January 23. 2008
Yesterday 28-year-old actor Heath
Ledger died from what many news outlets are calling a drug
overdose.
While his autopsy was inconclusive,
a variety of prescription drugs were found in his apartment.
The actor also has a history of
illegal drug use, namely heroin and cocaine. At the time of his
death he was suffering from pneumonia, which would have created
a lethal combination with the prescription drugs found in his
apartment.
When I heard of his death, I
remembered the passing of another entertainer that struggled
with drugs, Michael Hutchence, of the band INXS. He reminds me
of him.
Michael Hutchence of INXS (left) Heath Ledger
(right)
Ledger didn't look very happy in
his last days. Photos surfaced of him looking very depressed
with eyes clearly darkened by the things he was going through,
having split with his girlfriend, who is the mother of his
toddler, and starring in a series of disturbing films (Brokeback
Mountain,
Dark Knight &
Dr. Parnassus).
My condolences to his family.
Brad Renfro
A few weeks before Ledger's death,
25-year-old actor Brad Renfro was found dead in his home from a
drug overdose. He was a young man that started out in the
church, but was lured by the lights of Hollywood that ultimately
did him in.
Brad Renfro on the red carpet (left), mug shot (right), his
funereal (below)
He starred in almost two dozen
films with more in the pipeline. He'd made a considerable sum of
money from acting.
By all appearances Renfro had a lot to live for, but died
because of drugs.
River Phoenix
In 1993, promising young actor
River Phoenix, 23, died from a drug overdose outside the
Hollywood club The Viper Room. He collapsed on the sidewalk. A
mixture of cocaine and heroine proved fatal.
For anyone to die that young is a
tragedy. Yet these are only a few of the many entertainers that
have tragically died in this manner.
The fact of the matter is Hollywood
is a drug den. Full stop. Many celebrities have spoken of how
they got on drugs in their early teens - not even twenties -
their early teens. Drugs are in abundant supply in Hollywood and
frequently encouraged, regardless of age, race or sex. The
government needs to crackdown on that.
Some take it because they say it
makes them feel good, while others say it opens up their minds,
but the effects are so damaging, it can't be worth it.
The Viper Room
Hollywood has so desensitized the
public to drug use, using it for street cred in films and
television dramas, that most teens today think it's no big deal,
when it is very serious.
Anything that can kill you is a big
deal. Anything that can shave decades off your life is a big
deal.
Some celebrities clearly
aren't happy. Happy people don't mope around looking disoriented
and depressed, but the drug culture in Hollywood is so prevalent
that many fall prey to it.
There's also the trap of feeling
you are rich and famous, yet still unhappy - therefore, drugs
are what's missing from your life. That's not the way to go.
Literally.
|
|
|
|
|
