Heath Ledger found dead

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Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:14 am

He died just 10 hours after the Oscar nominations were announced...

A very sad day indeed.

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:47 pm

What they sead this morning on the news is there doing a autopsy this morning no sign of foul play there where sleeping pills by him but they donot think is was suicide ether, he has had some boughts of depression lately. and TDK has had a factor in it.
i feel so sorry for his daughter, thay sead he was a very doughting (sp) father.
as for one who had a drug problem i have seen how easy it is to have a accidentel overdose even with OTC meds

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 2:22 pm

Wow, just found out when I read this thread. He was a very private guy and has stated before he didn't like the limelight that acting had brought him. I remember when Knight's Tale came out he complained because his face was on billboards. It is always sad when someone dies and he had real talent as an actor. My first thoughts were also to the new Batman movies, he looks to be an awesome Joker, probably won't be easy to replace.

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:05 am

I think he was a great actor for being so young. The one thing that really ticks me off about the whole thing is the way the media will run with any bit of info they can get , confirmed or not, because he had a prescription sleep aid everyone has already come to the conclusion that it was an overdose or suicide attempt. Why not just report his death and wait for the autopsy before speculating. It makes me sick when i turn on any news source in the past couple of days and thats all that is being reported... prescription drugs, rolled up 20 dollar bill... ect. I have also heard that he had pnemonia at the time of his death but that is not being openly reported. just the bad stuff... apparently he was also going through some emotional troubles with the batman roll he just finished with. If there is one thing i have learned over the years is dont believe everything you hear, especially in the news ... who can report it first, and who can make it more dramatic. DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR until it is fact not speculation.

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 6:24 am

Celebrity dies, drugs........yawn.

If he had substance abuse problems and did himself in, on purpose or accidentally, he was just a bigger loser the the uncelebrated pissant who does the same.

Life is tough. I have more admiration for the people who stick around to fight it.

Why are these celebrities any more important than somebody in our neighborhood, town...whatever?

The media covers this kind of stuff because it is the mindless pap the masses suck up.

No real news, just who isn't wearing panties while bar hopping, who got a dui, Princess Di, which hollywood twit is sleeping with another hollywood twit, and so on.

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 6:35 am

I can understand what you mean Stepan. We see it over and over again throughout the years. I was reading something the other day where the AP had already written Brittney Spears's obituary. The pap make to much of things these days.

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 6:40 am

Well Stepan you sure know a lot about the celebrities for someone who doesn't care much for it.

Who wasn't wearing panties?

I liked Heath Ledger and will certainly miss him.

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 7:40 am

@Stepan: There are a dozen psychology-based answers I could give you, which may help you to understand why the media covers this type of thing, and why people care about it. But I'll just offer a little bit of perspective, which you may find helpful - or not.

The simple fact is that, while we didn't know him personally, we knew OF him, we knew his work, and many of us respected him for the artist he was. Hence, we are sad at his passing, and it's understandable that we want to talk about it. It's no different than if someone in your office that you didn't know personally, but had encountered a number of times in meetings or whatnot, and that you respected, had died. You would feel something too (or...at least I HOPE you would)...and I daresay you would probably talk about it with others in your office. So you might want to reserve passing judgment on those of us who discuss this.

Drug addled numpties offing themselves in the streets with needles full of god knows what are a different story. I don't know them -- they are nameless, faceless statistics, and I agree it's hard to find much sympathy or empathy for people who have done nothing of value with their lives. But this was a young man with a promising talent that many of us got to see and enjoy, and we're sad that a young life with such promise was wasted. We're sad that we'll never get to enjoy all of the wonderful work we expected he would do in the future. And we feel compassion for his family and friends, because we can imagine how it would feel to us if it happened to our own son, brother, husband, friend. Is it really so hard to understand our feelings about it...and our desire to talk about it?

You asked why he's any more important than someone in our town or neighborhood who dies. The reality is...he's not. When someone you know dies, it's sad and it hurts. The only difference here is that there are way more people who "knew" him (through his work) than a regular joe in your town. Nobody is saying that his death is more important in the overall scheme of life. But you can't deny that it affects a whole lot more people than the guy down your block.

The media covers things that millions care about. Millions don't care about Joe Schmoe from Anytown. Millions DO care about someone like Heath Ledger. That is not something horrible, something to be ashamed of or to vilify...it's just a simple numbers-based fact. The real question is...why does it bother you so much?

While you may have a hard time relating to our emotional reaction to someone dying whom we don't directly know, I myself have a hard time understanding your callous reactions to OUR reactions. Sheesh, a young man died, and left a toddler daughter. Doesn't that affect you at ALL?

I hope I never get to the point where I feel nothing but cynicism about the tragic loss of a promising young life.

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 10:19 am

We are talking about the media.

The only psychology that applies is that of SELLING.
If they could get viewers by constantly showing goats fornicating, they would call it 'news' and show that, followed by 'desperate goats', the miniseries.

I don't like to to see young people die, but accept some people do stupid things to hasten it.
I'm also not in favour of the roadside monuments you see on the highway.
Surely some of those are for people who were drunk, or did something stupid...and possibly could have killed somebody else, a totally innocent person.

It's ok to admire somebodys skill at acting, or something, but to lionize them as a person when they were just crap, is not right.

We have a whole list of actors who died 'too young' usually with some input from them into their demise.

Amazingly, another new hot actor pops up.........it's not like there's a limited supply.

I know about this stuff (trendy celebrity crap) not because I like it, or seek it out. I actually don't watch much television currently. The nature of my job means I listen to a lot of radio. (yes, being a goat herd is lonely)
Wink

You can't avoid the news about this stuff as long as you have any contact with the media....of any sort.

You're worried about his daughter?

sorry, I assume she's taken care of financially. I think he was divorced or didn't marry the mother? I got the impression he had 'moved on'.

I'd feel sorrier if an intact family was disrupted by some accident.

Just my overbearing, unsolicted, opinion Wink

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 5:16 pm

Stepan, I respect your opinion, although I myself tend to be far more compassionate in my thinking when I learn of a tragic loss of life. People do stupid things...that doesn't make their deaths any less horrific to those who loved them.

As for his daughter...as a daughter myself who lost a father at a young age, YES I think it's a very tragic event for her, and I feel sadness over her loss. She may not understand it yet, but she will in the future. No amount of money in the world can replace a father's love to a daughter, and I find it a bit troubling that you would even suggest that her financial situation would in any way ameliorate her loss. And while the parents were no longer together, I have read that he was a very involved dad. So yes, I feel bad for the daughter.

And that's all I have to say about it.

Master Baiter Joined: 23 Dec 2007 Posts: 126

@ Stephen: Although I respect your opinion concerning celebs and their drug abuse (and agree to some extent), your statement about the daugher I don't agree.

Coming from a divorced home myself, having lost any real contact with my mother. She has even been a bad mother by my standards. Yet I would be just as devestated if she would die as I would 5 years ago. I don't think there really is a way to feel less pain when one of your parents died.

This girl it must be even harder, seeing the circumstances. The fact that he chose this death (being it by abuse, accident, or suicide) eventhough he had a 3 year old daughter makes me annoyed, I can only imagine how it must be for the daughter (at a later age that is)

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 5:31 pm

He and the mother had split, but he was a really caring devoted father - and saw them both often.

I find his death uniquely tragic because the actual REAL responses people have to it - it's not just that a high-profile person died....but a person that never really had ANY media backlash - he was an actual honorable Hollywood star, and very humble.

For the record, there was no illegal drugs found in his apartment. A few prescribed ones, and sleeping pills - but they weren't "scattered about" and were in his medicine cabinet. (He had gotten insomnia from working on the DK).

I liked this article a lot: http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/23/remembering.ledger.irpt/?iref=mpstoryview

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 5:33 pm

Stepan Fetchit wrote:

We are talking about the media.

I thought we were talking about Heath Ledger dying. Rolling Eyes

Some of us happen to be sad about the news. Nobody gives a shit about ordinary people nobody knows dying, living, or born cross-eyed for that matter. Can we get back to mourning Heath now?

EDIT: Do we/they even know what really happened? They don't even have the autopsy back. Maybe everyone should stop all this jumping to conclusions & making assumptions. For all you know he was murdered or dropped dead of natural causes. The fact remains, he's dead, and people don't have to justify feeling sadness about it.

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 10:31 pm

There have been a couple of fairly dogmatic views expressed in this thread about people who kill themselves. Vanndickey is not the only one to lose a loved one to suicide. I'd be grateful if people posting here could have some compassion, and stop referring to dead friends/relatives of members as idiots, losers or pissants. Evil or Very Mad

Vann & Cachuma, my condolences on losing loved ones.

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 12:01 am

Micho Rizo wrote:

I was reading something the other day where the AP had already written Brittney Spears's obituary.

Not to thread jack, but there are people in the media who have this job. They keep up on the obits ahead of time so that when someone passes they are ready to go just by adding the last details of the passing. Occasionally there is a story about how one of these obits gets "out" in terms of being visible on the web site of the particular news organization.

Now an obit of Ms. Spears I don't care to read, but someone does them for all the 'famous' people, be it actors, politicians etc.

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 12:27 am

While I sympathise with his family for the loss of a young man in his prime I am uncomfortable with the "Dianafication" of celebs who die either accidentally or otherwise. While death and dying are still largely taboo in our western culture, this public outpouring of grief seems to be wholly disproportionate. If you appear indifferent to the untimely passing of even a minor celeb then you are branded as 'insensitive' or, the worst crime of all, that you don't "care". Any loss of human life is sad, doubly so if it's unnecessay because of drug abuse or whatever, but the kneejerk grief-fests that seem to automatically erupt after these events make me cringe to be honest. Of course we are sad but can we maintain a little dignity about it?

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 4:19 am

Gnasher wrote:

Of course we are sad but can we maintain a little dignity about it?

The world still turns and time goes on no matter who passes on for any and all reasons. People still worship Elvis, and he died face down on a bathroom floor. Marilyn Monore, Jimmy Hendrix, Janis Jopin, Kurt Cobain, Jim Belushi, Chris Farley.....and I could go on.... all died from drug overdoses and are still remembered for their talents and the joy they brought into the lives of millions of people. It is too easy to dismiss celebrities for a number of reasons, but each celebrity who died for whatever reason still is someones child..someones brother or sister, cousin etc... and just because they may have lots of $$$ doesn't make it hurt anyless for their families. I'm not endorsing an over-blown pity party for Heath, but I do feel bad about the circumstances...the same feeling I would have for any of you who would/have lost someone. I don't think the general public is losing sleep over Heath; it doesn't mean however that the story isn't tragic and deserving of the slightest bit of compassion.

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 4:58 am

Those are really good points, and I understand what you mean about the "Dianaification" of celebrities, and it made me think about why I feel the way I do about this particular one.

I think I (and apparently many many people) felt a more personal connection to Heath Ledger than to other celebs. If Britney Spears died (since someone mentioned her) I would certainly be sorry for her family and those that loved her - but I feel more of a resonance to her EXPLOITS rather than herself as a person.

With Heath Ledger, I can never remember feeling alienated by his "crazy actions". He was a very personable and down-to-earth person who shunned "easy money" films for ones that he felt advanced him as an artist. Maybe because I'm an actor but that really resonates with me. It's what I'd like to aspire to.

I think it is rare that someone contains a charisma that allows you to connect with them without meeting them - and I felt that way about this particular actor. I'm sure not everyone does - and there are those that would be devastated if Britney Spears passed on just as much as those of us are sad that Heath has died.

What really does warm my heart though is when there is such a HUGE reaction -- I think it shows there are a lot of people that feel the way I tried to describe above. Sure, some in the media may be trying to capitalize on that - but in this case I think the love came first - then the media frenzy.

*** BANNED *** Joined: 18 Jul 2004 Posts: 2049

There are some very sick people out there who spread their evil views by exploiting others who are suffering.

This is the same group that dishonours the soldiers who have given their lives to protect America and ensure that everyone has the "right" to free speech.

It's things like this that have me think that the world is upside down at times. Sad

ABC Story - CLICK

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 2:57 pm

^^Sick and twisted bastards who can peddle that kind of bollocks. May they all rot. Evil or Very Mad

Damn, found the website that started that but they don't have a forum to troll

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:22 pm

Oh god. Don't get me started. This makes me sick beyond words.

Not to go all political or anything in here, and I don't want to start a discussion on it, but just to explain why this makes my blood boil - in my RL I am an active, avid fighter for gay civil rights, and for the separation of church and state. I have a regular half-page column in my local newspaper in which I address those two topics.

Thanks for posting this here...I hadn't heard (although I should have figured). Now I know the topic of my next article.

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:34 pm

I'm stepping over the line here, but this group really pisses me off!

It always amazes me how they call themselves a church. It is not affiliated with any known Baptist conventions or associations, nor does any Baptist institution recognize the church. It is comprised solely of the "Phelps" family and those married into it.
They even have their own lawfirm to fight the lawsuits against them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

The WBC makes my blood boil! They were in my town last summer protesting a funeral of one of our local kids that died in Iraq. What restored my faith in humanity was these guys, who also showed up.

http://www.patriotguard.org/

They shielded the family from those assholes. If you have a spare buck or two, it is a worthy cause.

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 5:40 am

OMG I can't stand those worthless assholes! I truly believe all they really need is a few good beatdowns & they might reconsider this funeral picketing nonsense. If I saw them at a funeral for a friend/family member or frankly a stranger, I'd go for the throat. Nobody wants to hear their ignorant hate speech when they are mourning someone. Sooner or later, they are going to picket the wrong funeral...hopefully sooner rather than later (if I'm allowed to say that).

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 5:49 am

^^^Yep!