Oprah Winfrey appeared on the cover of
TV Guide (top) lounging in a gauzy dress on top of a pile of money. She looked glamorous, but only the head belonged to her. The body came from a 1979 publicity shot of Ann-Margret (bottom -- original in color) taken for a Rockette special.
The composite was created without the permission of either Oprah or Ann-Margret, and was detected when Ann-Margret’s fashion designer recognized the dress. Ann-Margret’s publicist said, “If you look at the two pictures, they’re identical. It’s even her ring on Oprah’s hand.” Oprah Winfrey’s spokesman said, “Oprah would not pose on a pile of money like that nor would she pose in that revealing a dress.”
TV Guide instructed the artist who created the photo “not to use photographs so literally” in the future.
Links and References
Lester, P. (1991). Photojournalism: An Ethical Approach. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: pg. 126.
