Throughout New Orleans’ 300 year history, noted men of letters have tried to capture the city’s essence in words — and few have succeeded. It’s a place so rich and complex that it’s nearly impossible for even the most skilled wordsmiths to a) wrap their brains around it and b) convey their understanding of the city to others through their writings. Just ask Mark Twain.
All of this can mean only one thing: time for Arianna Huffington to send in James Franco.
Yes, if there’s anyone who can capture the jewel of my homeland in words and share unique insights with the world, it has to be celebrity scholar James Franco, right?
Here’s James Franco on New Orleans’ post-Katrina recovery…
Our driver told us that there are more restaurants in New Orleans now than before Katrina. I don’t know what that means exactly, but I guess some business is coming back.
James Franco on New Orleans as a muse…
I had great memories of living in the Quarter a decade ago, when I acted in Nicolas Cage’s directorial debut, Sonny. I guess New Orleans is the place actors go to direct their first films.
James Franco on the city’s supernatural qualities…
After unpacking my bags, I heard the sound of rushing water and realized that the sink in the bathroom was running full blast. It hadn’t been on when I entered the room, and its knob wasn’t the least bit loose. I spoke to the empty room and assured whatever spirits resided there that I was on their side. At first I thought it was a gag for tourists, but when I asked the maid, she knew nothing about it. Instead, she told me about the ghost of a Confederate soldier who chased female guests with blond hair. People in New Orleans believe in ghosts.
James Franco on French Quarter ghost/vampire tours…
The New Orleans tours make entertainment out of subject matter that would be on the news if it happened today. Then again, don’t news stations just cover the stuff that will bring in the ratings?
James Franco’s single sentence summation of New Orleans…
Basically, New Orleans is an amusement park where you can get killed.
Yep, that sounds about right. PENETRATING INSIGHT!
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I dunno, my most recent memory of New Orleans is being on Bourbon Street watching a guy shit his pants.
Stay away from Bourbon street. Bourbon Street is not New Orleans.
It’s a strange street. The further up the street you go, the more down it goes. Kinda lie how the more North you go in Florida, the more South it gets.
Wow this gig must be adding .00′s to his bank account.
Man, I used to really like James Franco… even back in the Spidey days, when everyone who wasn’t a girl seemed to hate the guy, I thought he was cool. And I definitely respected him and Natalie Portman (and other similar actors) for going back to school after becoming big-deal actors. But this guy just seems dumber and/or crazier with every story I read about him.
Then again, that “amusement park” line is pretty brilliant.
I go back and forth on him on a regular basis. Hell, I even went back and forth reading this HuffPo post!
At least he didn’t try to hard. The guys a stoner/actor, who wants to stay in college forever and can afford it. I would do the same thing if I could. Seems fun.
Why yes, I’ll take an all expense paid trip to Nah’lins and write down a thousand words or so on what I saw and did.