Poll: Your opinion on Jake's silence

[brokeplex]

Jake has his own life to lead in his own way. We were given a great and wonderful gift in his performance as Jack Twist. I wish Jake Gyllenhaal all of the very best in what I hope is a very long life, and I hope to see many more film roles of him long into the future.

[BlissC]

I feel that the people that think he "should" make some kind
of a remark, should be examining their own motives as to why they think that it is required for
him to do so.  I personally dont think he owes me anything. I am a fan, but as so many people are
want to do..Decry the media and the papparazi for chasing the famous people..They themselves
are doing the same thing in this way...Its the same thing in a different form.  You cant have
it both ways.. You either dont think they owe you anything at all, about their private life, or the
do...Its not fair for him to be expected to give you some things and not others,  According to\
your own choosing... If this issue is not something that can be kept private.. Nothing is. 

No disrespect meant to anyone here, but I guess this is what's been niggling away at the back of my mind about this whole discussion - to me anyhow it feels kind of "disrespectful" somehow to be questioning Jake's motives for not speaking out. The media and the paparazzi's "defence" for their chasing of famous people would be that they do so because there's a public interest, and there undoubtedly is because otherwise discussions such as this wouldn't be going on. If we switched on the TV tomorrow though, or opened the newspaper and saw that Jake had made a statement I suppose the response from fans would be split between "Thank god he's finally said something like he should have before" and "That's good, he seems okay".

Maybe the fact that we're having this discussion though says more about our response to Heath's death though rather than Jake's. I don't know about anyone else, but I've never been in this situation before. We saw a film that had a great actor in it, and maybe we saw his other work as well, and that film and his performance in it affected us deeply. We were in awe of his great talent, and the more we saw him on TV and read about him as a person as well as a great actor, we took him into our hearts, and that and the impact he's had on our lives through BBM made us feel a huge sense of loss at the news of his death. This is a strange situation though, because he's not someone we knew personally or ever met, but because of the impact he's had on our lives, we still feel a sense of grief.  It's something though that we can't talk about to non-Brokie's because they'd think were crazy, so discussions like this are our way of trying to make sense of it all and come to some sort of acceptance. Maybe then, wanting Jake to say something reflects more about our need for closure. Does that make any sense?

[optom3]

No disrespect meant to anyone here, but I guess this is what's been niggling away at the back of my mind about this whole discussion - to me anyhow it feels kind of "disrespectful" somehow to be questioning Jake's motives for not speaking out. The media and the paparazzi's "defence" for their chasing of famous people would be that they do so because there's a public interest, and there undoubtedly is because otherwise discussions such as this wouldn't be going on. If we switched on the TV tomorrow though, or opened the newspaper and saw that Jake had made a statement I suppose the response from fans would be split between "Thank god he's finally said something like he should have before" and "That's good, he seems okay".

Maybe the fact that we're having this discussion though says more about our response to Heath's death though rather than Jake's. I don't know about anyone else, but I've never been in this situation before. We saw a film that had a great actor in it, and maybe we saw his other work as well, and that film and his performance in it affected us deeply. We were in awe of his great talent, and the more we saw him on TV and read about him as a person as well as a great actor, we took him into our hearts, and that and the impact he's had on our lives through BBM made us feel a huge sense of loss at the news of his death. This is a strange situation though, because he's not someone we knew personally or ever met, but because of the impact he's had on our lives, we still feel a sense of grief.  It's something though that we can't talk about to non-Brokie's because they'd think were crazy, so discussions like this are our way of trying to make sense of it all and come to some sort of acceptance. Maybe then, wanting Jake to say something reflects more about our need for closure. Does that make any sense?

Makes perfect sense to me.I just want to feel I think ,that Heath was as important to him as he was to us.In fact more so.But the problem is,that fiction is merging with reality in my head.I comprehend it is unreasonable,but cannot seem to shake it.I would just like to read something,heartfelt from Jake,almost so that I can justify what is happening in my own head.

[Brown Eyes]

I don't feel it's odd or inappropriate to question what's going on here.  And, it's certainly not out of lack of respect or affection for Jake.  If I didn't care about him I wouldn't care whether about how he reacted to Heath's passing.

Essentially, Jake is a public figure with publicists and an active interest in engaging with the public and probably particularly his fans.  This is a case where his fans are interested in what's going on and are showing concern for him.  I don't think there's anything at all wrong with that.

I'll just reiterate what I've said multiple times now (in multiple threads)... Jake was Heath's most significant co-star in Heath's most significant movie.  We've heard from almost all of the key individuals associated with Brokeback at this stage, with the most recent being Anne Hathaway.  Jake's silence just seems glaring with these factors taken into consideration.  Added to this Jake is the godfather to Heath's child, essentially making him a symbolic family member.  On an etiquette level, at the very least, a brief eulogy-type statement does not at all seem unreasonable. 

But, it is true on a personal level, I'm really hoping to hear from Jake in terms of coming to closure on this for myself.  That's just how it is for me.  I'll feel particularly unsettled about this until he's heard from or until I have a better sense of what's going on.  And also, as a Brokie, it just seems logical that this would be a concern and a particular interest.

[brokeplex]

I don't feel concerned over Jake's silence at all. We all deal with our grief in different ways. Jack Gyllenhaal is a man with a solid moral center, he will reveal his grief and true feelings in his own time.

I know that it is a blessing for Jake that he has been made aware of the support and affection of millions for him and his career.

[MsMercury]

I kept expecting that he'd say something and more time went by and I thought, "Hhmm, it's kind of odd that he hasn't said anything yet."  I'm not disappointed that he hasn't said anything. I was just expecting for him to say something like a couple of weeks after Heath's death and when he didn't it struck me as kind of odd, for a fleeting moment. People do deal with death and grieve in their own way and I don't think he owes us anything. Now I just don't really think anything about it except that I hope Jake has made his peace with Heath's death.

[Oregondoggie]

I have an uneasy feeling that the blizzard of accusations directed towards Jake about his sexual orientation have played a cautionary role... at least with his publicists.

But sooner or later questions about Heath and BBM are going to be brought up in an interview.  BBM garnered awards and acclamation that cannot be ignored.  And, in fact, established Jake as a SUPERSTAR.

[rnmina]

God knows why I have to open my mouth and I'm never here except when I lurk and enjoy myself reading.
I still can't breath when I think about Heath's leaving us. I have a huge lump in my throat now while I'm trying to write this.

I'm not a doctor but I am a  licensed  health care professional and I show you Jake's grief... his pretty serious ankle injury and his accompanying Game Ready.
Family and close friends of a deceased person often show sighs of grief via accidents and injuries. I'm not surprised that Jake has a serious injury and this may not be all that he s suffering.
When my mother died I followed her wishes to her neighbors great chagrin. She made me promise when she was lucid not to allow anyone in her apt if it wasn't up to her strict standards...I didn't. When I called her friends and they told me they would be right over I  said NO.
Some of them still don't speak to me and  I could care less. I had a memorial for her and tried to do things as she wished.
I respect Jake's right to grieve as he wishes though I do worry that he needs to let it out...perhaps he will one day. I also know that Heath and Jake were the closest of friends...Jake is Matilda's Godfather and it has been reported elsewhere in Jakeverse that he is fulfilling his promises. Jake is a verbal open emotional person who is also deeply private and may even be paying homage to Heath by his very silence.

[MsMercury]

Rnmina, thanks for that interesting post.  I never thought about the ankle injury being related to his feelings over Heath's death but it does not sound at all far fetched to me. I didn't understand what "Game Ready" meant though.

I can understand carrying out your mother's wishes.  What I don't understand is people not speaking to you anymore because of it. 

I agree about Jake being private about it. Even the most outspoken people can become very private when it comes to dealing with death.

[mvansand76]

What's Game Ready?