It appears that Tiger Woods is going to have his "raw" image exposed to the world. Vanity Fair's February issue is going to feature several pictures of Tiger Woods like you've never seen him before. The cover image has a picture of Tiger with no shirt, while the other pictures are apparently letting the "Tiger" in him roar to the world.
The magazine has not yet confirmed when the photo shoot took place, but does say that the shoot consists of "raw, never before seen photos." They also say that the pictures were taken before the scandal occurred.
The article, called "Tiger in the Rough," which was published on the Vanity Fair website, refers to Woods as a "sex addict" with a "harem." The writer, Buzz Bissinger, also claims that according to Woods' mistresses, Tiger liked "sex, tons of it, in allegedly all different varieties."
"Threesomes in which he greatly enjoyed girl-on-girl, and mild S&M (featuring hair-pulling and spanking); $60,000 pay-for-sex escort dates; a quickie against the side of a car in a church parking lot; a preference for porn stars and nightclub waitresses, virtually all of them with lips almost as thick as their very full breasts; drug-bolstered encounters designed to make him even more of a conquistador (Ambien, of all things); immature sex-text messages ("Send me something naughty ... Go to the bathroom and take (a picture)," "I will wear you out ... When was the last time you got (****)?"); soulful confessions that he got married only for image and was bored with his wife; regular payments of between $5,000 and $10,000 each month to keep his harem quiet."
Vanity Fair also mentions an article that Woods did when he was 21-years old with GQ. In 1997, he told Charles Pierce: "What I can't figure out is why so many good-looking women hang around baseball and basketball. Is it because, you know, people always say that, like, black guys have big -----?"
Can we please stop this? Does this conversation have to go to Vanity Fair (who reminds me of Vogue Magazine, the publication that featured Lebron James as a monkey of all things) laying out another black man as some sort of undisciplined, sex-crazed wilderbeast? I'm getting sick to my stomach already.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 
Comments: (10)
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By: Corey Washington on 1/08/2010 3:26PM
Yes, this is Racist!! When I first saw the Vanity Fair cover, I thought about O.J. and how they darkened his picture to make him look more menacing. When you look at the cover it looks like they are portraying Tiger as a thug with a scowl and skull cap. Why didn't they release this 4 or 5 months ago? This seems like an attempt to kick Tiger when he's down. The white media always piles it on, which makes black people rally to tiger's defense. I write about this phenomenon in my book: Plain Talk-Everything you ever and never wanted to know about Racism and Stereotypes-Volume 1. http://www.plaintalk2010.com
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By: Nicole J. Butler on 1/05/2010 2:46AM
Nope, not racist. This is what the media do to celebs who fall from grace: white, black, or otherwise- they have a field day with them any way they can until the next scandal comes along. Tiger posed for that picture. He decided to wear that skull cap. If you think a non-smiling black man in a skull cap screams "thug" then you might want to look at your own biases. Equally, if you think it was trickery then you may want to explore the reasons why you don't believe Tiger Woods, who has built and run an empire for many years now, is intelligent enough to decide for himself how he would like to present himself to the public.
Tiger did some things that he shouldn't have, and while I believe that this issue is between him, his wife, and the companies with whom he has endorsement deals, he made himself an easy target, and it is no surprise that the general public is taking shots at him.
I am not a fan of crying racism unless I am SURE it is relevant to a particular situation.
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By: E on 1/05/2010 10:38AM
Well, what about Charlie Sheen then. Why isn't the media going in on him? He was a sex FIEND.
This is all going down because Tiger broke not one, but several white women's hearts. Not only did he marry one but then he promised others he would make them number one. Even though they all had questionable morals(yuck),the media always sides white. They hate interracial marriges especially black man white woman.
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By: Joni D. on 1/10/2010 11:37AM
Nicole, I couldn't agree with you more. Well said!!
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By: JMH on 1/05/2010 8:13AM
Why FedEx needs a UNION!!!
FedEx's Inhumane Treatment!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YnbcCV2KI4
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By: Olivia on 1/05/2010 8:56AM
I thought he was quoted saying he wasn't Black???? Why would he comment about Black men being bigger.....Now you're black, since everything was reveled of what you have benn doing behind closed doors. Funny how some People claim their race when their in trouble. It's like how people instantly find Jesus when they get in trouble. Hmmmmmmmmm!!!!!
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By: marylandman003 on 1/05/2010 10:22PM
nurse BOYce would you shut up you racist negro. you call your self a writer??? your a racist negro at best...loser!!!
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By: masinkville on 1/08/2010 10:33PM
First of all, he's facilitating a discussion. Dialogue regarding racism is important because it's not dead. If you're Black, you know this for sure. It is important that you understand what your are saying when you call him racist. Racism comes equipped with the power to wield over over. So, at best he could be exhibiting prejudice but I don't think so. We want to pretend that racism does not exist but the reality is that much of it is still done subconsciously because it is institutional. Until the racist underpinnings of our society are destroyed everything action at the magnitude of this debacle should be scrutinized for racism. Don't take the question as offense. See it for what it is...a sincere effort to foster critical thinking of a very important issue.
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By: sharkchops on 1/07/2010 10:18AM
Is WHAT racist? I swear, Boyce, you and BV are such race baiters. Vanity Fair is only doing what magazines do when high-profile celebs are caught up in sex scandals. We don't know if they're intentions are racist or not but the action is typical of tasteless tabloid journalism like VF and other magazines like it. This is how they get their low class readers to pick up an issue. Tiger's a grown man. He knew what he was doing and screwed himself. And his "harem" screwed him over too and he should sue them for all the money he paid them to be quiet. Scandalous b!tchez.
And what do you mean "topless"?? Tiger is a man not a woman.
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By: M on 1/07/2010 4:43PM
I don't find it racist. I find them going after a sexy story - pun intended. that's just what they do. no - not racist. still offensive. who gives anybody the right to write about someone else's sex life?
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