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Franco cancels UCLA speech

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 7, 2009

Actor James Franco says he has dropped a plan to give a commencement speech at the University of California, Los Angeles, a move that may have been prompted by pressure from students.

Franco issued a statement saying he canceled his Friday appearance because of conflicts with preproduction demands for his next film.

However, the "Pineapple Express" star had been the object of opposition from students who said he was not the right fit for the commencement speech.

"The problem with him as a speaker comes down to the fact he was a peer for so many of us," UCLA senior Erin Moore said. "He was in our class. He's not a role model. And he hasn't had time to accomplish anything with his degree."

Franco, 31, enrolled at UCLA in 1996 and graduated last year with a degree in creative writing. He would have been the youngest person and most recent graduate to deliver a commencement speech at UCLA.

Soon after the commencement announcement in March, Moore set up a Facebook page called "UCLA Students Against James Franco as Commencement Speaker." Hundreds joined, and Moore estimated about 80 percent of them are UCLA students.

UCLA announced on its Web site that Franco would be replaced by Linkin Park lead guitarist and UCLA alumnus Brad Delson, who graduated with a bachelor's degree in communication studies in 1999.

Gainesville names plaza for Diddley

Officials in Gainesville have renamed the city's downtown plaza after rock 'n' roll legend and former Florida resident Bo Diddley.

Diddley died in June 2008. Officials honored him Friday by unveiling a mural and renaming the downtown space the Bo Diddley Community Plaza. Diddley lived in Archer, a few miles southwest of Gainesville, and played at the plaza in 2006.

Diddley's family plans to unveil his tombstone in Bronson, also southwest of Gainesville, at 10 a.m. today.

Today's birthdays

Singer Tom Jones is 69. Poet Nikki Giovanni is 66. Actor Liam Neeson is 57. Record producer L.A. Reid is 53. Singer-songwriter Prince is 51. Rock musician Dave Navarro is 42. Actress Anna Torv ("Fringe") is 30. Tennis player Anna Kournikova is 28. Actor Michael Cera is 21.

Source: The Associated Press

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