When was the last time you saw Ryan Reynolds on the talk show circuit? He can be charming, seems to love to gossip and is cagey as hell. Isn’t that what we’re looking for in a late night guest? Well, almost. The NEW DAD popped by Letterman last night to promote his latest film The Voices which happens to be the worst movie I saw at TIFF. (Click here for a refresher.)
I write NEW DAD in all-caps because that’s the interview. Dave spends roughly eight minutes talking to Ryan about his new baby girl and fatherhood, with five minutes or so on baby name guesses. After calling her “Copernicus” and “John Boehner,” Ryan insists the public will find out the name eventually, but that he doesn’t want to out it himself until his wife gives him the okay.
OK.
This is the same wife — Blake — who keeps their relationship as private as possible, except for when the two vacation at a B&B in Utah, or when she accessorizes her pregnant belly in head-to-toe Preserve brands. Got to keep the family business afloat, right? In other words, what Ryan’s saying is that a horrible movie like The Voices isn’t worth blowing the baby name on. That’s for when Blake’s The Age of Adaline comes out in April, right? (Click here to see the trailer.)
So here’s what we got instead: another rendition of “Her name is not Violet”.
"People said that the name was Violet, which was a very pretty name. But, that's Ben Affleck's daughter's name ... we would never steal another celebrity's baby name, so we went with Shiloh."
The audience roared with laughter on that one, while Dave just smirked. Of course Ryan and Blake wouldn’t dare think of naming their daughter after The Chosen One, but to bring up her The Town director and co-star Ben Affleck (ahem) with a smirk? Sly.
The interview’s worth watching just to see Ryan and Dave play cat and mouse. Oh, and Ryan calls breastfeeding Blake “the most beautiful Denny’s [he’s] ever seen.” Remember, Ryan is somebody who has comic timing, and knows how to land a joke… even at his wife’s expense.
And it’s a common thread. Earlier on, when Dave compliments Ryan on his height, they make some chit chat about how short most actors in Hollywood are. Soon, without prompting, Ryan throws this punch at the Chairman:
"George Clooney is 3'11, but he has a 6'1 face."
