James Franco Wants Lana Del Rey’s “Shades Of Cool”

Lana Del Rey's second full-length album is out, which means that all the hype and "slay mamas" uttered in its heated build-up have been replaced with the revving engine of the Let's-Shame-Lana-Del-Rey Bus. It happened back in 2012 with Born To Die, and it's happening again with Ultraviolence. Like clockwork, hands across the Internet and "real" publishing outlets alike are being raised, vigorously announcing: "Yes, I, too, have an opinion on the entity that is Lana Del Rey." And, James Franco's hand is among them.

While the rest of the world picks apart every word she utters (or doesn't, depending on whom you want to believe), Franco has taken to kissing Del Rey's proverbial feet. His Instagram now features two images wherein Franco professes his love for the singer. One image is a screenshot of Del Rey's "Ride" music video, with a caption wishing her a happy birthday and indicating he's "obsessed" with the video. The other is a #regram of an Insta-artist who appropriates famous photos and "tattoos" the subjects; this one features a pensive Franco staring at his Lana-tattooed self in the mirror — the contemporary version of Caravaggio's Narcissist.

But, what highly intellectual, possibly existential meaning could these 'grams hold?

As multiple sites are reporting, Franco has it out for the newly-single, elusive chanteuse. Since Facebook is essentially single-shaming folks who have yet to take the pivotal step in a courtship and change their relationship status, Instagram has become the place to make these kinds of announcements. Obviously, two Instagrams about a woman whose name is buzzing right now — from a man known to provoke the media — means Franco's on a mission. Expect his New York Times op-ed (written in haiku form) defending his newfound paramour to surface any day now. Either that, or another naked selfie with a beguiling caption. Because, the world hasn't seen one of those in, oh, three whole weeks.