LeAnn Rimes Responds to Shape Controversy

LeAnn Rimes has taken to her Twitter to defend herself, in the wake of the Shape magazine cover scandal; a scandal in a teacup, as it turns out. As an addendum, Rimes has given her side of the story. Not that she comes off any better, but it does change the perspective a little. Valerie Latona, editor of Shape, has complained to the press that her email was taken out of context. Seems not to me. Even if so, she probably shouldn’t be emailing readers phrases such as ‘Please know that our putting her on the cover was not meant to put a husband-stealer on a pedestal’, if that isn’t literally what she means. As though people aren’t going to forward that on to the media. Moreover, Latona claims the email was sent to only a small group of people; speaking to USA Today, Friday, Latona explains she emailed ‘a mere 40 readers out of almost six million’. Which is a fair enough clarification. It doesn’t change the tone of that email, nor how it reads. But whatever. She then makes herself look like a cowardly backpedaling ass, by saying she finds the story of Rimes having to endure emotional turmoil caused by her own cheating ‘compelling’. ‘I stand by the fact that LeAnn’s story is compelling and her courage and strength in the face of so much adversity is compelling,’ Latona said. ‘I wrote to those women apologizing that our cover choice did not make them happy, as I have done for other cover stars in the past.’ The cheater, who played part in the break-up of two households, wasn’t the one suffering. Also, that’s not compelling. It’s annoying. Her whining about ‘pain’ she caused is annoying. She caused the suffering of others. Including the children in Eddie Cibrian’s former household.

Rimes went on her Twitter late Friday to defend herself. Because that’s what she does every time this happens. And it happens a lot. What she had to say did poke holes in the original story, to her credit. She was not aware of the emails. But she was aware that Shape were throwing her a party to celebrate her ‘husband-stealer’ cover. Rimes tweeted a statement, then shared the party invitation.

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