Jessye Norman sues magazine for portraying her in 'exaggerated' manner

Jet, Nov 20, 1995

Opera diva Jessye Norman recently filed a $3 million suit against Classic CD magazine. Norman says an article in the November 1994 issue depicted her "in a grotesque and exaggerated manner."

Norman says that the article, titled "Deadlier Than The Male," also mocked her speech in an effort "to ridicule and caricature her and all persons of African-American background and descent."

The paragraph in the article that Norman objected to read: "While her Salome is released this month .... it is still hard to envisage the grand, statuesque 49-year-old as the libidinous adolescent on stage stripping off the seven veils. This is the woman who got trapped in swing doors on her way to a concert and when advised to release herself by turning sideways replied: `Honey, I ain't got no sideways!'"

Calls to Phoenix Publications, Inc., the company that publishes Classic CD magazine, were not returned by JET press time.