James Franco is a pretentious bag of douche. I think most of us agree on that at this point. So can you blame me for not being able to get through his entire New York Magazine interview the other day? I glommed onto the headlines about Franco’s take on his Oscar cohosting gig, and beyond that, I barely read the NY Mag piece. As it turns out, he said a ton of other sh-t. Like, he was asked specifically about an essay he wrote last year in which he said “I like to think that I’m gay in my art and straight in my life. Although, I’m also gay in my life up to the point of intercourse, and then you could say I’m straight.” Translation: he doesn’t have intercourse with men, but he thinks of himself as gay-friendly. I think. I honestly have no idea. Well, when Franco was asked about it for this NY Mag interview, this is what he said:
He’s said before that he’s “gay in his art”: “It’s a little bit of a persona.”
Whether he’s a “gay c—k tease”: “There is a bit of overfocusing on my sexuality, both by the straight press and the gay press, and so the first question is why do they care? Well, because I’m a celebrity, so I guess they care who I’m having sex with. But if your definition of gay and straight is who I sleep with, then I guess you could say I’m a gay c–k tease. It’s where my allegiance lies, where my sensibilities lie, how I define myself. Yeah, I’m a little gay, and there’s a gay James.”
I still have no clue what he’s really saying. He’s saying that he doesn’t know why people keep on asking him about his sexuality – when he’s literally writing essays about how he has a “gay persona” or whatever – and then he admits that he’s only gay for his art? Or is he saying he’s gay but can’t express it sexually? Like, James Franco is the guy who will go into a gay bar, buy some drinks for a beefcake, and when the dude is like, “My place or yours?” Franco is all, “Hahaha, you thought I was gay? That’s so weird, I’M JUST AN ARTIST. My artistic persona is gay!”
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet, NY Magazine.
It seems like James is on a magic mushroom trip via the express train.
Agreed. The Franco is way to many shades of grey to be defined by mere mortals. Unless you are a licensed psychiatrist who was a friend of the Merry Pranksters. Only then do you have a shot at unlocking the secrets of the Franco.
What is this (American?) obsession with wanting everyone to define their sexuality, pick a box and stay there?
People are complex and sexuality is fluid and we are what we are. It’s not a big deal, everyone just do whatever works for you.
Beats me, and I’m American. I am truly uninterested in the details of someone else’s sexuality, and I also don’t think it’s any of my business.
I’m American too and I have no idea why either! In fact I really do not want to hear nor do I care about anyone else’s sex life!
Back to Franco, in the header picture I just want to dunk him in a bathtub! He looks so greasy and gross! Ick!
I am also not American and it does get a bit tiring. I’ve seen a lot of people trying to prove that certain stars are gay or straight with so much rigor and passion it feels as if the fate of the free world depends on their sexuality.
It’s scary.
Funny! I really LOL’d at that comment, MexicanMonkey!
Sounds like he’s all in for whoever will stroke his…ego the best. He’s got a personality disorder.
–TheRealPinky
I think it’s considered rrelevant because being sexually attractive can be used – it’s a power… It can be a resource, a commodity. We know he’s staying vague to remain relevant to a broader base of fans.
But I think the only people really hung up on it hate the idea of not being able to readily assume what he’s like based on cliches and gender roles.
The only person James Franco is really “gay” for is his reflection in a mirror. He should have a side business gardening, the amount of “organic fertilizer ” that comes out of his mouth would certainly make plants grow
Organic fertilizer … I love it 🙂
I think “Gay adjacent” might be the term he wants. Frankly I couldn’t care less… You do you, James.
He’s not even in the closet,he took the portal to Narnia and is living deeply hidden there while stalking and obsessing about that ox played by James McAvoy.
I’m doubling down on my call of narcissist/aspire. With a big dose of elite schooling that (incorrectly) convinced him he’s the cleverest person in the room.
I’m with you. Just too clever for words. Zzzzz
Yuck. To everything. To the nth degree.
Vincent Van Gogh…HE IS NOT! Can’t believe he thought that was a justifiable affectation!
@Evil Owl, I couldn’t agree more. This is borderline blasphemous to me. He’s the farthest thing from Van Gogh. There simply is no comparison to be drawn. As an artist with a Bachelors of Fine Art, I JUST CAN’T with this guy.
He’s touts himself as some great artistic genius, but I really wish he would go back to that canyon in 127 hours and just take a permanent hike. You know, for AHHHRT.
If he would just go away, I would be eternally grateful. He is the personification of slime.
I still shamelessly like him.
There are far worse celebrity crimes than being a self-absorbed douchebag.
Actually, 99,9% of them are narcissistic douches. Some just disguise it better.
P.S.: You’ll be receiving our divorce papers in a fortnight.
I used to kind of like him and I still think he’s a talented actor…but this gay baiting, as some have called it, is borderline offensive. If his sexuality is fluid or he doesn’t define himself, cool, but he seems to try and hook LGBTQ people only when it suites him. Also, that mean passive aggressive thing he wrote about Henry Cavill back in the day was kind of messed up and supposedly he has a history of doing stuff like that.
I dont think its about hooking a gay audience. He is a hot guy, he always have their attention. And lets be honest, they are not a large enough market to make pandering to them (and potentially alienating the dude bro crowd) worth it. I think because so many of his favorite artists were gay, he associates homosexuality with avant garde art. And James really wants to be counted among that crowd. The boy just wants to be considered a brave artist.
He really believes he’s some hipster intellectual and his life is performance art. He begs for a punch on the mouth.
To MagnoliaRose: You’ve got that one right!
Hmmm…. The deal is that he’s straight, but wishes that he was gay because then he’d be so much cooler. I had a boyfriend years ago who seems very similar — intellectually sharp, emotionally immature — alays trying to live down his nerd past. The ex liked to flirt, literally and figuratively, with guys. I was fine with that as long as he was respectful to our relatlonship. But one day it came out that he had never felt entirely comfortable during his experiences with men. That it felt weird and not quite right. And I’m like — that’s cuz your straight, honey.
Yes, sexuality is a spectrum, and some folks can slide up and down the spectrum. But some of us are hardwired for our little bland hetero spot on that spectrum. Own it, support your loved ones in their own segments of the spectrum, and find another way to try to be hip.
Sharply analyzed and beautifully said @Maleficent
I would like to add that people like James Franco seem to think that being gay or bi-sexual means being cool, arty, hip, different, rebellious. And yes you can be bisexual an all those other things. But you can also be bisexual and basic. His good friend Amber Heard comes to mind here.
My god, yes. This. I lose my sh*t when people conflate homosexual (or anything other than straight, let’s be real) with cool or especially artsy and hip. B*tch, it’s not a new coat or a trend you can ride as long as it’s fine for you. This is peoples’ lives and enjoying the advantages of living as a straight white man while also trying to co-opt the supposed “trendy factor” of what the media would have you believe means being gay is just gross. STFU.
This has nothing to do with his sexuality. It’s about image.
Why do you call Amber Heard his “good friend”? I know they were in Pineapple Express together but they barely had any scenes together. I dont think I have ever read their names together in the same article even.
My take is bi-romantic, heterosexual. Or perhaps he has a crush on the idea of homosexuality. David Bowie, who as we all know did actually sleep with men, said in his later years that he was really in love with gay culture and really wanted to be gay when he was younger, and then had to admit to himself that deep down inside he was a closeted straight. I actually get that. The truth is, I believe, that sexuality is fluid and a spectrum. I do think that Franco likes to talk about his sexuality a lot for PR purposes.
PR purposes! Gay for pay. Hollywood hipster gibberish. And…he got the cover of a magazine for his willingness to spout silliness. His press person is an evil genius.
lord god almighty lets not compare Bowie to this asshat.
I think what he’s saying is, he’s not gay.
Maybe he makes out with guys but doesn’t do sex? Who cares? He is so full of himself.
I bet James will kiss guys occasionally & flirt with them but he just won’t have sex with them. Gay cocktease!
He seems bloody lonely to me.
I used to have a huge crush on him but now I just simply wouldn’t have the patience.
I say we stick to calling him a douche because that’s the only professional or personal description thats accurate.
Please Van Gogh away (said in Ru’s voice). Seriously, just shut it. Be gay, be bi be straight-just be silent. For 5 miuntes. Is that so much to ask?
I actually don’t mind him at all. There are far worse “artists” whos narcissism is way worse and way, way, way more offensive than Franco’s. He’s a new york artist.. I don’t get why people are surprised by his conceited nature, it comes with the territory. I also don’t have a problem with his “gay” comments. I do agree with everyone questioning why the media is so concerned with his sexuality. He’s written about it himself, but the press seems to need to pinpoint and hyperfocus on the labeling.
He’s a very special snowflake indeed.
Claiming an artistic temperament as a excuse for poor behavior is one of my pet hates.
I’m somehow sure his ‘cockteasing’ is him thinking he’s blessing the life of some gay guy just by talking to him.