Oprah's 'O' magazine cover shoot with a lion is ... super weird

The latest issue of O magazine has been on newsstands for a few weeks, but you may just be getting around to reading it now that you're on holiday vacation.

And, if you're anything like us, you think the cover photo for the January 2015 issue is incredibly strange.

Oprah is on it -- as usual -- but she's joined by a friend. A furry friend. A furry, deadly, massive friend.

Yep, that's her, all hugged up with a lion and we just ... can't even. She explained her choice of cover model in her editor's note:
We’re calling 2015 a ‘Brave New Year’ which is why I’m shooting for the first time with a lion on the cover of 'O Magazine,' in hopes that this bold image will give you the courage to live the life of your dreams.
Here's the thing though: She didn't actually shoot the cover image with the lion. Here's how it went down:

1) Photogs shot Oprah next to a guy in a lion suit.

2) Then they snapped the actual lion – from behind a protective cage.

3) Through the magic of Photoshop, they combined the images.

4) Ultimately, they made all of us think Oprah got thisclose to a lion.