Rolling Stone’s Boston Bomber Cover Flops

Rolling Stone’s Boston Bomber Cover Flops

This isn’t going over so well.

When I was a teenager, I used to wait anxiously for my issue of Tiger Beat to arrive (yes, I’m ashamed to admit that).  I think some folks have it right – this Rolling Stone cover is more like Tiger Beat with a mix of Newsweek desperation.

Who knew Rolling Stone was the magazine for dreamboat terrorist cover boys? Should rename it Tamil Tiger Beat.

— Mo Rocca (@MoRocca) July 17, 2013

Last wk I wrote about Tiger Beat Terrorist Syndrome. This wk, Rolling Stone editor joins the Ja-harem. http://t.co/wlcJSdI4us

— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) July 16, 2013

Way to go Rolling Stone for your suspected terrorist cover-I wonder if you would've made the same call if your family had been bomb victims?

— Carol Roth (@caroljsroth) July 17, 2013

https://twitter.com/MichaelEHayden/status/357494372608135168

An Outrageous and Totally Unacceptable Rolling Stone Cover — http://t.co/nU79qkezSL

— Matt Mackowiak (@MattMackowiak) July 17, 2013

Jim Geraghty nails it.

The Rolling Stone cover has a real late-Newsweek, hoping-controversy-drives-newsstand-sales vibe.

— Jim Geraghty (@jimgeraghty) July 17, 2013

Apparently there were supposed to be some new revelations in the cover story. If so, they ruined it with the actual cover.

At least the #FreeJahar hashtag will be interesting to read.

UPDATE 7/17 at 3:00 pm ET:  Rolling Stone editors have included the following statement above the full article.

Our hearts go out to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing, and our thoughts are always with them and their families. The cover story we are publishing this week falls within the traditions of journalism and Rolling Stone’s long-standing commitment to serious and thoughtful coverage of the most important political and cultural issues of our day. The fact that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is young, and in the same age group as many of our readers, makes it all the more important for us to examine the complexities of this issue and gain a more complete understanding of how a tragedy like this happens.   –THE EDITORS

In addition, CVS and Tedeschi Food Shops have each published statements that they have decided not to sell the issue in their stores.

Add Walgreens to that list.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. Walgreens will not be selling this issue of Rolling Stone magazine.

— Walgreens (@Walgreens) July 17, 2013

Boston Mayor Tom Menino also penned a stern letter to Jann Wenner, publisher of Rolling Stone.

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