Hotel LaChapelle

By Richard Lacayo

He's the hot photographer, the one in Vanity Fair and Details, the new Annie Leibovitz with the pedal to the metal. Look at his portrait of Madonna or Marilyn Manson, right, and it's settled: for extremity, hilarity and high pitch, LaChapelle is the one. So when any given picture is two tons of fun, does it matter that he lacks any gravity? Maybe. Taken in bulk, with the wagging tongues and the thrust butts coming at you on every page, you have to admit to fun fatigue. There are times when you can go over the top and still not get anywhere.

--By Richard Lacayo