John Gibson Mocks Heath Ledger's Death - Political Forum

Izzibeth · 01-24-2008, 08:47 AM

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Originally Posted by Think Progress

John Gibson Mocks ‘Weirdo’ Heath Ledger’s Death: ‘He Found Out How To Quit You’

johngibson1.jpgOpening his radio show with funeral music yesterday, Fox News host John Gibson callously mocked the death of actor Heath Ledger, calling him a “weirdo” with a “serious drug problem.”

Playing an audio clip of the iconic quote, “I wish I knew how to quit you” from Ledger’s gay romance movie Brokeback Mountain, Gibson disdainfully quipped, “Well, he found out how to quit you.” Laughing, Gibson then played another clip from Brokeback Mountain in which Ledger said, “We’re dead,” followed by his own, mocking “We’re dead” before playing the clip again.

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Throughout the course of the show, Gibson continued to bring up Ledger’s death while discussing current events, jokingly claiming that current events may have caused him to commit suicide.

On yesterday’s drop in the stock market:

GIBSON: Maybe he had a serious position in the market.

TOM SULLIVAN: And possibly today, he looked at the window and said…

GIBSON: “Oh my God.”

SULLIVAN: His name’s not Keith Bledger, right?

GIBSON: He was depressed about yesterday’s downturn in the world stock markets.

On the Democratic debate in South Carolina:

GIBSON: Apparently Heath Ledger was suicidal and his friends saw it coming. I think he watched the Clinton-Obama debate last night. I think he was an Edwards guy, cause he saw his Edwards guy was just completely irrelevant.

In reality, New York City Police spokesman Paul J. Browne told the New York Times that there was “no obvious indication of suicide.”

You stay classy, John Gibson.

How disgusting. All indications point to Ledger's death being an accident most likely due to a lethal mix of prescription drugs and sleeping pills while suffering from pneumonia (though an autopsy will reveal the cause in about a week and a half). Heath Ledger was a quiet actor who wasn't politically involved and was only in the spotlight when it was movie time... it's not as if he were some controversial person who stirred up 'trouble' or anything and one would expect commentary after his death. Why talk shit about a young man who has just prematurely died?

{EDIT} The Westboro Baptists were talking about picketing his funeral. Maybe John would like to join them? He seems to be about on their level.

LessGovMrPrez · 01-24-2008, 09:56 AM

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Originally Posted by Izzibeth

How disgusting. All indications point to Ledger's death being an accident most likely due to a lethal mix of prescription drugs and sleeping pills while suffering from pneumonia (though an autopsy will reveal the cause in about a week and a half). Heath Ledger was a quiet actor who wasn't politically involved and was only in the spotlight when it was movie time... it's not as if he were some controversial person who stirred up 'trouble' or anything and one would expect commentary after his death. Why talk shit about a young man who has just prematurely died?

{EDIT} The Westboro Baptists were talking about picketing his funeral. Maybe John would like to join them? He seems to be about on their level.

Well I watched some coverage on the day Ledger died and he sure did talk about death alot. In fact they had an interview of him talking about some guy who he idlized about, concerning the guys music, who Ledger admitingly said committed suicide. Even talking about his daughter in interviews he said she gave him a reason to live. That does raise some flags after the same guy turns up dead of his own accord.

And the movie guru's are saying that the roles he played were to disturbing and that he got to far into them and it caused him to do this. I mean if this is the truth then that would lead me to think that the guy was a weirdo already. To take a movie character that far to have it affect real life? I seriously doubt it. It is just a movie for crying outloud, its not real.

Either way he was taking alot of pills, 6 different ones to be exact. That is not normal for 28 year old.

My whole take is, is Ledger's death any more important then everyone else that dies that same day? No. Is it sad that a 28 year old died of his own accord? yes. Is it national news? no.

Izzibeth · 01-24-2008, 10:41 AM

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Originally Posted by LessGovMrPrez

Well I watched some coverage on the day Ledger died and he sure did talk about death alot. In fact they had an interview of him talking about some guy who he idlized about, concerning the guys music, who Ledger admitingly said committed suicide. Even talking about his daughter in interviews he said she gave him a reason to live. That does raise some flags after the same guy turns up dead of his own accord.

And the movie guru's are saying that the roles he played were to disturbing and that he got to far into them and it caused him to do this. I mean if this is the truth then that would lead me to think that the guy was a weirdo already. To take a movie character that far to have it affect real life? I seriously doubt it. It is just a movie for crying outloud, its not real.

Well, it's an actor's job to get way into the characters they are playing. It's not unusual at all for an actor to become invested in the character. Look at the movie "The Machinist". Nowadays, these people are expected to get way involved in their characters and sacrifice a lot. You won't find me arguing that the money they get paid is reasonable in any way (why do movie stars get paid in the millions when doctors get paid in the thousands?) or the attention they get makes sense (for serious... leave them alone..) but it's not crazy for actors to get way into their characters. I don't think it made him a "weirdo" at all.

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Either way he was taking alot of pills, 6 different ones to be exact. That is not normal for 28 year old.

We don't know what the pills were (and it's not really anyone's business). Some were most likely to help with the pneumonia and then others were described as anti-anxiety pills and sleeping pills. It's easy to accidentally mix. People do it all the time. And some people go through times in their lives when they are prescribed anti-anxiety pills. Him being an actor shouldn't make it more 'weird' than any other person.

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My whole take is, is Ledger's death any more important then everyone else that dies that same day? No.

No. It's not more important. It just touches people more because actors and actresses are in the spotlight and everyone gets to know them with all the interviews they do, the endless paparazzi pictures, the films, the shows, etc. I don't think anyone is trying to say that his death is more "important". It's just as you said....

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Is it sad that a 28 year old died of his own accord? yes. Is it national news? no.

When a celebrity dies it becomes national news only because they were well known and liked by others.

Anyway... none of it really has anything to do with some asshole deciding that he's going to take cheap shots on NATIONAL television at the death of a 28 year old man who may or may not have overdosed on prescription pills whether an accident or not. It was tasteless and he really should feel ashamed. When some prominent political figure dies, people expect feelings on both ends of the spectrum... but such is the life of a politician or someone who decides to actively engage in politics. Laughing and joking about the death of a young actor on television because one disliked his roles in movies is just...... not classy.