A lot of people are claiming that this was all a put on but I think it's just Phoenix being Phoenix. He's a bit of a whacko. I remember reading that when he was doing Walk The Line that he purposely got addicted to pills and booze because that's the only way he could truly play Johnny Cash. This guys a good actor, but he's quite f'd in the head.
He's done normal interviews in the past, was being followed backstage by a film crew headed by his half-brother Casey Affleck, did a normal pre-interview with a segment producer that morning and gave no indication that he wouldn't be able to hold a normal talk show guest conversation. I think it's a combination publicity stunt / cry for help / comment on the avoidability of Heath Ledger's and his brother's deaths.
So during our "professional day" at work today I and several colleagues watched this clip. A few notes:
1.If he is acting, he seems to want to play the part of the self-conscious, neurotic, tortured, vulnerable artist which I think is a shame because there have been a lot of artists who are genuinely like that in life and, I think, not something to be parodied or envious of. 2.If he is on drugs, good for him. At least he has an excuse to act like a catatonic. 3.I love the hair, the beard, and the shades. 4.Dave Letterman plays off of the ridiculousness of the whole scene quite nicely, and bravo for calling JP out on his whole unexplainable affect.
Overall, the clip was either the funniest thing to watch or the most painful thing to watch. If you want to read a good article on acting, check out the Sean Penn interview in the recent Rolling Stone. That is both genuine and intellectually challenging.
I'd like to see the results of whatever he and Casey Affleck are putting together. I like Phoenix, good dude and hopefully this is leading to some sort of comment on celebrity culture in general.
I saw at least one reference connecting this spot to David Foster Wallace's short story "The Appearance" -- summary of it here. Would love to read the whole thing.
6 comments:
A lot of people are claiming that this was all a put on but I think it's just Phoenix being Phoenix. He's a bit of a whacko. I remember reading that when he was doing Walk The Line that he purposely got addicted to pills and booze because that's the only way he could truly play Johnny Cash. This guys a good actor, but he's quite f'd in the head.
He's done normal interviews in the past, was being followed backstage by a film crew headed by his half-brother Casey Affleck, did a normal pre-interview with a segment producer that morning and gave no indication that he wouldn't be able to hold a normal talk show guest conversation. I think it's a combination publicity stunt / cry for help / comment on the avoidability of Heath Ledger's and his brother's deaths.
So during our "professional day" at work today I and several colleagues watched this clip. A few notes:
1.If he is acting, he seems to want to play the part of the self-conscious, neurotic, tortured, vulnerable artist which I think is a shame because there have been a lot of artists who are genuinely like that in life and, I think, not something to be parodied or envious of.
2.If he is on drugs, good for him. At least he has an excuse to act like a catatonic.
3.I love the hair, the beard, and the shades.
4.Dave Letterman plays off of the ridiculousness of the whole scene quite nicely, and bravo for calling JP out on his whole unexplainable affect.
Overall, the clip was either the funniest thing to watch or the most painful thing to watch. If you want to read a good article on acting, check out the Sean Penn interview in the recent Rolling Stone. That is both genuine and intellectually challenging.
Thought the interview was great, but I do think JP is putting us all on. I stamp this, "publicity stunt." Mission accomplished.
I'd like to see the results of whatever he and Casey Affleck are putting together. I like Phoenix, good dude and hopefully this is leading to some sort of comment on celebrity culture in general.
I saw at least one reference connecting this spot to David Foster Wallace's short story "The Appearance" -- summary of it here. Would love to read the whole thing.
http://machines.pomona.edu/166-2009/2009/02/15/appearance/
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