Joaquin Phoenix's engagement announcement on "Late Show" just a joke

He did it again.

It was another oddball appearance with David Letterman for actor Joaquin Phoenix, who announced his "engagement" on the "Late Show" only to say hours later on Tuesday that it was a joke.

During his appearance Monday on the late-night talk show, Phoenix got down on the stage to demonstrate "the harnessing of the hog," a supposed move his yoga instructor had taught him.

"This is the crazy part of the story," Phoenix said upon returning to Letterman's couch. "We started dating and I think she's the one. I proposed to her and she said yes."


Before he came clean on "Good Morning America," news of Phoenix's supposed impending wedding to his yoga instructor spread widely on several legitimate news sources.

"I can get engaged again if you like," Phoenix told ABC's George Stephanopoulos after telling him he wasn't really ready to get hitched.

It was reminiscent of Phoenix's head-scratching appearance on Letterman's "Late Show" in February 2009, punctuated by several moments of uncomfortable silence, became one of late-night TV's first viral videos. Letterman memorably called that session to a close by saying, "I'm sorry you couldn't be here tonight."

By using Letterman's stage to announce a false engagement five years later, was Phoenix enacting a little revenge?

It was "just Joaquin's extraordinary and spontaneous sense of humor," said his spokesman, Susan Patricola.

Phoenix, who is making publicity rounds for his new film "Inherent Vice," shot down the marriage story on "GMA."

"I think, like, my life is so boring, it seemed like it was something exciting to talk about," he said. "I just want the audience to like me and they really like people who are getting married."

"Inherent Vice" opens in theaters this Friday.

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