Despite JLD's acknowledgment of the error, a spokesperson from Rolling Stone told us that the publication was not trying to recreate a historical document with its cover. The John Hancock signature is instead supposed to be taken as the beginning of a joke whose punchline can be found inside the magazine.
There, readers will find a tattoo artist wearing a white wig and other colonial garb while inking his name into Dreyfus' lower back. The joke, the spokesperson explained, is that the tattoo artist's name is John Hancock.
Even though the real John Hancock did not sign the Constitution, his Declaration of Independence signature is the most recognizable of any early-U.S. document signer.
"The Julia Louis-Dreyfus cover mirrors the farcical tone of HBO’s Veep, and the signature is an Easter egg for fans of the show," the spokesperson said in a statement. "I think it's great that everyone is talking about our cover."
