Reporting on the Dead

Since we learned of actor Heath Ledger's untimely death on Tuesday afternoon, the basic fact is that until additional tests have been conducted, the autopsy is incomplete and inconclusive as to why this 28-year-old man died. That's what we know.

Let's get to what we don't know: his death was a tragic accident, or something to the contrary. Until we know for sure, I think the media should just shut their mouths and stop all the speculation that's been running rampant.

This man has a two-year-old daughter. His family is going through the worst time in their lives. Their hearts are broken, they're numb, they can't understand what's going on right now. Michelle Williams is trying to figure out how to explain to their little girl that she will never see her daddy again. It's heartbreaking, tragic, and it's being used to fuel our never ceasing desire to eavesdrop on the lives of others.

Please let them grieve in privacy and dignity for a few days at least for goodness sake. As far as I'm aware, Heath Ledger never did anything but conduct himself in the most respectful and charismatic way. He gave us exactly what we asked of him -- good entertainment and our $12 worth when we sat our butts in the seats of a movie theater. He made his living in the entertainment business, but he purposely chose not to make his life that way. He was by all accounts a normal guy in every way, a regular dad who was often photographed walking down the streets of Manhattan or Brooklyn with his daughter, Matilda.

The scene outside his apartment on the night Ledger died made me sick to my stomach. People gawking and waiting around for a body bag to be removed. I have been at similar scenes in my work as an assistant district attorney. And let me tell you, if you don't have to be there, you wouldn't want to be. It's morbid. Someone who was loved is in that bag... and trust me it takes more than a minute to get used to that.

And when actress Michelle Williams and her daughter arrived home in Brooklyn, the scene was just as bad. Instead of being allowed to enter her home in privacy, she had to endure the flashbulbs of the paparazzi waiting to snap the money shot. How she explained that to her child through her grief is something I hope never to experience.

Might I suggest that we in the media, instead of reporting on the dead based on gossip, rumor, innuendo and anonymous sources, choose to honor this man's memory based on his talent and the good taste we all should be exercising. My heart goes out to the family of Heath Ledger.

Comments

[Red1976]

Oh behalf of all the Australians watching the way the Media’s behaving, I would like to say WELL DONE Star Jones…for standing up for Heath’s family!
He was a typical Aussie guy that loved his Job & his family and I’m sure that it would break his heart to see what they’re going though.
It doesn’t matter how Heath died what matters is that he’s left behind a Father, a Mother, a Sister, many friends and a beautiful daughter!
If the Media are reading this please….”LEAVE OUR BOY ALONE…LET HIM RIP”!

[jaguarchick]

AMEN Star!
I truly feel that the media needs to be more compassionate with the way they handle themselves. Even though Heath Ledger was a phenomenal actor, he was a son, a brother, a father, a boyfriend and a HUMAN BEING. I was so saddened to hear of his untimely death. You could tell that Heath was an amazing father and an outstanding person. His eyes let you embrace his soul. I do not like people speculating on what possibly happened to Mr. Ledger. Let's just deal with the tragedy of not being able to be graced with his presence on Earth. The real tragedy is a little girl not truly knowing her father, and a family missing out on making more memories. Fifteen months ago, I too experienced losing my younger brother, he was 27. It was, and still is a devastating time in our lives. The only thing that gets me through each day, is knowing that my baby brother is in Heaven and rejoicing with the LORD. I reach out to ALL of the Ledger family, including Michelle and Matilda. The advice I give you, is to continue to love Heath everyday. Talk to him as if he was with you, because he is always in your heart. Do not dwell on the "what ifs". Heath lived, from what I could tell, a life full of love and passion. He was a beautiful man and deserves to be remembered as such.
God Bless you Heath Ledger, and all of your family and friends.

[PlanetKansas]

What we really need is perspective. Ordinary people die tragically and unexpectedly everyday. Their loss is only felt by a few, and most have very modest estates left to comfort the survivors. Mr. Ledger's estate will generate millions for his heirs.

Last October, a 19 year old college sophmore in my small town lost her life in an SUV rollover. Which loss is more tragic and more deeply mourned?

The media portrays death as something that can somehow be prevented, cancer beaten, hunger eliminated and the young never die before their time, but we all know that isn't true. For everyone, it is only a question of when, not how.

I think it is a worthy goal for everyone to consider what their legacy will be, then act accordingly. Who will attend your funeral and for what reasons, and what they will say or not say about you? The famous have no control over this, but we ordinary people do.

[TheIndependenceParty]

Thank you, Star,

The death of a young person, famous or not, is a tragedy to their family, their friends, and the world in the end, ... for we thought they might be with us longer, ... here for us to love a bit longer, and to appreciate. Heath Ledger's family heard of his death, as I understand it, ... on the news. I at least received a call to tell me of my daughter's death in her sleep.

Mercy is not an exclusively religious gift! I hope that Ledger's family might receive our mercy, ... and allow the results of his autopsy to be received by his family privately. Should they choose to release the findings, it is, and should be, their decision, ... and theirs alone!

They loved him forever! While we admired him, and some of us even knew him, ... we have no right, ... simply because he worked in a field that caused us to know his face and his voice, to assume we OWN him.

He is gone now, for us all. And now he has the right to go home to his family, and to be remembered for his most wonderful traits, ... which only they can know and remember. We all must send to his family our tears in sympathy. He was first their son, and then our actor and star.

He goes home to his family now. They made him a gift to us. All we can offer to them is our thanks.

[RoseMerry]

Thank you, Star Jones and right on, right on, RIGHT ON!!! This is the smart thing I have read in ages.

[persi]

Thank you for your statement. Please send a copy of your statement to Nancy Grace, she can read. As long as people like her and "repoters" and "psychologists" who make a good living by just doing this kind of things and the public rewards them, there will be no respect for privacy of entertainers even after death.

[liberal54]

Thank you Star Jones. Eloquent, compassionate, and on target.

[Guitarsandmore]

My first thought was if acting is so hard that it kills you at 28 then you didn't have a good quality of life while you were alive. Producers and directors and writers, just must be slave drivers using cruel and unusual punishment (torture) to get what they want from actors.

The pharmaceutical companies failed to deliver the relief that was promised but what good is a money back guarantee now?

Living the part of an unsavory character is not a good idea. And perhaps this is the fatal flaw in the practice of method acting. The results are a good performance but it may kill you in the process.

Very sad indeed for this young talented man.

[sachiepadgett]

I think this is one of the best articles I've read in sometime! It has conveyed exactly what I've thought as I see the saddening images of Heath's body, thinking that one day Matilda will see these. I know that children all around the world see such images every day but to have it in video and photo ... forever. It's sad. As well as the speculation about the illegal drugs and suicide, it saddens me.
Heath was a great actor and as Star said he gave us all that we asked for when we bought our movie tickets (and more)! He will be missed, but we were lucky to have such an artist while we did!
Thank you Star for the respect you showed Heath, his family and loved ones, as well as your readers!

[sydfynch]

so how long before you have one of Heath's neighbors or his third grade teacher on your show to exploit his death? You're part of the problem, Ms. Jones. You and the other morons on tabloid TV will do anything for fame and money, so don't play the self-righteous finger-wagging matron on this one.

[speakyourmind]

My comment has not to do with Ledger's death, but just wondering why some of you commenters feel the need to preface your post by stating that you're not a fan of Star's. Why is that necessary to say?

[spunkster]

Loving you these days, Star! Thanks.

[lkf]

beautifully put about such a tragic loss. thank you.

[MARKWEER]

I am not a big stargazer and I usually avoid the gossipy side of all things tabloid and hollywood glitterized.
I have gone to see this young man's films because as Star Jones said "He entertained us and gave us our 12 dollars worth. None of us new him peronnally enough to know whether or not he was a good or bad person, but we do know from what he brought to us on screen that he was a good actor.
The least I and a lot of people can do is pray for him and offer he and his family some respect that is due to them.

[1daylion]

Could not have said it better. I'm afraid under the love and devotion of the fans, there is an anger, resentment and jelously that is absolutly scary