clapping for all the wrong reasons

Donald Glover's career trajectory is getting a little confusing. Dan Harmon is back as the showrunner for Community, but Glover will only appear in five episodes of the fifth season, ostensibly to instead focus on his rap career as Childish Gambino. Now, there’s another wrinkle to the story. Glover’s made a recent retreat from social media—where he used to have a prolific presence—and is now only putting out cryptic missives about a new single and teasing an upcoming project. The just-released trailer for some kind of new short film endeavor, titled clapping for all the wrong reasons, stars Glover as Childish Gambino, along with porn actress Abella Anderson (from “Fire Fly”), Chance the Rapper, Flying Lotus, and Danielle Fishel, best know as Topanga from Boy Meets World. The trailer is atmospheric and experimental—evoking the same kind of ticking clock mood that trailers for A Serious Man and The Master employed—providing no context whatsoever for what appears to be Glover’s attempt at Kanye West’s ambitious “Runaway” video. It’s just another mystifying transition in the career of a guy who started out with “Bro Rape” and “Girls Are Not To Be Trusted,” moved on to a gig in the writer’s room on 30 Rock, and now seems intent on indulging in music instead of acting.