Anderson Cooper Says No to Heath Ledger Coverage

Fri, 25 January 2008 at 9:01 am

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.”

Photos: Carvalho/Startraksphoto.com, Sean Gallup/Getty
Posted to: Anderson Cooper, Heath Ledger
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72 Comments

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# 61

Lena @ 01/25/2008 at 6:01 pm

Anderson Cooper has more integrity than any other journo on TV, and I love him for it. Go AC!!

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# 62

nate @ 01/25/2008 at 6:21 pm

stupid andergay pooper!

still luv u tho sistah!

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# 63

jkl @ 01/25/2008 at 6:33 pm

Anderson has always been a favorite of mine…now Star is too! It is refreshing to see someone taking the high road.

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# 64

jmp @ 01/25/2008 at 6:44 pm

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!!

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# 65

Suz @ 01/25/2008 at 7:28 pm

Well said Anderson Cooper. Kudos. RIP Heath

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# 66

remember da truth @ 01/25/2008 at 7:37 pm

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.

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# 67

elaine @ 01/25/2008 at 8:42 pm

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.

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# 68

Laci @ 01/25/2008 at 8:45 pm

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.

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# 69

vanessa @ 01/25/2008 at 9:27 pm

its actually VERY refreshing why expose it further just let his loved ones mourn for Gods sake!