania approached Anna Wintour and her team, she did so with some personal meaning.(Read the entire Telegraph article here.)
When it came to her wedding dress Melania actively sought Vogue’s advice. The Donald proposed in May 2004 with a 12 carat, $2 million Graff diamond, on the night of the Dangerous Liaisons Costume Institute Ball (also known as the MET Gala) which was co-sponsored by Vogue. The new Mrs Trump-to-be was also, as fate would have it, wearing an Atelier Versace couture dress inspired by Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! that Donald had bought for her at a Vogue auction a few months before. In all the excitement, he had outbid himself from $27,000 to $30,000, just for the fun of it. So when Melania approached Anna Wintour and her team, she did so with some personal meaning.(Read the entire Telegraph article here.)
Side note: One of the creepiest pictures ever of Donald, Melania and Ivanka was taken at the above referenced MET Gala:
photo credit: REX
Will People put Melania on the cover this week? I'd say it's possible but unlikely. Stay tuned. I'll post a link to the new cover when it comes out later this week.
Update on Sunday evening, April 22. Here is the new cover, a few days late and featuring Lori Loughlin:
Issue dated April 29, 2019: Lori Loughlin
Update on Sunday evening, April 22. Here is the new cover, a few days late and featuring Lori Loughlin:
Issue dated April 29, 2019: Lori Loughlin
Last year at this time: Issue dated April 30, 2018
I'm not doing a separate Guessing Game post this week; the new issue, dated May 6, should be the so-called Beautiful issue, a week later than last year. (Another possible cover story is the new royal baby, who is due any day now. Are People editors fervently praying that he or she doesn't show up until after the Beautiful issue is published? You bet they are.) Who will be the Beautiful cover girl this year? My only guess right now is Beyonce. If inspiration strikes with any other names, I'll update this post.
