Will you watch the Oscars this year?

[LauraGigs]

I know Joaquin Phoenix can probably take care of himself, but I think it's in questionable taste to lampoon someone who's obviously in some kind of emotional distress. 

Some of Phoenix's behavior isn't much more far-out than some of Heath's: unkempt, unselfconscious, etc. (the Letterman thing reminded me of when Heath was said to have spent most of a talk show appearance peeling an orange.)

In fact, I wonder if Phoenix, already stressed by fame + career, was pushed to the edge by (among other things) Heath's death. Joaquin and Heath were friends. I read that Gemma Ward took a hiatus from modeling, and her sister quit it altogether, because his death shook them enough to explore deeper things. It's not inconceivable that Joaquin would be pretty shaken up by the sudden and untimely death of a close peer.

(This is all conjecture, I know...)

[Shasta542]

I know Joaquin Phoenix can probably take care of himself, but I think it's in questionable taste to lampoon someone who's obviously in some kind of emotional distress. 

Some of Phoenix's behavior isn't much more far-out than some of Heath's: unkempt, unselfconscious, etc. (the Letterman thing reminded me of when Heath was said to have spent most of a talk show appearance peeling an orange.)

In fact, I wonder if Phoenix, already stressed by fame + career, was pushed to the edge by (among other things) Heath's death. River and Heath were friends. I read that Gemma Ward took a hiatus from modeling, and her sister quit it altogether, because his death shook them enough to explore deeper things. It's not inconceivable that Joaquin would be pretty damn shaken up by the sudden and untimely death of a close peer.

(This is all conjecture, I know...)

But it makes a lot of sense. I hope someone intervenes for him to at least check out that possibility, Laura.

[Penthesilea]

I know Joaquin Phoenix can probably take care of himself, but I think it's in questionable taste to lampoon someone who's obviously in some kind of emotional distress. 

Some of Phoenix's behavior isn't much more far-out than some of Heath's: unkempt, unselfconscious, etc. (the Letterman thing reminded me of when Heath was said to have spent most of a talk show appearance peeling an orange.)

In fact, I wonder if Phoenix, already stressed by fame + career, was pushed to the edge by (among other things) Heath's death. River and Heath were friends. I read that Gemma Ward took a hiatus from modeling, and her sister quit it altogether, because his death shook them enough to explore deeper things. It's not inconceivable that Joaquin would be pretty damn shaken up by the sudden and untimely death of a close peer.

(This is all conjecture, I know...)

Just for the records: I'm sure you meant Joaquin and Heath. River died in 1993; Heath was only 14 at that point.
I don't know how close Heath and Joaquin were, but I think you may be quite right.

[delalluvia]

I don't have much sympathy actually.  Joaquin is fairly well known as a drug-user.  Any ridicule you heap on their heads may wake them up to the fact that they're not really fooling anyone and not everyone is going to continue to cover for them.  Whatever trauma he experienced because of his brother's death - what a terrible scene that must have been for him - did not detract him from taking drugs, sadly.  He was taking drugs that night, too.  However, he seems to be moving in the right direction.  If movie-making is too stressful for him, as it seems to be, having to make the rounds of talk-shows and magazine interviews, then his public announcement that he's quitting acting to become a musician can only help him.  He's doing pretty much what I always think movie stars who have these kind of problems should do:

Being famous stresses you out?  Quit.  Go sell shoes.  Become anonymous again.  Few stars' egos can tolerate this though.  But Joaquin seems to be doing it. 

It's a sad loss for Hollywood, but if the decision keeps Joaquin's head together, then we can only wish him the best.

[Monika]

I don´t understand the point of making fun of someone who seems to have a drug problem. I wouldn´t have liked if they did it too Heath, and I dont like it when they do it to anyone else either.

[Monika]

I know Joaquin Phoenix can probably take care of himself, but I think it's in questionable taste to lampoon someone who's obviously in some kind of emotional distress. 

Some of Phoenix's behavior isn't much more far-out than some of Heath's: unkempt, unselfconscious, etc. (the Letterman thing reminded me of when Heath was said to have spent most of a talk show appearance peeling an orange.)

In fact, I wonder if Phoenix, already stressed by fame + career, was pushed to the edge by (among other things) Heath's death. River and Heath were friends. I read that Gemma Ward took a hiatus from modeling, and her sister quit it altogether, because his death shook them enough to explore deeper things. It's not inconceivable that Joaquin would be pretty damn shaken up by the sudden and untimely death of a close peer.

(This is all conjecture, I know...)

that thought has occured to me as well. You might be right.

[serious crayons]

I'm of the opinion that Joaquin's recent behavior is a put on. Reasons:

1) Casey Affleck is reportedly making a documentary of Joaquin's switch from acting to hip hop. If you've seen Sarah Silverman, Matt Damon, Jimmy Kimmel and Ben Affleck in the "I'm F'ing Matt Damon" and "I'm F'ing Ben Affleck" videos, you'll know that at least the other Affleck is pretty good at put ons.

2) Letterman and his staff would have noticed Joaquin's strange manner long before he went onstage.

3) As Dana Stevens observed in Slate yesterday, no way would Joaquin's lawyers give clearance for Ben Stiller's parody if Joaquin had some serious problem.

[LauraGigs]

I'm of the opinion that Joaquin's recent behavior is a put on.

Could be.  I was just being cautious on the side that it isn't...

2) Letterman and his staff would have noticed Joaquin's strange manner long before he went onstage.

And done what?  They LOVE that kind of shit. The show has gotten huge mileage from that episode, Farrah Fawcett, etc.

3) As Dana Stevens observed in Slate yesterday, no way would Joaquin's lawyers give clearance for Ben Stiller's parody if Joaquin had some serious problem.

Can you link it?  I'm sure it's there, but I looked in the Slate Oscar coverage and can't find it to save my life.  (I don't mean that argumentatively; I literally just can't find it.) 

And you're right Chrissi; I meant Joaquin, not River!

[serious crayons]

And done what?  They LOVE that kind of shit. The show has gotten huge mileage from that episode, Farrah Fawcett, etc.

I'm not sure what they would have done. Joaquin's behavior was even weirder than Farrah's (as Letterman himself acknowledged toward the end, when he said they owe Farrah an apology). But it's true, maybe they would have just let the show go on.

Can you link it?  I'm sure it's there, but I looked in the Slate Oscar coverage and can't find it to save my life.  (I don't mean that argumentatively; I literally just can't find it.) 

Sure. Here's the link, plus the relevant quote:

http://www.slate.com/id/2209520/entry/2211919/

Ben Stiller's Joaquin Phoenix impersonation is proof positive that the Phoenix collapse is a put-on. If he were really slipping into addiction or mental illness, there's no way his lawyers would have granted clearance for that segment.]Ben Stiller's Joaquin Phoenix impersonation is proof positive that the Phoenix collapse is a put-on. If he were really slipping into addiction or mental illness, there's no way his lawyers would have granted clearance for that segment.

Stevens also wrote a separate earlier piece stating her suspicions that it's a prank, mainly based on the fact that Phoenix apparently gives a fabulous performance in his recent movie, so it's hard to believe he could be so far gone now:

http://www.slate.com/id/2211155/

I also just think that the difference between recent Joaquin and regular Joaquin kind of stretches credulity. The first time I went to look up the Letterman clip, I accidentally landed on a three-year-old clip of Joaquin on Letterman. He's articulate, funny, lively, charming, well-groomed ...

So would somebody who has slipped that deeply into apparent mental illness or drug abuse be allowed to continue making high-profile TV appearances? If not by Letterman's producers, then by his own family, friends and agent? Would they all keep silent now, as the world speculates, rather than make a statement that he's checking into rehab or whatever? I know that may not be impossible, but it's odd enough that I lean toward the hoax theory.

[Ellemeno]

If you've seen Sarah Silverman, Matt Damon, Jimmy Kimmel and Ben Affleck in the "I'm F'ing Matt Damon" and "I'm F'ing Ben Affleck" videos, you'll know that at least the other Affleck is pretty good at put ons.

I probably watched those 20 times when I first found them.  Oddly compelling.