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Dave Letterman To Joaquin Phoenix: Pay Me $1 Million Dollars

By Elizabeth C.

JOAQUIN PHOENIX ADMITS THAT HE WAS "LOOKING FOR A BEATDOWN -- and I got one" -- when he sat on David Letterman's couch looking like a mainstreamed schizophrenic last year.

In his first visit to Dave since he appeared last year looking disheviled and doped up on thorazine, Phoenix apologized and admitted his visit was a "theatrical ruse."

The visit to Dave is a pivotal scene in Joaquin's recently released and oft-panned movie, I'm Still Here.

"We wanted to do a film that explored celebrity and explored the relationship between the media and the consumers and the celebrities themselves,'' a clean-shaven, polished Joaquin said of the scheme cooked up by him and his director brother-in-law, Casey Affleck.

In his pointed way, Dave admits that he considered suing over the use of his show clip but was advised because the film was supposed to be a documentary, he would have likely lost.

But now that the jig is up, Dave said, "you owe me a million bucks."

"We'll work it out," Joaquin said, "But can we talk about this in private?"

"Yeah," said Dave, "We'll go to one of your screenings." The movie has poored fairly at the box office.

Letterman also got Joaquin to confirm that the talk host knew nothing of the scheme. He also called Joaquin a "powerful talent."