By Drew Grant 2/28 9:44pm

Acting with James Franco

Clockwise from top: Franco, Dangeruss and Riff Raff

James Franco Finds Way to Piss Off Rapper After Playing Down Spring Breakers Inspiration

In Spring Breakers, James Franco has made the role of a lifetime: Alien, a gangsta white-boy townie from Florida who seduces (and in turn gets seduced by) the trio of bubble-gum co-eds turned criminals played by Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson, and director Harmony Korine’s wife, Rachel Korine. He’s a creepy, status-obsessed wannabe, but Franco managed to take inspiration from outside of himself anyway.

Since the beginning, rapper Riff Raff has been promoting the film, saying the Franco character was based on him. And the similarities are evident: the gold grill, the dreadlocks, the fact that one of his albums was called The Golden Alien and he and Korine appeared on a Sneeze magazine’s cover together.

All was kosher. That is, until James Franco got upset over the idea that his performance could have been done by the From Gs to Gents contestant himself. Read More

By Drew Grant 1/12/12 8:45am

Celebrities

Sammi Sweetheart with 'Dangerous'

‘Dangerous’ Fame: Jersey Shore Starlet Sammi Sweetheart Dips Wrists Into Perfume Endorsement

On the second floor of the Planet Hollywood in Midtown yesterday evening, the reality show star wore a sparkling cross necklace. It stood out to us as we sat across from her only because it was the only accessory larger than her three-inch fake eyelashes. The New York Observer‘s first question for Sammi “Sweetheart” Giancola–the Jersey Shore personality that wasn’t Snooki, Jennifer “JWOWW” Farley, or “the other one”–was how she felt when not wearing makeup. For most people, the question might be taken as an insult, but Ms. Giancola had recently made headlines by allowing Cat Marnell from XOJane to give her a “makeunder”: removing the layers of toner and piles of mascara to reveal a much younger, fresher-faced model.

Was she happy with the results? Sure.

“Now I know I don’t always have to wear makeup when I’m going to the store, I can just splash on some lip-gloss and be okay,” Ms. Giancola told us, batting her heavily-made up eyes. This evening however, was not just a romp to the store. Holding court in the Midtown tourist attraction for the first item to ever bear her likeness on the cover, the reality show star was done-up to the nines. Fake eyelashes, smokey eyes, bronzer, and yes, lots of lip gloss. Read More