Sponsored message
Logged in as
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

Arts & Entertainment

James Franco Published A Poem About Los Angeles In Which He Spells 'Los Feliz' Wrong

James-Franco-Getty.jpg
Actor James Franco attends the 'Lovelace' Press Conference during the 63rd Berlinale International Film Festival at Grand Hyatt Hotel on February 9, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.

Professional dilettante James Franco has published a poem that wrestles with Los Angeles' bloody colonial origins. It's been praised as "perfect," "the essence of L.A." and Ginsberg-esque by the commenters of Instagram, but of course it's hilariously bad.

Since we've never been published in the esteemed pages of "The American Poetry Review" ourselves, we don't want to take him to task for images like "Girls so gorgeous brown, pounded into mush and then made into stories" or ponder whether the author identifies as one of the "naked, drugged, stupid, happy, young actors."

Instead, we're going to get on his case for not knowing the city. His worst offense is naming "Los Filez" as one of the places where "Spanish blood flowed in the rivers." Really? He doesn't know Los Feliz? He also says Los Angeles Blvd. and 4th Street is one of the four square blocks downtown where there's "nothing but crack addicts." He probably means Los Angeles Street.

Here's the entire poem, but he warns us: "I write poems - if that bothers you, Don't read 'em."


James Franco (Instagram)

If you want more, Curbed LA points out that he has another poem about the movies in The American Poetry Review. And the site tells us, "His first book of poems, Directing Herbert White, is forthcoming from Graywolf Press in 2014."Disclaimer: Any misspellings in this post were subtle homage to Franco's unique style.

One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.

If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today