Watch This: Joaquin Phoenix is a Complete Mess
Filed under: Celebrities and Controversy, Trailers and Clips
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So what's up with Joaquin Phoenix? It started when he announced that he was quitting acting to pursue a music career, then got stranger when said music career became a rap album. After we began to prepare ourselves for the new hip-hopped Phoenix, along came word that he and Casey Affleck would be shooting an "art project" (aka documentary) about Phoenix's journey from acting to music ... and then a little while after that we got word that the whole thing could, in fact, be one big joke, a la some Borat-style shenanigans.
However, while out doing press for his new film Two Lovers, I've heard from several different journalists that Affleck has joined Phoenix at each stop -- going so far as to interview each person who interviews Phoenix, claiming it's for an "art project" and it's not a joke. Finally we get Phoenix's appearance on the David Letterman Show, where the dude is a complete mess. Not only does he wear dark sunglasses and chew gum, but it's pretty obvious he couldn't give two sh*ts about being there as he barely answers Letterman's questions and doesn't even know which clip they brought. Letterman, mind you, is either pissed or going along with the act, and Phoenix just sits there looking like the Unibomber's twin brother. Yeah, you're getting some great publicity out of this guy.
So what do you think is going on here? Is Phoenix just playing some big practical joke? Does he want people to hate him (though I kinda think he's a riot)? Does he want to ruin his career on purpose just to see how long it will take to build back up? Is that the "art project"? Thoughts?
UPDATED to add full interview
[Thanks Dennis P. for passing this along]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
2-12-2009 @ 10:07AM
David said...
I don't blame Joaquin for not playing along. He was treated with derision from the outset. Letterman, characteristically, was acting like a prick.
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2-12-2009 @ 4:01PM
StewMeat said...
what interview were you watching? Maybe you're just a leno person and dislike Dave. Either way, Dave is one of the best interviewers there is and does not take jabs at guests unless they deserve it, and JP deserved it.
2-12-2009 @ 4:25PM
Timothy said...
i fully agree... dave was unprofessional and furthered proved why he should've retired years ago. he doesn't get why he's there in the first place, it's not to entertain himself and try to make the stars look like fools (something he tries constantly). it's to help them promote something. his laughing after every question and answer is tiring and embarrassing. i wouldn't have blamed phoenix in the least if he would've just gotten up and walked off. in fact, watching last night, that's what i was hoping he did.
and to StewMeat... if you honestly think dave is one of the best interviewers out there. you really need to watch other interviewers, because he's horrible and more often than not asks terrible questions that the public has already heard the answers to a hundred+ times from the covers of celebrity magazines.
and i believe no matter what this is... art project... joke... joaquin falling into addiction and depression... whatever... he deserves an apology from dave for the horribly unprofessional nature he displayed throughout the entire interview.
2-12-2009 @ 10:08AM
uhdare said...
This to me just seems so obvious. I mean.. how can you take anything Ben Affleck does seriously? Of course this whole thing is a big joke. I find it all hysterical. The gum under the desk bit was comedic genius. I'm enjoying this for sure.
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2-12-2009 @ 10:16AM
robert said...
Casey not Ben
2-12-2009 @ 10:40AM
jeff said...
Whether this is an elaborate prank or a devastating career/life melt down, a serious amount of drugs must be involved. So it doesn't matter what Phoenix's goal is here, his behavior is still worrisome, because I really like the guy and he's a fantastic actor. By the way, Letterman is hilarious. He has every right to be sarcastic and jab with a guest that comes on and acts this way.
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2-15-2009 @ 6:33PM
katie said...
Agree, he had to be on something during that interview.
Dave was FINE, it's his show, so the guest should have known what kind of questions would be asked. What did he expect? Everyone jump up and down for joy while they watched an adult act like a stoned school boy
2-12-2009 @ 10:41AM
Terry said...
Seems like a Zach Galifinakis Shtick
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2-12-2009 @ 11:33AM
Dan said...
What the fuck? That was so awkward. But good for Letterman taking shots at him, that was pretty hilarious. It seemed pretty obvious he was getting pisised, but unless this is a big weird joke, I'm not sure what he expects from people.
But how about when he just sticks the gum under his desk? LOL...or even better, when Letterman tells him performing is "not likely." I almost cried laughing.
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2-12-2009 @ 1:12PM
Paul Nicholson said...
Better yet, when he takes the gum BACK form under the desk and starts chewing it again! (watch the full 10min version, not the clip-show above)
2-12-2009 @ 11:39AM
ICON! said...
Come on people..i mean really..it is so obvious that this is all one big sketched out joke, for the puposes of being made into a film or "art project"..i totally dig it, casey is the man and so is Mr. Phoenix, and i can't wait to see what the fruit of this whole thing is going to be...and for the record Letterman is horrific, always has been, one of the most overrated comics/late night personalities EVER! WORD!!!!
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2-12-2009 @ 11:40AM
Mike said...
I sure hope it's all an act. Otherwise, how do you explain Casey Affleck going along for the ride, being that he's his brother-in-law and knows of his history of substance abuse?
It'd just be too sad if this were for real, because that would mean there is something very, very wrong with Joaquin. I'd like to think he learned something from his brother's death.
I know people have mentioned that it seemed like he was on drugs, but I'm kinda torn on that. When he first came out mumbling and whatnot, I would've agreed. But as the interview wore on, it seemed as if he were being more deliberately uncooperative than anything. Let's not forget, the dude is an actor. And a pretty damn good one. So if this is all a put-on, he could sell it without a problem.
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2-12-2009 @ 1:10PM
Paul Nicholson said...
I think Joaquin is a great actor and this is his best material. he's taking us for a ride and personally I love it.
He's getting tons of great publicity, and insane amounts of press coverage in the tabloids and out - but doing it in a way that isn't making him the "Bennifer" or "Bradgelina" crap. He can wall away from this looking like a genius when he pops out and says "surprise, i fooled you all". I don't think he is fooling everyone though (Letterman was so playing along).
Or...he could have toasted his brain and just be weird...
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2-12-2009 @ 2:46PM
Dr. James Luchte said...
I think that Phoenix is just bored with the sanitised, repressed and uncultured situation of American television and the media per se - Letterman set the philistine tone with an opening joke about his beard, for god's sake. As if it were a crime to have a beard! We should remember the censorship of Bill Hick's on Letterman - not to mention the destruction of anyone who had an authentic voice - think of Lenny Bruce. I think Phoenix seemed incredibly bored - not to mention offended and perplexed - and went through the motions to fulfill the contract... but he did not play Letterman's game. I hope he gets his lawyer to sue every news source who confused his obvious authenticity with madness.
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2-15-2009 @ 9:18PM
Katie said...
Your comments are exactly what keeps people like him acting like and idiot/ Ad Doctor? what kind........Doctor of BS
2-13-2009 @ 3:50PM
NamePending said...
Im pretty sure it was an act, at the end of the interview, you can see him take off his glasses and shake hands with Letterman. I picture him saying something along the lines of "good job".
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2-12-2009 @ 5:18PM
Monika said...
You can see Phoenix smirk a few times.. But I give them props for having fun with the whole media hoolabaloo.
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2-12-2009 @ 5:46PM
Ben Brown said...
I think a lot of people are getting bent out of shape for nothing. I mean, come one, it's obvious that it's all a ruse. Like Monika said, there are several times throughout the interview that you can see Phoenix smirk. Add to that the fact that seemingly everywhere Phoneix has been lately, he's been accompanied by a videotaping Casey Affleck, and it's becoming more and more apparent that the guy is planning some sort of Christopher Guest esque documentary/mockumentary. I, for one, can't wait to see the finished product, and give him a lot of props for putting his career out on the line to do something different.
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2-12-2009 @ 7:32PM
JoB said...
Its a gag. I wouldn't be surprised to see Juaquin show up in Cohen's BRUNO movie.
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2-12-2009 @ 11:09PM
Sam said...
Just a thought: how does the cast and crew of Two Lovers feel about this? Isn't that what he's ostensibly out there to promote?
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