About This News Bytes Episode:

In this week’s Yahoo! News Bytes, Pamela Woon and the Digital Media Bureau take you behind the scenes at Frameline Fest to talk with James Franco, who portrays the late beat poet Allen Ginsberg in “Howl”.  Known for his roles in the Spiderman movies, “Milk” and the iconic series “Freaks and Geeks”, Franco is among the busiest men in Hollywood.  With upcoming roles in the prequel to “Planet of the Apes”, a starring role in “Eat Pray Love”, a recurring role on “General Hospital” and a teaching position at Yale University this Spring we will be seeing a lot more of Franco in 2010 and beyond.

Centering on the turbulent times surrounding the obscenity trial involving Ginsberg’s poem “Howl”, the movie  also features “Mad Men” star Jon Hamm, “Weeds” actress Mary-Louise Parker, and Jeff Daniels.  “Howl” is  slated for theatrical release in September 2010.

Recent Yahoo! News Bytes Episodes:

• Yahoo! News Bytes July 16, 2010 (David Beckham + Yahoo! Mobile World Cup app)
• Yahoo! News Bytes July 1, 2010 (Yahoo! Mobile Android apps)

About The Yahoo! Digital Media Bureau:

The Yahoo! Digital Media Bureau is a team of Emmy-nominated, multi-platform content creators who innovate and produce original video content, from webisodes to webumentaries. The Yahoo! Digital Media bureau is responsible for the weekly feature, Yahoo! News Bytes, which peels back the layer on everything Yahoo! The Bureau also produces the weekly Yahoo! Trends segment, which focuses on what’s trending in entertainment, pop culture and tech. Yahoo! Trends is distributed on broadcast television and seen throughout the United States.

So, what does it take to navigate a 77-foot-long, 430-pound Spiderman balloon through the streets of New York while millions of people are watching on live television?

Jodie, who is director of platform business strategy for Yahoo’s Right Media, is about to find out.

Although this will be Jodie’s 8th year participating in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, it will be her first as a captain of a big, new balloon. And she’ll be guiding the first balloon of the day, no less.

Jodie, who reports that you need good running shoes, muscles, a sense of humor and a bit of technical training to take on the volunteer job, gave us a behind-the-scenes peek at the preparations for the big event.

While the rest of us will have to tune in to NBC or CBS at 9 a.m. Thursday morning to cheer Jodie on, her New York Yahoo colleagues will have prime seats for the festivities.  For the first time in its 83-year history, the parade will pass by the Yahoo! building!

Good luck to Jodie–and Happy Thanksgiving from Yahoo!