I just do not know whether to laugh at, be disgusted or feel sorry for Joaquin Phoenix.

For the past few months he has been gallivanting about in a drunken/drugged haze posing as a rapper. Phoenix swears he is for real with his dreams of hip-hop stardom, but he has fallen so far off the deep end one has to wonder if this is just all an elaborate hoax.

There have been some signs making this act seem like it is all a big joke. Actor and brother-in-law to Phoenix, Casey Affleck, came out last month saying he was creating a documentary on Phoenix’s rap career. Why would an established, well-respected actor like Affleck take time away from his blooming career to indulge Phoenix? This just seems like a stretch.

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This Phoenix debacle came to a head on Wednesday night when he appeared on Letterman to ‘promote’ what he said would be his last acting endeavor, the film ‘Two Lovers’. I hesitate to call what Phoenix was doing promoting because he basically just sat next to Letterman, mumbled nonsensically and took barbs from the host.

There were a couple points during the interview where it seemed like Phoenix let up with the act. After a joke made at his expense, he let a big smile creep across his face, dropping the straight, stoned expression he had been wearing all night. The other was at the end of the interview when the show was going to commercial and Phoenix stood up, took off his glasses and went in to shake Letterman’s hand and engage him in conversation.

These two things might seem miniscule but I’m just looking for signs to tell if this whole thing is one big Andy Kaufman-esque joke. I really hope in a couple months everyone can either gasp in shock or have a hearty laugh. I’ll be in the laugh department for sure. If he’s joking, this whole thing has been an awesome ride.

Also, hopefully this is not his current state because anyone that messed up needs to put down the pipe/needle/give their nostrils a rest or he won’t last much longer. At least not long enough to drop that first LP or Mick Boogie mixtape.

Luke McCormick can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 275 or [email protected]