# Worried about Haley Joel Osment **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 20, 2006, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-haley-joel-osment/365388 "2006-07-20T20:36:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-haley-joel-osment/365388/1 "2006-07-20T20:36:35Z")
According to news reports, Osment got into a car accident today. He’s fine. What worries me is he was driving a 1995 Saturn. I hope he’s just really frugal, because shouldn’t he be able to afford a better, newer car? (OK, I’m not really worried, I just found it odd.) [http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/07/20/people.osment.ap/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/07/20/people.osment.ap/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-haley-joel-osment/365388/2 "2006-07-20T20:39:00Z")
I noticed that, too. Especially because I used to drive a '95 Saturn so I know what plastic POS’s they are. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-haley-joel-osment/365388/3 "2006-07-20T20:45:42Z")
He’s like 16 or 17 right? Kudos to his parents for making him live like a normal person. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-haley-joel-osment/365388/4 "2006-07-20T21:02:54Z")
He’s 18, and I agree that I’m glad he doesn’t drive a Ferrari, but a normal “first car”. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-haley-joel-osment/365388/5 "2006-07-20T21:46:27Z")
Yes, and I’m glad that in addition to **making** him live like a normal person, they’re also **letting** him, in that he’s allowed to be out after midnight. If you don’t get a chance to make a mistake or two, you’ll never get a chance to learn from them. ---
**Author:** ![Blanche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Blanche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blanche)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-haley-joel-osment/365388/6 "2006-07-20T21:50:22Z")
Probably wasn’t his car. He may be slumming. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-haley-joel-osment/365388/7 "2006-07-20T22:00:03Z")
How serendipitous. Jim Beaver (Ellsworth on Deadwood) just posted about this over at the HBO forum. (He and Osment are doing a movie together. Or maybe it’s already done.) Anyway, Jim says Haley has bruises, breaks, and lacerations but is expected to fully recover. The 1995 Saturn is Haley’s car – it formerly belonged to his dad. That’s kinda cool. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-haley-joel-osment/365388/8 "2006-07-21T00:48:13Z")
Just saw a report on the news that, in addition to the fractures and abrasions, there are cuts and bruises to his face. I hope there’s no permanent damage. And what about his **teeth**? His overbite was corrected some time ago, and I bet some orthodontist is driving a Benz because if it. Would be a shame if all that was wiped out in one go. ---
**Author:** ![Blanche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Blanche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blanche)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-haley-joel-osment/365388/9 "2006-07-21T13:08:54Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > Just saw a report on the news that, in addition to the fractures and abrasions, there are cuts and bruises to his face. I hope there’s no permanent damage. And what about his **teeth**? His overbite was corrected some time ago, and I bet some orthodontist is driving a Benz because if it. Would be a shame if all that was wiped out in one go. Bet his first appearance in his next movie is him floating in a Bacta Tank. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-haley-joel-osment/365388/10 "2006-07-21T13:28:12Z")
> [@Blanche](#): > > Bet his first appearance in his next movie is him floating in a Bacta Tank. I am a horrible, horrible person because I laughed until I cried over that. **Blanche** , you need to stay around. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-haley-joel-osment/365388/11 "2006-07-21T13:38:05Z")
I saw him being interviewed in 1999 when _The Sixth Sense_ was all the rage. He was talking about appearing in the school play and how after auditioning for the lead roles he had ended up with a non-speaking part as the butler. He thought that was fair because all the speaking parts had gone to the seniors and he would get his turn. What pleased him most was that, during rehearsals, he had made some valuable contributions so they wrote a line for him - two words I think. Seemed like a pretty together kid. I recall years ago reading that Shirley Temple stayed sane because her mother wasn’t a stage mother and didn’t allow Shirley to linger at the studio and bask in her fame. Every day after filming her mother took her home to play with the neighbourhood kids she would have gone to school with except for her career. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-haley-joel-osment/365388/12 "2006-07-21T13:39:22Z")
I saw a report on E(?) tv or whatever, and they showed the car. It’s amazing he’s got away with the relatively minor injuries considering how mangled it is. A spokesperson said he stayed in the hospital overnight mainly for pain management. They also included the obligatory footnote that alcohol and drugs were suspected and would be tested for. I don’t know why, but that made me kind of sad. I normally couldn’t care less about celebrities and there trials and tribulations, but for some reason I had more respect and higher hopes for HJO. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-haley-joel-osment/365388/13 "2006-07-21T14:00:14Z")
But even relatively good 18-year-old kids can maybe have a drink too many and wreck their car. Of course, it’s not a good thing, but it’s not necessarily Skid Row Incarnate and possibly a valuable lesson learned. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-haley-joel-osment/365388/14 "2006-07-21T14:02:02Z")
> [@An Arky](#): > > But even relatively good 18-year-old kids can maybe have a drink too many and wreck their car. Of course, it’s not a good thing, but it’s not necessarily Skid Row Incarnate and possibly a valuable lesson learned. Well said. Better he screws up at 18 and learns a lesson than gets plastered at 30 and kills himself and possibly others. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-haley-joel-osment/365388/15 "2006-07-21T14:31:41Z")
Just for the record, my last comment wasn’t meant to imply that what happened is the begining of the end or that I’ve given up hope / lost respect for him. Just sad 'cause I like the little feller. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-haley-joel-osment/365388/16 "2006-07-21T14:33:37Z")
Oh, yeah…if he indeed screwed up, it’s a disappointment, I understand. He’s kind of like everybody’s kid since he’s famous, for better or worse. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-haley-joel-osment/365388/17 "2006-07-21T15:45:47Z")
Count me in as one of those who is impressed that he’s driving such a normal car. Sorry about his accident and hope he recovers. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-haley-joel-osment/365388/18 "2006-07-21T15:54:34Z")
[Some new sub-frame components and a diagnostic reboot will soon have him up and running smoothly.](http://www.pigrecoemme.com/images/insala/artificial_intelligence_4.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-haley-joel-osment/365388/19 "2006-07-21T17:13:57Z")
According to IMDB, it wasn’t just a car, but a station wagon. THE GOOD NEWS: This may account for why he walked away with only minor injuries. THE BAD NEWS: It was a _station wagon!_. Loser. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-haley-joel-osment/365388/20 "2006-07-21T20:33:56Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > They also included the obligatory footnote that alcohol and drugs were suspected and would be tested for. I don’t know why, but that made me kind of sad. I normally couldn’t care less about celebrities and there trials and tribulations, but for some reason I had more respect and higher hopes for HJO. 😕 That’s all it is, though, is a footnote. Taking a blood sample is SOP in any injury-causing accident in southern California. There’s no reason at this time to believe that alcohol was involved. It’s the media, that’s all. In seven years since he’s become famous, Haley has never given them any dirt, so they’re making the most of this. We’ll see what happens when the tests come back, but I’m confident that they’ll turn up nothing. It was late, it was dark, and according to a resident in the area, he missed the turn, hit a brick pillar, and the car went tumbling into a ravine. That can happen to a sober person just as easily. When Mr. Rilch was 18, he skidded on gravel and flipped his car into a ravine, and he was sober as a judge. (Deershiners saved his life; this was years before airbags or cell phones.) Anyway, I’m glad he hasn’t been disabled or killed. And the reports don’t indicate that there will be a need for Mark Hamill-style facial reconstruction. And he was alone in the car, so he doesn’t have to have that on his conscience. Get well soon, Haley! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worried-about-haley-joel-osment/365388.md?page=2)