Homewrecker extraordinaire Leann Rimes at the center of controversy again, this time over her latest SHAPE Magazine cover.

Apparently after the issue was released, the magazine’s editor-in-chief Valerie Latona reached out to the 40 or so readers who complained about their choice of cover girl saying:

“You are all in good company (why I’m e-mailing you all together) as you all agree Shape has made a terrible mistake in putting LeAnn Rimes on the cover,” the note began.

“Please know that our putting her on the cover was not meant to put a husband-stealer on a pedestal-but to show (through her story) how we all are human,” Latona explained. “And this woman in particular found strength in exercise in what she said was her most difficult personal moment.”

“But it did not come across that way … And for that I’m terribly sorry,” she wrote.

The e-mailed concluded, “I hope that we can do better the next time for those of you that will give us another chance.”

WOW….

The apology resulted in a media frenzy when the tabloids got their hands on the email, and Leann, who claims she only just learned of the situation yesterday reflected on the situation via Twitter:

So… After Leann got in touch with the EIC, Latona took to her own blog to try and “esplain” what had happened:

When a number of readers (40 out of 6 million) expressed concern about our featuring LeAnn Rimes on the cover of our October 2010 issue, I was concerned. I don’t want anyone to be unhappy—so I took the time to write a personal note to them, apologizing for not having someone on the cover they wanted to see and hoping to do right by them the next time. (I do this many times for all cover stars and you really can’t ever please everyone all the time.) I also explained why I put LeAnn on the cover: for being human, admitting to mistakes, and finding the courage and strength to overcome criticism through exercise.

Unfortunately, that personal letter to SHAPE readers was leaked out—and now, without any of the background or the reader letters that I received, it has been taken out of context. In that e-mail, I referred to words readers used (“a husband stealer”, “a terrible mistake for SHAPE”) in their letters to me—and then those words were then mistakenly attributed to me. (If I had known the world was going to be reading that e-mail, I would have had it proofread first!) And now, I feel even worse—for everyone involved including LeAnn.

The bottom line is this: 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. That is why I put her on the cover of Shape for what is now the third time.

And I will continue to believe in SHAPE readers—and the strength and honesty of all women—and will continue to respond to reader mail, because that’s just the right and decent thing for someone in my position to do.

Seems like she’s doing THEE MOST to keep everybody happy…

In the meantime Leann blamed all the hubbub on the big ole meanies in the media:

And she’s since gone back to tweeting about all her and ‘Cheatin’ Eddie’s Halloween plans with the kids.

How nice for them…

Do you think the magazine editor was wrong to apologize to the people offended — especially since she still stands by the cover? Should magazines steer clear of putting homewreckers on their covers? We haven’t noticed Alicia Keys missing out on many cover opportunities. Also, do you think homewreckers are measured differently? Has Leann Rimes had a rougher time in the media than someone like Alicia Keys or Fantasia?

Do we (the media, the readers, other people period) have any room to judge?

Please discuss!

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