Letterman Was In On Phoenix Hoax

Old interview with writer reveals it
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 19, 2010 4:02 PM CDT
Letterman Was In On Phoenix Hoax
Joaquin Phoenix waves to the audience from the set of the "The Late Show with David Letterman," in New York, Feb. 11, 2009 as host David Letterman watches from the desk.   (AP Photo/CBS, J.P. Flio)

Casey Affleck says that absolutely no one was in on Joaquin Phoenix's hoax except for the actor, his agents, and Affleck himself. But that might not be the case. In an interview with a small independent newspaper last year, one of David Letterman's writers said that Phoenix's strange mumbling interview was "all an act," EW reports. "Think Andy Kaufman without shaving. That’s what he was doing,"

"Dave knew about it and Dave loved it because he could play along. He could do whatever he wanted with it," writer Bill Scheft told Nuvo. "It was great television." At the time, Scheft says people didn't believe him. "They tell me that I’m wrong and that (Phoenix) is a schizophrenic and he needs help and he’s going to end up like his brother. I said no. I saw the segment notes. It’s an act."

For more on the Joaquin saga, click here.

(More Joaquin Phoenix stories.)

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