James Franco stars in an ambitious book trailer for Gary Shteyngart memoir
Random House has recently released a humorous book trailer for Gary Shteyngart鈥檚 new memoir, 鈥淟ittle Failure.鈥� Budgets for book marketing are usually limited. But this trailer is an ambitious production with a star-studded cast.
The video stars actors James Franco, Rashida Jones (of NBC鈥檚 鈥�Parks and Recreation鈥�), Alex Karpovsky (of HBO鈥檚 "Girls"), and writers David Ebershoff and Jonathan Franzen.
Rashida Jones and David Ebershoff appear in the video as Random House editors, and they are the ones who receive the pitch for the memoir. Shteyngart suggests calling the new book "The Portrait of the Young Man as a Mensch" or "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Jewness." Jones and Ebershoff intervene and explain the idea of titling the book 鈥淟ittle Failure鈥� instead, with a hint of witty self-deprecation.
Later in the video, James Franco appears in a pink robe as Shteyngart鈥檚 charismatic husband. Franco allegedly publishes an autobiography titled 鈥淔ifty Shades of Gary: An Erotic Journey,鈥� which is far more successful than Shteyngart鈥檚 and that reveals details of Shteyngart鈥檚 private life.
In the book trailer, no one seems to be interested in 鈥淟ittle Failure,鈥� including Shteyngart鈥檚 shrink. Jonathan Franzen plays the apathetic therapist. 鈥溾�楲ittle Failure?鈥� More like 鈥楲ittle Narcissist,鈥欌�� Franzen says. 鈥淚鈥檓 so sorry. Got to stop speaking the truth out loud.鈥�
Franco also appeared in for Shteyngart's novel "Super Sad True Love Story," along with a number of well known authors.
Shteyngart told , "I met [James Franco] at Columbia University... he was one of my students. You're not supposed to kiss your students but, I just couldn't help myself."
