LA Times writer Eric P. Lucas has had enough of the Heath Ledger hype and wrote a strongly-worded article to argue otherwise.
Except instead of convincing everyone that the Oscar buzz is unnecessary, he makes the fatal mistake of insulting Heath and sending his diehard fans into an angry frenzy.
Each year more than 100,000 Americans die of alcohol or drug abuse. It would be madness to commemorate one such death with the greatest honor in cinema. Please give the Academy Award to someone who’s had the courage to stick around.
Stu
What a judgemental prick.
Marc
I’ve seen the movie and don’t see how a best actor acadamy award could be given to Heath.
Yes he played the joke well, but best actor???
I don’t think so.
Rock
Just another bitchy queen.
Trenton
The academy is a bunch of panderers, handing out glorified dildos to mere performers, the vast majority of whom think they are god’s elect. If they give it to Ledger, we’ll at least avoid one more insufferable acceptance speech.
By the by, the critic makes some good points, but in bad taste. And above all, it’s a bad move for his career. I hope for his sake that he can take criticism as well as he goves it.
Gregoire
Heath’s was an accidental death, not a suicide. Jesus, what a rude prick!
REBELComx
There’s been no evidence or even rumors that Heath was addicted to the pills he was taking. He was ill at the time, on medication for not being able to sleep and took a pain killer. They ruled it an accident. It wasn’t even an overdose, it was an adverse effect of the combined medication. It’s more an example of poor pharmacy work, not making sure your patient’s meds don’t react with each other.
I haven’t seen the movie yet so I can’t really judge the acting, but I can tell you right now this Lucas guy is a total douche bag, Oscar worthy performance or not.
Scott
WOW. What an insensitive bag of douche.
JayCanuck
Wasn’t the coroner’s conclusion that it was an accidental overdose of non-prescription drugs?
Regardless, it certainly appears like he should get a nomination at leath. Hell, if Jack Nicholson could get one for his version of the Joker, Heath Ledger definitely should
AB
Eckhart’s performance was more interesting anyway.
24play
Television ratings demand that Ledger receive a nomination! (Which, BTW Marc, will be for SUPPORTING actor.)
Can you say most-watched show in Oscar history?
michael
not academy award material but a great performance . i agree not to promote the drug use look at amy wino who won a grammy what BS , it does send the wrong message
and did i not read that heath took extra meds from an Olson ? whatever happend to warm milk to sleep ?
now what i do believe is heath’s daughter should reap some financial income from the major success of the film hope he had a piece of the $ in contracts & hope it does not all go to his father ?
Lost
Oh she’s just a bitter old queen who’s mad at herself for not being able to O.D.
boo freakin’ hoo
Why don’t you hang out under that bridge and take a hit of the old pipe just like the good old days.
Anyways, You live in Seattle, don’t you think it’s time you offed yourself Mr. Lucas?
Dubwise
Lost, now thats just plain rude…we don’t say “offed yourself” ..we say “passed yourself away”
DylanBD
So…
His point is supposed to be that because of Jackson Pollock’s and Janis Joplin’s ugly deaths, we shouldn’t value the transformative creativity of their lives?
That is a silly point.
Darth Paul
The Academy is a fossilized turd of an institution. Their awards count for nothing. Seriously, what of value have Halle Berry or Catherine Zeta Jones done since getting their awards?
Trenton
He’s in Seattle? Hm. If ever I run into him, I’ll ask him if his lack of tact was insincere, or a publicity stunt. Either way, I’ll also buy him a drink; the article is actually pretty well-written and I love the Dylan Thomas anecdote!
D.B.
The article was harsh, but I generally agree with the sentiment — the posthumous Heath worship has gotten a bit out of control. If he had been as popular in life as he now is in death, he would have been a much bigger movie star.
hell's kitchen guy
Yeah, cuz, you know, Liz Taylor and Jack Nicholson and half the other people who’ve won Oscars were such paragons of temperance.
Chubarama
I don’t give a shit about the Oscars one way or the other and I haven’t even seen the film yet, but this is just trolling marauding as a legit opinion piece. Blah.
Jose Arribas
It’s an OpEd hit piece by some no-name piece of fuck in Seattle. He’s NOT a Times writer. As for his opinion, he’s entitled to it however stupid, vile and inane it is. I will respectfully disagree.
rick
heath ledger sounds like he imitating al franken when doing the joker. that ain’t oscar worthy!
Snoodle
*Twitch* What a knob…
also…@ No.17 D.B.
That’s a bit unfair to say though, he was very young, he’d done a few movies (like ‘A Knight’s Tale) and had his sort of ‘breakout’ role in Brokeback Mountain. The Dark Knight was to be the one that catapulted him to superstardom, and, well, it did just that.
Co-concerned
“It would be madness . . . “?!!
If Eric P. Lucas hopes to avert madness in the decision making processes of the Academy, he’s too late . . . Marisa Tomei has already won an Oscar for “My Cousin Vinny” . . .