The hits keep coming for James Franco.
After being snubbed by the Academy for his performance in “The Disaster Artist,” Vanity Fair has scrubbed the actor from its annual Hollywood portfolio cover.
Franco participated in the magazine’s interview and portrait session by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz, but he was digitally erased after a Los Angeles Times’ report about five women’s allegations of behavior the women deemed inappropriate.
The article was published just after he accepted the Golden Globe Award for lead actor and wearing a Time’s Up pin on his lapel.
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“We made a decision not to include James Franco on the Hollywood cover once we learned of the misconduct allegations against him,” a Vanity Fair spokesperson tells The Hollywood Reporter.
Related: Five women have now accused James Franco of sexually inappropriate behavior
People reports that Franco is “a mess” over the accusations.
“His team wants him to continue making public appearances. He thinks he can save his image,” a source says. “He looks like he hasn’t slept for days. He’s just a mess.”
A second source adds, “This whole process has been very hard on him. He’s been shaken up.”
In other Academy Award news, last year’s best actor winner Casey Affleck will not be presenting at this year’s ceremony, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Usually, the previous year’s best actor winner presents the prize to the incoming lead actress, but allegations of past sexual misconduct by Affleck have caused the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to rethink that tradition.
“We appreciate the decision to keep the focus on the show and on the great work of this year,” an Academy spokesperson said in a statement Thursday.
Related: James Franco on THAT revealing photo that led to his permanent departure from Instagram
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Dymension
What started out as a good thing has turned into the new McCarthyism of the 21st century. This is no longer a valid movement. Now, all you have to do is see someone you don’t like being feted and the claims start rolling in effectively ending their career.
Not good.
Rex Huskey
There is and will continue to be a price to pay for the sexual abuse women have received. I challenge you to share your comments with any of the 150 plus women athletes Larry Nasser abused.
DarkZephyr
@Rex. I don’t think that was his point though. He wasn’t discussing Larry Nasser. I don’t know what happened between James Franco and Ally Sheedy, as she never specified, but I know that one of the women who is leveling accusations at James Franco is mad at him over a contract she signed to do nudity in a film. And I noticed that when people were questioning her about it on Twitter she wouldn’t explain herself, and if it was a woman who asked her about it, she would say ” we women don’t need to let men pit us against each other” and if it was a man who questioned her she would accuse him of “mansplaining” when he wasn’t trying to explain anything, he was asking her a question. If one of the women who is questioning her then replied back that she wasn’t being pitted against her, she would make some curt reply and end all dialogue. I’m a little concerned about where this is all going. I was sexually assaulted when I was a teenager so I’m not taking this lightly, but I also do feel like there are a lot of people both male and female out there Who are exploiting what real victims of sexual abuse go through for their own gain or attention. That’s my sincere feeling on the issue.
DarkZephyr
And to clarify, I’m not talking about people with real concerns, real complaints. I’m not talking about the ones who described genuine sexual assault. I’m talking about the ones who are cryptic about what happened and won’t say what happened, or the ones who are mad because of something they chose to do and to clarify, I’m not talking about people with real concerns, real complaints. I’m not talking about the ones who describe genuine sexual assault. I’m talking about the ones who are very suspiciously cryptic about what happened and won’t say what happened while simultaneously being very loud that *something* happened , or the ones who are mad because of something they chose to do of their own free will.
alllowercase
I totally support ANY PERSON who has been sexually abused!
That being said, I think you hit the nail on the head. You see people losing their jobs due to simple allegations. The trial is being held in the court of social media, and so there is no hope of fair trial. These men, whether proven guilty or not, are guilty in the eyes of public opinion simply because someone sat down at their computer and typed out an accusation.
We are in dangerous territory here because ANYONE could be accused by ANYONE… no proof needed. If these men did what they are accused of, they deserve all that they have coming to them.. .they disgust me. BUT they have a right to their day in court!
LuckyAlex
Couldn’t agree more….gone way too far. Now it’s witch hunt.
SiamSam
@LuckyAlex Witchhunt? It’s literally a manhunt. Any man is fair game now. Forget actual rapists and sex offenders, a man who merely shows romantic interest in a woman or has consensual sex that doesn’t completely satisfy her emotional needs can be ret-conned as sexual harassment, assault or rape, indicative of an all-pervasive “rape culture”, “male entitlement”, “toxic masculinity” etc. The normal libido and natural sexuality of heterosexual men is being demonized and pathologized, just like homosexual men were in darker times. And many gay men today, having never experienced or navigated the modern world, society and culture as straight men, are either oblivious to this or just think it’s righteous payback against “the heteronormative cisgendered patriarchy” or whatever for historical wrongs. There’s no curiosity, consideration or compassion whatsoever for their fellow man. It won’t end well.
Brody
SiamSam –
What’s truly amusing is how this is all backfiring on women, as men in positions of power will now be reluctant to hire women for fear of being wrongly accused of [fill in the blank].
Plus, since even asking a woman out on a date is categorized as “harassment” these days, women will find themselves being asked out a whole lot less.
SiamSam
@Brody Oh yes. And that will just be further proof of widespread “misogyny” and how men fear “strong independent women.”
But good news for those who support “gender equality.” As more women are ignored by men in professional and social circles, the “gender suicide gap” should narrow until women are killing themselves just as often as men are now. Who knows, women may even start leading in this very male-dominated area. And suddenly we will start caring about one sex dominating the suicide statistics because reasons.
JoeyRamone
It’s ridiculous. What constitutes “harassment” has become so vague and ridiculous and has moved to bitter exes (Franco), women who act like victims (Aziz) and political opportunism (Franken), and crazy children destroy by messed up mothers (Woody). Sadly, many hard won victories for women will be severely hurt in the coming years as men will choose not to work with them. Of course, this hurts real victims of rape. Meanwhile women are brutalized daily in spousal and partner abuse. But, hey, who cares about that when an ass has been touched or a tit grazed.
wld8hrt
Sad but true. If you don’t understand how this in itself devalues the experiences of the women who were a actually assisted, you have no business stating your opinion.
barkomatic
I have read a lot of articles about the Franco accusations from a wide variety of sources, and I still haven’t found anything that points to sexual assault. Perhaps some unprofessional relationships on the part of Franco — but the reaction is very far out of proportion to the public outcry.
Actually, I’m not really sure it’s a public outcry as much as it is a few activists and journalists who desperately want to keep this sexual assault train running down the tracks. I bet there are a lot of ads being sold.
Kangol
It might not have been sexual assault, but sexual harassment, inappropriate sexual talk, etc. I don’t know what it was. But a there are a lot of people, and not just women, who don’t want to work in an environment where the latter is going on either.
Brody
Agreed.
“Unprofessional” certainly applies more than does “sexual predator.”
Kangol
One of the allegations against James Franco, by Ally Sheedy, sounded really ominous, leading to her withdrawal from the acting field altogether, but I haven’t seen any further reporting, so I do wonder what happened. As Rex Huskey says, women have endured sexual abuse and harassment for centuries. I’ve had friends and family members endure it, sometimes with devastating effects on their jobs and livelihoods, emotional state, etc. A lot of people say, why don’t the women–and men who’re harassed, abused, etc.–speak out. Well, many have and do, and then they encounter BS, not just from men but from some women as well, about it being fake, they get dismissed, and so on. Is there some piggybacking and hype around the #metoo movement? Perhaps. Are there false allegations? Maybe. But at the same time, I know I’m not the only one who knows how badly men in power can behave. At the people coming forward probably are only the metaphorical tip of the iceberg.
Deepdow
Absolutely.
Bopper1
…DUE PROCESS…it’s what’s missing from this conversation…it doesn’t matter what articles you’ve read, who you know, what here say you’ve read, whether you’re a man or a woman…guilty is guilty, but not until PROVEN guilty, by due process, by the law, in a court of justice by a jury of your peers…the trial by social media we’re witnessing every day and which has zero proportionality is a horror which, like sexual misconduct and sexual assault, has no place in a civil society…
mhoffman953
@Bopper1
Exactly. In this country, everyone is innocent until proven guilty
I’ve read the various claims from the women about Franco and they seem without merit. One woman agreed to appear naked in one of his films but then months later said she felt uncomfortable because the nude scenes were long, but she continued to film them multiple times. Another woman said she was in a consensual relationship and one time she agreed to perform oral on Franco. Then after they broke up, she went to the media to say that when she gave him oral, he put his hand on the back of her head
Josh447
That girl also said he was forceful in pushing her head down, that’s the difference between harassment and assault. When it’s physical then it’s assault.
Franco has had ample opps to say differently and he hasn’t. That in this case, is due process. He has had ample chance to deny that claim. If there were any claims he wanted to make to counter these women on specifics, his time is pretty much up. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Ouch. The whole thing really stinks.
mhoffman953
@Josh447
“That girl also said he was forceful in pushing her head down, that’s the difference between harassment and assault”
Yet she still continued to date him many months after this alleged incident.
Next, people will consider spanking someone’s ass during consensual sex to be physical assault in the court of Twitter
Brody
Bopper –
Facts don’t matter in the court of public opinion, and that’s exactly where these cases of sexual misconduct are being tried.
Josh –
So, by your reckoning, not denying an accusation within a specified time period is tantamount to guilt?
Hope you’re never on a jury, son.
Josh447
Unfortunately he has guilt written all over his face and actions and noon action. I thought he was smarter. He could have said SOMETHING to clear his name, but nothing. I hate that coz I really like the guy and I will continue to.
Brody,
you said let you know when Trump actually discriminates against gays. I sent you articles after you refused to read the first one I posted, on the other thread regarding Rippon and Pence and you bolted without comment. I was hoping better from you.
Jaxton
I am so sick of angry female opportunists who throw allegations around like confetti at a wedding. A lot of them spread their legs to get top billing.
LuckyAlex
I couldn’t agree more. I own two companies employing about 150 people. So many women flirt with me in order to get close and advance their carrier.
SiamSam
@LuckyAlex That’s what I find so sickening about modern feminism: the double standards and obvious lies about wanting “equality.” “I want to dress sexy and act sexy and talk sexy but don’t you DARE sexually objectify me! Now, where did I leave my vibrator?”
JaredNorthcutt30
And what about the men who openly create a culture that rewards ‘leg-spreading’ and then whine like little babies when the chickens come home to roost? You reap what you sow, honey.
Jaxton
Vanity Fair is an insult to one’s intelligence, by the way.
batesmotel
There’s a difference between being hit on and full on rape. Rape/sexual assault is grounds for firing, but being hit on, come on, lighten up. Just say you’re not interested and move on. Stupid women. These allegations that keep coming out about every male in Hollywood are starting to be taken less seriously as time goes by the general public.
Kangol
Maybe men aren’t taking these allegations seriously, but a lot of women are. Did you miss the marches this past weekend? Millions of women were out there. They weren’t only about Trump. The other thing to keep in mind is, it’s easy to say “Lighten up” when it’s someone else, but think about it from another person’s perspective: when you’re a woman or guy who has a boss hitting on you and you need your job and want to keep it, it’s hard as hell to take it so casually. The penalty for speaking out can be severe, as I’ve witnessed up close. And don’t forget, that beast Harvey Weinstein blackballed some major actresses, preventing them from getting jobs, opportunities, you name it. There are seriously consequences to speaking out; the women aren’t “stupid.”
mhoffman953
@Kangol
“Did you miss the marches this past weekend? Millions of women were out there”
I wouldn’t use the Women’s March as an indicator of anything LOL. If you looked at the pictures and video of the women marching, they were marching for all sorts of things, many things not even related to women specifically. I saw signs from the march that dealt with raising minimum wage to $15 / hour, gun control, impeaching Trump, abortion, fat shaming, welcoming refugees, opening borders, etc.
If you asked 10 women from that march to tell you what they’re marching for, you’d get 10 different answers. So I wouldn’t cite it as an indicator of anything
baal61
Remember’ Everybody gets 15 minutes of fame.
Jaxton
Does anyone think the Vanity Fair cover is homophobic? Note how the men are all cold and distant from each other. Yet the women are shown leaning on each other or arms around each other.
Seems to be a double standard at this liberal-owned publication – possibly a homophobic one.
Jaxton
Message to Oprah Winfrey and the other #metoo hypocrites: go away, girls. You’re not wanted by the GLBT community. Take a hike and take your hypocrisy with you.
inbama
Too late.
Once you”ve been cisgendered, there’s no turning back.
Heywood Jablowme
@inbama: “Once you”ve been cisgendered, there’s no turning back.”
Oh, we’ve been urging Brian/Jason/Jaxton to cut his nuts off for YEARS! Then he wouldn’t be cisgendered anymore! Ha ha.
mhoffman953
@Heywood Jablowme
According to some radical leftists, you can still be female and have nuts and a dick.
Jaxton
Vanity Fair is liberal censorship at its worst.
Josh447
I think we have some serious women haters in this room.
SiamSam
Only a cucked beta fag soy boy would think that. (Just mirroring back the emotional immaturity and non-existent logic of your comment.)
Heywood Jablowme
@Josh447: Serious women are great!
It’s the un-serious women we’re objecting to. The un-serious women are the ones who conflate Bad Dates with workplace sexual harassment and/or actual RAPE (which is not a subjective thing since it’s definition has long been codified in these things called “laws”).
JoeyRamone
I think we have some pussies who think they are women
Heywood Jablowme
The New Yorker keeps bugging me to subscribe. (Maybe I should be flattered as they are said to go for the affluent demographic!)
I’m tempted to tell them – yeah, hire back Ryan Lizza and I’ll think about it.
I hope I don’t get any requests for money from Sen. “Wicked Witch of the East” Kirsten Gillibrand.
Danny595
This is not the worst case of #metoo witch hunting. The worst example is George Takei. He’s a decent man. No one has ever accused him of anything in his 60-year career. Then, out of nowhere, some guy that no one has ever heard of comes forward and claims that Takei tried to make a move on him when he was drunk, and stopped when told to stop. In 1981. 37 years ago. There was no employer relationship. No imbalance of power. No threats. No rape. Just a pass on a drunk guy 37 years ago.
Takei categorically denies this ever happened. And no one else has made any similar allegation. But still he had his photo splashed on the front page of the NY Daily News next to Harvey Weinstein and all the others, under the headline “Perv Nation.”
ChrisK
Wow. You said something smart for once.
Sam6969
I love when people just put half of the story:
“Also on Saturday, a recording of a recent Howard Stern radio show emerged in which Stern asked Takei if he had ever grabbed a man’s genitals against his will.
Takei paused, said “uh oh” and laughed. Stern repeated the question and Takei said: “Some people are kind of skittish, or maybe, um, uh, afraid, and you’re trying to persuade.””
Source : The story needs to be fully read: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/nov/11/george-takei-responds-to-accusation-he-sexually-assaulted-a-young-actor
Brody
Franco is an alleged cad—be gone, monster!
Relegated to has-been status over an allegation.
Polanski is a proven child molester—Oscar! Standing ovation!
Defended by all Hollywood women as an “artist” whose crimes are irrelevant.
Liberal logic at its finest.
Heywood Jablowme
For once I agree with you.
The Polanski travesty was in 2003 and wouldn’t happen today (I hope!)
The Franco allegations should be ignored.
JoeyRamone
Please, like you don’t know any 13 year olds who have had sex. She’s doing fine, btw. And Polanski remains a great filmmaker. Guess Mia was pissed he didn’t screw her.
Josh447
When you have five women saying things, it leaves the construct of “allegation”. That’s why Franco freaked after his interview when more women came forward out of the blue. What’s that line…..if one person says something their a nut case, if it’s two it’s a religion. Religion is very powerful.
I don’t think the guy raped anyone, but it sounds like he was a serious sexual creep who abused power on set and off. This is big trigger times on sex abuse and it’s a nuclear bomb waiting too explode with centuries of sexual rage by women. Not a good time to emotionally force ANYONE to do ANYTHING sexual against their will. Force, manipulating, that’s where it escalates from.
Now if the ladies are lying that’s another story. In this case, I have no evidence to back that up.
Brody
Joey –
Wow. Polanski’s victim is “doing fine,” so we shouldn’t care about his crime?
Your shocking declaration exemplifies my statement about liberal logic.
Josh –
I don’t believe Franco was accused of rape, just the same old “inappropriate touching” shit.
Regarding Trump’s anti-gay stance, I’ll first say that I don’t consider trans people to be gay-inclusive. Sorry, but a lot of us feel this way, so I don’t find the military tran-ban relevant. And I believe in it, because too many military people I know are vehemently against it for myriad reasons.
Regarding the judges he’s appointing, presidents always appoint judges that fall on their side of the political aisle. Obama appointed some of the most dangerous, radical, agenda-driven judges in our history, and it’s tough shit if anyone doesn’t like it—that’s the way the world spins. Same with Trump’s judges (none of whom have I heard will propose herding us into Gay Death Camps, but let me know if that changes).
Donald Trump is not a far-right politician. His views are very moderate, so we can all relax in the knowledge that same-sex marriage is here to stay, abortion is here to stay, and civil rights are here to stay, regardless of how loudly some are screaming that Trump or his judges are going to reverse these.
Hence, my opinion that President Trump is no threat whatsoever to me or thee.
Terrycloth
Why in the photo does Oprah have 3 hands and Reese have an extra leg ?
Young Timer
James Franco is very creepy.
He’s just weird-sounding.
There’s something about him that is very strange.
I would find it impossible to be friends with him, much less a lover (either male or female).
I get bad vibes every time I see him or hear him… like he could tell you what you want to hear, stay carefully out of reach, refuse to speak to you for weeks… then cuss you out for not contacting him.
Knock yourself out with him, fellow dudes…
My sanity is very important to me.