ET Pulls Heath Ledger Video

Entertainment Tonight paid top dollar for a video of Heath Ledger at a party that took place two years ago at the Chateau Maramount. They had planned to air the video during Thursday evening's episode. The video never aired.

Did ET go to far? According to Ledger's PR firm ID they did. ID successfully managed to make sure that the video was never shown.

Ironically, there was nothing about the video that showed Heath Ledger actually doing any drugs. In fact according to the Huffington Post, the video shows Heat stating that he "used to smoke five joints a day."

How far down did ET have to reach for that video. It's Hollywood after all. Don't you think the vast majority of actors and actresses in Hollywood have been at a party where there have been drugs. In fact don't you think the vast majority of college students have been at parties where drugs have been used?

This may be a simplistic view of the situation, but come on, to dig up footage from something that happened two years ago at a party and call it journalism is an insult to the entire industry. Not to mention it is grasping at straws and damaging the reputation of an actor whose autopsy report has not even come out.

When I think of Heath Ledger I immediately think of one of his earlier films, "Ten Things I Hate About You." Yeah it's not "Brokeback Mountain," and had a rather young target audience, but he was so pure, so young, so real. You just wanted to fall in love with him and his character. he was not a classic beauty, yet there was something so beautiful about him.

Entertainment Tonight's failed attempt to stir up more controversy around his death was a failed attempt to sully the legend of one of the great actors of our time.

Would people want to see the video? Do people slow down there cars when there is an accident? It is only natural to be drawn to the sensational. It is human nature. That being said it is the press and the medias responsibility to respect the late actor and his family in this time of grieving. There are so many out there including his family and young daughter who are grieving the loss of someone they love to tarnish his reputation is not only disrespectful to him, but disrespectful to all of those who are mourning him right now.

Sources: The Huffinton Post Online