Tinseltown Tragedy

I, like probably everyone else around the world, was shocked and very saddened by the news of Heath Ledger's death. I think he was one of the most talented young actors out there right now. Whenever someone this young (and famous) dies, there is always a massive amount of media coverage and in many ways, it reminds me of my own mortality. You want to believe that something like this isn't true. When someone's immortalized in film, you can still see them anytime you pop in a dvd. What makes the situation even sadder, is that his two year old daughter Matilda, with now grow up never really having gotten a chance to know her dad.

It's still unclear right now exactly what happened to him, though reports have said that a housekeeper and masseuse found him unconscious in his Brooklyn apartment. He was lying facedown and naked on his bed, and there were prescription medications and sleeping aids in his room. Police also found a $20 bill that appeared to have been rolled in a way that was consistent with drug use. Initial autopsy reports were inconclusive, and the coroner there says it could take up to 10 days to find out what really happened inside that apartment. There is lots of speculation that Ledger was a habitual drug user, though I have to say that there were very few, if any, reports of his drug use prior to his death. No one really knows what happened yet, and regardless of how it happened, I think it's a horribly sad situation.

Hollywood's lost one of its finest actors, parents have lost a son, his child lost a father. These types of things -do- happen everyday to ordinary people, but I think you just don't expect them to happen to famous people. There's almost a perception that they have it better than the rest of us, and in many ways, they do. They have lots of money, nice homes, cars, beautiful significant others, and the world looks up to them....but....they're still regular people on the inside. They still have to go home at the end of the night and fight the battles that all of us fight.

This whole incident has made me think a lot about how short life can be. I've had to deal with a lot of personal tragedy in my life, but I have much, much more to be thankful for.
We all do.
If you take nothing else from this blog, take this...spend a moment thinking about how lucky you are to be alive, and let those whom you love, really, really know it.

Posted by on 01/23 at 06:27 PM

Beautifully said Patricia..

Life is pretty complex..I dont think we will ever understand every aspect of it..and I’m not all together sure that we are supposed to..

I know that as each day passes we come closer to losing those that we love and cherish the most..and now with this new electronic age that we live in..we have just increased our chances of losing someone that we enjoy communicating with..even moreso..

The only way that I can allow myself to look at all of this..and keep the majority of my sanity intact is by the following words..

“How lucky I am to have known someone or something that saying good-bye to..could feel this damned awful”

Posted by  on  01/23  at  09:15 PM

I’m going to somewhat play the devils advocate. I wasn’t shocked nor saddened. I’m do sympatize with the loved ones that are left behind. He selfishly put his own life at risk. It is fire and it does burn. I am much more concerned about our soldiers. Soldiers who unselfishly put their lives at risk so that primadonnas like Ledger can get rich and slam cocaine. I’d love to see our KIA’s get the media attention that Ledger got. They are much more deserving. I saw an interview with John Travolta yesterday. JT said something to the effect that he would glady give back all of his awards and trophies to have him back. I wonder if he’d do the same for you or me?

Posted by  on  01/24  at  10:54 AM

sorry. I only put mr in my name.

Posted by  on  01/24  at  10:56 AM

Mookie I think to better understand it..we have to look at the pressures involved in being in the public eye..

I’m sure if Patricia or any anchor here were to be totally honest..they take quite a few hits to their self-esteem from time to time..

When you get an email or a phone call..especially just before a live newscast..telling you that your hair is wrong..your make-up sucks..you talk too low or your breathing is all wrong..you dont make enough eye contact..or that they just flat out dont like you..then have to get in front of the camera with this knowledge and perform as though all of the viewing audience loves you to pieces..

Usually this isnt something that you can just shake off..regardless of what other anchors or viewers tell you..it is a demon deep inside of you that eats at you every chance it gets..

Now jumping out of the puddle and into the big pond here..and it is now not just local viewers but an entire world of self righteous critics that are trying to blow you out of the water..or just bring you down with their hurtful words..

Everyone deals with their demons and life in general in totally different ways..ways that not everyone and sometimes even yourself cant fully understand..

Add a small amount of peer pressure and temptation in there and you are about to take one helluva ride..that few walk away from with no scratches..

Ledger fought his own battle and lost..that certainly doesnt make him the bad guy here..

I’m a highly decorated war hero myself..and even I have in the past done cocaine and drank an ocean to just have a few minutes of peace..to just stop the constant fighting that goes on inside of yourself..luckily I found even ground before this became an issue in my life..but it could have just as easily went the other way..

Now as for the KIA’s..no they dont get this kind of exposure..and that is sad in itself..but then alot of people are just like you when it came to Ledger..they arent shocked nor saddened when one of ours takes a fall..why should they be? It is their job..it is what they agreed to do when they signed up with the military..

I survived a helicopter crash in the desert in Iran..others didnt..myself and their families think of them from time to time..but plastering it on the news every year wont make it seem any better..it’s a wound that is best left covered..

I think that is why our KIA’s receive as little attention as they do..

John Travolta..Oh yea of little faith..what religion allows you to offer up your little trinkets to pull a soul back out of heaven?

Posted by  on  01/24  at  09:12 PM

Mr. Mookie, I agree that our soldiers certainly don’t receive the attention and respect that they deserve.
Occasionaly, they get a few minutes on the local or national news, but that’s never enough.

Wolf, the comments do stick to a certain extent.
I don’t get a ton of nasty emails or phone calls but when you’re out in the grocery store, restaurant, etc… you get a bunch of “comments”.
The comments are from people who, despite the fact that it’s probably your day off, expect you to look exactly the same as you do on tv.
Honestly, that’s not realistic.
The makeup,hair and suits are something you have to do…not something I particularly want to do.
It’s definitely not my daily routine outside of work and it would be nice if people could understand that. I’m a jeans and t-shirt kind of person.

But off my soapbox for a minute…. you do have to let that stuff go in one ear and out the other. It’s part of the job, just like the good and bad press is part of the job for actors.

I would say about 70% of the course of your life is shaped by your reactions to events, not the events themselves…it’s all in how you handle it.

Posted by  on  01/25  at  08:52 AM

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