James Franco Blames His Creeping On A 17-Year-Old On The "Tricky" Ways Of Social Media

By Emily Exton

April 4, 2014 / 12:00 PM

James Franco is currently starring in the stage production of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, but he's been getting more attention for creepy offstage hookup attempts than his Broadway debut. Franco made headlines yesterday when a 17-year-old girl from Scotland uploaded her private Instagram messages with the star (embedded below), following a brief encounter outside the Longacre Theater in Manhattan.

Rather than let the news cycle continue to dissect his latest questionable act, Franco addressed the situation during today's appearance on LIVE with Kelly and Michael. Franco admitted to being embarrassed by his behavior, telling hosts Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan that he's "just a model about how social media's tricky." True, figuring out how to use proper hashtags or set up a Twitter list can be confusing, but celebrities above anyone else should know that nothing is ever truly private -- especially on the Internet. Read his full statement on the matter, below:

I’m embarrassed... I guess I’m just a model about how social media’s tricky. It’s a way people meet each other today, but what I’ve learned -- I guess just 'cause I'm knew to it -- it's like, you don’t know who’s on the other end. You meet somebody in person and you get a feel for them, but you don't know who you're talking to. I used bad judgment and I learned my lesson. But unfortunately in my position -- I mean I have a very good life, but -- not only do I have to go through the embarrassing rituals of meeting someone, sometimes if I do that, then it gets published for the world so now it's like doubly embarrassing.

He should really be apologizing for bringing back the dated A/S/L style of conversing in vintage AOL chatrooms. When you're doing eight shows a week, there must not be time for small talk. But does it really "happen to all of us," Kelly? Not every 35-year-old is out there asking 17-year-olds to rent a hotel room. Let's also note that Franco doesn't explicitly apologize for hitting on an underage girl -- he mostly just repeats how embarrassing it is to have his failed hookup attempt exposed for the world to see.

James Franco

[Photo Credit: Getty Images]