JAMES FRANCO’S OSCAR DRAG PLAN SCUPPERED

The failure to nominate Cher’s song from the film Burlesque for an Oscar has scuppered host James Franco’s plan to dress in drag as the superstar during the award show.

Franco, who is himself nominated in the best-actor category for the film 127 Hours, and actress Anne Hathaway will host the anticipated ceremony on February 27.

“We had a great bit where James Franco was going to come on as Cher and be interrupted by [the real] Cher,” Oscar scriptwriter Bruce Vilanch told the Advocate.

“But the song wasn’t nominated, and so she’s not coming,” he said.

Many were surprised that Cher’s powerhouse song You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me, which won Best Original Song at the recent Golden Globe Awards for songwriter Diane Warren, wasn’t even nominated for an Academy Award.

In October last year, Franco dressed in drag for the cover of Candy magazine, “dedicated to cross-dressing, transvestism, transexuality and androgyny”.