Kanye West is calling his upcoming new album Yeezus (June 18th) because he wants you to think he’s an artist (read: shameless attention whore) and decided to drive that point home by recreating that one scene from America Psycho where Bale repaints his apartment with Jared Catalano’s grey matter. So basically, lazy plagiarism thinly veiled as “reference” is now artistic. Super. In case you needed any more proof that this is going to be a fantastic flop, Kanye cast Scott Disick and Jonathan Cheban (Kim Kardashian‘s sycophantic hanger-on) in the music video. Page Six reports …
Kanye West has cast Scott Disick as the lead in an upcoming music video take on cult classic American Psycho — but sources tell Page Six the reality-TV doofus wasn’t West’s first choice. A treatment for the video called for James Franco to star. Sources further say the video, shot in Brooklyn, will re-create Christian Bale’s famous “Huey Lewis” monologue, but with Lewis’ name substituted by references to West and his forthcoming album Yeezus.
Bale famously asked a colleague played by Jared Leto in the film, “You like Huey Lewis and the News?” before slipping on a raincoat and killing him with an ax. (Bale also quips that the album Sports “has a clear, crisp sound and a new sheen of consummate professionalism.”) The role of Leto in West’s video is reportedly played by Kim Kardashian’s pal Jonathan Cheban. A source tells us a sponsor has been brought on to underwrite a $100,000 budget, and the viral clip aims to market West’s upcoming album “in a nontraditional way.” Reps for West and Franco didn’t get back to us.
Kanye: Hey, James Franco, you want to be in my video?
James: Yeah, sure, what is it?
Kanye: Well, it’s basically a word-for-word recreation of a scene from American Psycho. Also, it stars that guy who doesn’t actually do anything other than leech off of Kim. What do you say?
James: Hmmmm … what’s more than “NO” but less than setting myself on fire?