James Franco is Pissing Me Off

[Normal]

I used to really admire James Franco, but now I think he's being incredibly selfish. His enrollment in all these programs makes a mockery of everyone else and it makes a mockery of the educational system. What it means is that we have a very famous, very charming man who is taking advantage of that to satisfy what I am sure is genuine intellectual curiosity and desire for personal betterment. However, what that also means is that he is taking away spots in programs one of us "normals" might have taken. And there's a lot more riding on getting into a graduate program for the average applicant than there is for James Franco.

Not only that, he is trivializing the programs and the graduate education in general by overloading himself on classes and programs. There is no way any human being can complete a semester in excess of 43 hours - unless there is something I'm missing here and James Franco is truly some kind of savant, it just isn't possible. But instead, what most of us see is this guy who is able to achieve, in unrealistic quantities, what we are struggling with at the normal level. For him to take up so much space in all these programs and classes while making it seem so effortless is incredibly insulting if he is not making decent grades (that he earned) across the board.

I understand the desire to want to continue one's education - obviously, all of us here do - but at some point he needs to take the initiative to educate himself, rather than pursuing so many degrees in so many programs. Again, I do think he seems like a nice guy, and he is certainly incredibly talented, but at the end of the day, he's screwing us. I realize he brings a lot of funding into the department, but the fact still remains that he is taking away spots from people who deserve them and he is diminishing the graduate school struggle for the people who have to be admitted and graduate on our merit alone, rather than fame. He's always going to get in to wherever he applies, but if he is being childish if he continues applying and matriculating. Somewhere past your thirtieth graduate degree, the diplomas just stop carrying the same meaning.

Edited April 23, 2011 by Normal

[Teelee]

He's teaching some film class at NYU right?

[beanbagchairs]

I dont know how he does it (passing those many classes in DIFFERENT programs simultaneously)? He is taking them simultaneously, right? Does he even sleep?

[Strangefox]

Well, at least he brings in money (as you wrote)... But of course his approach to studying looks like a mockery

[switch]

There is a big difference between literary criticism and creative writing, so why did Franco get the two mixed up? If he wanted to be in a creative writing program, he should have figured that out before going to Yale literary criticism. But if he wants to be in a literary criticism program, he shouldn't also apply to a creative writing program. He's only been in the Yale program for two semesters but he already knows he doesn't want to be there?

It's not just the fault of James Franco, however. Look at all of the graduate departments that are enabling him. Yale accepted him although he was perhaps uninterested in literary criticism or not up to the standards of the department. He's leaving for some reason. University of Houston accepted him even though he flamed out of Yale's program and obviously has problems completing programs.

What about all of the UCLA professors who enabled him by writing him letters of recommendation? I bet his famous film directors wrote him letters of rec. Yet they also didn't bother to really figure out if he was heading towards literary criticism or creative writing. They are all enabling him just like they enable famous people like Charlie Sheen.

In addition, are his GRE scores very high? Are his grades any good? I wonder if he's any good as a candidate besides having a lot of famous people writing letters of recommendation for him.

[Strangefox]

In addition, are his GRE scores very high? Are his grades any good? I wonder if he's any good as a candidate besides having a lot of famous people writing letters of recommendation for him.

I seriously doubt that.

[Mal83]

There is a big difference between literary criticism and creative writing, so why did Franco get the two mixed up? If he wanted to be in a creative writing program, he should have figured that out before going to Yale literary criticism. But if he wants to be in a literary criticism program, he shouldn't also apply to a creative writing program. He's only been in the Yale program for two semesters but he already knows he doesn't want to be there?

It's not just the fault of James Franco, however. Look at all of the graduate departments that are enabling him. Yale accepted him although he was perhaps uninterested in literary criticism or not up to the standards of the department. He's leaving for some reason. University of Houston accepted him even though he flamed out of Yale's program and obviously has problems completing programs.

What about all of the UCLA professors who enabled him by writing him letters of recommendation? I bet his famous film directors wrote him letters of rec. Yet they also didn't bother to really figure out if he was heading towards literary criticism or creative writing. They are all enabling him just like they enable famous people like Charlie Sheen.

In addition, are his GRE scores very high? Are his grades any good? I wonder if he's any good as a candidate besides having a lot of famous people writing letters of recommendation for him.

I'm not sure that comparing James Franco who is like a productive member of society by educating himself to be better in his chosen field or fields to a pathetic train wreck like Charlie Sheen who's brain couldn't even handle the ABC's let alone a Ph.D is fair. Or if he just wants to be a professional student that's his business. That's not to say that I'd want a movie star in one of my classes, that would be a major distraction I'm sure, but regardless of that I feel like if he's getting into whatever program based on merit then it shouldn't be an issue. Also, if I wanted to go to school for directing or film making you better believe I'm going to get a rec letter from famous directors I've worked with. It's not like he wants to go to medical school and got in because of a rec letter from Sean Penn.

[singlecell]

Seeing James Franco's GRE scores > Seeing Obama's birth certificate

[lyonessrampant]

I also find him annoying. There's a whole thread on him in the lit, rhetoric, and comp forum. He's apparently also enrolled in programs at Columbia and NYU in addition to Yale and now Houston. Apparently, he plans on maintaining all of these degree programs?! I think he must just occasionally sit in on classes and wax on about himself and then leave. I highly doubt he is writing the papers, doing the research, or meeting the stardards that the rest of the Ph.D. candidates are. Money can get you anything. Hopefully, when programs "admit" him (ahem. . .let him in without review) they don't count him as one of their cohort and just have him as some sort of dilettante loosely attached to the Ph.D. program.

[HandsomeNerd]

I wonder if he's getting funded? If not, does that even influence the chances of 'regular' folks' chances for admission?

[Zouzax]

wow I just looked up what you were talking about and that IS incredibly annoying. He cheapens the whole process. He makes it look like you can just wake up one day and say, "I think Ill get my Ph.D this year. Yes, thats what Ill do!"

Also, isn't it strange that he's entering in Fall 2012? Don't people not even apply for that until NEXT fall? It's infuriating that he's taking a spot when only 20 out of 400 are accepted. One less person that ACTUALLY deserved it & worked their butt off for it will be left out because James Franco had a whim.

[Normal]

In addition, are his GRE scores very high? Are his grades any good? I wonder if he's any good as a candidate besides having a lot of famous people writing letters of recommendation for him.

I can't confirm whether it's actually his, but there's a piece of writing going around that he apparently did that was exceptionally poorly written. He seems to be intelligent enough when he speaks, but I don't know how he can consistently be achieving high marks (earned, not inflated) with all that he has on his plate. I personally do not believe it is possible.

Also, isn't it strange that he's entering in Fall 2012? Don't people not even apply for that until NEXT fall? It's infuriating that he's taking a spot when only 20 out of 400 are accepted. One less person that ACTUALLY deserved it & worked their butt off for it will be left out because James Franco had a whim.

Apparently he was supposed to start in 2011 but he deferred enrollment for a year. So he's actually screwing someone next year, not this year.

[lyonessrampant]

I haven't read them, but word on the street is that his book of short stories Palo Alto is total crap. In the words of one of the creative writers on the lit forum, it's like a totally stoned 8th grader wrote it. I can't really stand him, so I don't plan to read it, but I'm not surprised. Also, I don't think that he is funded, so I would sure hope that he doesn't count as part of the normal accepted cohort.

[Normal]

Stands to reason. You can do everything or you can do a few things well, but I've never come across anyone who can do everything well. At least trying is admirable, but certainly not when you're taking opportunities away from others

I haven't read them, but word on the street is that his book of short stories Palo Alto is total crap. In the words of one of the creative writers on the lit forum, it's like a totally stoned 8th grader wrote it. I can't really stand him, so I don't plan to read it, but I'm not surprised.

[BrandNewName]

I think it's a bit odd as well. But if he's waiting until next year then it means he will have finished coursework and comps at Yale English leaving him with a dissertation to complete. He'll then be taking the required courses at UH (many of which, I think, might be considered fulfilled because of his coursework at Yale and beyond). So, really, what you're looking at is someone who is writing a dissertation and a larger creative piece. Yes, his celebrity is definitely a factor, but I doubt seriously that he has funding at any of these schools. What is more, it's not entirely unheard of to get more than one PhD/complete more than one graduate program...the thing that often isn't the case, however, is being able to do so simultaneously. Again, his celebrity and the ability to travel without the slightest consideration of cost factor in and make this an option not available to most others. Don't know him, never met him, but I don't have an issue with doing everything you want to do...I can't say that I wouldn't be trying to juggle the same things if I had an ample supply of cash and a name/smile that allowed me some wiggle room.

[lyonessrampant]

You should go find him and ask while you're at Yale and then report back to us

[KRC]

I feel reasonably certain of two things:

1. These departments "admit" him for PR and increased attention. And,

2. The numbers we see of him enrolling in OVR9000 credits a semester are drastically inflated.

EDIT: A third: many people that "don't deserve" to be in grad school are. Franco isn't exemplary here.

Edited April 25, 2011 by KRC

[Normal]

I agree with your other points, but what makes you think his credit overload is exaggerated? The number of 62 credits has been reported from several reasonably credible sources.

2. The numbers we see of him enrolling in OVR9000 credits a semester are drastically inflated.

[MoJingly]

Yeah, I was unclear who he was actually (maybe I live under a rock?) but Wikipedia helped me out.

He seems like one of those kids I hated in middle school. They'd get out the biggest books from the library, sit in the corner, and read them with their brows furrowed and head resting on their fists so that you knew they were thinking REALLY hard.

[MoJingly]

I haven't read them, but word on the street is that his book of short stories Palo Alto is total crap. In the words of one of the creative writers on the lit forum, it's like a totally stoned 8th grader wrote it. I can't really stand him, so I don't plan to read it, but I'm not surprised. Also, I don't think that he is funded, so I would sure hope that he doesn't count as part of the normal accepted cohort.

Not to join the hate-fest, but I'm not going to lie, I just went to Amazon and read a bit of Palo Alto. It was mildly painful. And by mildly I mean severely.

[natsteel]

Like a few others said, I seriously doubt Franco is getting funding at any of these schools. I really don't think it's a case of Franco taking up a spot in the actual cohort. If, for the universities, it's something of a publicity stunt, then I imagine he would be considered for all intents and purposes as outside the cohort, if that makes sense. I'm not sure if what he's doing "cheapens the process." I'm not sure that it does, but, even if so, he's not keeping hardworking students from getting funding at any of these schools.

[wildeisonmine]

He seems like one of those kids I hated in middle school. They'd get out the biggest books from the library, sit in the corner, and read them with their brows furrowed and head resting on their fists so that you knew they were thinking REALLY hard.

This is definitely how he looked during the seminar I sat in on during my visit--can't say whether it was affected or not, but he definitely has his "I am deep in contemplation and thinking very, very hard" face.

[switch]

Like a few others said, I seriously doubt Franco is getting funding at any of these schools. I really don't think it's a case of Franco taking up a spot in the actual cohort. If, for the universities, it's something of a publicity stunt, then I imagine he would be considered for all intents and purposes as outside the cohort, if that makes sense. I'm not sure if what he's doing "cheapens the process." I'm not sure that it does, but, even if so, he's not keeping hardworking students from getting funding at any of these schools.

I went to Yale undergrad, and you seem concerned with defending Franco alone. But what about your future alma mater? Yale is enabling Franco. So are other schools. I get accosted frequently about my deep deep devotion to my subject matter. Why is Franco exempted from this bullying? Or why am I subjected to this bullying? Plus, does Franco have good GRE scores and grades?

[Mal83]

I went to Yale undergrad, and you seem concerned with defending Franco alone. But what about your future alma mater? Yale is enabling Franco. So are other schools. I get accosted frequently about my deep deep devotion to my subject matter. Why is Franco exempted from this bullying? Or why am I subjected to this bullying? Plus, does Franco have good GRE scores and grades?

What's the difference what his GRE scores are? Not everyone needs good GRE scores to go to grad school, if you have exceptional experiences then I would say that offsets any bad score on a standardized test. Those with great work experience or super high GRE scores can offset low undergrad GPAs for example, and that is true for anyone. We don't know what his test scores are like or what his application looked like as a whole, but just judging by the advanced education that he has I'd say it's probably pretty good.

Plus I don't understand the use of the word "enabling" here, you enable someone to continue taking drugs or drinking alcohol excessively. You can enable someone to continue engaging in bad behavior. How does a school enable someone to get an education? You're assuming that he's taking advantage of something or that he's not fulfilling the requirements of his classes or majors and that these very high profile schools are just allowing it because he's James Franco...what evidence is there of this?

You're saying that you get bullied in graduate school for being passionate about your major? Why would anyone do that to you or Franco? Why would anyone at an institution of higher learning get bullied for learning?

[MoJingly]

I went to Yale undergrad, and you seem concerned with defending Franco alone. But what about your future alma mater? Yale is enabling Franco. So are other schools. I get accosted frequently about my deep deep devotion to my subject matter. Why is Franco exempted from this bullying? Or why am I subjected to this bullying? Plus, does Franco have good GRE scores and grades?

Yeah, I'm confused by this post. Do you mean that people are being too hard on Franco, or that people are being too hard on the schools?