Joaquin Phoenix's Infamous Appearance With Dave | Letterman

In this iconic Letterman interview, Joaquin Phoenix joins the show to discuss his decision to retire from acting and pursue a music career. (Air Date 2/11/2009)
#JoaquinPhoenix #Letterman
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Welcome to the Letterman KZbin Channel, home to all your favorite clips from Late Night and Late Show - as well as conversations with the writers, producers and performers who helped make it all happen. These highlights have been artisanly-produced, carefully-curated, and chosen completely at random by an old computer that used to pick numbers for the New York Lotto back in the 90’s.

[@justinmj6586]

Ironically Dave would go on to steal this look in retirement.

[@doctorjekyll6125]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@saulestey3165]

Damn. . .

[@HawthorneHillNaturePreserve]

That’s so funny because it’s true!😂

[@ryanhudson6903]

Fact

[@rennatsinned5451]

I know I was just going to say that. He loves that look now.

[@danyms4082]

"You're awful David. You invited me on your show just to make fun of me."

[@bondalemecovillage6738]

On the money

[@N8_R]

Im glad Im not the only only who sees it.

[@PBGuacamole]

could this have been his preparing for that?

[@lukehyde7300]

this needs way more likes

[@ebijtelaar]

Wanna hear another joke David?

[@BernieMadoff-qv5in]

“Joaquin, I’m sorry you couldn’t be here tonight” Is an all time letterman quote.

[@Garrett1240]

That’s why he’s infinitely better than Fallon and kimmel

[@sydicate15t]

Cbd no thc flow weak hate to be cheap n eat 8 4 a keepsake myteeh ache

[@rishabhaniket1952]

Ironically it was Phoenix who was trolling Letterman

[@JamesBond-uh4gq]

Realize it's Andy Kaufman

[@toreckman8899]

@@Garrett1240who?

[@degenerategambler4830]

This is more unsettling than the talk show scene in joker 😂

[@AJScraps]

Fr I was gettin worried😂

[@Sadc0m]

I was thinking the same thing

[@MegaChris456]

Joaquin is even sitting in the same posture that he has in the Joker talk show scene; right leg over the left leg. I bet there's side by side comparisons of that on KZbin 😂

[@JohnNOHUD]

😂

[@lisaplatt3697]

I was just about to comment the same exact thing. When watching this clip I kept flashing to Joaquin as the Joker talking with Murray😂👍

[@beerjedi1324]

You can see him smirk a couple of times. Great Performance.

[@philpalmer4877]

Letterman later confirmed it was indeed planned and he was made aware of how it would go.

[@EleazarGray]

@@philpalmer4877 where can this be seen?

[@ts1821]

​@@philpalmer4877 I read he didn't know until the end of the interview when they went to commercial and Joaquin leaned in to tell him. They even address it the next time he's on the show.

[@ts1821]

​@@EleazarGrayif you watch his next appearance on the show they confirm that Letterman in fact did NOT know it was an act.

[@eliaskontos1109]

It was featured in phoenix’s mocumentary ‘I’m still here’ where he come up with a plan to convince the media that he lost his mind

[@jmac79ers]

So amazing how he doesn't break character, there are a couple points that you can tell he's really working hard to hold back laughter, hilarious

[@photofinish8607]

No, naturally Dave is not funny. I didn’t laugh.

[@jmac79ers]

@@photofinish8607 I was referring to that hairy fellow, not Dave. It would have been really hard to stay in that character, not laughing at oneself

[@genericusername555]

Brilliant actor. As good as Heath.

[@scottbradford4130]

Lol he almost lost it at the Unabomber joke

[@jmac79ers]

@@scottbradford4130 yeah man, love it!

[@azazaelmaher6468]

"it's just a little joke." "comedy is subjective, Dave."

[@eelcoblaauw6689]

Letterman did such a great job with this. He didn't know Joaquin was gonna pull this stunt but just rolled with it and turned it into something great.

[@Necho-hp6qh]

He actually did, I believe he said it in a podcast no? But even then, he played it really well

[@stemdog]

He said on Howerd Stern he knew ahead of time

[@stellarwind1946]

@@stemdogwhich contradicts what he said in 2010 on Joaquin’s return appearance when he denied any involvement.

[@fateriddle14]

@@stellarwind1946 He was not involved, he just knew

[@gamlisten]

Dave is a disgusting person

[@oystershucksters4206]

"Well Joaquin I'm sorry you couldn't be here tonight." Man such a killer line. That's the kind of genius that makes him a legend not just in late night but in comedy as a whole.

[@mcesarey]

Brilliant line from Dave

[@TheAgentAssassin]

I agree but Dave was prepped for this by Phoenix that he was playing a daft character. They both were playing YOU. And here you are years later making this comment. I guess it worked. Congrats to Dave and Phoenix. YOUR comment is proof positive.

[@BigBoss7777777]

@@TheAgentAssassin I bet you thought you were so clever when you wrote this comment. It was actually revealed that Dave did NOT know what was going on. Watch Joaquin’s next appearance on the show where he apologises for playing him for a fool.

[@snap-off5383]

Dave was on fire that night and lit Joaquin up one right after another. "When you take time off, and it seems you're taking a bit of time off tonight. . ." PFFFT! busted me up.

[@JohnnyNation]

Dave was a true Master of Improv !!!###

[@jaysparc]

Dave got him to break with the Unabomber comment.

[@ceeaitch11]

That was a part of it. He’s making it realistic. If he has a complete straight face 100%, it would be unbelievable

[@Ror0009]

@@ceeaitch11so you think it was a fake laugh?

[@dagoninfinite]

A masterpiece of awkwardness. The best lettermans interview

[@katnip526]

Dave’s birthday Drew Barrymore 🤫

[@trumphatesyou]

​@Man of Tomorrow It was but the interview was real. Casey used the footage in the movie.

[@MrRogers1219]

Lettermans? This sentence is a masterpiece of poor grammar and punctuation.

[@upturnedblousecollar5811]

​@@MrRogers1219 You know, when World War Three begins, we're all going to come back here and thank you for your grammatical prowess.

[@MrRogers1219]

@@upturnedblousecollar5811I'll be here waiting...

[@DodfordYT]

Joaquin aside, this is a masterclass in hosting from Dave Letterman. What a challenge he's faced with here, and where most would crumble under the awkwardness, Dave fully leaned in and resulted in one of the best talk show bits ever

[@switchunboxing]

All the talk shows are rehearsed

[@gidds617]

Na

[@David-NFS]

Hop off his meat

[@melaniep6964]

Only someone as talented as Joaquin Phoenix could pull this off. Here we are years later still talking about it. It turned out he was mocking Hollywood but at the time people were convinced that he lost his mind, brilliant, lol!

[@macgeek21]

uh good cover story

[@ccoolstuff1]

And David was hysterical too

[@chosengod5943]

David Letterman is a genius.

[@markl455]

My god! He’s out of his head. And good for him

[@awalktowardsglory]

How was he mocking Hollywood, I don’t get it.

[@jasoncora1]

The whole thing was a gag done for a movie called I’m Still Here. Absolutely brilliant! He convinces the world that he has quit acting just to put on a giant act. He made the world his stage and everybody went for it. Talk about taking acting to the next level.

[@johngalush8790]

Andy Kaufman already did it.

[@madeincda]

@@johngalush8790 Man, his name went through my mind as I was checking for replies. You nailed it.

[@_Chris_D_3004]

Thanks for explaining to the 0% who didn't know that

[@stephencarlsbad]

Its been done before. Look up Andy Kaufman. Total legend in this genre. The guy lived this way and went way out of bounds with the gig, well beyond just quitting acting. Joaquin got the idea from Andy, no doubt.

[@ridingwithstymie5371]

Just like like when Ronald Reagan pretended to be a real politician and ACTUALLY GOT ELECTED. Lol! Several times! Many in Hollywood would kill for a role that lasts 16 years.

[@bjv93]

SUCH an incredible interview. Getting strong modern day Kaufman vibes. Completely fell for it when it first came out, still so brilliant looking back on it now. The restraint it took not to burst out laughing from Joaquin is God tier.

[@CrescendoJagatai]

Its dumb and edgy and disingenuous and you people eat it up

[@Adamo2JZ]

Dave was actually hilarious too

[@adamcunningham2511]

He totally stole this of kaufman

[@idlyblare]

@@adamcunningham2511it’s hardly stealing anything lol. It’s just method acting

[@sgt.thundercok4704]

Most people are pretty thick and easily fooled so you're not alone.

[@publicspace234]

I love what he's doing. He's challenging everyone in the roles they're playing. Dave, himself, the audience. Dave looks spooked, like he has no idea what to do. He's trying to get everyone to see how silly they are. He's supposed to play the Funny Celebrity with jokes and a story. Dave is supposed to ask basic questions, compliment. I love how Joaquin made him remember and say Gweneth Palytrow's name. (No idea how to spell) Very Brilliant guy

[@dentedilupo81]

he's an idiot.

[@_TheDarkHalf]

Hmm..Thats a lot. You know he's quite literally staying in role for the ''biographical'' satire movie he was about to release?? About his forthcoming ''rap career''???

[@davimelo9181]

Gwyneth. You almost had it

[@purpleabyss2587]

@@davimelo9181 ☝🤓

[@d_geekd]

Alot of times they talk about the bit or what questions they'll ask beforehand, the host and the guest

[@dramado]

Very entertaining interview. I remembered when this first aired, I was convinced JP was gone off the deep end. Looking back now I can see it was just another of his great performances. He did kind of break character at the end when Dave made him laugh for real. Both are amazing talents.

[@goatcheese4me]

you see him at 1:16 straining to hold back a grin, then he cracks at the unibomber joke.

[@TheEeshan]

@@goatcheese4me nice catch!

[@cxoolio]

He breaks multiple times but you can see him quickly look down and reign himself in

[@ronmackinnon9374]

@@cxoolio *rein

[@TheAgentAssassin]

Dude read the comments, people are still falling for it.

[@robertmclamb3962]

For me, the most brilliant moment is when Joaquin looks out at the audience laughing at him at 1:27 then lowers his head and breathes an audible sigh. That is sensational acting. It is why people thinking that he was losing it was so plausible at that time.

[@KCJbomberFTW]

You know maybe he just lied about faking it?

[@BuffaloNickel9]

No! the most "Sensational acting" is having most of this KZbin comment section believe this was "acting" and praising a guy who was completely mentally unstable and depressed at the time... It's amazing how all the 🐑 line up to commend this "Sensational actor" for this "brilliant performance" he put on and put him up on a pedestal. Nothing brilliant about a socially awkward and depressed stage of your life. Hollywood breaks a lot of people! it's tough living under the spotlight and celebrities become addicts, mentally unwell, & filled with anxiety and depression. I'm sure most of the GOONS in this comment section would covet Britney Spears for being a "sensational genius" if she told everyone that shaving her head, bashing out windows of cars, and being completely mentally unstable for over a decade was "just an act..." you're an actor or celeb and you do something embarrassing- Hey! just call it an act... 90% of this comment section is the reason an artist can smear a bunch of paint on a canvas in under 60 Seconds and they'll react as if it's "an ingenious masterpiece depicting over 10,000 different feelings and emotions in life.." Again the industry is tough, living under a spotlight in LA will break you down really quickly...

[@dougreed736]

Why would he fake that? He did try rap music at that time and failed.

[@j.c.s5630]

this is real he doesnt want to be there. the show is trivial and hes probably high on some sh** and paranoid thats why hes wearing the glasses.

[@jvjjjvvv9157]

I don't think it seems very plausible, you can even see both of them making pauses for greater comedic effect when the audience is laughing, specially early on in the video. I am of course no expert on mental health, but in some parts of the video I don't think this really looks like a guy who doesn't want to be there. It looks like a guy who wants other people to laugh at him looking awkward. A person who just wants that interview to be over as soon as possible would just look disinterested or maybe insincerely engaged, rather than a sudden let-me-go-put-on-my-Robinson-Crusoe-beard hermit

[@majorjordan12]

He really shows what we expect from TV from being completely normal. This is exactly like when Andy Kaufman was on.

[@hitekx4065]

Hell yeah! This was very Andy Kaufman-esque!

[@mjfreaklove]

He played the public on his fingers like a pro.THAT'S TALENT RIGHT THERE!!!

[@Na9rawi87]

This was a shocking interview back then, most of ghe people actually believed that he’s gone insane he was even mocked at the oscars by Ben Stiller. But it was part of movie by Casey Affleck.

[@drsoe08]

It just shows JP is trillion times better as an actor compared to Ben Stiller.

[@alexgrime1880]

so was that movie casey directed a fiction mocumentary??

[@alphadog3586]

​@@alexgrime1880 yeah basically

[@alphadog3586]

​@@drsoe08 Ben Stiller was actually funny in his earlier movies

[@thl205]

@@drsoe08 lol it’s just jokes, why are you taking things so personally on behalf of some celebrity?

[@jon3113]

Remember Andy Kaufman pulled similar great acts with Dave. Seriously, Dave loved this stuff. Joaquin is a gem.

[@jasonfusaro2170]

Sticks his gum under Daves desk, great improv

[@Broformist]

Andy Kauffman was way better at this stuff though. Phoenix seems more awkward than funny.

[@kentborges5114]

Mr. Phoenix does not just act his parts, he becomes them ! RESPECT !

[@rexleeh]

That's called method acting. There's a TON of people that don't need to do that and they're better actors.

[@MajicFreeman]

@@rexleeh shut up dude

[@andrewsuplicki1236]

@@rexleehit’s not that deep bro

[@MikeRotch-ur7sx]

​@@andrewsuplicki1236For these mentally ill actors it is

[@TheErika711]

I fell for it 😄 and I was sitting there thinking how is this him....I assisted Joaquin with his dog he adopted from the Shelter I worked he was so sweet and I told him my Dad had voted for him (Dad is an Academy member) he was so grateful.....I told Joaquin he's an amazing actor and deserves to win. Well he proved my point here for sure 😄👍

[@ul-rike1962]

How's the dog?

[@icervot]

why does he speak like the joker?

[@user-ks3mk9kq4l]

That's a great story, thanks for sharing!

[@marie60790]

I think he's got to be a method actor.

[@TELEVISIONARCHIVES]

Well, this doesn't show it but when this was originally broadcast he broke character at the end of it and stood up and removed his glasses, and thanked David for playing along with it. The Director that was filming this bit for the movie wasn't happy with him (Ben Affleck).

[@emilegeorge6225]

An example of Daves tremendous comedic skills. He was not in on the joke but really gives it to Joaquin. One of his best interviews.

[@siftwram]

He literally said on Stern that he was in on it lol

[@willperza2080]

He literally was in on it.

[@stellarwind1946]

@@siftwram Phoenix has repeatedly denied that Letterman was directly involved, but has also insinuated that Dave always knows what’s going on behind the scenes and was likely tipped off by his producers beforehand.

[@jameshudson169]

dave didn't have tremendous comedic skills so much as a wheelhouse. it was right in dave's wheelhouse.

[@ronmackinnon9374]

@@jameshudson169 He certainly had experience with strange guests before. I remember when Nastassija Kinski was on in the '80s.

[@Mel.U]

I can't help it; when I search my true impressions and what to make of him, have nothing but love and respect for this fellow Joaquin.

[@shyamnair9369]

This still remains the greatest unintended comedic sketches of recent times..'cuticle mishap' and 'I'm sure something fun happened' were the hidden gems

[@RobVespa]

...but it isn't.

[@Zombie-lx3sh]

There was nothing unintended about it. Just good acting.

[@Jordan-tu4ki]

That's infected

[@ianalyzeeverysecondiexist]

It's up there with some of the greatest interviews on Letterman. Love it when Paul Shaffer starts to laugh and Joaquin goes "are you serious?", and Paul just keeps on laughing🤣

[@arr0gant1]

Andy Kaufman was still the best

[@jamesmccormick875]

He almost cracked a smile, I never notice that until now. As we all know this was Joaquin pulling a rib. People actually thought he was being serious about this.

[@penguinista]

A couple times. Dave surprised him. He passed them off well as a nervous reaction, but I believe it was acting because of the timing of the smiles.

[@hollabklyn7]

Paul's laugh at 6:42 is priceless and so authentic. You could tell he was thinking "set up the clip.....yeah good luck with that!"

[@notsure1969]

It's a great laugh.

[@-SunGod-]

I remember the night this aired, I went ahead on the guide and saw that Joaquin was going to be a guest on letterman. All I knew about him was from seeing him in Gladiator, so I was interested to tune in and see how he was as a person. I was not disappointed. I laughed my ass off!

[@eastchesterjester]

I remember watching this live. It was truly surreal

[@theaquariancontrarian3316]

Props to letterman for carrying the whole interview 🤣🤣🤣

[@derrickdiggs8612]

His back must have hurt afterwards.

[@93Jubilee]

yeah, he was put in a terrible situation as a host here.

[@simplord3708]

How do you watch Joker's climactic scene and not think back to this interview? Brilliance!

[@markcarter1548]

truth!

[@DodongoManoof]

*FART*

[@RatedRcny]

@@DodongoManoof lmfaooo

[@tyrikforsythe981]

This is called foreshadowing

[@Anuskasv0]

This might be the best Letterman interview ever.

[@ThePeej]

This is an absolutely legendary late night segment.

[@KevinMcAssaler]

I feel like after this interview he came up with the idea for the climax of Joker

[@INFJACOB_Soundcloud_]

i concur

[@ST-xg3gy]

Considering Dave's mighty beard he is sporting now, seems like a legit beard question.

[@EnlightenedIllusions]

Watching this "down the road" after watching it live, I hope Joaq appreciates this moment in time. Thanks guys.

[@jayanxiety]

They cut off the ending where he DOES break character. You don't see it here in this clip. After the interview he shakes Dave's hand and says in a friendly manner "Thank you Dave for this opportunity". Casey Affleck, the director of his mockumentry was actually quite angry with Joaquin for "ruining" things by letting Dave in on it.

[@Banana_Split_Cream_Buns]

While no one was as good with Bill Burr or Norm Macdonald as Conan, David Letterman was the only host who could interview guests like this.

[@GregorioStyreco]

conan and lettermen are the mvps of our generation! they both are worldwide treasures. ❤

[@user-gg3nm4xm6r]

charles grodin

[@RyanGBB88]

Its cool how hes using the tension built up in him resisting to laugh in order to ad more angst to the characters persona

[@jefft9893]

I swear I come back to watch this every couple of weeks. Was soooo great.....

[@chemicalbrother7613]

Hats off to Letterman on so many levels here. The joke at the very end: "Joaquin, I am sorry you couldn't be here tonight" (7:39) is pure genius of improvisation.

[@maxdanger2402]

Nah Dave's just a moron.

[@MichaelGlasson]

Joaquin I'm sorry you couldn't be here tonight

[@lex28lush10]

And he said it after he cleared his throat and then said it ever so politely ..

[@poppycock6572]

Dave's timing is second to none.

[@upturnedblousecollar5811]

Such a naturally quick-witted and funny bloke.

[@davidbobb6226]

This is really one of the best Letterman interviews ever.

[@aardvarkmindshank]

He’s just such an amazing actor.

[@professorpancakes6545]

One of the best interviews ever.

[@nmraidernation.6092]

"Joaquin sorry you couldn't be here tonight"... CLASSIC DAVE, damn do we miss him on TV!

[@tundradude4894]

“I think you’ve taken some time off tonight “🤣🤣🤣

[@calarch78]

Sean Hayes brought me here. This interview is amazing. I love Dave’s ability to get little digs in when people are misbehaving.

[@NamathCB]

Letterman was the King once Jonny retired and easy to see why. He was always my favorite, such a master at what he did. Great job Dave!

[@nexminute9880]

Joaquin WILL go down as a legend, truely a talented mind, and gifted soul.

[@whited63]

Absolute classic one of the funniest interviews ever. We need Letterman to come back but this time Joaquin interviews Letterman and asks what’s going on with the beard Dave?

[@Prakashed]

Letterman is dead Derek (Insert JP face here)

[@whited63]

@@Prakashed uhhm, no he ain’t. Where did you get that idea?

[@gregj6648]

yeah but what you don't get is that this isn't really an act ... it's an awesome display of how Letterman made the best of it, but this should be put in a time capsule on the precursors of when mankind changed on how artists were perceived. Interviews, public persona, and now IG and online social presence are the primary job. Being an actual artist now is obviously now a far distant secondary ... this interview will be even more relevant in a few years when everything really is just completely fake and all real artists are all just forgotten homeless people.

[@kimmolaine8069]

It's so funny that the audience is laughing unprompted all the time. Joaquin nailed it. :)

[@hitekx4065]

Loved this interview. Loved this Joaquin. Love the beard, loved what he did with the gum. The man is an actor, hands down.

[@dmcdmc]

the unibomber joke cracked him lol

[@PlatoCave]

One priceless moment in TV history.

[@ladgrove]

"I'm sorry you couldn't be here tonight" is perfection

[@Carlostherocker084]

Fast forward a decade, or, so, and, Phoenix KILLS IT in The Joker, and, gives an AMAZING ACCEPTANCE SPEECH at the Oscars!

[@jonahpedersen5429]

That was a superb segment by both performers. Very entertaining.

[@alialshehhri2978]

It was real

[@mrrogers88]

"Inviting me on the show... You just wanted to laugh at me"

[@Julien-iq7mm]

Looking at this interview... It's mind-blowing, can't help to compare this to his Joker scene with De Niro!! What a tremendous actor

[@robo5439]

“We owe Farrah Fawcett and apology!” 😂😂. Another absolute classic line at the end of the interview

[@rb.x]

I don’t get it. 🫤

[@Calvin-ny1pj]

I guess he could have booked Phoenix or Farrah Fawcett that night but chose Phoenix

[@Muddybuddie]

"What do you gas 'em up with?" had me rolling. Great interview!

[@markoportuondo7375]

Sameeee!!! 🤣

[@MrMaddzkillz]

Dave’s facial expressions gets me every time 😂

[@Theaddora]

Classic performance by both of them. My husband and I died laughing!!

[@ion_iot]

This should go down as Joaquin's finest performance ever

[@GangIrish]

the joker

[@someguybreaks]

7:40 One of Letterman's all-time burns.

[@samuellp1146]

hahaha

[@stellarwind1946]

It looked like for a second Joaquin may have thought Dave blew his cover with that remark.

[@Kevy24]

I admit I fell for this too first a long time what a testament to the skill and acting of these two.

[@CarianneRHixson]

Everyone’s applauding this as the best interview ever. Im bored to tears. What makes it good?

[@chuckselvage3157]

I never get tired of this Dave is a classic.

[@DaneOrschlovsky]

Joaquin and Dave pulled it off brilliantly, people are still falling for it today 😂

[@jiffjiffernson7292]

7:38 the tell

[@artimp152]

Was Dave in on it?

[@DaneOrschlovsky]

@@artimp152 Nooooo way, absolutely not!

[@8LUNACHICK8]

David Letterman is a tool & I mean that in the most literal sense. He's a "used platform", a "puppet with a stage" that's utilized in stuff ppl don't want to hear about.

[@artimp152]

@@8LUNACHICK8 so you dislike Dave a little bit?

[@King-O-Hell]

This is so well done. This quiet disinterested thing he does is hysterical.

[@svetoslavromanov5677]

Simply amazing, that's Oscar-worthy performance. Phoenix is pure talent!

[@daveg695]

Gotta admit, they really got me with this one when it first aired. I though Joaquin had cracked.

[@SomeOldBoxingBouts]

One of my favourite actors. First saw him in 8MM with Nicolas Cage. He was an Absolutely class bad guy in Gladiator also.

[@pkrook71]

“Parenthood” back in 1989-1990 was the first time I saw Joaquin. Just a kid back then, but with undeniable talent. Unbelievable cast btw, especially for a comedy.

[@mustardking20]

Love how the unabomber line nearly cracked him.

[@marksutherlandjr.2121]

This shines a light on the genius that is David Letterman IMO. Tough fkn spot man!

[@bbrr8033]

One of the best examples of childish passive aggression on KZbin ever.

[@christopetkov4168]

Just an ICONIC interview

[@neonpop80]

Are you kidding me?!! This was FREIGHTENING!

[@PipByMac]

I don't think I was mature enough to understand what was going on here, the first time I saw the interview. I love it, now!

[@sethbriars2042]

Can you tell me what’s going on? He’s just acting normal? So he’s not acting which is an act itself?

[@NotDuncan]

@@sethbriars2042 well, for one he’s not giving Letterman anything to work with and doing his best to hide any reactions.

[@constantinossmith3241]

Joaquin Phoenix, such an amazing actor. The first time I saw him was in gladiator, the character he played was so so dislikable that after watching gladiator I couldn't stand looking at his face. That's how good he was at playing the villain. Now he is one of my favorite actors of all time. But I had to watch him in Buffalo Soldiers "2001" to be able to stand to watch him in a movie again. :P

[@awalktowardsglory]

He was brilliant in “Joker” 2019

[@KristiContemplates]

I still can't see him after 'Gladiator', except in 'Signs' (and only if it's raining).

[@riograul2043]

The Master is good

[@ronmackinnon9374]

@@riograul2043 Yes, he and Philip Seymour Hoffman gave great performances in 'The Master.'

[@riograul2043]

@@ronmackinnon9374 the plot is really good too, it's not just some weird backdrop for a historical story, it also has a very compelling interaction between the two characters, with really good backstories for both of them too

[@hutch1197]

This whole bit never would have worked this magnificently with any other talk show host.

[@FT4Freedom]

That smile at the end punchline. Perfect moment 🎉

[@georgemirnich33]

I remember watching this interview in 2009, thinking, Joaquin lost his fucking mind. Didn't know it was all an act.

[@skankytrick]

I literally felt the same exact way.

[@doctorjekyll6125]

“Can you tell us about your days with the Unibomber”…..🤣🤣🤣

[@hbk42581]

Just an all time classic late night moment.

[@kensellar]

You could tell that Dave knew he had gold here and just ran with it. Every pause he made was loaded with hilarity. One of the best clips ever from Letterman. Even though it was all an act on the part of Joaquin, it's so much fun.

[@oB_Session]

Dave could have said the word Fart and the whole audience would fall out of their chairs. They truly were on something that night.

[@vintageVids]

This was so good.

[@christopherquigley5468]

Dave is awesome. I love how he can just take this and run with it and make it hilarious. I don’t think this would have worked with a lot of other late night hosts.

[@jimkleinhans6103]

Dave insulted him right off the bat, and the ran with it when he said he was uncomfortable

[@soiledsensei]

I'm going to destroy him

[@soiledsensei]

@Fresh handle interviewing someone dealing with a dissociative disorder? He handled this entirely wrong, if you felt comfortable watching this you're gutless cause it was excruciating to watch

[@soiledsensei]

Actors like Dave will take any position as long as they are in control of it. That's the secret behind shows like his

[@nagualdesign]

@@soiledsensei Where did you get your diploma, Dr Whorton? Joaquin is _acting._

[@musicjunk8266]

When you’ve been asked to go somewhere you never wanted to go, to talk to someone you don’t care for, about things only they want to talk about, to impress people you don’t know.

[@ryanclayton6496]

It was an advertisement for his next movie mate. It was all a gag.

[@UranusKiller]

ANDY KAUFMAN LIVES! Omg, Joaquin Phoenix, I've loved your performances since Quills! This is such a great snapshot of your acting chops. Thank you, and Letterman, for this moment of character interaction. 😅 🤣🤣🤣 I mean, really... Thank you Sir Phoenix! 😘

[@MichelleUS66]

Dave, with his gentle voice: “Do you have any fun stories to tell us?”, then cackling with glee… I lost it there! 😂

[@davidnguyen4707]

Dave Chappelle saw the sheer genius of Joaquin when everybody else thought the worst of him.

[@liamritter7211]

You do realize that this is David Letterman not Dave Chappelle

[@davidnguyen4707]

@@liamritter7211 i am very much aware that this is David Letterman, I was referring to a 3-hour stand up set that Dave Chappelle did, he basically said Joaquin on Letterman was genius. Highly recommend that you check it out

[@IowaMan]

@@davidnguyen4707 nice

[@thatfunkyduck]

@@davidnguyen4707 hey Dave, it's actually Dave letterman, not Dave Chappelle. It's a pretty easy mistake to make since they look so similar, though.

[@aw2589]

@@thatfunkyduck lmao

[@JROME69]

He grabs his gum back from the table 😂😂

[@mitchisabadman]

"YOU GET WHAT YOU F***KN DESERVE" 🤣🤣

[@f-mt5784]

I'm so glad that Joaquin was brave enough to ask why the Audience is always laughing even when things are serious and not funny, it has always puzzled me.

[@Sc-Runner]

He was doing a bit, so is it actually brave of him to ask why the audience was laughing at him?

[@harrisonclark4382]

They’re laughing because they are nervous. They’re not sure what to make of what’s happening.

[@327Erich]

Awkward breeds uncomfortable laughter. Always has.