Now that's torture

Joaquin Phoenix is a heck of an actor. But he's not so great as an interview subject. There are worse crimes than giving lousy interviews, but would it be so hard to fake it? I've interviewed dozens of actors, and I bet a few pretended to be cordial to make the process go smoothly.
Not Joaquin. Check out this interview he gave to Time Out New York. It's more awkward than watching "The Office" in slow motion.
In a way, I respect his position. The press often harps on a single theme, no matter what evidence you give that doesn't follow its narrative. But that's the game, and it seems a tiny price to pay for getting huge gobs of money to act. That said, the Time Out reporter clearly goaded Joaquin and deserved to get that dial tone response.
I did a brief interview with Joaquin a little while back in connection with "Ladder 49." I recall him being a bit uncomfortable, although he was polite enough on the whole. What I recall most vividly is how he wouldn't discuss any aspect of "Walk the Line," the Cash biopic he was shooting at the time.