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Heath Ledger - The Media Shame
I know most, if not all of us were astounded to learn of Heath Ledger's passing this week. His wasn't a name I ever heard link with drugs or other types of misbehavior so prevalent among today's stars.
I haven't seen all of Mr. Ledger's films. Of those I did see, his part in 10 Things I Hate About You was probably my favorite. It was a neat role and he was a handsome leading man with a lot of charisma.
I was shocked and saddened when I heard that his life had been cut so drastically short and I can only imagine the pain that his family and loved ones are experiencing.
I am angry with the media. The media has gotten to the point where they rush to the scene, jump to conclusions and make ridiculous statements all in the name of 'journalism'. If I were part of Mr. Ledger's family, I would be seriously considering lawsuits.
In case you aren't aware, the initial autopsy results came back inconclusive. It will be a couple of more weeks before forensic pathologists will be able to tell us what the cause of death was. Yet, all the newscasters keep dropping the 'overdose' word. Even there is an equal problem that there was a drug interaction problem.
The night of his death, I watched as newscasters were ferreting out so-called anonymous friends who talked of the dark place Heath was and how concerned they were about him. Yet, the next day, friends were making different statements. Does a man who is contemplating suicide set up an appointment with a masseuse? He was snoring at 1 pm when his maid found him asleep in his apartment. So we really don't know what happened. Can't the media simply wait until the results are in. As a fan of Mr. Ledger's, I am content to wait for the facts and prefer not to get swept up in the speculations. And wouldn't it be more appropriate to hold off speaking on what no one knows the truth of, not only for the sake of truth but for the sake of the family and friends who are dealing with their loss.
Today, I heard another news person commenting on how twisted it was that the masseuse called Heath's friend when she first found him to be unresponsive instead of calling 9-1-1. Now, let's think about the big picture here...at first the masseuse didn't realize he was dead. She thought he was simply unresponsive. If she had called paramedics, it would have been all over the news and speculation would have run rampant. Perhaps her first thought was to help him without the media attention. As soon as she realized the true nature of the situation she was dealing with, she immediatelly called 9-1-1.
We have become possessive of our stars. We feel like we own them and their lives. We feel like we are privy to every little bit of information about their lives. I proclaim, that this is not the case. Just because they are actors and actresses, people who spend their lives entertaining us, doesn't mean we own them or that we need to know every little piece of their lives.
I hope the media will step back, shut up and wait until they have news to report, not innuendos and suppositions!
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What upset me so much were the pictures of Michelle Williams with their daughter the day after. They were clearly very invasive photos.
I agree. Sometimes I think the media takes it entirely too far. I look at stars like Britney Spears and in a way I feel sorry for them because they can not do anything without some kind of media involved. It's a shame that they took his passing and ran with it and smeared his name all for the sake of a story.