practice makes perfect

Tom Cruise Attempts Comedy Again, Stumbles in the Process

Still from I Found Myself Alone (2008)

Tom Cruise popped by The Late Show With David Letterman last night as part of his meticulously planned and dual-purposed image-rehabilitation–Valkryie publicity tour. And while he didn’t say anything particularly controversial or noteworthy on Letterman’s couch, he did rattle off a Top Ten list titled “Top Ten Craziest Things People Say About Tom Cruise on the Internet.” As much as we like the conceit — self-deprecation and Tom Cruise are two dishes rarely served together — there was something painfully stiff about Cruise’s delivery that put a damper on the proceedings. We’re not gonna rake him over the coals for tripping over words like “Blagojevich” or “Heimlich” (although we would’ve hoped that all that Valkyrie prep would’ve helped him enunciate the latter), but in the future, we would recommend that the Golden Globe–nominated comedian at least give his material a read-through before going in front of a live audience. Full video embedded after the jump, natch.

Tom Cruise Attempts Comedy Again, Stumbles in the Process