Today's Evil Beet Gossip

James Franco Makes Controversial Rape Joke

james franco film festival venice

James Franco was roasted on Comedy Central by his famous comedian friends. I didn’t watch it because I value my time. Everyone got some good shots in at James Franco’s pretentiousness and failure as an Oscar host. Mr. Franco ended the evening with a rape joke directed at pal Seth Rogen that has some people steamed. Here’s what he said (via Salon):

Seth was really hilarious tonight. But the jokes suggesting that I was gay … coming from you, Seth, really hurts because it reminds of the time on the set of ‘Pineapple Express’ when Seth Rogen tried to rape me. [Rogen laughs, then shakes his head, gesturing discomfort] Forced his way into my dressing room, blew pot smoke into my mouth, [Franco laughs] pinned me beneath his sweaty, heaving, schlubby body. Luckily, he was distracted by the sound of an ice cream truck outside and I managed to break free. But Seth, the incident did inspire my latest painting, entitled, “Seth Rogen is a Gay Stoner Rapist.”

What do you think? Did he go too far?

15 CommentsLeave a comment

  • If this joke bothers any significant number of people, how Is Family Guy still on the air? 25% of the jokes on that show have something to do with rape.

  • People take life too seriously and are always looking for things to be outraged at. It was just a joke.

  • Don’t go too far, now. Stay within the bounds or else you might offend someone. Be careful now, watch out for those egg shells. Even if you make a million people laugh, you’ll make 500 upset. Best just not say anything at all.

  • That was more a joke at Seth rogan’s expense, not that of a tape victim’s so I don’t think it’s anything to get angry over. Then again I have a thick skin when it comes to humour.

  • The problem is that rape jokes make rape seem less important than it is, studies have proven so and it makes victim-blaming more common. I love James Franco and it doesn’t infuriate me so much as makes me want to shake my head and sit him down for a talk to educate him about rape-culture. It’s a joke that’s just really BAD taste but everyone makes mistakes. I’m sure if he apologized, genuinely from the heart apologized and tried to make it up to the rape-survivors for insulting them, it would be handled appropriately.

    • Charlie, rape jokes have the same effect with regards to rape that violent movies and video games do with regard to violence and pornography has with regard to sexual attitudes: they increase negative attitudes TEMPORARILY.

      The effects don’t last for long beyond the “exposure” to the humour, just as they don’t last long beyond the “exposure” to violent content or pornography. This is the same song and dance that’s been done forever, except that now it’s got a feminist bent. If biased groups that have been researching this stuff for decades with the intention of controlling expression haven’t been able to find long term harmful effects, that means there are none.

      You’d do well to scrutinise your position before adopting it. This goes for anything, really. Dogma doesn’t look good on anyone, no matter its origins, and it’s never done us much good as a race.

    • No, man. Everyone has had something happen to them and because of social media and social networks, so many people being connected and online, there’s always a large group of people somewhere – protesting something.

      These kind of jokes are still always funny to someone and the victims are, no matter what, almost always in the minority. Just deal with it and let it go, it’s funny to the rest of us. Skip it and laugh yourself at the next best thing, or just don’t watch it.

      Nobody cares about the activists’ point of view. We should be worried about where the nuclear waste is going to be stored when the space runs out (or even why global warming is threatening life on Earth, you know), and not so much about things like ghey rights, you get what I’m saying?..;)

  • I was more insulted that this douche bag rated a roast in the first place. No talent completely unlikeable fuck.