Cover Your Eyes, or Open Them--It’s on Newsstands Again

Sports Illustrated’s annual swimsuit issue arrived on newsstands Wednesday, and editor Mark Mulvoy says the cover photo is the sexiest yet.

The magazine’s 23rd swimsuit cover features Elle Macpherson modeling a deep-V suspender back tank suit on a beach in the South Pacific island of Bora-Bora.

Appearances on the swimsuit issue cover are thought to have enhanced the modeling careers of Christie Brinkley and Cheryl Tiegs, both three-time swimsuit cover girls. Paulina Porizkova, who appeared on the cover for the last two years, has become one of the nation’s top models.

SI expects to sell about 800,000 copies of the issue, eight times normal newsstand sales for the weekly publication.

It also expects more than $12 million in revenue, about $1 million more than last year and $7 million more than an average issue.

And it is sure to get the usual angry letters from readers protesting the photos in a magazine of general circulation. Every year, dozens of “cancel my subscription” letters are printed in the ensuing issues.

Jule Campbell, who has chosen the models, suits and the locations for 22 of the last 23 years rejects the notion that such sexy, revealing photos do not belong in a family sports magazine.

“If you don’t like the magazine don’t buy it,” she says. “You can’t please everybody.”