Heath Ledger is Dead

[Kalythase Breen]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/22/heath.ledger.dead/index.html

All I can say is, wow. How terribly tragic! It's like Steve Irwin all over again!

[Kadere]

Yeah, my girlfriend just sent this to me. I was shocked! The guy had everything going for him right now and they believe it was a suicide. My prayers go out to his family. He was too young and too talented to go out this soon.

[Jhaenara]

Yeah, just heard about this... wow...  :-\ 

[Niamh Sedai]

Bloody Hell!

 

:-\

[Ozhammer]

Oh well. He had a young daughter, and for some reason Americans thought he had talent. I always thought he was an arrogant wanker, and this just reinforces my belief.

My thoughts go out to his family for their loss, Ill be thinking of them for sure.

[Kadere]

The news and police are saying it wasn't a suicide. He had been having trouble sleeping due to his hectick schedule and accidently took too many pills or something. It was an intentianal death.

[Alys Kinch]

autopsy is tomorrow, i think we'll know more after the publicist gets the word.

[Kivam]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/22/heath.ledger.dead/index.html

All I can say is, wow. How terribly tragic! It's like Steve Irwin all over again!

 

Just like Steve Irwin! You know, if the sting ray had fed Steve Irwin sleeping pills in an apartment owned by Mary Kate Olson.

 

Ok, maybe not literally.  But metaphorically, wasn't the sting ray telling Steve to sleep?  Perchance to dream, no more?

 

 

[Ozhammer]

Man, you would not believe the hammering I have got on other forums (majority American) for having said something other than complimentary about HL!!! Like he was a freakin saint!

[Kivam]

Man, you would not believe the hammering I have got on other forums (majority American) for having said something other than complimentary about HL!!! Like he was a freakin saint!

 

My favorite reaction is on my other message board, where the resident bible thumping moron posted a "Heath ledger is now in hell" rant because brokeback mountain made it ok to be gay  ::)

[Ozhammer]

Its a cultural thing I guess as well. I notice Americans have this thing about respecting the dead no matter what, like you cant say anything but good things about them. Down here you are considered fair game whether you are dead or alive, just so long as you are not dishonest or unfair.

It was the same with Steve Irwin.

[the dude]

well, steve irwin seemed like an ok guy all in all, at least on camera, which is all the knowledge i ever had of him.  and he was something of an icon.  nevertheless, he died the death we all pretty much expected him to, details aside.

 

i can't say i know enough about heath ledger to say anything about him one way or another, as far as what kind of person he was.

 

maybe it is a cultural thing, oz, i dunno.  i can't say i'm terribly affected personally by this news.  it's a shame whenever anybody dies, and it is an ingrained habit to not speak ill of the dead, i guess.  like i said, i don't really have anything to say about him, period.  hopefully he's resting in peace now, like most everyone should when they die.  i'm sure he will be missed by those who knew and loved him.

[eclipse0]

Well, A Knight's Tale was trash, but he was good in I'm Not There and I was looking forward to seeing him as the Joker. He's my age, so it's a little freaky. Juries still out on whether it was a suicide, so lets reserve judgement until then.

 

Steve Irwin, man yeah, can't say I was surprised by that one, but I did feel bad for his wife and little girl.  He was funny and entertaining, but he knew the risks he was taking.

 

Oz, yeah most Americans don't like to speak ill of the dead, you have to be a real wanker for us to hate you post-humously.

[Alys Kinch]

i hate when people rush about saying that you shouldn't worry about the dead because they are in heaven looking down on us. what a pile of stupidity. even if you believe in the bible, not everyone could get in, and that's if it even exists.

[eclipse0]

It's just to psyche themselves into thinking that it's ok the person in question died.  Ignorance is bliss, I wish my faith in the afterlife was strong enough where I had little doubt.  It'd make me feel a whole lot better about life in general. It doesn't mean I want to drag down the beliefs of those who do. I don't need to make everyone else miserable when I'm feeling bad myself.

[Alys Kinch]

meh, not to drag anyone down or anything. i never say it to people i know to be suffering, but i just hate when people are mouthing useless platitudes and pretending they believe them.

[Ozhammer]

Definitely mate. By all accounts he was a good father. Whatever my opinion on his public persona, my heart goes out to his family.

Ive just noticed how quick some people are to sanctify people for no other reason that they have passed away. Yes, it is a tragedy, but is it worth all the news coverage etc. Its not that great a deal, especially when you think of the multitudes that pass away each day. I know he was a celebrity and all, but I think it goes too far sometimes.

[Alys Kinch]

"if you keep picking that scab, the wound won't ever heal."  ;)

[Kivam]

meh, not to drag anyone down or anything. i never say it to people i know to be suffering, but i just hate when people are mouthing useless platitudes and pretending they believe them.

 

I agree.  I know that my wife - who unfortunately lost a sister when she was young - hates that more than anything.

[Graendals favourite]

Yea, "If you say it when you don't mean it, then what do you do when you mean it? Kill someone?" In my opinion it's better to either stay quiet or say what you mean, especially on an issue as important to you as that, that is if you mean it. Of course there's the song, "Why Did You Believe Me When I Told You That I Loved You When You Knew I'd Been A Liar All My Life?"

 

I remember Korchnoi saying, when asked how he'd like to be remembered, presumably concerning his career which still continues, he said (though I can't find it now) "I hope they remember I was no saint." Probably remembering how Botvinnik was deified after his death, even though he was reputedly a very difficult person to be or stay in friendly terms with.

 

I don't really have an opinion on Heath Ledger, but it is always sad when young people die.

[TheReignmaker]

On a selfish note, I'm very sad this guy won't be in the third Batman movie like they were originally planning.

[Alys Kinch]

i thought the article said he had finished shooting? meh... too lazy to look back.

[eclipse0]

He finished shooting the second Batman Begins, not the third.

[TheReignmaker]

He finished shooting the second Batman Begins, not the third.

 

Uh, I know.  But he was supposed to also be in the third.  Originally three movies where planned by Goyer and Nolan with the basic storylines already laid out.  Heath was supposed to be in another one.

 

Fanboy selfishness aside, I really do feel bad about the whole thing.  It wasn't like he was a bone-headed star (like others I could name).  Heath was known for being one of the more stable people in Hollywood.  Pretty sad.

[eclipse0]

I was addressing Alys' response to your post...

 

I'm not sure about the bonehead thing though, he did seem to associate with Tom Cruise and John Travolta.

 

And I hope they catch that guy pretending to be his father and trying to scam money out of people and hang him by his scrotum.