Toxic Hollywood

Young guy, handsome, rugged, athletic, breaks into movies, wherever he goes people know his name and face. Has genuine talent, got the world on a string, everything an actor could want. A family. A future.

And then he's dead. Too young. Too soon. Standard story.

From early silent film star Wallace Reid to Heath Ledger, to every lionized athlete, politician, musician, actor, media phenomenon or lottery winner, all have been exposed to potentially lethal doses of a drug which was once available only to entertainers and statesmen but that has now become easily attainable to any and all who crave escape from stultifying anonymity, who would rather flame out quickly than face dull, dusty years in mundane obscurity.

It can be used alone or in a cocktail.

It can make you tipsy or knock you on your ass.

The drug is Fame.

While it is never fully acknowledged as having any ill effects, the hunger for Fame has reached epidemic levels and has replaced art, education, politics, medicine and civil service as an acceptable career objective for today's youth. Because once under its spell, the pursuit of Fame can become an obsession on the order of chasing the dragon, making one all too willing to sacrifice anything in order to obtain its fleeting and instantly addictive high. More intoxicating than nicotine, cocaine, heroin and alcohol and virtually inseparable from Power (making it the ultimate aphrodisiac by any other name), Fame has been the elusive phantom nudging the vulnerable headlong from common sense into utter insensibility. Fame can warp the perception of the person swept up in the eye of the vortex, and its whirling force impacts even those loitering at its edges. It bends the air and light, a cracked prism through which reality is projected onto our screens and into our lives.

Fame does not occur in the animal kingdom, although the famous often exhibit variations of atavistic animal behavior. The media's fixation with celebrity reflects a sick cycle of cannibalism; the young, ripe celebrity is flattered and fattened for his or her inevitable downfall and ritual slaughter.

Heath Ledger's body is wrapped in a black bag, strapped to a gurney and wheeled out under a hailstorm of flashbulbs and a clash of jostling elbows and mourned by the very people who regularly dine on such a meal. Witness the cruelty surrounding the predictable, Hindenbergesque combustion of Anna Nicole. Her life had death written all over it the second she struck a pose and the cameras were aimed at her, waiting for the inevitable.

As each celebrity preens and pouts on red carpets suggesting a regal path to immortality, and each smitten consumer seeks to emulate their hollowed-out heroes, the mad truth is that the public is buying into the illusion and scrapping the reality. Fame is now an end justifying any means necessary. Because if the public is gonna use and the companies pushing the glittering hallucinogens are way too profitable to be in any way responsible, then celebrities should have mandatory labels delineating their nutrition and possible side effects, how they should be handled and what the minimum age should be for their consumption. And before taking on the burden of celebrity themselves, the young, the talented, the handsome, the beautiful and the just plain ambitious should know whether it's better to burn out than to fade away.

Comments

[mick3]

All success tends to make one feel invulnerable, exempt from the consequences of everyday life, worse when one's life is soaked in fame. Still, think of all the famous entertainers who have lived fairly wholesome lives and unto old age. Is crashing and burning in the flight of fame any worse than dying a slow death under the heel of capitalism? Are poverty, want, and lack of fulfillment any less lethal? Cubicles are as deadly as fame, just take longer to do the job, and the victims suffer so very much longer.

[wayoutleft]

it's those who take the trouble to post their indifference and contempt for celebrity tragedy who are really captivated by fame. they get a ticket punched. that ticket is the pleasure (i guess) of expressing moralistic contempt for another person in self-destructive distress, confusion, and trouble. therein fame is a disadvantage. if these people had to express such feelings about a neighbor; they would first have to explain who the neighbor is. then the contempt wouldn't sit so well. it would have to have a cause. none of this is neccessary with famous people. one can proceed to contempt without any groundwork at all.

[ArtLiquidBlogspot]

Fame is always fleeting, it helps to chose
a HARMONY vs complusion's that conceals ones termination.

[newsweek1945]

Sort of like James Dean, huh?

[MichelleMauceri]

Fame can be very toxic these days. And with all these reality television shows it"s a lot easier to come by. I have no interest in becoming famous. It"s terrible not being able to go to a store without flash bulbs going off in your face. You"re not even safe in your own home. Paparazzi will scale the wall just to get that "million dollar shot". Point in case, Jennifer Aniston in her own back yard being photographed sun bathing. It"s hard to deal with that type violation of privacy. Some avoid it successfully while others don"t.

Some people do pursue a high profile career for fame, but I don"t think all actors, singers, etc choose these careers only for fame. Because being famous isn"t all it"s cracked up to be. I work on the production side of the movie business and have seen first hand what actors go through in a day. I"ve also seen what the paparazzi will do to get that shot and some don"t care who"s standing in their way. I"ve said on many occasions that I was glad not to be that person.

I like the lifestyle of an actor. The nature of the job is nice. Working on something for several months for a good amount of money and then getting some down time to do other things. It"s nice to have that freedom of picking and choosing what and when you want to work, but fame, they can keep it. It"s just not worth it.

[shanghaislim]

Thanks Steven.

Where does one go for REHAB for this affliction?

That is what many need to answer to save their lives before it is too late.

[ERose]

Hmmmm. Maybe Ledger succumbed to the suffocating oppressive pall that hangs over this nation. Lord knows just reading the news is enough to..... But more likely he fell victum to blind belief in his doctors'integrity, and trusted that prescribed pharmaceuticals are safe.

As reported by AARP Bulletin, in a survey last year The New England Journal of Medicine found that 94% of doctors polled stated that they had "direct ties" to the drug industry. Stock? Kickbacks? The pharma lobbies increased marketing spending 275% from 1996 to 2004. It seems the doctors have gone down the same special interest slippery slope that our elected officials (and most candidates) have.

You wonder why the cost of insurance is so high? Think it through. Go back to when the pharma-cos got the go ahead from the FDA to advertise drugs on TV, and see what has happened to the costs.

I believe the lesson here is that when it comes to doctors advice and the drugs they tell us to take, we should question everything and know everything we can about what we ingest, and how our bodies work and react to all substances.

Case in point: In the past few years my husband has been prescribed two drugs which he really didn't like the sound of the fine-print counter indications. They were Vioxx, & Vytorin. He wouldn't take them....both turn out to be dangerous, like so many others. Most of the new drugs, taken long term (and they want you to take them for life), are long-term liver destroyers.

We've gone naturopathic, and it wasn't that hard to do. We're both healthier now and have cured what ailed us with eating right taking a few organic suppliments, and getting more active.

Please people, start questioning those scripts before you take them. Do your deep research. Maybe if Ledger had he would still be alive?

[ibsteve2u]

For some, fame obscures the fact that nobody lives forever and masks the question that faces us all:

Will you live in a manner that kills you sooner, or later?

I'm glad I'm not famous; my eventual death - undoubtedly contributed to by my disregard for several known health hazards - should go generally unremarked.

[PauCK]

Fortunately for us there are those who use their fame as a tool for good. Jimmy Carter comes to mind as do may famous people who have used their ability to attract attention, but do so to attract attention to a good cause or to educate people who would otherwise not listen.

I applaud those who use the power of fame for good, and feel sorry for those who do not because it can be such an effective tool for positive change in the hands of the worthy.

[AmyPhilo]

OK while the analogy is true, it's sad to see that people are asking really silly questions like - "was he depressed, or suicidal, and was he a druggie?"

Please understand, whether or not he was suicidal, his death is quite easily explained by serotonin syndrome. This is the same way Anna Nicole and Daniel Smith died. Toxic drug overload. Not because they used too much intentionally, but simply because they were taking prescription drugs that increase serotonin evetually leading to death. With 6 prescription drug bottles in the room it's amazing that nobody is saying "Let's investigate his doctor"
Zoloft, Ambien, Valium, Antihistamines, and more. All of the above pose a serious threat to our bodies individually and any one could have led to his death (some antihistamines are actually neuroleptic or antipsychotic drugs). With all of them together, he did not stand a chance. Please look up serotonin syndrome. Read about the drugs that cause it (prescription drugs, cocaine, LSD, pcp, meth, etc.)
Just because something is a prescription does not mean it is safe.
See www.uniteforlife.org for more information on these deaths and serotonin syndrome, etc.
I guess we'll get more info. when the reports come back.
I hope people can look at these superstar deaths and understand we should see them as wake up calls. This tragedy no doubt happens in countless normal everyday families with unfortunate frequency. Just because someone is famous does not necessarily increase the likelihood that they will die this way.

Britney is on Prozac, Nicole and Paris are on meds too. Ever wonder what's really behind all the strange behavior? It's the insanely dangerous medications they are on.

Think about your crazy relative (every family has one) and ask yourself - are they on meds? If so do they seem to be better or worse than they used to be?

Anyone suddenly come up with bipolar?

[amamomofsons]

Thank you for your thoughtful comments Steven. When my children were little we used to play a game where I would ask them all questions and they had to think about their answer and explain why they answered as they did. I asked one day while taking them to soccer...What will people most value and try to protect in the future. One answered energy sources, one said water and one said the rain forest. After much thought, my then 8 year old said privacy. It's no wonder that the house keeper called someone other than 911 first.Just look at the vulgar feeding frenzy that the media vultures created over Mr Ledgers death. It was disgusting. We need to quit watching.

[dplfdr]

Mr. Weber, are you not seeking fame?
Yes we will miss Heath Ledger. Not only will we miss his golden youthfulness but the opportunity to see him mature and take on increasingly complex characters that wrestle with the process of ageing and transforming. Few do this gracefully publically. We hope to see this increasingly in the roles you play. Hollywood for all its apparent evils, sometimes provides us with role models for graceful change. Please accept this challenge.

[NeoConDeath]

I think most of us would agree that Ledger did not purposefully take his life. The combo of pneumonia and pharmaceutical did the job. Seems to me, a mix of xanax, ambien, valium, and histamines would be dangerous, but, what do I know? He should have exchanged the anxiety/insomia meds for medical marijuana food products. Wasn't he on antibiotics?

It bothers me that he was only 28 and seemed to be a decent and respectable fellow.

He appeared take his craft seriously, and I think he would've made at least a few more good films. Enjoyed the "Ned Kelly" film. Hope his family and friends can celebrate Ledger's life with some respect.

[wayoutleft]

fame is this odd personal characteristic that is unique and perplexing in that it is a part of one's self that resides exclusively in other people. no one can be famous to one's self; but being famous is a perception of others that is nevertheless a part of one's own being just like humor or courage or taste. other people have power over the condition of fame- not one's self. one gains strength by exercising, by one's own efforts; but fame is conferred by others. so fame resembles our weaknesses more than our strengths. what is self-image under the condition that millions of absolute strangers know a good deal about you?
it's tricky. for example. it leads here to the conclusion that self-destructive behavior is some kind of characteristic of famous young people in glamourous environs; whereas the self-destructive behaviour conducted in virtually any ghetto or backwater of america completely dwarfs the degree of self-destruction among young entertainment professionals.

[stdeclan]

Whatever Heath Ledger's problems were, I think his death was not the result of FAME (insert dramatic notes here-(Dah dah dah duhmmm!)
Rather, it may have been from some emotional disorder or an irrational sense of perfection to which he was committed or driven toward, but not fame itself. Read his comments addressing satisfaction concerning his acting. He was never quite satisfied with the work he had done. He may, perhaps, been a perfectionist disappointed with himself and his roles and performances to date. Perfectionists tend to be extremely hard upon themselves. They have a difficult time seeing themselves as others do, or realizing the impact their 'imperfect' performances have upon their audience. I, personally, enjoyed watching him in every performance on screen. Unfortunately I think Ledger's best performances were ahead of him. But now we will never know. Too sad.

[billicone24]

while this was well written and the contents were true, i disagree with applying this to heath ledger. he was not a fame whore and was not consumed by it. he was a real actor. an intense actor that threw himself into his roles, to the point where it consumed him. his death was probably accidental, and no illegal drugs were found. so i don't think you can write this about him.
~b

[NicoleAnonymous]

Didn't the ancient Romans used to have thousands of people in coloseums watching men fight each other to death just for entertainment? They watched because they had some morbid curiousity or they got off on it in some way.

That's worse than watching a corpse being removed from a building. My point is that this is just human nature.

Nothing has really changed that much except how we watch it.

[Mauiloa]

Your point about "the hunger of fame" replacing real life goals for so many in our country is one that can't be overemphasized.

The search for "15 minutes of fame" has spawned gigabytes of inane drivel on MySpace, thousands of hours of absurd ego-driven videos on YouTube and millions of purposeless blogs all over the Internet.

Offline, Guiness Book of World Records has lured many thousands of fame seekers, and those unexplainable many who attempt Jackass-like stunts seem to be vying for recognition by the "Darwin Awards" where the winners are generally missing one requisite needed to attend: life.

And how do you explain the assorted fruits and nuts that are the mainstay of "The Jerry Springer Show", "Montel" or "Maury"?

Meanwhile, multitudes of children dream of becoming millionaire sports heroes or rock or rap stars at the expense of learning anything worthwhile in school.

It's no surprise that our culture is missing something vital. The values the media inundates us with unendingly are mostly superficial...and generally questionable. Yet, the media, for all intents and purposes, IS our culture. It is our 24/7 babysitter/companion/trendsetter and tutor.

And for the millions of people who have little in their lives that they can point to as being true accomplishments, apparently even 15 minutes of acknowledgement by the great overseer, Media, is much better than their usual feelings of worthlessness.

[LeonBNJ]

Some people of fame make their own situation worse. They drink excessively and then drive, they drink even if under age 21 in the USA, they use drugs, are irresponsible about sex, the act like fools or divas, spend money wastefully and then some delibertly attract and ask for attention.
Many of fame never get harassed as the give the press enough to keep them minimally satisfied, they beheave in responsible and private ways so not to attract the vulture media so are left alone.
Many of fame we hear about have problems just like many of us as to drugs, alcohol, mental health and psychlogical problems. Then their fame makes it worse to deal with those problems. Making it worse is their egos won't allow anyone to save them.
One thing Heath and Spears may have in common is a lack of close family or friends. For Heath, it may be what led to his death. For Spears, it may expain her disturbing beheavors.

[sethrp]

Exactly right Mr. Weber, and I've tried to explain this to my peers of the Reagan-80s-"Just Say No" generation. But it seems my peer group is only interested in this as an example of the ruinous spectre of Drug Abuse, not a clear sign of the mental health crisis at our very doorstep.

And let's be honest - it's more socially acceptable for a ubiquitous celebrity to pop pills than to be admitted to mental health therapy with a professional. And I wonder just how many teen- and twentysomethings are making YouTube videos and MySpace bands in the hopes of jumping under the steamroller.

[PlanetKansas]

Fame has become a product and its currency is used to sell movies, books, magazines and made for tv dramas.

Some, like Madonna, manipulate fame like a tool to claw their way to the top. Others have it programmed onto them from a very young age like Brittney and Lindsey. The rest and rarest, are those with natural talent, and fame is by product thrust on them unwillingly, like Cobain and Hendrix.

Madonna will always survive, because controlling fame was the means to her success. The rest will struggle because the fame is controlled from the outside people who are profiting from them.

To me, the way out of the fame cul de sac is to wrest the creative power away from those who control you and make it your own. Clint Eastwood writes and directs his own movies, Tom Hanks is a producer, Redford created the Sundance Festival.

Actors and celebrities create very little and are just meat puppets for hire. Give someone a lot of free time, money, sex and drugs, and some aren't going to be strong enough to make it unless they find some purpose and meaning in their lives. I think the same rules apply to the rest of us.

[singermuse]

The only reason I know who Heath Ledger was, is that I saw him in one of his many movies and thought, "This guy's a pretty good actor!"
Otherwise I don't keep tabs on the current flavors of the month in Hollyweird. I don't believe in the religion of the "cult of celebrity".
The sad thing is that there are some very talented people out there that we'll only hear about when they tragically die if we hear about them at all. They are not treated like people, but commodities that the corporate media industry uses to make a profit at the expense of real culture and art.

[lucycountessofbedford]

It's interesting that you post this while we're trudging through the first few weeks of American Idol.

Watching the auditions -- yes, I admit it -- I'm struck by how many prospective AIs are emotionally wiped out by the judge's (okay, Simon's usually) suggestion that they would do fine as cabaret singers. It seems to me that they've lost perspective on life as an artist. Is it just about achieving fame -- which, they have to admit -- will ultimately fade before their lives are over, or is it about the opportunity to build a life and a career doing what one loves?

I think of those actors in New York, for example, who turn up from time to time on shows like L&O, but who, for the most part, choose to make their careers in the theatre. (I'm a Canadian, and I stand by that spelling -- it's THEATRE.) Couldn't one argue that they're careers have been more fulfilling and longlived, despite the relative lack of FAME.

[StealthisBlog]

I think (and Steven can correct me if I am wrong) that this article isn't about Mr. Ledger per se; but that this is what they call "a teachable moment". Regardless of the actual cause of the young actors death, there is a cautionary tale here that could save a life. I grew up in the drug subculture in a nowhere mid-western town, and indulged. However Neil Young's song 'Needle & the Damage Done' helped me stay away from that shit.

[ajbfree]

Well said, but sadly inappropriate....put this blog on ice and trot it out for the death of one of our more illustrious, ill-behaved, no-talent drug abusing fame whores, say Londsay Lohan, Britney Spears, et al. I try to pay as little attention as possible to the monstrosity that is the cult of celebrity in this country -- living in LA makes that a challenge -- but you never hear stories about Leger, he is visibly uncomfortable during press junket intervies, and it would seem that he was a serious young actor, choosing roles for the acting challenge, not the fame, and taking a big chance with Brokeback, that could've killed his career, with backlash from the Evangelical nutjobs.
And let's not be as guilty as the media whores, by speculating on what caused his death before it's known what caused his death.