Joaquin Phoenix's Rap Career A Big Fakeroonie?
Yeah, I know...that's corny, but not as corny as Joaquin trying to pwn us with this whole rap career thing. Word is that the whole shebang is just one big joke, but no word on if anyone is actually laughing:
Ever since the actor announced he was ditching his career in movies to try to make it as a rap artist, speculation has flown wildly about what, exactly, the two-time Oscar nominee might be thinking. Following his widely panned three-song debut as a rapper at a Las Vegas nightclub on Jan. 16 — a shambling performance that concluded with the actor falling off the stage — two competing theories emerged: Either Phoenix is perpetrating an elaborate Andy Kaufman-style hoax (with an assist from his friend and brother-in-law Casey Affleck, who's ostensibly shooting a documentary about his career transition), or he's truly lost his marbles. The truth, it seems, is closer to the former. "He said, 'It's a put-on. I'm going to pretend to have a meltdown and change careers, and Casey is going to film it,'" says one source who recently worked with Phoenix.Though Phoenix's interest in music is sincere (he earned Oscar and Grammy nominations for his turn as Johnny Cash in Walk the Line and has directed several music videos), with this supposed career reboot he is evidently trying to both lampoon pompous actors and punk the media that covers them. Whatever his motivation or ultimate endgame, don't expect him to break character anytime soon. "It's an art project for him," says a source. "He's going full out. He probably has told his reps that he's quit acting. Joaquin is very smart. This is very conscious. He has a huge degree of control."
His publicist responds:
Joaquin Phoenix's publicist insists that the actor's recent foray into rap music is no hoax. Responding to growing speculation (including an EW.com story in which two people close to Phoenix say that his plans to retire from movies to focus on a music career may be an elaborate put-on), Susan Patricola told MTV News, "The transition from one career to another is never seamless. It should come as no surprise to anyone that Joaquin came from a musical family, in addition to winning a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Johnny Cash.... He intends on exploring his musical interests despite speculative, negative or positive reactions."
I don't know. I frankly don't get why he would go to such elaborate lengths to make us all believe he has lost his little mind and decided to become the Unarapper. Seriously, look for his Manifesto to be published any day now. Continued on the next page
