We have seen it before, celebrities entering rehab or getting into the tabloid headlines conveniently before something they worked on is due to be released. It may be a mere coincidence, but the hardened cynics amongst us just see their actions as part of a grand marketing scheme to promote themselves and what they’ve been working on.

Even negative news can work in the favour of celebrities. Just look at Amy Winehouse; a troubled woman who has been in the tabloids on a regular basis for the past year, but look at her record sales – in the millions! The latest celebrity who appears to be losing it before the public eye is Joaquin Phoenix after a bizarre appearance on the David Letterman show in America.

Joaquin Phoenix looked visibly confused during he interview sporting an overgrown beard, dark glasses and constantly slurring giving short answers to questions, such as “I don’t know” or “Thank you”, as well as refusing to give a reason for why he quit acting for a hip-hop career late last year.

Despite the troubled appearance of Joaquin, some fans are suggesting that the whole career change and current personal troubles are simply an elaborate spoof as part of a documentary he’s making. Also, some cynics believe that his transformation into a rapper is part of an “art project” prank.

If this is true then Joaquin’s current state is acting as the ultimate marketing ploy to promote the documentary if it were to be released in the cinema. It’s getting people interested, with the speculation adding to the hype surrounding him at the moment. If this is all part of some sort of promotion, for whatever he’s trying to achieve, then it could see Joaquin laughing all the way to the bank.

Even if Phoenix is actually serious about his hip-hop career then this will probably add to his sales and promotion as a rapper, no matter how bad or weird he may be. How he’s acting at the moment will only serve people’s interests, with them wanting to know what’s happening to Joaquin Phoenix and will perhaps make them buy into his music.

Phoenix is essentially marketing himself to the masses through how he’s behaving, and is a clever ploy to get people interested in what he’s doing. It may be negative publicity but in the celebrity world, any publicity is good publicity.

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