Gawker: Deaths

Gawker Kills Facebook Stalker Feature?

Hamilton Nolan — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:42:11 EDT

And it's gone! It appears that the mysterious Facebook stalker feature—that allowed you to call up the names of five people who (we think) were searching for you most, just by pressing the down arrow in the search field—has been disabled. Our post on the feature went up shortly after 1:00; by 4:30 (or possibly earlier, based on our comments), it was no longer working. They're quick! We have an email in to Facebook to find out exactly what happened. How could they take it down without even explaining what it was? They mystery is eating us up inside. We will find the truth. [UPDATE: As noted in the comments, it looks like simply typing a period (".") in the search box will still bring up the same list of five people. Hope is not lost!]

Can't Wait For Tomorrow's 'Post' Headline

rebecca — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:54:51 EDT

Cyanide Death Rocks Park Slope! Yes, it may be a slow news day, but a senior citizen died under mysterious, poison-y circumstances in a posh neighborhood of Brooklyn. With the Pope finally gone, this gives the tabs a pittance of material. [via Gothamist]

The Business of Death

Sheila — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:53:42 EST

"I saw the worst play of all time," today's Cindy Adams column begins in the NYP. She waits until halfway through to drop the real bomb: photos of Heath Ledger's body may be out there—and up for sale. What else have the vultures been trying to cash in on?

1. Supposedly, just supposedly, his body was snapped, and $300,000 is the price on that photo. Stories floating around have the fuzz checking building personnel, 911 people, the bodyguard, masseuse, that maybe an old arrest for one of them turned up. [NYP]

2. Then there's the cocaine video that E! bought but didn't fully air—there's $200,000 down the drain).

3. They're still not stopping production on his final, uncompleted movie. Computers will save the day!

4. As the AP's entertainment editor Jesse Washington reminds us, "If we wait an hour to have a really good obituary for someone like Heath Ledger, we're totally out of the game. And that's not a place that I ever want to be." Yeah, you gotta be in it to win it, man.

5. Naturally, there are some pretty trashy memorial t-shirts on Ebay. They will wring $12 out of this tragedy even if they have to stay up all night silkscreening his photos onto an XXL Fruit of the Loom.

Gaming The Google

Maggie — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:53:56 EST

Yesterday we poked fun at the Huffington Post for tagging their Heath Ledger posts with Tuesday's second fastest-rising Google search term "Keith Ledger." But according to commenters, tipsters and your mom, it turns out they did it on purpose, in order to catch web traffic from the legions of deaf, misspelling Google searchers who have never read USWeekly ever.

Heath Who? My New Movie Is Out!

Maggie — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 12:10:40 EST

What did the Mary-Kate Olsen's official blog have to say one day after the actress received the first call that Heath Ledger was dying in New York?

"Hi everyone, Mary-Kate was at the Sundance Film Festival last week supporting her new feature film 'The Wackness.' While there she attended premieres, party and so much more! Check out the exclusive video of her 'Entertainment Weekly' photo shoot here! Check back soon for more photos and insider details about her trip!"

Tact and timing—so overrated.

Clarifying The Confusion

Maggie — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 19:02:03 EST

For updates on the murky details emerging from the media coverage of actor Heath Ledger's death, including drug test results performed on a rolled-up $20 bill found at his apartment, click here.

Who The Hell Is 'Keith' Ledger? Ask Ben 'Witticombe'

Maggie — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:50:17 EST

Not surprisingly, the phrase "Heath Ledger" was Google's fastest-rising search term yesterday. The second most buzzy? "Keith Ledger." Who is maybe a video game designer but definitely not a dead leading man. Even HuffPo couldn't get it straight, tagging many of their Ledger posts, including Bonnie Fuller's, with "Keith" instead of "Heath." The blunders weren't limited to the web. On Larry King last night, Daily News gossip columnist and Aussie (Just like Heath! Book him stat!) Ben Widdicombe was identified as "Ben Witticombe," much to his chagrin, we're quite sure. Notice any other bloopers from yesterday's frantic coverage of the actor's death? Let us know.

Confused? What The Media Does And Doesn't Know About Ledger's Death

Maggie — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 10:43:12 EST

Some of the details surrounding Heath Ledger's death yesterday have been a little murky, with conflicting reports from various media outlets. Let's answer some of your basic questions.

Q. Did Ledger commit suicide? A. Police have changed their tune on that, saying his death appears to have been accidental. His family's statement described him as "life-loving." [SkyNews]

Q. Was Ledger found in the apartment of an Olsen twin? A. No. According to the Times, a masseuse (who had set up a massage table in Ledger's bedroom before trying to wake the dead man) used his cellphone to speed-dial Mary-Kate Olsen, who said she'd contact "some private security people." Calling Olsen again, the woman said she was calling 911. Security personnel raised by Olsen and city emergency workers arrived at the same time.

Q. Which medications were found in the apartment? A. At least six, including sleeping aids Ambien, Donormyl, Zoplicone and anti-anxiety meds Xanax and Valium. Three were prescribed in Europe, according to the AP. They were not, as was reported, "strewn around" his dead body, but in bottles and packaging in the bedroom, bathroom and rest of the apartment. According to the NYPD this afternoon, no illegal narcotics were found, even on a rolled-up $20 bill found in the apartment. [NYP]

Q. Where was his body found? A. NYPD spokesperson Paul Browne said he was found naked, unconscious and face down at the foot of a bed, which police sources tell the Post was just a mattress on the floor. When the building's superintendent arrived at Ledger's fourth-floor apartment after being called by his housekeeper, the place was crammed with cops and the actor's covered body was being moved off the bed. [Daily Telegraph(AU)]

Q. What did his autopsy, performed this morning, indicate? A. The results were inconclusive, further tests to indicate a cause of death will take another ten days. TMZ reported last night that Ledger may have had pneumonia. [CNN]

Sleeping Pills Found Near Ledger's Body

Maggie — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:35:35 EST

"This is being looked at as a possible overdose, but that is not confirmed yet," NYPD spokesperson Paul Browne said today, addressing the suspected suicide of actor Heath Ledger at a downtown apartment. According to reports, the medication found around his naked body "appear to be over the counter" sleeping pills. WNBC's sources say two bottles of sleeping pills were found near the body, one containing prescription medication and that fire officials had said the 911 caller reported a man not breathing, with a "cold" body. TMZ reports that an autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow. UPDATE: One of Ledger's close friends tells US magazine his death was shocking, but not surprising. "We saw it coming. Heath has gone though a rough road of trying to get sober."

Suicide Suspected In Heath Ledger's Death

Maggie — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:29:32 EST

Police are now saying they suspect suicide in Heath Ledger's death today at a Manhattan apartment owned, says the Times, by actress Mary-Kate Olsen. Prescription pills were found around the actor's "naked and unconscious" body.

Heath Ledger Pronounced Dead In Bed 19 Minutes After His Body Was Discovered

Maggie — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:24:54 EST

Police outside of the Manhattan residence where actor Heath Ledger was found dead two hours ago say Ledger was pronounced dead at 3:45 p.m. His housekeeper, trying to awake the actor for a scheduled massage, found him in his bed at 3:26 p.m, according to reports.

Body Of Heath Ledger Will Remain Inside NYC Apartment For Several Hours

Maggie — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:18:00 EST

The body of boho darling Heath Ledger won't be wheeled out of the 421 Broome Street residence where he was found dead today for several hours. The Academy Award-nominated actor was in full cardiac arrest by the time paramedics arrived, TMZ is reporting. CPR was performed, but Ledger was pronounced dead on the the scene of a suspected drug overdose.

Pills Found By Police Near Heath Ledger's Body

Maggie — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:07:38 EST

Police have told the New York Times pills were found near the dead body of 28-year-old "Brokeback Mountain" actor Heath Ledger, discovered today in Soho. Foul play is not suspected. [NYT]

Actor Heath Ledger Found Dead In New York

Maggie — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 16:48:30 EST

"A New York Police Department spokesman says the actor Heath Ledger has been found dead at a downtown Manhattan residence," according to the AP. The Times says a masseuse and a housekeeper found his body at 421 Broome Street.

Where Things Lead

Richard Lawson — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 20:17:20 EST

On the extreme side of celebrity meltdowns, celebrated young actor Brad Renfro was found dead in his Los Angeles home today. He was 25. Renfro, star of The Client and Bully, had run into several legal problems in the past, most stemming from drug use. No coroner's report has come in yet and cause of death is still undetermined. Much as troubled, drug-using stars like Britney Spears and Natasha Lyonne are mocked for their troubles, they haven't (yet) gotten to this sad place. Here's hoping Lyonne's recovery is genuine and that Spears will find her own soon. [Hollywood Reporter]

'House & Garden' Dead On The Vine After 106 Years

Maggie — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 12:45:45 EST

Conde Nast's House & Garden will publish its last issue in December, so sayeth Fishbowlny. Word is the fold came as a big surprise to staffers at the interior design mag, and there's no word yet on whether employees are getting the ax or being transferred elsewhere within the Condé Nast empire. But it looks like the "Grand Opening" of "The House & Garden Store" is more auction than enterprise. Conde bigwig Chuck Townsend reportedly gave a speech to the staff which was summarized by an attendee as such: "Sometimes the financial burden becomes too great for a small company to bear." We see!

Total Devastation at Busta Rhymes Video Shoot

Jessica — Mon, 06 Feb 2006 08:50:01 EST

As if you didn't already know the entire story from the Post's tasteful choice in headline, rapper Busta Rhymes' video shoot in Greenpoint ended with the murder of 29-year-old Israel Ramirez, who had the unfortunate job of managing Busta's varied pieces of jewelry. While authorities haven't made any arrests, they want to speak with Tony Yayo, a member of 50 Cent's G-Unit posse (obviously). Yayo apparently showed up to the shoot thinking he would appear in the video, but angrily left after he learned that he would not be making a cameo.

So there's a clear motive: Yayo killed Ramirez because he wouldn't be able to drink vodka and fondle bitches on camera.

And how are you celebrating Black History Month?

Busta Gem's Guard Slain in Video Shoot [NYP]