BetterMost, Wyoming & Brokeback Mountain Forum
Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond => Heath Ledger Remembrance Forum => Topic started by: Phillip Dampier on January 23, 2008, 11:53:58 am
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Editor Note: I am keeping the TMZ stuff apart from the ordinary news accounts due to the lesser standards of journalism employed by TMZ, which may or may not result in accurate stories, but don't meet the usual standards used by the rest of the media.
TMZ Shocker: Nicholson Warned Ledger About His Drug Use
The paparazzi broke the news of Heath Ledger's death to Jack Nicholson in London last night -- and he had an eerie reaction to the news.
The photogs told Jack that Heath overdosed, and Nicholson responded: "I warned him."
TMZ Original Story Link (http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid285859616/bclid294430730/bctid1387913103)
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Multiple sources in the NYPD tell TMZ, although it's too early to know, it's looking like Heath Ledger's death was accidental and not suicide.
There have been numerous reports suggesting that Ledger took his own life by ingesting a boatload of pills. Contrary to initial reports, the pills that were "scattered" around Ledger's apartment were actually in containers. We're told the containers were not littering the apartment. Rather, some were in the medicine cabinet and some in other rooms. As we reported, one container was on Ledger's nightstand. Cops found sleeping pills and an anti-anxiety drug in the bedroom.
A rep for the family tells TMZ that detectives have been in touch with Ledger's next of kin and the cops told them that so far there is no evidence suggesting suicide. Of course, until the toxicology reports come in, no one knows for sure.
A well-connected source in the NYPD told us this morning the "operating theory" right now within the department is that it was an accidental death, not suicide.
It's unclear if Ledger's health was a factor. As we first reported, he had pneumonia at the time of his death.
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I found a blog that was talking about that quote from Nicholson and that he was talking about Heath playing the Joker (not drugs). That Heath got so far into his character that he may have run himself down...bad karma?
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I found a blog that was talking about that quote from Nicholson and that he was talking about Heath playing the Joker (not drugs). That Heath got so far into his character that he may have run himself down...bad karma?
Ah, I get it now. I'm really hoping that's what Nicholson meant. I've been struggling with this all afternoon...
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Jack has been a bit tacky regarding Heath in the Joker role but I can't imagine he would be crass enough to make that statement in regards to the death.
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This is the post:
There was something a bit odd today. Someone asked Jack Nicholson about Heath. All he said was, "I warned him." The interviewer thought he was talking about drugs... I got this weird feeling he was talking about playing the role of the Joker.... From what Heath said about 'finding' Ennis and becoming him, it's got my brain running in circles... Among some Wiccan groups, their is what is called invoking, or calling down the Moon, in which the person calls the spirit of the god they are working with into themselves.... There are all kinds of Jungian overtones to this... And, I've seen the result of this the year I was at Diana's Grove and they worked with the myth of Baba Yagah and Vaselisa the Brave... Let's just say after that year, Reclaiming Collective never went that route again...
I'm wondering if Heath took the role of the Joker into himself to where he experinced it as being this character... I remember how he said Ennis hung with him for months... If the same thing was happening after The Black Knight, no wonder he couldn't sleep and was ill. Throw playing Bod Dylan in right after that.... and, Hooo Boy!
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I know it's easy to misunderstand sound bites out of context, but it sure sounds to me like Jack Nicholson has been bitter about Heath's Joker success. Maybe it's not coming across right, and I am misunderstanding.
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This is the post:
There was something a bit odd today. Someone asked Jack Nicholson about Heath. All he said was, "I warned him." The interviewer thought he was talking about drugs... I got this weird feeling he was talking about playing the role of the Joker.... From what Heath said about 'finding' Ennis and becoming him, it's got my brain running in circles... Among some Wiccan groups, their is what is called invoking, or calling down the Moon, in which the person calls the spirit of the god they are working with into themselves.... There are all kinds of Jungian overtones to this... And, I've seen the result of this the year I was at Diana's Grove and they worked with the myth of Baba Yagah and Vaselisa the Brave... Let's just say after that year, Reclaiming Collective never went that route again...
I'm wondering if Heath took the role of the Joker into himself to where he experinced it as being this character... I remember how he said Ennis hung with him for months... If the same thing was happening after The Black Knight, no wonder he couldn't sleep and was ill. Throw playing Bod Dylan in right after that.... and, Hooo Boy!
[Elle nods in understanding.]
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Jack has been a bit tacky regarding Heath in the Joker role but I can't imagine he would be crass enough to make that statement in regards to the death.
Oh, I didn't even think of it *that way*. Yikes. I first thought it was about drugs. Then when I read Jess's post, I thought it was about simply playing the Joker and how hard it might be. Now this points out that Nicholson's warning was death. Eieooowww..
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The BBC Entertainment report from earlier today (their evening) had Nicholson clarifying that he -was- talking about drugs. The debate over there regards to whether they were prescription or non-prescription medications, and Nicholson is being hounded again by the paparazzi and British press (which can be equally sleazy) for clarification. I keep the TMZ stuff in their own thread because it is not well sourced material and they tend to run with speculation... any speculation. We'll know for sure in about ten days' time.
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By the way, the makers of Ambien have told their stockholders they've hired attorneys in preparation for possible findings that the sleep medication may have played a part in all this, and they're prepping a damage control PR team to be ready in case it appears the prescription drug contributed in anyway to his passing.
It could be a multi-million dollar disaster for big pharma if it turns out Ambien played a part here. Sanofi-Aventis, which makes Ambien, took the step after two independent sources alluded in the media to Heath's "drug use."
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Jack Nicholson scares me. There's something seriously wrong with that man.
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[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMrhY5FUzaQ&feature=related[/youtube]
here is the interview where Jack was talking about warning Heath...
he was talking about the sleeping pills..not illegal drugs....
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here is the interview where Jack was talking about warning Heath...
Good find. The BBC had a sitdown one that I caught earlier, but much of the details here were recited there as well.
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What's up with Jack Nicholson? Just a few weeks ago he was bitching in print that Heath didn't even talk to him about his portrayal of the Joker in his preparation... He was rather nasty and seemed to feel he should have been consulted because his Joker is THE JOKER... Now he's supposed to be a busom buddy who talked to Heath about the role and his lifestyle... Isn't Jack getting enough attention for his new film.
MTV: What do you think of another actor, Heath Ledger, playing the Joker in next summer's "The Dark Knight"?
Nicholson: Let me be the way I'm not in interviews. I'm furious. I'm furious. [He laughs.] They never asked me about a sequel with the Joker. I know how to do that! Nobody ever asked me.
MTV: It was never brought up?
Nicholson: No. It's like, in any area, you can't believe the reasons things do or don't happen. Not asking me how to do the sequel is that kind of thing. Maybe it's not a mistake. Maybe it was the right thing, but to be candid, I'm furious.
MTV: I'm surprised to hear you sounding competitive about a role like that.
Nicholson: Well, the Joker comes from my childhood. That's how I got involved with it in the first place. It's a part I always thought I should play.
MTV: Will you see the new film?
Nicholson: I'm not inclined to watch it because of what I said. But if it's a good movie, I'll catch up with it somewhere. I don't think they ever really captured Tim Burton's spirit [since he stopped being involved]. They kind of drove the franchise into the ground. Tim Burton's a genius. He had the right take on it. That's why I did the movie. I did the movie based on a single conversation with him. We both come from the cartoon world originally. We had similar ideas. Tim said [the Joker] should have a humorous dark side to him. [Burton is] one of the great moviemakers. I think the world of him. He's the most unassuming man. And he doesn't feel pressure. That's what I love about him. Once he's in there, he's smiling making the movie. That's it!
from http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1573617/20071106/story.jhtml
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What's up with Jack Nicholson? Just a few weeks ago he was bitching in print that Heath didn't even talk to him about his portrayal of the Joker in his preparation... He was rather nasty and seemed to feel he should have been consulted because his Joker is THE JOKER... Now he's supposed to be a busom buddy who talked to Heath about the role and his lifestyle... Isn't Jack getting enough attention for his new film.
MTV: What do you think of another actor, Heath Ledger, playing the Joker in next summer's "The Dark Knight"?
Nicholson: Let me be the way I'm not in interviews. I'm furious. I'm furious. [He laughs.] They never asked me about a sequel with the Joker. I know how to do that! Nobody ever asked me.
MTV: It was never brought up?
Nicholson: No. It's like, in any area, you can't believe the reasons things do or don't happen. Not asking me how to do the sequel is that kind of thing. Maybe it's not a mistake. Maybe it was the right thing, but to be candid, I'm furious.
MTV: I'm surprised to hear you sounding competitive about a role like that.
Nicholson: Well, the Joker comes from my childhood. That's how I got involved with it in the first place. It's a part I always thought I should play.
MTV: Will you see the new film?
Nicholson: I'm not inclined to watch it because of what I said. But if it's a good movie, I'll catch up with it somewhere. I don't think they ever really captured Tim Burton's spirit [since he stopped being involved]. They kind of drove the franchise into the ground. Tim Burton's a genius. He had the right take on it. That's why I did the movie. I did the movie based on a single conversation with him. We both come from the cartoon world originally. We had similar ideas. Tim said [the Joker] should have a humorous dark side to him. [Burton is] one of the great moviemakers. I think the world of him. He's the most unassuming man. And he doesn't feel pressure. That's what I love about him. Once he's in there, he's smiling making the movie. That's it!
from http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1573617/20071106/story.jhtml
Yup. I'm with you on this. And to repeat myself about the above quote, if having had it be part of one's childhood is the reason to play it, then we all should have roles in Batman movies.
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Yup. I'm with you on this. And to repeat myself about the above quote, if having had it be part of one's childhood is the reason to play it, then we all should have roles in Batman movies.
Yes, girl, and I get to be Catwoman! I'll scratch out the eyes of any bitches who dare to compete with me for that! I'll make Sean Young look like a new-born kitten in my pursuit of the role!
But seriously, what is it with "Batman" actors feeling like they own their roles and that they are entitled to them for life? Laurence Olivier may have done a bang-up version of Hamlet, but that doesn't mean other actors shouldn't take on the role.
I'm thinking Adam West expressed displeasure that he wasn't somehow included in Tim Burton's first "Batman" movie. I mean, come on! The "Batman" series was campy, over-the-top, comedic, and the movies have taken different tones. Even the upcoming version of the Joker is reportedly very different from Nicholson's version. When you're doing something wildly different than what was previously done, why are you going to actively associate it with what came before?
Whatever Jack was referring to -- the role of the Joker, illicit drugs, sleeping pills -- his response to Heath's death comes across as smug and self-absorbed and disrespectful to me. "I warned him" doesn't seem too far removed from "I told you so." I hate it when people say "I told you so."
I guess that's Jack. I've never been able to see his appeal beyond his being a good actor. I don't find him charismatic like many seem to do. He's kinda creepy to me.
I saw that Lindsay Lohan busted into tears when she found out about Heath dying. I never thought I'd see the day when I respected her more than I did Jack Nicholson.
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But seriously, what is it with "Batman" actors feeling like they own their roles and that they are entitled to them for life? Laurence Olivier may have done a bang-up version of Hamlet, but that doesn't mean other actors shouldn't take on the role.
My problem is why we are essentially remaking movies or re-extending franchises that have an uneven history. Did we really need another retelling of Batman? It's for this and so many other reasons (the same old junk) that keeps me far away from theaters except for rare occasions.
In five years, we'll be talking about how we need to remake Spiderman. Ick.
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What I understood was that Nicholson warned Heath about taking the role not about drugs. Apparently it is a very intense role. However, Nicholson himself has history of drug abuse so I don't know. According to the site linked below Nicholson is a cokehead (or was).
http://www.nndb.com/people/722/000022656/ (http://www.nndb.com/people/722/000022656/)
Scroll down, read "Risk factors"
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Nicholson: I'm not inclined to watch it because of what I said. But if it's a good movie, I'll catch up with it somewhere. I don't think they ever really captured Tim Burton's spirit [since he stopped being involved]. They kind of drove the franchise into the ground. Tim Burton's a genius. He had the right take on it. That's why I did the movie. I did the movie based on a single conversation with him. We both come from the cartoon world originally. We had similar ideas. Tim said [the Joker] should have a humorous dark side to him. [Burton is] one of the great moviemakers. I think the world of him. He's the most unassuming man. And he doesn't feel pressure. That's what I love about him. Once he's in there, he's smiling making the movie. That's it!
I was never a fan of the 1989 Batman anyway. I thought Michael Keaton as Batman was dull and Nicholson was too old to play the Joker. Tim Burton's movie is long winded and boring as hell in many spots. I never was into any movie or film really, until Brokeback Mountain that is.
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On imdb someone posted the original interview where Jack Nicholson said he'd warned Heath -- the pink one above is apparently a followup. In that clip, Nicholson was coming out of a restaurant or something onto the sidewalk, where he was bombarded with press people, cameras flashing like strobe lights, a mob of reporters demanding to know what he thought about Heath dying, and it was the first Nicholson had heard of it. So he had to come up with something on the spot, and his response was, "I warned him." No clarification.
Not the most touching elegy, it's true. And I'm not defending Nicholson's other stupid remarks about the Joker. But it was yet another reminder of how nightmarish it would be to be a big star. I don't think Nicholson even knew Heath particularly well -- either the press mob was just confronting every celebrity in sight, or they asked Jack because of the Joker thing. How many of us are eloquent under those conditions?
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Jack Nicholson scares me. There's something seriously wrong with that man.
I second that! Ever since The Shining he's always scared the shit outa me. His smile...
I've heard that he is one cocky mother trucker though.
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I know it's easy to misunderstand sound bites out of context, but it sure sounds to me like Jack Nicholson has been bitter about Heath's Joker success. Maybe it's not coming across right, and I am misunderstanding.
I haven't read the whole thread yet so sorry if this is a repeat but I swear, I actually heard the Jack Nicholson quote on a newscast, and what he actually said was, "I warned him about Ambien. I almost drove off a cliff when I took that stuff." I may not have my preposition right. But the warning was about what Ambien had done to Jack.
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I haven't read the whole thread yet so sorry if this is a repeat but I swear, I actually heard the Jack Nicholson quote on a newscast, and what he actually said was, "I warned him about Ambien. I almost drove off a cliff when I took that stuff." I may not have my preposition right. But the warning was about what Ambien had done to Jack.
Yes, he did say something to that effect.
Even the commercials for Ambien warn you to be careful if you wake up and find yourself driving. Yikes!! :o