Day-Lewis slams media 'circus' around Ledger death

[waichingliu81]

By Deborah Cole AFP - 58 minutes ago

BERLIN (AFP) - British-born film star Daniel Day-Lewis blasted the media "circus" Friday surrounding the death of Heath Ledger after his moving dedication of a top award to the Australian actor last month.

Day-Lewis, 50, who was at the Berlin Film Festival, where his new picture "There Will Be Blood" is in competition, said the round-the-clock coverage was only compounding the grief of Ledger's family.

Asked about the tribute he made at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards in Los Angeles on January 27 when he picked up the best actor prize, Day-Lewis said he was wary of speaking out publicly about Ledger again.

"I'm reluctant to talk about it now. As much as I was glad to have a chance to say something in that moment, I now feel...there's plenty more I could say but I'm not just fuelling a fire that's already out of control," he said.

"His family, for instance, at this moment, are trying to suffer the unimaginable grief in the full scrutiny of a ****ing circus and anything that I say is going probably to just contribute even more to that because it keeps the story running and running and running and running."

He said he hoped the focus would return to appreciation of Ledger's performances.

"There will come a time eventually when people just remember that he was a beautiful man who did some wonderful work and we have seen great things from him," he said.

"And right now I can't say I'm too enthusiastic about adding more fodder to what's already just a horrendously, seamy, overblown machine that's gathered around his death. It's horrible."

The New York chief medical examiner's office released a toxicology report Wednesday showing that Ledger, 28, died of accidental intoxication caused by painkillers and anti-anxiety drugs.

In the SAG acceptance speech, Day-Lewis said the Australian's performances -- in particular his role in the 2005 gay cowboy drama "Brokeback Mountain"-- had deeply inspired him.

Day-Lewis, who won an Oscar in 1990 for "My Left Foot", is the clear favourite for an Academy Award for his towering performance as a tyrannical oil prospector in "There Will Be Blood".

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/2008020...a56114e_2.html

[Dean Winchester]

I agree with him. Those closest to Heath (his parents, Michelle Williams and his daughter, his closest friends, etc...) weren't shown the proper respect they should've been shown during a severe grieving period. It's terrible that when his parents and ex-wife arrived in NY to visit the scene, they were surrounded by a storm of cameras, they should've been given respect to mourn in peace.

[Janice]

For anyone who is truly offended by this, they shouldn't buy the mags or the rags, they shouldn't go to TMZ or any of the other online gossip sites, they shouldn't watch Access Hollywood or any of the other tabloid tv shows, should never click on a youtube link that shows a celebrity, etc, etc, etc. When the media puts on the circus, who attends?

If the paparazzi doesn't have consumers buying their product, they're out of business. Let's have a show of hands. Who's a consumer?

[Dean Winchester]

^ well, I do think it's one thing to photograph a celebrity when they're walking down a red carpet to an awards show, or a premiere of a movie or something. But I do think there's a fine line between doing something like that and what they do to people like Britney.

[Ireneparalegal]

I buy PEOPLE and subscribe to Entertainment Weekly.

My boyfriend is guilty of watching those stupid gossip shows. I always tell him, "Why do you watch that crap for?"

BTW, what does TMZ stand for?

Where was Mr. Lewis when Anna Nicole died?

[HuntingtonM15]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

Where was Mr. Lewis when Anna Nicole died?

He didn't have a hit movie and wasn't about to collect an Oscar then. But I do agree with him, and thought his SAG acceptance speech was very touching.

[Janice]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

BTW, what does TMZ stand for?

Too Many Zealots?

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by Janice

Too Many Zealots?

I knew you would come up with something very clever.

[Janice]

Originally Posted by Dean Winchester

^ well, I do think it's one thing to photograph a celebrity when they're walking down a red carpet to an awards show, or a premiere of a movie or something. But I do think there's a fine line between doing something like that and what they do to people like Britney.

I agree with you there. I think Britney should be left alone. Celebs have a right to privacy. Who of us could pass muster with flying colors having a camera crew following us around all the time? Celebrities owe us a performance, nothing else. No autographs, pictures, nothing. Anything beyond what we paid for is a bonus. Celebs want to be photographed on the red carpet, but not by the media hanging outside their bedroom window.

I had a friend, actually a co-worker, who was obsessed with Princess Diana. She literally couldn't get enough gossip. The summer that Diana died, my friend was talking non-stop about the big Diana and Dodi romance. She was always carrying a mag or a rag around loaded with stories and pictures. That Saturday night that Diana died, I was thinking of this co-worker and how she must be flipping out. She didn't show up for work on Monday.

When Diana died, this woman was devastated, and more so than the rest of us. She never let up about how the paparazzi killed Diana. I got so sick of hearing it, that I finally told her that if it wasn't for people like her buying all that crap, then the media wouldn't have hounded her to her death. I asked her, "How do you think they've been getting all these pictures that you've been loving all summer?" Like I said, no consumers, no product. If the media has blood on their hands for her death, then so don't the fans who kept them in business.

I actually think Diana used the media as much as they used her, but that's probably a discussion for another day. Whatever company printed those pictures of Heath Ledger's family should be boycotted, by those who find them so offensive. They should write letters to the editor, not complain on a message board. The only way this will ever stop is if people stop having this insatiable appetite for celebrity gossip. Until then, the media circus continues.

[Ireneparalegal]

Celebs do have a right to their privacy. I wish they would be left alone. There is nothing that happens to them that warrants the exploitation. We don't need to know who wore what. We don't need to know who dressed worst or best during the week. I hate seeing the pics on covers of magazines in the grocery store that tell us who has "cottage cheese legs" and who needs to lose weight. Who is hanging out with who and so forth.

If there were no papparrazi, we wouldn't have those pics to go with the articles, whether the articles are true or not. Those photographers are paid A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY for one pic, so to grab as many pics as possible means more $$$ for them. And they wouldn't go out and do that if their bosses weren't paying them the right amount of money. And that money comes from magazine purchases...the consumer.

With everyday people and their camera-phones it is a free-for-all for anyone to submit pics to the editors of magazines, hoping to cash in on some easy money too.

I don't get the hoopla over TMZ or all those shows that seem to ravage celebrities until there is nothing left. Hell, Entertainment Tonight still milks the Anna Nicole story to this day. I seen the promos for their show where they talk abt Larry Birkhead and use it as an opportunity to still hound Anna Nicole. So sad.

[waichingliu81]

the papparazzi these days can be so cruel- they keep pestering these people in an attempt to get their story and give us something to talk about. frankly, having studied journalism i am glad not to have become one. if these types of people want their reputations to be further scrutinised, condemned or better still ignored by the public by sinking as low as they have done, let them.

this is not good journalism- good journalism is where it helps emphasise the good about people and the good deeds they do. we hardly read about everyday folk doing great things for their community, or of celebrities doing their bit for charity for instance. instead its britney this, lindsay that, heath ledger etc and their tragic fall from grace. **** this. better still, not read the press, watch e! news or whatever

[waichingliu81]

Originally Posted by Janice

For anyone who is truly offended by this, they shouldn't buy the mags or the rags, they shouldn't go to TMZ or any of the other online gossip sites, they shouldn't watch Access Hollywood or any of the other tabloid tv shows, should never click on a youtube link that shows a celebrity, etc, etc, etc. When the media puts on the circus, who attends?

If the paparazzi doesn't have consumers buying their product, they're out of business. Let's have a show of hands. Who's a consumer?

not me janice

[Dean Winchester]

I wonder how the journalists would feel if Britney was their sister or Heath was their brother. How would they like it if it was someone in their family who was getting this intense media hounding?

[waichingliu81]

frankly and no offence i was practically sick of the attention given to his death. yes he died which was tragic but the way the media constantly kept going on and on, especially by printing details of his private life was appalling. i mean it was extraordinary. ledger will be remembered more for brokeback mountain and for appearing as the joker in the batman film, but sad to say that in the press's eyes they will remember him as the star falling victim to a drugs overdose.

most journalists don't care, one way or the other whose reputations they screw with and as an answer to your question, i don't think they'd like it one bit- unless that is they care more about keeping their jobs and get paid $$$ or £££

[Ireneparalegal]

Why doesn't Daniel Day Lewis speak abt how the press and media are exploiting Britney Spears?