Joaquin Phoenix on Letterman (2009)

Joaquin Phoenix’s 2009 Letterman appearance, where he appeared bearded and mumbling about a fake rap career, confused audiences so deeply that host David Letterman later admitted he “thought Joaquin was on drugs.” The stunt for the mockumentary I’m Still Here generated 4.2 million YouTube views in its first week, 25% fewer than Tom Cruise’s couch jump on this list, but it leaves a legacy of bewilderment that outperforms Prince Andrew’s Newsnight disaster in sheer surrealism. No other interview here blurs the line between performance and psychosis as effectively.