This blog has been interrupted for a “breaking news” report!

In this celebrity infused society and this up-to-the-minute gossip laden world of the Internet, it not necessarily shocking to see the craziness that is surrounding the death of Heath Ledger. The nightly news carried “Breaking News” headlines across every screen and programs were interrupted to report his tragic demise. Bloggers such as Perez Hilton and celebrity rags such as TMZ are parading non-stop updates on his life, his last moments and his devastated loved ones. Bombastic air bags such as Nancy Grace are reporting, as always, speculation as fact. Our society hungers for the sensational and we seem to thrive on tragedy and drama!

His death is apparently fodder for all sorts of theories. People are crawling out from the wood-work and are being asked for their reactions. Whether their words are kind or not so kind, whether they knew him or did not is apparently not too important. However, they are obtaining their so called “15 minutes” and that is what this world seems to be about these days – fame and those falling from it!

In the rush for the latest breaking story, his parents learned of his passing through a news report. His family was not even notified of his death before the paparazzi were stationed outside his apartment photographing his body as it was wheeled away.

With the advent of the Internet and other such high speed means of communication all privacy is seemingly lost. A star tripping on the sidewalk is front page news within seconds of their plunge to the concrete. We devour every morsel of the sensational self destruction of our idols because it proves “they’re just like us!” Or is it that we wish to be just like them!?

And so the world watches in rapt horror and judges a man at the end of his life. His death is fodder for all sorts of theories which are then reported as fact and regurgitated endlessly.

Are we so hungry for tabloid scandal and celebrity that we fail to grasp that this was a HUMAN BEING!? Yes, he was a talented actor and he lived a portion of his life in the public view. However that does not give the world a license to invade their bubble of grief in such a formidable way. What people seemingly fail to grasp is there is more here than the tragic and early death of a young actor.

Death, by its very definition, is a sad occurrence but a fact of life nonetheless. Dying young is tragic. Leading every news story and invading the lives of those left behind is reprehensible. Because he played roles on screen his death gives us the license to violate the small bits of privacy that could be and should be left?

Whether the death was intentional or accidental, it does not take away the fact that this was a man, a son, a brother, a boyfriend, and a father. Heartbreak abounds and no one – NO ONE – is giving them the space to grieve or to just be.

We should all bow our heads in collective shame and allow this family to mourn in peace.