James Franco to interview stars as Dave Skylark for MTV special

James Franco has reprised his clueless talk show host Dave Skylark from controversial new comedy The Interview to help MTV bosses promote the Video Music Awards.

In a TV special featuring nominees Nicki Minaj, Iggy Azalea and Jason DeRulo, Franco, as Skylark, shows off his lack of research with a series of dumb questions - he asks Australian Azalea about life in Austria and states, "You're the one who wrote Superb A**" during a chat with Superbass hitmaker Minaj.

Skylark's Very Special VMA Special will air in on 17 August (14), a week before the VMAs.

In the new Franco comedy, Skylark lands an interview with Kim Jong-un only to learn he and his sidekick, played by Seth Rogen, have to assassinate the North Korean leader.