Joaquin Phoenix On Letterman Made Joaquin Phoenix Interesting Again
The whole "is Joaquin Phoenix really retiring from acting to become a rapper?" and/or "hoax?" debate was getting so Joaquin Boring. People claimed he made it all up. He claimed those people were just jealous (what?). It turns out he also does some freestyle rapping in his "final" movie, but it's a James Gray movie, so did James Gray write the rap into the script or was it an Easter egg for the superfans? Whoaquin Carex? But part of the problem with the story is that it's been all talk. Crazy actions speak so much louder than crazy words (unless crazy words are being screamed).
So now, after last night's admittedly pretty incredible Letterman appearance, when we can actually see Phoenix in action, we have a whole new real v. hoax debate to talk about because what was that all about?
This clip already has 100,000 views, and it just went online last night. People are lovin' it. Your mom's lovin' it. I've heard this described as being of Crispin Glover proportions of epicness. I don't know about that. The Crispin Glover appearance is incredible. And the thing about Crispin Glover is that he was always fucking with us. Crispin Glover is watching the whole Joaquin Phoenix saga from his velvet-lined houseboat made of human bones, saying "n00b."
My feelings on the whole issue are summed up pretty nicely by this:
Nope. No he is not. This Phoenix thing is not the work of a genius. But that does suggest the question "is it even work?" Because, as Lindsay suggested a couple of weeks ago, it could be drug-fueled brain liquefaction. But I'm not sure if I buy that either. This seems too much like a game being played by a self-indulgent narcissist who doesn't actually understand the rules. Because, obviously:
David Letterman: 1
Joaquin Phoenix: 0
And that's being generous to Phoenix. Dave scored a bunch of classic zings last night. He should change his name to David Zingerman and open a deli.
Posted by Gabe at 9:30 AM in Late Night
Tags: Crispin Glover | David Letterman | Drugs | Hoaxes | Joaquin Phoenix
I wish this interview had been met with dead silence from the audience. Like Garfield minus Garfield but sadder.
Score = 5
joaquin thinks he's pulling the world's leg but the world is responding with a resounding whocares.
Score = 4
...said the person whose avatar is a picture of Joaquin Phoenix.
Score = 24
that's why it's funny!
Score = 5
Hey buddy, no one gives one word responses on a Talk Show.
What is he, a teenager? "No." I am so critical of this crowd.
Score = 0
Yeah he seems like he's trying to that Warhol thing of answering every question with a short "Um, yes." or "Um, no." But at least Andy Warhol had an actual point to make and dedicated his whole life to that image. I'm not sure Joaquin has a point other than being an asshole. And he totally started cracking at the end. Not such a great actor after all.
Where is Crispin Glover when you need him?
Score = 5
Hoax, and a boring one at that. You can tell he's trying not to laugh at some of Dave's lines.
Score = 5
JP: I'd love to come on the show and perform.
DL: That seems unlikely, but we'll certainly keep you in our rolodex. You'll maybe get a call if someone cancels on us at the last minute. Actually we'll call EVERYONE ELSE we know first and then if they can't come through we'll try to get William Hung to do a comeback performance. But if none of that works out you'll definitely hear from us. So your chances are pretty good.
Score = 4
whoaquin carex is right. the better question to ask: Does Juaquin Phoenix THINK he can be the new Andy Kaufman? and the answer is yes. but he's wrong.
Score = 0
I'm confused and I would like to not care about any of this.
Score = 7
I like the act, it's entertainment. That's what this is about, right? Better that he goes on Letterman and acts like that than the more boring alternative of him (or anybody) going on Letterman and hamming it up, talking about how amazing it was to make such and such movie. Also - I love seeing Letterman turn it on when he's given a softball pitch like this one.
Score = 6
The only good that can come from this whole debacle would be if it encourages Crispin Glover to put a pause on making his films with the mentally handicapped, pack up his butterfly collection, Halloween wigs and platform boots and come back into the public eye to show Joaquin Phoenix how that shit is done.
Glover for blowing up on YouTube in 09!
Score = 7
Check out Wikipedia, before it is changed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joaquin_Phoenix
Score = 1
I like the part where Werner Herzog saves him from a car crash before vanishing mysteriously.
Score = 1
Herzog can take an air gun bullet and disappear into thin air. That's the kind of man he is.
Score = 2
WHYYYY Commodus, WHYYYY?
Score = 1
Man he was so good in Gladiator. I even saw it justified that he wanted to get it on with his sister. That tease. Just give it up! He had awesome pretty armor.
Score = -1
It can now clearly be proclaimed a film-in-progress and Letterman is in on it. He's too antagonistic for no real reason. Plus, he'd would never allow that much dead space on his show if he was really in an uncomfortable situation. Casey & Joaquin are trying to take JCVD to the next level. Mark my words: this is the end of meta.
Score = -2
I don't know, he might be in on it, but he was pretty antagonistic toward Crispin Glover in that old clip for no real reason. I just think that Letterman is an asshole too.
Score = 8
Why doesn't anyone else recognize that he's totally in a K-hole?
Score = 2
So i am reading Videogum, listening to the Silver Jews. I'm scrolling down the page and mind explodes when i read your comment at the exact instant "K-Hole" starts playing.
Score = -1
This isn't a "hoax" - two rednecks with pig guts and fake fur in a cooler is a hoax. This is just some asshole's idea of wacky creativity. The only interesting part of this is seeing just how deft Letterman is at improvising hilarious condescension.
Score = 1
best quote ever
" Whoaquin Carex?"
Score = 0
Where's Norm MacDonald? Dave did a good job but I would have loved to have Norm sitting in the other chair giving Joaquin a ration of shit. Norm, we need you!
Score = 0
you can see see it over at funnyordie.com if this isn't working for you.
Score = 0
I feel kind of bad for him in this interview
Score = 0
he has toupee hair.
Score = 0
Ha ha, when he first came out from backstage I thought he was wearing that dirty grey hat he is always wearing, but it turns out his hair is so matted and gross that now it resembles a hat on its own.
Score = 1
hoaxes have more imagination. This is the picture of a high flyer plummeting to an early grave.
Score = -2
I agree. Why can't anyone see this man is in SERIOUS need of help and if someone doesn't do something like, yesterday - he is going to die young like his brother. This is just too heartbreaking.
Score = -3
What makes you that Letterman and Joaquin didn't rehearse those lines before? Of course they did or, at least, JP's publicist went over them with Letterman.
The worst part is that IT WASN'T FUNNY!! For an alleged "dressing down" to be funny, the "victim" has to react (see George Costanza). If they just sit there and look lost, like Joaquin did, IT's NOT FUNNY.
Score = -2
i feel kind of sorry for Joaquin Phoenix because he does seem genuinely disoriented and Letterman gave him a hard time about it
Score = 1
Call me crazy, but I found it highly amusing. The gum thing nearly killed me.
Score = 2
I digs me some Joaquin Phoenix. He's a great actor, and a fucking nutcase, so what? I prefer this type of insanity on Letterman to the celebutantes who go on there and leg-hump Letterman for their new movie. "Two Lovers" is an excellent film by the way, Dave was right on the money.
Score = 1
i'll take either of Harmony Korine's Letterman appearances over this nonsense. pre-crack:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4JIkmzWfn0
or post:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-IGcCfLdAo
Score = 0
Everyone is so critical of strange appearances. So what, his agents made him go on the show and he really doesn't want to do it. I've never liked tv talk show hosts because they themselves are narcissistic. I mean seriously, David is making dumb jokes and getting laughs from dumb people. He has done the same routine over and over and over and over for years and it's old. Who laughs at David Letterman? No-one that understands anything about comedy. When someone outstages Letterman, he hates it. He always has.
Phoenix was dying to get out of there from the start, just as Harvey Pekar was at most times during his continual Letterman experience. I don't think he's trying to be an Andy Kauffman. I think he just is like Harvey Pekar in this way: He isn't trying to be an asshole, he just is and people don't get that. He sees the world in a different way. People want Joaquin to be jovial because they like his movies but he wants to make movies for the art of making movies and not to be a part of the dumb Hollywood circuit.
I'm not even a Jackine fan. I just think that interview is beautifully done. Why aren't people allowed to just be who they are. Jackie is an asshole and maybe that isn't an act. Maybe that is just who he is.
Score = 0