OlderAnderson Cooper Says No to Heath Ledger Coverage
CNN host Anderson Cooper set his foot down last night, refusing to cover the death of Heath Ledger until hard facts and new evidence turns up. Here’s what he had to say on the 360 blog:
“For the last two nights we have reported on actor Heath Ledger. His shocking death is clearly a story a lot of people are interested in, but tonight we will not be reporting more on it. The truth is there is not really anything new to report.
The full results of the various tests done on Mr. Ledger will not be ready for perhaps a few weeks and there is very little new information. I have no doubt other networks will spend a lot of time tonight discussing his death and the various rumors about what might have caused it, but I am not a fan of speculation, so unless there is something really new to discuss we probably won’t be covering it anymore anytime soon.”
Star Jones also wrote a similar piece about Heath on HuffingtonPost.com.
Says Star, “Might I suggest that we in the media, instead of reporting on the dead based on gossip, rumor, innuendo and anonymous sources, choose to honor this man’s memory based on his talent and the good taste we all should be exercising. My heart goes out to the family of Heath Ledger.”
Posted to: Anderson Cooper, Heath Ledger
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72 Comments
Wow. In death, Heath may have inspired a long overdue revolution in good taste and true journalism. That would be one amazing legacy in itself.
I hope it catches on =)
GOD BLESS ANDERSON COOPER AND STAR JONES.
It’s about time the once-credible news sources stopped picking up their stories from blog rumors and hearsay like the tabloid rags do.
I don’t know much about Anderson Cooper, but he’s right.
I keep seeing Heath Ledger’s death on News channels saying the same things all the time!
So many of us are having trouble accepting that this horrible thing really happened. So we watch for anything. Seeing Heath alive and smiling on TV makes his death even harder to accept. I am glad Anderson C. has done this. I love Heath. speculating about him, saying terrible things no one can prove, rerunning the pictures of them removing his body, etc. it is all too much. I love Heath. Thank you Anderson.
Good for you, Anderson Cooper, and thank you for your tact and consideration in light of this horrible tragedy. God bless Heath.
Thank you Anderson and Star
Anderson Cooper isn’t interested because his brother committed suicide and this story hits a little too close to home. Maybe this will help him think twice about some of the other stories he chooses in the future as well.
Very rare for a journalist not to chose sensationalism. Well done.
Kudos to Anderson and Star. What a novel idea, news people who actually want to report NEWS. Too bad more “journalists” won’t learn from their example. I know it will make me more willing to watch them. I am tired of reporters who rush to report everything and when they don’t have facts they make them up.
Thumbs up!
What a *****!
When Anna Nicole died it was all over the news, and she is not even an respected actress, she is a hoe!!!
And when Paris Hilton was arrested it was all over the freaking news!!
But when Heath Legder the best actor in the world dies, they dont give a ****!!!!
Best news I heard on this. I give both of them props.
“But when Heath Legder the best actor in the world dies, they dont give a ****!!!!”
Firstly, try reading this article again. Secondly, Heath Ledger was not the best actor in the world, don’t exaggerate. He was a great actor, but that title should go to Daniel Day-Lewis!
Thank you Star and Anderson!
Not that I don’t want to know why he died, I do, but as they said… to report on rumor and speculation hurts his family and doesn’t solve anything. I certainly don’t want to hear rumor or speculation. I want cold hard facts, which are seriously lacking with the media when it comes to Hollywood.
Rip, maybe looking back on the coverage of Anna’s death, they realized how moronic they looked and decided to take a stand…for Heath. That way they don’t turn his life &/or death into a media circus.
I love me some Anderson and I respect him even more.
Star was right with what she said.
GOD BLESS THEM!
finally someone says the right things.
Anderson Cooper is doing the right thing. This must be so hard on the family already. No need to add to their pain with needless speculation and innuendo and outright LIES.
Thank God there are people who still think the same as me , thank God ANDERSON COOPER AND STAR JONES are alive ..
Why to say things which aren’t certain !!
Why to say things about Heath’s resting body , let us leave hjis family grieving without to disturb them more , they suffered enough!!
I believe in Heath’s tallent , and how a good man e was!
I like what Star Jones and Anderson Cooper said about Heath Ledger’s death. There is not any new information so anything coming out right now would be speculation. Kudos to them both for treating Heath and his family with the respect they deserve in this hard time.
Anderson and Star rock!
It’s time to end this BS speculation and rumour-mongering.
As Star said, Heath was a private man who chose to be private, and he owed/owes us NOTHING but a good performance on-screen that we pay to see.
Let’s see a revolution in reporting. Let’s go back to solid news instead of gossip and hearsay and scum crawling out of the woodwork with so called “stories” to tell or sell. If this can happen, it would be a lovely
legacy for Heath.
RIP Heath– your portrayal of Ennis del Mar made me change my life and never be an Ennis again.
Wisest move at the most difficult time for his family and friends!
Thank you Cooper and thank you Star.
AMEN! thanks andy.
This is the right thing to do and I commend Anderson Cooper and Star Jones for standing up in Heaths honor. It would really be nice to see others follow suit and give the entire Ledger family time to grieve.
Finally some of the media, and a few gossip internet area’s, in the US are showing a true idea of respect, only wish the Perth media did the same. Especially as his sister works in the medium.
No family of hearing of a death of a loved one, on the radio, should then be able to see a body ,half a world away being carried away, with a live feed– totally wrong.
Sometimes the media gets it right, sometimes they should show respect for one person and do it perfect.(report on it, but no need to have a live feed of it) And let him/her RIP and show respect for family and friends.
I say thanks to Anderson for doing the right thing, or as us Aussies would say, On ya Mate.
And yes I am from Perth, Western Australia.
And that’s why I watch Anderson Cooper’s show and he’s so hot. I love this man (whether he can love me back or not! sigh!)
I knew there was a reason why I loved both Star and Anderson. They both have a great sense of compassion. It is bad enough the family found out via media that their son, nephew, father and friend died, let’s not add to their pain with the constant innuendos and rumors.
#27… i have lost faith in the human race thanks to you so well done.
i am sure your mother regrets not getting that abortion everyday of her life. ************.
Oh Star Jones rocks. She also said what most people didn’t want to hear but needed to be said.
Jared, can you please remove the horrible comment made by # 27 1-888.
4 real , remove 27’s comment , he’s a ******* maniac!! I wish You died instead of heath
HIS SOUL MAY REST I N PEACE.
Thank you Jared. You’re the best!
My Man,,,go Andersonnnnnnnn!!!!!!!:smile:
Star you tell em’ girllllll!!!:smile:
Thanks Anderson Cooper for raising the bar and honoring Heath Ledger’s life in a respectable, truthful way.
Wow, good for them. It seems like almost everything that comes out about the death is later confirmed to be inaccurate anyway! First pills everywhere at the scene, then no (they were in bottles and the bottles were almost full), then illegal drug packets found, then they say NO illegal drugs found. Until the confirmed reports come in, everyone should just let the family and friends mourn in peace! Hell, even Perez Hilton took picks of Michelle Williams and the body bag being wheeled out off his site! It’s just a sad situation all around.
I totally agree with cooper and jones. its bad enough the media reports gossip and false stories on healthy and sometimes sick celebs, they need to respect the dead and respect his family’s loss by only reporting hard facts until the investigation is finished.
It makes it worse for his parents to read unverified drug or suicide reports.
http://arabaquarius.blogspot.com/
Finally! Respect in Journalism.
Thanks Anderson and Star.
Three cheers to Star and Anderson for having the good sense, the journalistic integrity and compassion to just say enough is enough.
Once the police said that foul play was not suspected and tests would eventually reveal the cause of death, it became time to stop the speculation and simply mourn the loss of a talented young actor.
wow.
they are both right
hope others will do same thing.
FINALLY! Reporters who refuse to bow under pressure to present salaciousness disguised as serious “news.” I commend them and hope their examples are followed. Did we learn nothing from the endless “Anna Nicole news” covered ad nauseum?
Good for Anderson he is my favorite reporter
Too many so called traditional mainstream media outlets were jumping all over the rumors and gossip instead of truly investigating and reporting facts. So kudos to Star and Anderson for showing restraint.
It was a terrible invasion of Ledger’s privacy and legacy to name and catalog the legal prescriptions and also claim that other, illegal substances were found in his apartment, which turns out to have been untrue.
Love Anderson Cooper and more so after his decision. What a great
reporter he is. He’s “Simply The Best”
actually it’s pretty sad that everybody thinks of heath ledger! Just leave him the privacy he deserves…if anybody else had died, nobody would recognized it as the poor girl in spain or just a normal person! Of course it’s pretty sad, but we didn’t know “heath” we only knew how he was at work and within his work….so guys, leave his family and his daughter alone!
Anderson is so awesome for sayong this. Love him.
Good for you Anderson. Someone with some integrity–how refreshing. Star Jones is generally annoying, but she is right about this.
Olé!
Anderson Cooper is a hero…. It’s been shocking to discover that all the news shows are getting their “fast food facts”(?) from that one web site often filled with lies.
Anderson Cooper appears to be a true professional!
Thank God! Sanity prevails… I’m sure there are those in their profession going, “But you’re gonna lose ratings…” or “Think of the money (for the death shot - when cops had to take a ladder into the apartment in order to hang a sheet to prevent photographers from getting their pictures) you can make!”
THE WHOLE THING IS REPREHENSIBLE!!!.
It’s like during the 80’s a young girl was 1 in a sad line of horrible abductions/murders. The media hounded her grief-stricken family with stupid questions like, “How does it feel knowing she’s dead?” - Then complaining when her father pushed (DARED to touch 1 of the precious reporters away). They’re gonna sue, yadda, yadda. DISGUSTING! But worse was to come: the family, in order to bury her had to let the media televise it. Every local station broke into shows to broadcast the funeral. It was sad, and an insult to not only her family, but in an ironic way a slap in the face to other families who had lost their children in the same way.
Like Anderson, Star and those with similar attitudes, I REFUSE to watch ANYTHING about Heath Ledger’s death, especially the media circus surrounding Michelle William’s and their daughter, who won’t be able to go anywhere without hundreds of flashbulbs going off in their faces.
I’ll let them all - Including the rest of his family alone to grieve in peace. I’m gonna keep flipping channels and passing magazines by.
My heart-felt condolences go out to all who loved him. Also, to Brad Renfro’s family and his son for losing him so young.
I’ve gotten that off my chest so I’m gone.
UH Huh, I’ll believe it when I don’t see it.
Yes for the sake of his family. The speculation must make it harder for them. I think when proper details come out they should report on it respectfully. He does deserve coverage in a respectful way. He was a lovely young man and he his legacy will be heard I am sure.
Heath will be missed here in ATL, GA! Thank you Anderson and Star, I wish more people were more understanding!
God bless you all!
Who the hell cares what STAR JONES thinks these days? No, seriously, WHO?
Well done Anderson. ET signed off last night “from outside the apartment building where Heath Ledger died”. Most of the media can hardly contain their glee that they have such a “tragic story” to cover. Just like they’ll be “shocked” when Brit turns up dead. Or DaniLynne grows up and OD’s. God.
Anderson and Heath would’ve made a cute couple.
It’s about time people start taking accountability for their actions. The media feeds off innuendos and speculation. By Anderson Cooper and Star Jones to make such a bold and respectful move I think it is great! We could all learn from their great acts of kindness.
Finally a reporter that uses COMMON SENSE.
Respect.
Well said! I love this guy.
god bless this fella! wish there were more reporters like him who respected people enough to only relay the truth and not lies and speculation.
Anderson Cooper has more integrity than any other journo on TV, and I love him for it. Go AC!!
stupid andergay pooper!
still luv u tho sistah!
Anderson has always been a favorite of mine…now Star is too! It is refreshing to see someone taking the high road.
Out of respect for a very talented man, PLEASE NO MORE BLOGS about his death and funeral. In death, let us at least give him the privacy that he deserved. Surely that is the least you can do!!
Well said Anderson Cooper. Kudos. RIP Heath
Astrid,
Get off your snotty high horse. Anderson Cooper has always maintained his journalistic integrity. I’m sure he’s very interested, and, as he said, he covered it for two days already.
But repeating it for your sick benefit is not true journalism, and repeating a tabloid’s false rumors or saying what something “could be” instead of what it is would be BAD JOURNALISM. Maybe you’re so used to it and spend all your time reading gossip, but real journalists need to remind people like you that repeating what some anonymous “source” said is NOT NEWS and most likely false, so not worth saying and worse than not saying anything at all.
He said when real news happens regarding Heath’s death, he will report it, so gossip mongers like you will just have to wait for the truth.
Knowing what we all know about Anderson Cooper, he was most likely harboring some sort secret passion for Heath Ledger and cannot bare to share his mourning with the public.
Kudos to both Anderson Cooper and Star Jones for having the decency and respect to NOT report on theories and speculation regarding Heath’s passing. Heath was a great talent and a good person and should be honored in good taste.
its actually VERY refreshing why expose it further just let his loved ones mourn for Gods sake!
thank you anderson; star you are still a ****
that would be star you are a C yoU Next Tuesday
respect, that’s what i feel for star and anderson. thank you both
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