James Franco Says “Social Media is Tricky”

In light of his recent Instagram scandal, James Franco admits to the challenges of social media usage  James Franco in a black suit and tie, chest up

“I’m embarrassed, and I uh, I guess I’m just a model of how social media is tricky.”  These words were spoken by James Franco this morning on LIVE with Kelly and Michael in response to Franco’s most recent scandal.  The celebrity came  under fire this past week after a 17-year-old girl alleged that he used Instagram to try to arrange a hotel hook-up.

Lucy Clode, the 17-year-old Scottish tourist who posted screenshots of her conversation with Franco to Imgur, says she met Franco outside of his Broadway play, Of Mice and Men.  Clode took a video of her meeting Franco, in which the star says “You gotta tag me.”  The teen tagged the celebrity, which then allowed him later that night to find Clode on Instagram and strike up a conversation.

Using Instagram’s private messaging feature, Franco sent Clode a picture of himself.  Then, the two began messaging back and forth under the comments section of that photo.  Franco asked Clode how old she was, who she was with, and if she had a boyfriend.  Even after learning that Clode was “nearly 18,” the 35-year-old Franco continued asking questions, following up with “When is your bday?  Where are you staying? What is your #?”

Clode responded, and the conversation moved to texting.  Doubting the identity of Franco, Clode asked that he “write [her] name on a piece of paper then send it to [her] with [his] face also in the picture, please.”  Franco did just that.

After the screenshots hit the internet, Franco tweeted a picture along with the statement “I’M NOT! I HOPE PARENTS KEEP THEIR TEENS AWAY FROM ME. Thank you[.]”

After this initial denial, Franco went on TV this morning admitting to his actions.  Franco explained, “Social media is tricky.  It’s a way that people meet each other today, but what I’ve learned, I guess just because I’m new to it, it’s like, you don’t know who’s on the other end. You meet somebody in person and you, you know, you get a feel from them but you don’t know who you’re talking to.  I used bad judgement and I learned my lesson.”  He continued, saying that as a celebrity, “Not only do I have to go through the embarrassing rituals of meeting someone, then it gets published for the world.”

Surely after this incident Franco will exercise precautions when using on social media.

 

Chelsea Grogan