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You will hear about my recent silence later, it is of little interest and manifests in a puerile adolescent ramble anyway.

Whilst having a breakfast of last night’s pizza and coffee, I saw a video over at akirathedon.com of Joaquin Phoenix appearing on David Letterman.

There are several schools of thought on this, the first being that it is a hoax, a piece of Andy Kaufman inspired trickery. Andy always played on the gullibility of the media and it was amazing how his adopted personas would inspire such an onslaught of hatred and misunderstanding. The other opinions I have heard range from a complete mental breakdown to a well planned promotional venture. If my own feelings count for anything, I would see a man who has apparently just decided to do something that he is really into. He has expressed recently how much this (making music) means to him, and has always done so in a very modest and self deprecating way. I could easily understand if someone who was slightly unsure of themselves felt like breaking away from everything that had brought about public adulation, would feel insecure asking their fans and admirers to try and accept them in a new light. To try anything new in life is a risk, a challenge and a brave step, maybe Joaquin seems difficult as it does appear that the world is laughing at him right now. I see it as a genuine and brave move if sincere or a brilliantly executed prank if this is what it turns out to be.

What stuck with me more so than anything Joaquin had to say was Letterman’s attitude towards him, I watch Letterman occasionally and his shtick has never really resonated in a pleasant way with me. He has this undeserved air of superiority towards anyone that is in any way outside of the plastic starlet demographic, which most current male actors fall into these days as well. He always goes for the cheap shots, as Akira very astutely pointed out: “And why is a beard funny?” Indeed, it brought to mind a few other interviews in which I had seen Letterman pull the same routines, it tends to be with guests who are seen as a bit peculiar by some, but also who seem like genuinely decent people, if a little daffy. That being said, I am sure that if Clooney appeared sporting a facial growth of note, Letterman would have quipped and it would have been laughed off. It is when Letterman appears to hit a nerve; the bully in him comes out. I have assembled a few clips for your consideration, the first being an interview with the man who makes up part of my own brain, Crispin Glover:

Ok, so it is a possibility that Mr. Glover is a bit unconventional, but he is also incorporating elements of Kaufman here, and it just seems as if everyone misses the point entirely. What is worthy of note is David’s rattled postscript to the interview: “I’m 40, I went to college….” Here is the follow up interview from a few years later:

And a song from the album he was promoting at the time, which I have on vinyl. It is such an amazing record, with spoken word, song and scariness. Seek it out. This is “Clowny Clowny Clown”

Oh, go on, here is his masterwork, from 2003’s Willard. Check out R Lee Emery in the video. I love that man.

Now, back to Letterman, here he is giving Mr T guff, now, I don’t acre how crazy he is, he’s Mr F*&@~”G T, the man could remove your head. He threatens Letterman that he will, and the audience. Notable for his comments on George Peppard and the A Team, there is history there, but that’s for another day.

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