A faux pas for Oprah!

Just where were the scruples in 1989? Considering Photoshop 1.0 wasn’t even released until 1990, the retouching expert behind this masterpiece was likely on a Quantel Paintbox with a highly paid art director breathing over his shoulder. That art director would have had the cover approved by his Creative Director, who in turn sought approval from the cover editor who again needed the green light from the Editor in Chief. Count in Oprah and her publicist, and there were at least 7 people that thought stripping the head of $250 million megastar Oprah onto America’s red headed bombshell Ann Margeret was a “good” idea.

According to Time Magazine the manipulation was immediately detected by Ann-Margaret’s fashion designer Bob Mackie, who created the gown. What’s even more ironic is I remember this cover and thinking Oprah literally had a big head but, darn it, I wanted those legs and that dress!