Joaquin Phoenix is thankful brother River died before the age of celebrity blogs

[DontMindMe]

Joaquin Phoenix is relieved his brother, River Phoenix’s, death occurred before all of us damned gossip bloggers started reporting on every last bit of Hollywood scandal.

He says, “When my brother passed it was toward the end of an era. If it had happened much later, it would have been on a lot of f**king blogs.
“The amount of information flying back and forth now has just gone beyond comprehension… In some ways it’s hard to swallow. It makes you feel sick about yourself and about human beings. You look at yourself and say, ‘When have I exploited others and been voyeuristic?’
“The thing we should be discussing in the news, what the media should be going after in a heartless way, isn’t the family of somebody who has passed away, but instead - oh, I don’t know - how about a president who’s lying?
“That’s not to say my brother’s life didn’t have value, but it certainly did not deserve to be covered more than world politics and other important issues, particularly when death happens every day to millions of people all over the world and we don’t seem to give a f**k about that.”

We are sort of annoying that way, aren’t we?

Joaquin Phoenix is Thankful River Died Before the Age of Celebrity Blogs at Celebrity Cowboy

...I love him

[suede]

while I understand and respect what he's saying his brother killed himself with careless drug using lifestyle so why make him sound like some kind of martyr?

[yanna]

I remember the PR machine saying about River that he was this freak about health foods and a vegeterian and what have you so when he died I was completely thrown! Maybe we could have used some celeb blogs back then to prepare us.

[Soth]

A bit of times gone by....why should'nt he politicize bigger issues if he has a bigger soapbox than most since his brothers death? - good on him I say.

You may not agree with his viewpoint but hes paid his dues and gone through the death of an older brother....then made a star out of himself without whoring his ideologies..hes more than entitled to a public opinion that is self depreciating in a way, and makes more than a bit of sense too.

[Trixie]

I remember being so shocked and sad when River died, not only because he was a fav actor of mine, but because as far as I knew, he didn't have a reputation as a drug user.

His death got plenty of tabloid coverage, the worst being a very disturbing picture of a dead River in his casket, apparently snapped by someone from the funeral home, and sold to the National Enquirer.

I saw an interview awhile back with Joaquin talking about that photo and how angry he still is about it. Can't say I blame him. No matter how his brother died, he and his family deserved more dignity than that. So I guess I understand what he's saying...if it had happened now, that picture would be on every celeb website in the world.

[Laxmobster]

I too remember when River died and it was all over the news. Especially since it happened at the Viper Room which was considered one of Hollywood's hottest spots back in the day. His only point is that we as a society are focusing too much on useless gossip instead of the real problems our country and world face. I also feel like he holds a lot of regret about his brother's death and the fact that he couldn't do more for him.

[Bijoux]

River was hot. But i never felt bad for him. I felt bad for Johnny Depp though....

[tkdgirl]

He's right. Blogs have become the new 'print' as many automatically believe what is said simply because they read it on the internet. The lines between fact and fiction are almost gone.

[sweetness]

Originally Posted by yanna

I remember the PR machine saying about River that he was this freak about health foods and a vegeterian and what have you so when he died I was completely thrown! Maybe we could have used some celeb blogs back then to prepare us.

No telling what all we would've heard about him if the blogs were around then!
I can see why his brother is glad they weren't.

I remember the day he died-- it was on Halloween.

[Laxmobster]

Originally Posted by sweetness

I remember the day he died-- it was on Halloween.

You're right and I know when Depp was still a co-owner of club he used to shut the place down every Halloween to remember River. Not sure if they still do that now though since he left.

[Grimmlok]

I bet joaquin is pissed we're blogging about this

[Chilly Willy]

‘When have I exploited others and been voyeuristic?’

I agree with the voyerism part, but earning millions for starring in a stupid movie is exploitation in my book. Exploitation of the fans who spend their money on tickets, exploitation of those who work on set for nearly nothing, exploitation of the industry, etc.

[cynic]

Originally Posted by tkdgirl

He's right. Blogs have become the new 'print' as many automatically believe what is said simply because they read it on the internet. The lines between fact and fiction are almost gone.

It was always that way.....I never knew Rock Hudson was gay because "Old Hollywood" did nothing but talk about all the beautiful women he was "seen" with. People have been deluding themselves since time began.....

Originally Posted by Grimmlok

I bet joaquin is pissed we're blogging about this

That boy needs a sense of humor transplant. He takes himself and his world waaaaaay too seriously.

[Gen X EJC]

I think he's being more sensible than most celebrities. But I also think he needs to stop dwelling on River's problems and notice his own alcoholism or whatever the hell's he's got going on, because he looks beat.

[sharon_b]

Originally Posted by Trixiebelle

I remember being so shocked and sad when River died, not only because he was a fav actor of mine, but because as far as I knew, he didn't have a reputation as a drug user.

His death got plenty of tabloid coverage, the worst being a very disturbing picture of a dead River in his casket, apparently snapped by someone from the funeral home, and sold to the National Enquirer.

I saw an interview awhile back with Joaquin talking about that photo and how angry he still is about it. Can't say I blame him. No matter how his brother died, he and his family deserved more dignity than that. So I guess I understand what he's saying...if it had happened now, that picture would be on every celeb website in the world.

Yeh i agree with you, I remember seeing a picture of Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes from TLC lying dead in a casket on some celebrity blog. Its only because blogs so popular that people were able to see it. Had she died 10 -20 years ago this would have not happened.

BTW i totoally regret stumbling on that picture, its not nice to see a dead person.