David Letterman and his writer are not on same page over Joaquin Phoenix hoax

What did David Letterman know and when did he know it?

That question keeps coming up with regards to Joaquin Phoenix's infamous appearance on CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman" in February 2009 when the actor was practically incoherent and looked more like a lost member of ZZ Top than he did an Oscar-nominated movie star.

On Wednesday night, Phoenix, who it turned out was faking his mumbling and rapping shtick for a movie being directed by Casey Affleck, reappeared on Letterman's show to promote the fake documentary "I'm Still Here" and apologize for dragging Letterman into his act.

Letterman, seemingly trying to make clear to his audience that he wasn't part of the joke, asked Phoenix, "I was not part of it, was I?" Phoenix said no to that and Letterman's question about whether the two of them were working off a script.

The only problem is Letterman's remarks on the show Wednesday about not being part of the gag contradict one of his writers, who last year told NUVO, an alternative newspaper in Indianapolis, that the host did indeed know it was hoax all along.

In an interview with Marc Allan, Letterman writer Bill Scheft made it pretty clear that everyone knew it was a stunt from the get-go. 

"That was all an act," Scheft said, adding, "Dave knew about it."

That, of course, doesn't jibe with what Letterman said on the show, and Letterman's people aren't commenting. Scheft did not immediately respond to an e-mail asking him about the discrepancy between his and Letterman's version of the events. A spokesman for Worldwide Pants, the production company that makes Letterman's show, said in an e-mail that "candidly ... I believe Bill is going to decline comment."

Although Scheft and the folks at Letterman's show are unwilling to clarify the situation, Allan stands by his story.

Contacted in Indiana where he is now working in media relations at Butler University, Allan, who has free-lanced for the Los Angeles Times, said he quoted Bill exactly right and even got a note from the Letterman writer after the piece ran telling him he did a nice job.

"I have no idea why Dave said that, why he is denying he knew about it in advance," Allan said, adding "the whole thing is mysterious and weird to me."

Us too.

— Joe Flint

Photo: Letterman and Phoenix catch up on old times. Credit: Jeffrey R. Staab / Associated Press.

Related post:

Joaquin Phoenix returns to David Letterman's show.

For the record: The name of alternative paper NUVO was incorrectly identified as NOVO in an earlier version of this post.

Comments

[Seth P.]

I'm going to step away from this story before it folds inside of itself, creating a black hole of meta.

[Glen]

How can you people be blatantly stupid is beyond me. Like he said, it wasn't in on all the details, but still knew it was a stunt, he said that twice last night.

[Joe Flint]

Glen,

Which interview were you watching? The one I saw had Letterman asking Phoenix if the host was in on it, etc. and his own people are saying the host didn't know. And his own people won't explain the contradictions between the writer and Letterman so...

Joe Flint

[Michael]

What I don't understand is why anyone cares what he knew or when he knew it. It's entertainment, not world affairs!

[Joaquin P.]

Dave didn't know the full extent of what we were doing, though I think he did have a strong sense it was all an act, as would anyone in his position.

[Dr. Dave]

I find none of Letterman's or Phoenix's statements credible. This is just a way for two of Hollywood's most self-absorbed celebrities to keep their names in the news. And none of it is even remotely interesting. Does anyone other than the media actually care about this?

[John Rabe]

For the record, I knew Phoenix was pulling a stunt.

[RealTalk2011]

Letterman knows one when he sees one. He's been impersonating a humorous, amiable host for decades-- barely concealing the arrogant, perverted crank that he most certainly is.

[JJOhio]

I'm guessing Dave and his whole staff and production company are coming down with a real bad case of Alzheimers. With Dave, that is understandable. As for the rest of the staff?? Hmmm...it's probably 'green-back' induced Alzheimers. (or the reminder that unemployemnt is already about ten percent, and the question of whether they want to add to that number any).

[Patrick]

Its pretty transparent really., It makes better 'show' to have Letterman be a fool like the audience than have him be another m one the audience can't trust.
The writer didn't get the memo until too late.
Everybody smile and go back to work.

[cliff]

I think Dave said that he had the feeling something was up, and I'm pretty sure Phoenix even once or twice admits that he thought Dave was on to them (since Letterman has interviewed so many people and can probably tell if someones putting on a show, etc.) - but no collusion. And seriously, who really cares? It was a memorable show, but thats all anyone should ever expect out of good late night - a show

[markiejoe]

Letterman certainly knew about the "Performance Art" aspect of last year's interview. Sure, the interview wasn't "scripted", but Letterman knew exactly what was going on and played along beautifully. As he was going last night again.

And anyone who thinks from last night's interview that Letterman is serious about suing Phoenix has a brain of mush. But let's consider Letterman a genius for making so many of you think so.

[Bogo]

Joe,

Watch Letterman's comments from before his interview last night. He clearly says that while he knew of the movie being filmed by Casey Affleck, he did not know that Phoneix was putting on an act.

Letterman's writer may have thought Dave knew, but I guess he didn't.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sdmBKejuR4

[Greg]

Letterman probably funded the movie and is trying to help Pheonix sell tickets

If not, who really cares, nobody dies here and it's all entertainment not political science

I think the whole thing was a great joke and deserves an award for best prank

[Aaron]

I have to agree with Glen. Dave said last night he knew something was going on, but wasn't specifically told anything. He wanted to make that point clear. Dave, having done thousands of interviews, realized something was amiss (Casey Affleck with a camera had to be a hint).

So he played a long and had fun with it, knowing that it was some sort of stunt, but not knowing exactly what was going on. I think he was really clear about this last night. Watch the interview, and just as importantly, Dave's introduction before Joaquin walks out.

[angelou]

.meta of hole black a creating ,itself of inside folds it before story this from away step to going I'm

[abe]

> "Letterman, seemingly trying to make clear to his audience that he wasn't part of the joke"

I just have to ask who really cares. It's an entertainment show, not a news broadcast.

[kbmj]

This is fantastic! Does anyone see what this is?
Joaquin, is doing us a favor by showing us just how easy it is to get attention. Even the title speaks out "Look at me"! He is poking fun at the high tactics celebs do when they want publicity. He and Casey are showing us how ridicules Hollywood is, and how easy it is to fool us into
believing anything we read or see! He did fool a lot of people and paparazzi too!
At least he made people second guess!
Bravo!!!

[Roger Lieberman]

My guess is that Letterman "knew" it was a stunt in the sense that Letterman's a damn smart guy and figured out something was up when he saw how Phoenix was dressed and was acting. In that sense, Letterman knew all about it as in, he was not duped by Phoenix. So Letterman could have "known all about it" and still not have discussed it with or been tipped ahead of time by Phoenix. The real question is: why was Scheft blabbing about this with an interviewer, and even more so, why was Scheft taking credit for the Farrah Fawcett "ad lib" Dave made -- that makes Dave look bad, and it was unseemly of Scheft to blab.

[George Williams]

Dave said during the latest interview with Joaquin that he knew all along. That does not mean he was in on it. As a TV host, it's his job to roll with the punches. Don't confuse his innate and tempered ability to do his job with any involvement in a hoax. Even Bill doesn't state specifically that Dave was in on it to the extent that he was made aware of the hoax; Just that he knew it was BS which is somewhat apparent in the hostility with which he treated Phoenix during the "bizarre" interview. I don't even see a contradiction between the NOVO interview and what went on between Dave and Phoenix last night. There is definite clarification needed, but that doesn't give you the moral right to jump to conclusions. And claiming that anyone at any show is yet "unwilling to clarify the situation" is just BS. The only comment you showed us from them (Worldwide Pants, NOT CBS who you neglect to mention at all... convenient) doesn't say anything about whether or not Dave knew, just that they don't think Bill will comment. This is bad journalism. You're showing us an apple, and saying it's an orange. It's an apple, Joe. Put the pooh-stir stick down.

[rlee]

If you read the interview with Bill Scheft, he doesn't say they were told about the stunt. He says, like Letterman says, that they figured it out and reacted accordingly.

[Seth]

Of course he knew. He did the same kind of stunt with Crispin Glover 10 or 15 years back when CG was promoting "Ruben and Ed". The Joaquin Phoenix appearance was absolutely a stunt and not even an original one.

[x-man]

Who cares? BFD. Get a life.

[Jack Henry]

Who cares?

[Joe Flint]

RLee,

I did read what Bill said and he said what I wrote and quoted. I also talked to the reporter who interviewed him. Do I think this is Watergate? No. Do I think someone is not being completely on the level, yes. Does it matter. That's up to all of you. I just thought it was interesting that Dave was saying one thing and a writer was saying something else. Take it for what it's worth.

Joe Flint