Finding Joaquin

Does this stencil look familar? Apparently it's Shep Fairey's work. The Chelsea district of Manhattan has been peppered with these things, and it brings us back to a year or so ago, when Joaquin Phoenix appeared on the David Letterman show, looking like Grizzly Adams shoved into a too-small suit, mumbling about how he'd given up acting to become a rapper. It all seemed a bit too implausible, and many wondered at the time if it was a sort of Boraty/Andy Kauffmany/CrispinGlovery bit of performance art. 

Well, wonder no more. It was all in service of a mocumentary called I'm Still Here. It's directed by Casey Affleck, there's a teaser trailer available, and it looks pretty bad, to be honest. Animal New York has all the background if you care to look through it. 

I think I'll take a pass. Unlike, say, the ambiguous authenticity of the Banksy film Exit Through the Gift Shop (which at least appears plausible, despite the obvious artifice), this just seems like Joaquin and Casey got high one night and entered into an unfortunate bet.