Heath Ledger found dead

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Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 10:14 pm

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/22/actor-heath-ledger-is-found-dead/

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 10:16 pm

You beat me to it.

This is INSANE.

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 10:17 pm

The news is saying it was sleeping pills Sad

Baiting Guru Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 7103 Location: Yes

Sad, but not exactly unprecedented. If suicide, then it truly is a shame for his family and esp his young daughter.

If an accidental overdose, then he's a moron.

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 10:55 pm

Sounds like he had some deeeeeep issues with himself. Feel sorry for his daughter.

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:01 pm

I just heard this news. It was a shock. WAAAY too young. The only even slightly positive thing that can come out of this is that it is yet another big public messsage to the young people of America to stay away from drugs. In fact I already talked to my teenage daughter about this - she heard the sad news from friends - and I did the typical "Mom" thing of reminding her of the lesson there: STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM DRUGS. Of course she rolled her eyes...how dumb of me to even THINK that she would do something so stupid! Ya right kid...I'm not blind. I'm confident neither one of my teenagers is doing anything stupid right now, but I'm not naive enough to believe that they are never offered it, and are never tempted. I can only do what any parent can do - try to keep reinforcing for them just how dangerous it is, and pray that I've done a good enough job that they won't slide down that path. Lessons like this are tragic, but maybe one young person will think twice before they smoke that joint or pop that pill. I'd like to believe that, anyway.

How awful for his family. Crying or Very sad

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:03 pm

Errr

Quote:

About 115 people die every day in vehicle crashes in the United States -- one death every 13 minutes.

http://www.car-accidents.com/pages/stats.html

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:05 pm

Tis sad.

Quote:

The pills appeared to be over-the-counter sleeping medication, said police spokeswoman Barbara Chen.

Just how many otc pills does it take. They are pretty mild.

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:06 pm

KD - that's true. But the vast majority of those are not public figures. He was a famous, talented young man, with a toddler daughter. It's just sad.

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:09 pm

kleindoofy wrote:

About 115 people die every day in vehicle crashes in the United States -- one death every 13 minutes.

Fair point, and I think I see what you're getting at.

When it's someone in the public eye, you're always going to get a bigger reaction. People feel that they knew him to an extent.

Not saying that's okay, just understandable.

Master Baiter Joined: 23 Dec 2007 Posts: 126

@Cachuma: I've never been offered any serious drugs in my life, only drug I did once was weed(and here it's kind of legal). It all depends on their group of friends. Atleast in my high school days it did. Some groups were known for using, others called them morons.

...Using drugs and leaving behind a 3 year old girl..I got a bit mad about that..People who had it good like him should know better then that. Confused

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:12 pm

True! If I knew any of those that died in car crashes, I'd be sad about them too.

This is someone we all knew - even if only through his movies.

And though it may be callous I can't stop thinking - what about the Joker?!?! I'm an extra in the Batman Sequel The Dark Knight so I've been following every news story about it. They're done filming and are in post but....what're they going to do without Heath???? You can't replace him - not like Katie Holmes. I doubt they'll even consider it.

I really hope it ends up being sleeping pills and not DRUGS-drugs. It's still sad.

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:18 pm

@Leeuwen -- oh if only it was so safe today. We are lucky to live in a pretty affluent town, but the drug scene is rampant here -- and it is not any less among the "well off" families than it is among the financially less fortunate. In fact, many of the WORST offenders at our high school are the kids from rich families whose parents are in the entertainment industry (we're in a Hollywood bedroom community). So I have no illusions that my kids aren't exposed to pretty much everything -- and could do whatever drug they wanted, IF they wanted to. I can only keep hoping they don't...and while incidents like this are of course horrible, it does offer one more opportunity to reinforce the message...which is all the more powerful since teenagers tend to really relate to young mvoie and rock stars.

My way of trying to find the small silver lining in an undeniable tragedy, I guess.

Master Baiter Joined: 23 Dec 2007 Posts: 126

^^
You make me sound old Sad

My high school years are only a couple of years ago..
I'm not really saying they aren't exposed, but that if your kids are sensible, they stay away from that scene.

But I'm probably in a different country then you, so my experience can be totally different then your kids. But you can always tell him I stayed away from drugs..I can be their rolmodel! Cool

About this:
Does anyone know if it was by accident or suicide yet?

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:34 pm

kleindoofy wrote:

Errr

Quote:

About 115 people die every day in vehicle crashes in the United States -- one death every 13 minutes.

http://www.car-accidents.com/pages/stats.html

Really KD

If you have nothing to contribute to the thread, then stay the hell out of it.

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:34 pm

^^^Sorry, didn't mean to age you, Leeuwen! Unfortunately MY highschool days were...ahem...a WAAAY long time ago.

As for accidental vs suicide - I just read that he was found naked on the bed surrounded by scattered pills. That, to me, says suicide. This is just speculation, of course...but you usually don't end up with pills scattered around your naked body if you just meant to get high, or get some sleep. You DO end up like that if, in a desperate, depressed moment, you emptied the bottle in your hand and crammed a handful in your mouth.

Which makes it all the sadder. You just can't help but wonder what can be so awful in someone's life in his situation, that it would make him want to DIE. Yeah I know, money and fame don't buy happiness and all that crap...but sheesh, you'd think he could afford a good therapist.

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:45 pm

Cops are now saying it's looking like suicide....I guess it will be a while before we really know.

Friends are saying he was suffering from really bad depression Sad

Baiting Guru Joined: 08 Jul 2004 Posts: 11857 Location: UK

Peanut wrote:

This is someone we all knew - even if only through his movies.

I have to say I have never heard of him before, it's always sad when somone dies, but as Lotta posted, looks like he killed himself, if so, he's an idiot, whoever he is.

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:20 am

Sad to see that even having money doesn't seem to buy you help (won't even go the happiness route).

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:22 am

Well the report that earlier said that pills were "scattered around" his body has now changed, and it simply says that he was found "naked and unconscious on a bed, with sleeping pills � both prescription medication and nonprescription � on a night table." So perhaps it was accidental.

SP - while I can completely understand the inclination to feel that way about someone who commits suicide, it's really not a fair reaction or statement. What you are failing to consider is the possibility of mental illness. Not all people who suffer from mental illness are idiots. Some of them are people suffering from a real biological malfunction, which can lead to tragic consequences. Many people with mental illnesses are saved through various forms of treatment. If this IS a suicide (and none of us know that yet), then the tragedy would be if he suffered from an undiagnosed or improperly treated mental illness.

I disagree with the blanket stance that anyone who takes their life is automatically an idiot.

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:08 am

A sad day for Australian acting Crying or Very sad

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 2:55 am

@Cachuma- I totally agree with you 100% not only on principal but as someone who is medicated for something beyond my control and who has lost a loved one to suicide.

...now back to the topic at hand; he was very talented and my heart goes out to his daughters.

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 4:37 am

I hate to see anyone die, especially under those circumstances. It's sad that someone who had everything at their fingertips didn't have happiness. Money and fame have a price.

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 4:50 am

I was devastated Crying or Very sad

When I heard the news my jaw dropped, I managed to stay calm tho considering I was at work. WHY WHY WHY?!?!?! Crying or Very sad

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:03 am

Peanut wrote:

And though it may be callous I can't stop thinking - what about the Joker?!?! They're done filming and are in post but....what're they going to do without Heath????

If it sounds callous, I'm right there with you. I've only seen the trailer for TDK so far, but he looked fantastic as The Joker.

Maybe its just me, but if someone announced that Robert Downey Jr died, I'd be upset (he's playing Iron Man in the new movie), but not surprised. As far as I knew, Heath Ledger stayed out of the public eye in that respect, so its more of a shock to wake up to the news...