'Girls Gone Wild' founder defends himself for 'checking out' Kylie Jenner when she was 18

Joe Francis, the 49-year-old, founder of the controversial Girls Gone Wild video series has defended himself for the eye-brow-raising picture he used to celebrate Kylie Jenner's birthday.

The reality tv star and make-up mogul turned 25 on Wednesday but rather than sending her a simple 'happy birthday' message Francis instead posted a throwback shot of the time he hung out with Jenner on her 18th birthday. Also in the picture are Jenner's friends Stassie Karanikolaou and Pia Mia Perez and her then-boyfriend, Tyga.

What a man of his age was doing at an 18-year-old birthday party is questionable but the post was made even odder when you realised that it was of a teenage Jenner in a bikini while he appeared to be 'checking out' the star.

He wrote in the caption: "Happy Birthday @kyliejenner!! I'm so proud of you and all your success!!" Although his message was innocent enough people took exception to the content of the photo that was shared on Instagram.

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One person asked: "You didn’t have a better picture — one where you weren’t checking her out?

In response, Francis said: "I'm a man. All straight men always are looking at beautiful women. That’s why I’m so successful. Are you saying you hate God for making us this way? No other straight man is different or Girls Gone Wild wouldn’t of made billions of dollars."

He also said that Jenner is like a "sister to me" adding: "I think you’re the creepy one. Why would you even think that. I used to date her sister. I have three sisters too. I would never ever have sex with my sisters. That’s gross!"

Francisdid date Jenner's eldest half-sister Kourtney Kardashian who he tagged in the message.

The father of two made his fortune in the late 90s and 2000s thanks to the Girls Gone Wild videos when college-age women were persuaded to expose their bodies and act 'wildly' on camera.

He has since faced numerous legal difficulties and convictions and filed for bankruptcy in 2013.

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