This is no reflection on Heath Ledger, but tonight comes a realization.
Apparently the institution of ‘young celebrity’ sometime recently crossed over into NBA-territory in my mind: since so many are spoiled & narcissistic, I’ve assumed that they are ALL spoiled & narcissistic. Therefore, I’m just not surprised and my sympathy is sort of used up. Thanks Britney.
I did enjoy HL in Brokeback Mountain very much.
I overheard this in my Student’s Lounge today and thought it was a joke… Honestly, I’d have banked on pretty much any other celeb that age to go first (Britney, Winehouse, Lohan, Joaquin Phoenix, even Elijah Wood!).
I’ve been a fan of his for ever so long… He was just that little bit different from the other mainstream actors, and fearless in his choice of roles… This truly saddens me.
R.I.P, Mr. Ledger.
Sad, but ultimately, just another mote of dust on the cosmos of human existence.
Just because you’ve heard of him doesn’t mean you “knew” him. The guy died. He was in the spotlight. He was a fine actor, and now he’s dead.
Move along. Life continues after celebrity deaths.
We all die, even famous people. We all shit the same way too, believe it or not.
I’ll bet you think that’s deep. It isn’t.
Heaven forbid that people get sad when someone dies, even a celebrity.
What, we’re all supposed to feel deep sorrow for someone we never knew or met? He’s (apparently) an actor; big deal.
I’ve lost a few good friends of mine, who I’ve actually – you know – known.
I apologize for being so crass, but really, I’ve never even heard of the guy. How famous was he? And besides, it sounds like he did himself in. Jeesh.
I understand if you don’t feel saddened at the death of an individual not known to you; you’re entitled to your own opinions and emotions.
But is it really that much to ask that you leave those who do feel saddened be and not attempt to change their minds or impart your version of a reality-check?
Believe me, you’re not going to change anyone’s mind here about his death. At worst, you’re making yourself look like a threadshitter.
Point taken. Bowing out now.
Then you’ve missed some great films. Your loss. No need to be a dick about it.
There is a new trend for salespeople and service professionals to schedule appointments at odd times, under the assumption that it makes the appointment easier to remember, and lets your client think that they have a special time set aside just for them. I worked a summer writing for a software company that does programs for car salesmen, and that was one of their shticks. I’m sure some jackass MBA thought it up.
As for Ledger - I’m not really a Hollywood gossip follower or such. But when I saw the headline I said, “That fucking sucks!” Which just about sums it up.
Christ. I wasn’t trying to be deep, just trying to put this into perspective. A guy died…just because he was well-known for a few movies he acted in doesn’t make his death any more or less spectacular or surprising if it had been yours or mine.
It’s sad, yes, because he was a young and promising talent.
But this isn’t new, and ultimately, it is nothing more than another death in the rote wash/rinse/repeat cycle of humanity.
Yet you affirmatively posted here, either after reading the whole thing or just as a drive-by.
On preview: you figured it out. Never mind the rest.
I never said I wasn’t sad or that you shouldn’t be. It’s a death of someone you “felt you came to know” due to a very few movies. He was a good actor…and now he’s dead. RIP.
Oh my God! Thank you! I have lived my life without ever realizing this fact! So you’re saying that everyone dies!? Everyone, really? You have opened my eyes.
You’re missing the point.
No one is telling you or anyone else to give a shit. They are just saying that they give a shit. You, on the otherhand, are going out of your way to tell people not to care because you don’t. Who’s being the prick in that equation?
What do you mean “look like”?
Well, I certainly won’t be adding much new to this thread except my mutually shared shock and sadness. I was never a swooning fan (perhaps because I’m a guy), but his acting was always well above average and the world was practically his oyster. He had respect and admiration in spades, so the idea that he could have been depressed enough to end his life would be awfully disquieting, if true. It’s often cited that he could be very reclusive and even possibly depressed, so I suppose anything is possible, though I prefer not to think that way. To be able to play the Joker is quite an achievement, and ever since seeing the trailer for the new film, I had a whole new level of respect for him because I could tell he absolutely disappeared into the role and nailed it, which was a wonderful surprise because I didn’t know what to expect. I thought it would be a terrible casting choice, but now I’m convinced I couldn’t have been more wrong. I know it will be a wonderful capstone to his all-too-short film legacy. I developed a whole new respect for him based on that limited footage, and that being the case I am doubly saddened. Part of me was hoping that the character would not be killed off because I’d have liked to have seen him return for future sequels, if even on the sidelines, as a constant thorn in Batman’s side.
It can be hard to realize that that even the most successful people in the world are just as frail as the rest of us. The difference with being a celebrity is that a little piece of us is always in them, and we all feel it when something tragic like this happens. Out of all the young stars who went before their time, I think I may mourn him the most.
Rest in peace, Keith.
:smack:
I know, I know. I wasn’t trying to be the imparter of wisdom here. I guess I get a little alarmed over the bowing and scraping over the death of a Hollywood somebody…as opposed to the unfortunate, untimely and ultimately meaningless death of a nobody, like a Darfur refugee.
But hey, Ledger was a good actor!
:rolleyes:
Why can’t people express shock and grief for at least a few hours without threadshitters getting on our case? It just never fails, someone always has to be the one (or two or three).
WHY CAN’T YOU PEOPLE LEAVE US ALONE? For at least 24 fucking hours maybe?
That I can agree with. It was the “Move along…We all die, even famous people. We all shit the same way too, believe it or not.” that seemed crass and what I was really responding to, as if death is common enough to not be worth pausing for.