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.