Last Tuesday, actor Heath Ledger died an untimely death. That night, I saw my friends’ reactions expressed in their away messages on AIM. Most had some kind of message expressing his or her sadness at hearing of Ledger’s passing. I took the time to leave my own away message expressing my thoughts on the day’s news.
I don’t care.
It’s not that I am glad he passed or anything, I just don’t have feelings one way or the other about it. This came as a shock to a few people. They said I was insensitive to say such a thing. After all, the man had died only a matter of hours earlier, his body was scarcely cold and I refused to show humanity. But still, I don’t care about Heath Ledger’s death. Why should I? His life had little effect on me.
In my life, I have only seen one of his movies, The Patriot. He was pretty decent in that one as Mel Gibson’s son. Although he never did quite escape that Aussie accent. No, I haven’t seen 10 Things I Hate About You or Brokeback Mountain. They really just weren’t on my list of must-sees. In my own personal movie viewing world, Heath Ledger is on about the same level as Freddie Prinze Jr. I wouldn’t really care one way or the other if he ended up dead, either.
So what did Ledger ever do for me? One movie. He managed to die after the filming for The Dark Knight (which looks awesome) had wrapped, so I am grateful to him for that. But really, what’s so wrong in apathy toward the death of a stranger? I never thought he was dreamy, I never had posters of him on my wall and I have never said I would be Mrs. Ledger someday. Heath Ledger scarcely made it as a footnote in my life. In fact, I am willing to bet he had no idea I existed, nor would he care if I met an untimely end tomorrow.
The worst part about a celebrity’s death, no matter how obscure, is how the media glamorizes his or her career, after largely bashing it while the celebrity was alive. The deceased is made a candidate for sainthood. Suddenly everyone wants to know every aspect of the person whom they didn’t really much concern themselves with. In the days and months that follow a celebrity death, every little bit of information the police determine is broadcast immediately, like there’s a murder mystery or something. Then come the inevitable fluff pieces like “Heath Ledger’s final days” and “Why wouldn’t we save Heath?” Like anyone was concerned in the first place.
But no, because he died, suddenly he is important, because his death causes some to hurt. Others want to get in that hurt, because it makes them part of the in crowd. If you knew the guy, fine, I have no problem with you grieving his death. I can even give you a pass if you were a diehard fan. But just because you saw a couple of his movies doesn’t mean you’ve been touched by tragedy, so stop acting like it.
It’s the same principle I have for any celebrity death, Anna Nicole Smith, Sean Taylor, Princess Di, River Phoenix, Chris Farley, etc. They died, it really doesn’t impact you, move on.
I just don’t see the point in showing so much attention to one person because they were famous. There is plenty of death to mourn in Darfur and Kenya, not to mention, the deaths of the servicemen and women, who die everyday for their country.
Here Here! I am glad someone finally wrote the truth on this matter.
This is BS, Heath Ledger is the James Dean of our generation – a rising star, destined for greatness, struck down in his prime.
His work in “A Night’s Tale” will inspire generations of actors and directors to come.
To paraphrase the immortal words of Queen… You came to rock us, Heath. And rock us you did. Stomp, stomp, clap.
So you have to personally know someone to be affected by their death? Who are you to decide who has the right to mourn his death and who doesn’t? Celebrities aren’t the only ones who are “canonized” after they die—-the same rules apply to regular people. Would you write an article this insensitive about a regular person who had recently died? I think not.
yeah, you were so unaffected but yet you blogged about it.
FUCK YOU ,HOMOPHOBIC PIECE OF SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!
In the very BS world of Hollywood with a pool of talents that are more mediocre than pre-ripened fruit, I can say his death was important. To the general world in particular he is no more important than the lesser known dead around the globe. Others are affected by his death because their artistic psyche may be more in tuned than others. I for one treated his death like normal 4 months ago until a senior person I know who is very hard to please and a conservative one commented after watching BBM that she was impressed with Ledger’s performance. 4 months after his death I find myself mourning for what I had missed 2 years or more ago up until January. I would say I don’t need Dark Knight to see how good he was.