MiLan, my reasons for believing Jake ought to have said some respectful words after Heath's passing was stated at length somewhere back in the HHH thread. I can find it for you when I have better time.... . My view of this has not changed over the subsequent months. Though I now in a way think it's really way too late, I find I still hope Jake will eventually come through with the tribute I personally think he should have offered back then - whether they were close friends at the time of Heath's passing or not, - which we of course have no way of knowing.
For me this has everything to do with Jake's behaviour in his professional life and in relation to that iconic image, the beloved pair of deuces, that he and Heath created and acted together in giving us Brokeback. Their joint effort as Jack and Ennis meant and still means so much to so many fans, fans that were deeply hurting and bewildered and sad back at the end of January, as Jake very well knows - fans who would have found comfort in some words from Jake. To me personally, his silence was one more indication that he for whatever reason at the time was deliberately distancing himself somewhat from Brokeback, and the continued silence has come across as if he's possibly still prioritizing that, even after the tragic event. (His speaking of Heath would invariably have led to another round of media rehashing lots of Brokeback images and stories of the two of them, - his keeping silent has (mostly) meant that has been avoided).
He didn't have to say anything, of course not - but IMO he should have. My opinion hasn't changed.
Jake's private life and who he's dating etc. has little interest for me, certainly in this connection.