Sean Penn told Scarlett Johansson to go back to school

Obviously, I will jump at nearly any chance to reuse this photo of Scarlett Johansson and her whacked-out foot placement at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner that she attended with Sean Penn in early May. Of course, it wasn’t long afterward that Scarlett and Sean inevitably and officially broke up, and now there are the recent reports that Sean did the dumping because she’s clingy, and Scarlett’s still pursuing. I’m inclined to believe that’s probably true, since Scarlett’s not used to getting dumped and probably hasn’t gotten the message into her head that Sean’s just not into her any longer.

However, there’s now an amusing (if not entirely believable) report that dinner at the White House may have had something to do with the breakup. The Enquirer seems to believe that Scarlett broke up with Sean because he suggested that she needed to get an education:

Heavy-handed Sean Penn wrecked his relationship with Scarlett Johansson when he went overboard with his controlling ways – telling her she should go back to school.

“It was the last straw when Sean disparaged her lack of education about politics and urged her to go to school,” revealed an insider.

“Scarlett loves him, but she had to end the romance because she felt she had no breathing room.”

The May-December romance began to unravel when the 26-year-old “Lost in Translation” beauty admitted she felt a little out of her depth intellectually when she recently attended a White House gala.

That convinced Penn, 50, that the pillow-lipped beauty — who never attended college — needed to get more education. Back in 2003, she applied for New York University’s arts program but was rejected.

“Sean suggested Scarlett take a political science course,” revealed an insider, and it rubbed her the wrong way.

“She’s a free spirit and just became fed up with him trying to take over every aspect of her life — from career choices and work habits to people she associated with,” disclosed the insider.

As The Enquirer revealed, the “Milk” star — previously married to actress Robin Wright — had been organizing many aspects of Scarlett’s life since the pair began their controversial romance in January.

Even Penn’s 20-year-old daughter Dylan told pals she was “grossed out” by her dad’s fling, which began after ScarJo filed for divorce from her huband of two years, “Green Lantern” hunk Ryan Reynolds.

Not long ago, possessive Penn showed up on the set of Scarlett’s latest movie, “We Bought a Zoo” — scowling at guys who came near her.

Concluded the insider: “Scarlett got tired of telling Sean to pull back. In the end, she wanted a mentor, not a father.”

[From The Enquirer, print edition]

Well, I can see where getting rejected from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts would cause Scarlett to have a sore spot on the subject of college education. Even worse, Scarlett already fancies herself an intellectual and probably didn’t appreciate being told that she’s not as smart as she thinks she is. Still, when she’s rubbing shoulders with the likes of Barack Obama (and the dinner wasn’t the first time that’s happened either), she could at least stand to take a basic course on International Relations or Poli Sci 101. Still, that’s nothing that one wants to hear from your boyfriend, so this argument may indeed have contributed to their breakup, but I doubt she initiated the split. Also, that bit about Penn scowling at guys onset is hilarious. The scowl is Penn’s natural expression!

Even when Sean smiles, the guy looks like he’s suffering from discomfort in the lower abdominal area, if you know what I mean. And I think you do.

Meanwhile, based upon that photo of Scarlett and Sean together at last weekend’s Spike TV Guys Choice Awards, Star [the print edition] maintains that they’re still very much a couple yet have hit a rough patch because while Scarlett “believes she’s found the real thing,” Sean’s just not ready for a serious relationship again after divorcing Robin Wright. Further, Star asserts that both Robin and Scarlett’s mom have expressed their verbal disapproval of the coupling. Oh, and ScarJo and Sean supposedly argue about everything but enjoy a so-called “amazing chemistry,” and Sean likes banging a woman who’s half his age. I can totally buy that the last part was a big reason that these two ever dated in the first place, but I doubt that they’re still together by any stretch. And yeah, he totally dumped her.

Photos courtesy of Fame Pictures and WENN

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