- Conservative TikTok influencer CJ Pearson is considering a libel lawsuit against New York Magazine over its coverage of his party before President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Pearson claims the magazine unfairly smeared him and other attendees as racist.
- Pearson argues that the magazine intentionally excluded Black partygoers from the cover photo and misrepresented the event’s attendees.
- The writer of the article, Brock Colyar, has his social media accounts set to private, while New York Magazine has yet to comment on the potential legal action.
Full Story
A conservative TikTok influencer is considering legal action against New York Magazine over a cover image and article that covered CJ Pearson’s party on the eve of President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Pearson says the magazine unfairly slandered him and other attendees, accusing them of racism.
Accusations of racial bias in magazine cover
Some conservative activists on X accused the magazine of intentionally cropping out Black partygoers from the cover photo. The image was part of an issue titled “The Cruel Kids’ Table,” which Pearson and others claim misrepresented the event.
New York Magazine literally cropped all the black people out of this cover photo and then complained that “the entire room is white” https://t.co/gCatY1lZzG pic.twitter.com/VhoaiJhqg1
— Christopher Barnard (@ChrisBarnardDL) January 27, 2025
Pearson issues formal legal notice
The 21-year-old Pearson has issued a formal notice to New York Magazine, warning the outlet of his intention to sue for libel. He points to specific excerpts in the article, written by Brock Colyar, that he said are false.
Point phone camera here
Controversial article excerpts mentioning race
In the article, Colyar described the party.
“Almost everyone is white,” Colyar wrote. “The men look like Pete Hegseth, in bow ties and black suits, with clean-shaven faces. The women are almost all out of their league.”
Colyar later quoted an anonymous attendee who said, “Have you noticed the entire room is white?”
Pearson denies article claims
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Pearson rejected the claims made in the article.
“They wanted to make us look like KKK lite, and that’s why they excluded all the Black people from the photo,” Pearson said. “It’s why they excluded all the Black people from the piece as a whole. It’s why they excluded me from the story and didn’t do the basic journalistic duty of reaching out to me for comment because they already had their narrative before they entered the door.”
Get up to speed on the stories leading the day every weekday morning. Sign up for the newsletter today!
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
New York Magazine remains silent over controversy
As of Thursday, Feb. 6, New York Magazine has not commented on the potential litigation. The controversial issue is pinned to the top of the magazine’s X account, while the writer’s social media accounts are set to private.
[Karah]
A CONSERVATIVE TIKTOK INFLUENCER IS CONSIDERING LEGAL ACTION AGAINST NEW YORK MAGAZINE OVER **THIS COVER IMAGE – AND ARTICLE – COVERING CJ PEARSON’S PARTY ON THE EVE OF THE INAUGURATION – CELEBRATING PRESIDENT TRUMP’S VICTORY.
PEARSON SAYS THE MAGAZINE UNFAIRLY SLANDERED HIM AND OTHER PARTY ATTENDEES AS ‘RACIST.’
SOME CONSERVATIVE ACTIVISTS POSTING TO X – AN EXTENSION OF THE MAGAZINE’S COVER PHOTO – ACCUSING THE OUTLET OF PURPOSELY CROPPING OUT BLACK PARTYGOERS IN “THE CRUEL KIDS’ TABLE” ISSUE.
21 YEAR OLD CJ PEARSON SAYS HE’S ISSUED A FORMAL NOTICE TO NEW YORK MAGAZINE – WARNING THEM OF HIS INTENTION TO SUE FOR LIBEL.
PEARSON POINTS TO CERTAIN EXCERPTS IN THE ARTICLE THAT HE SAYS WERE “FALSE”.
HERE’S SOME OF THE SECTIONS WHERE WRITER BROCK COLYAR MENTIONS RACE.
COLYAR WRITES “Almost everyone is white. The men look like Pete Hegseth, in bow ties and black suits, with clean-shaven faces. The women are almost all out of their league.”
COLYAR LATER QUOTES AN ANONYMOUS ATTENDEE.
“Have you noticed the entire room is white?” an older woman in an updo and a silver sequined gown asked me though it wasn’t entirely clear whether she thought that was a good thing or a bad thing.”
PEARSON REJECTED THE CLAIMS IN THE ARTICLE in an interview with fox news digital.
“They wanted to make us look like KKK lite, and that’s why they excluded all the Black people from the photo. It’s why they excluded all the Black people from the piece as a whole. It’s why they excluded me from the story and didn’t do the basic journalistic duty of reaching out to me for comment because they already had their narrative before they entered the door.”
AS OF THIS RECORDING – NEW YORK MAGAZINE HAS NOT COMMENTED ON THE POTENTIAL LITIGATION – AND THE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE IS PINNED TO THE TOP OF THEIR X ACCOUNT.
THE WRITER’S SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS ARE SET TO PRIVATE.
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING OUR NEWS UPDATE.
WE’LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS STORY AND YOU CAN TOO.
DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS MOBILE APP TODAY.
Straight to your inbox.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
