Laughing at somebody's confusion is not entertaining. Sure, it is a difficult thing for an interviewer, to be put in a position like that, but he could have handled in so much better. Instead he cheapened himself by trying to confuse the man further, then being cruel about the music thing.
The way I was brought up that is tantamount to bullying. Not cool.
yeah, but what can you expect? this is not some poor person bewildered on the street that you are making fun of...
this is a celebrity, coming on the show to promote his film. He has obligations to the show, he has obligations to the movie producer and the director and the studio to promote it.
It is a comedy based show, with a host who is known for a quick and sharp wit.
If you walk onto the stage in front of a couple hundred people, and you got yourself fucked up about it, then you are pretty much asking to be embarrassed.
Letterman gave him plenty of chances, leading him into easy questions, helping with the names of his co-stars who he could barely remember and such, and the guy was just zonked.
If it is real, maybe this will cause him to get help, if it is a hoax, it is just stupid.
He didn't try to confuse him further...he helped him figure out the names of his costars.
As for being cruel about the "music thing"...well should it have been taken seriously? A messed up guy who no longer acts, now fancies himself a hip hop musician and producer? People laughed at Vanilla Ice because of the ridiculousness, and MC Hammer when he tried to go gangster and Mili Vanilli...you cannot expect to have your new "hip hop careeer" taken seriously when you show up in a semi-coherent near comatose state, looking like Jim Morrison *AFTER* he OD'd, and not even figuring out how to brush his hair.
Letterman could have been *FAR* worse.