Heart throb du jour Robert Pattinson, star of the new “Twilight” movie franchise, isn’t just another pretty face. The actor was hanging out at a comedy club in Hollywood earlier this month and got some attention for calling out a stand up comedian for making a joke about late actor Heath Ledger. The joke was definitely in poor taste, but the incident probably wouldn’t have made headlines if Pattinson wasn’t involved.
According to a witness at the No on H8 show at The Improv in Hollywood on Dec. 16, Twilight star Robert Pattinson, 22, booed a comic who said, “Here’s my impression of Heath Ledger,” then collapsed and began faking convulsions.
(Ledger died of an accidental prescription drug overdose in January.)
“Robert and his friend went nuts yelling at him,” the source tells Us Weekly. “[Pattinson screamed] f–k you! You suck!”
But the actor — who recently cut his famous hair — went unrecognized by the performing comic.
“The comic didn’t know who it was, but I’m sure he found out later!” the source tells Us.
You know, I’m puzzled as to why this comedian thought it was a good idea to do a bit on Heath Ledger. The way the public took Heath’s passing should be indication enough to anyone with half a brain that it’s not funny in any way. If it was someone like Amy Winehouse he might (MIGHT) be able to get away with it.
Comedians always make poor taste jokes so big deal about this. I’m sure it was Robert Pattison himself (or his PR person) that released this incredibly uninteresting tidbit.
was this “comic” 12 years old?
I think it was a really awesome thing he did by standing up for another great actor. And I don’t think he did it for the publicity, if I was there and heard that I would have done the same thing and possibly more. I’m all for freedom of speech but some things are just in bad taste and with all the fans of heath ledgers I can’t believe that this comedian would think that a joke like that would get anything but a negative response. Heath ledger and Rob pattinson were and are good young actors. Go Rob, good for you!!!
@kate: No kidding…I’d push the age back even farther. His repertoire probably includes liberal doses of armpit farts and booger funnies, after which he retires to his No-Girls-Allowed tree fort.
And then not to mention that Robert pattinson doesn’t need the publicity so I can’t see why he would do that just for the attention. He can’t even walk down the street without someone asking him to ‘bite them’ or whatever else it is.
I admit that the comic routing was done in a very poor taste and the comic himself properly does have the mind of a 12 year old but why would Robert Pattinson get so offended by something it has nothing whatsoever to do with him. Methinks Robert and his friend were completely drunk of there faces (or stoned or both) and it was the booze talking.
As for Heath Ledger, as tragically as things ended for him, lets be honest, he was not that relevant when he was alive so lets not treat him like some kind of saint now that he is dead. He is just another name to the long list of actors who died senselessly from drugs. Nothing special there then, sad but true.
I don’t know…I think someone would have made a stink about this joke, even if they weren’t famous or had really good hair. I’ve been to a couple comedy clubs and I’ve seen people walk out or yell at the comic if they make a really off-color joke.
It is tasteless but I have to agree with Persistent Cat that it’s pretty low on news or interest value.
I don’t believe in a joke that’s “too soon” or “in bad taste”. I’ve heard some good Heath Ledger jokes, and however, from the idea of it, this comedian’s joke doesn’t sound like it would hit good elements of comedy, BUT I didn’t see it so I cannot judge.
You can call this humor childish, but it’s really bold. People are just so easily offended. I mean, look at Andy Kaufman, he makes the audience the joke and they can laugh about it later. Brilliant! Basically, if you don’t enjoy the joke, then walk out of the show without disrespecting the comedian (unless you need the attention). It’s not hard.
Enonymous, I agree that people stupidly tend to put actors on saintly pedestals when they die prematurely, but I don’t understand what you mean by “he was not that relevant when he was alive.” I’m not a member of the Heath Ledger fan club or anything, but wasn’t he a huge star? He got an Oscar nomination for his role in Brokeback Mountain, which says something about his “relevance” in Hollywood.
#6- I don’t think you know what you are talking about. I’ll just leave it @ that.
@#9 — I completely agree that there are no taboos if you approach a joke in the right way. This, however, just wasn’t funny. Lame joke — was it Dane Cook?
Pattinson, Ledger, Twilight and Meyers have as much relevance in America as Obama. When it comes down to it, none of them can truly gangster America into change. The Americans, the real ones, of course, surely don’t work that way. lol
I agree with Enonymous. Heath Ledger is talked about as if he were the last great hope. With the exception of maybe two movies, he hasn’t left much of a legacy. I’m tired of him being talked about as if he were the second coming.
Comedians make bad taste jokes all the time and we all laugh.
As for Robert Pattison being a huge superstar, he’s only one level above Zac Efron. Yes, teenage girls know who he is but that’s about it.
I saw Pattinson in a couple of interviews and he was really funny and down to earth.
Thank god he cut his hair tho.
Poor, poor taste on the comedian’s part…but how come we do not hear the name of the comedian?
“You can call this humor childish, but it’s really bold”
No, really it is just childish.
Probably because it didn’t happen.
You say Heath Ledger only made “one or two” great films that would be “legacy-worthy” as though that’s not enough. The man was only 28 years old and showed as much promise and range as he did. I think that’s why people get sad about missing out on what was to come from him.
Or he would have done nothing. I’m sure we could go back through the list of all actors ever nominated for an Academy Award and see which ones kept making great movies and which ones didn’t. For all we know, his addictions would have gotten the better of him, regardless.
I never had an opinion on him until I read his interview in Rolling Stone. I found him incredibly loathesome.
What a load of wankers commeting on this article
Jane I know perfectly well what i am talking about, as Persistent Cat said, with the exception of maybe two movies, he hasn’t left much of a legacy at all. As for his Oscar nominations, he got it purely because he made waves for playing *shock horror* a gay cowboy and as for his role in the Dark Knight, I saw it and is sucked big time and I was not the only one who thought so.
The only reason that the Dark Knight did more then it should have at the box office and if Ledger gets a Oscar nomination again for playing the Joker (as it is rumored) it is because of all the hype from his death and the over romanticizing notions that everyone has created of him now that he is gone and nothing else. I am so tired on how the media and the public treat him with kid gloves, yes he was a ok actor and seemed like an ok enough guy but nothing special by any stretch of the imagination. He was a drug addict after all. If he was still alive he would have easily been a has-been type of actor. Robert Pattinson is the same.
Have you nothing better to do than to stretch the truth as far as you possibly can to support that flimsy idea of yours, to pick on a dead man? Seriously? Is YOUR opinion THAT important? Whatever.
Ok, first of all, did you even see Brokeback Mountain, because it wasn’t a “gay story” it was an incredible story, period and he was jaw-droppingly good in it.
Also, what’s all this crap about him being a “drug addict”?? It was my understanding that he died accidently from mixing PRESCRIPTION drugs used to combat his debilitating insomnia.
And by the way, drug addict or not, he was still a person and father and obviously loved and respected by millions of people.
How jaded can you get??
There have been lots of actors who died of drug overdoses who aren’t regarded so highly or given token Oscars for god’s sake. Didn’t Brad Renfro die around the same time from a an drug overdose? Not hearing any Oscar buzz for him…
I think it’s in poor taste to make fun of anyone who dies suddenly like that.
It doesn’t matter if he was a great actor or not, he was a father and now his child no longer has him. Even his ex-fiancee was devastated about his sudden death so leave it be. Jeez.
Beside that, Robert Pattinson always seems stoned/drunk/high, so like someone said up there, he was probably drunk/high/stoned off his ass at the time. Definitely the drinks talking.
First of all, of course I have seen Brokeback Mountain, that is why I comment.
Second, I did not say that Ledger did a bad job in it (it was in the Dark Knight that he sucked, in fact it was the whole movie that sucked), I said that the reason the movie got so much attention was because of it controversial taboo subject that got people talking mostly about and thats were the focus was on.
Thirdly, it has been reported that Ledger did drugs as well as precription. What was the actual cause of his death, well who really knows, you chose what you want to believe.
Fourthly, Brad Renfro was least famous then Ledger and even more irrelevant (sorry but that is the truth) and although he died near the same time as Heath, his last movie was in 2006 while Heath’s big budget, already over hyped Batman movie was going to be released shortly after his death creating even more buzz with people going up in arms declaring that Ledger should be nominated for an Oscar even way before anyone had seen the movie. No disrespect to Ledger but the point is why do people try to defended him so much and act all offended as if he was a national treasure. Well, that is my opinion and if anyone does not like it then big deal.
It always amazes me how mean and small minded people are. Heath Ledger left a small number of excellent films because he was a YOUNG MAN who didn’t have the time to make more. As with the rest of humanity who do good work and poor work all of our lives, its called learning from your experiences.
It amazes that Rob Pattison stands up for something he feels strongly about and its ‘assumed’ by a poster on here that he’s either ‘drunk or stoned’. Amazing. And on what do you base that assumption Enonymous?
The joke was in very bad taste, and that while Heath Ledger jokes are not ‘off limits’ that kind of extremely hurtful, unfunny behaviour in the name of humour is distasteful to say the least.
Let’s see…films where he turned in great performances.
A Knight’s Tale – his U.S. breakthrough role – fun, light, quirky.
Monster’s Ball – powerhouse performance – disturbing and sad. When that character commits suicide, the entire movie changes.
The Patriot- say what you will about that movie, he was awesome in it and he and Mel Gibson had great chemistry.
Then of course there’s Brokeback Mountain,his Oscar nominated performance
And The Dark Knight, for which he’s already won four awards.
Gee, what a loser! (eyeroll)
Ledger was NOT a drug addict.
Everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinion, but everyone is also entitled to defend it. Lots of people view Ledger as incredibly relevant so don’t be surprised if people are pissy.
Pattison looks a million times better with that haircut
some of heath ledger’s greatest works are the foreign indie films, such as “ned kelly”, that don’t grab world wide attention. no matter what movie he was in, he became his character.
the fact of the matter is, he was a better actor than brad renfro. that’s why his death got more attention.
heath was a positively INSPIRED actor. Enon, of course you’re entitled to your opinion. but- since you’re someone who is criticizing his acting, i’d love to take the stage theatre approach and actually see you do better.
I’m not a Twilight or R.P. fan, but I am Heath Ledger fan, and I am glad R.P. stood up for someone who is unable to stand up for himself. I don’t think any jokes about Heath are appropriate, and to this one person who thinks Heath is “irrelevant”…you got nuthin’ on him bud, so I would consider your own “relevance” in comparison and rethink your statement.
You know, I’m all for saying what you want and no matter how despicable one’s views may be in my eyes should not be censored, but I am really sick of these comedians making tasteless comments and getting away with it because of their “title”.
I know that imagination is an impossible medium when the option to take the piss out of anyone is readily available at all times, but all of these bullshit knee-jerk comedians should actually come up with a joke without having to base it off of other people and pop culture references, because it has been done before.
It’s not something I would have personally said at a comic show, however. This is just my general opinion of “shock” comics.
LondonParis, I did media studies in college so I have a pretty good knowledge on movies and media influences. Except for these few movies like Brokeback Mountain and now in The Dark Knight, some of the other ones that MSat mention have barely made an influence with most of them getting terribly to lukewarm reviews, as for Heath Ledger himself, someone might find him “inspiring” but overall he was just another dime in a dozen type of actor in Hollywood. However, now he will be forever immortalized as something special were in reality if he was alive he would have been a quickly forgotten type of actor after certain years had past.
Anyway, these conversation went further then I care to and my first post was pretty fair towards him but it irritates me how people take things so personally about someone or something that has nothing to do with them whatsoever.
Don’t forget Candy. That was another excellent film of his.
And Ten things I hate about you!!!
I’d jeer the comedian, too. If I wanted to pay $20 at the door (+ drinks) to watch a kid spasm around on the floor, I’d buy a sh*t ton of M&M’s and let my 9-year-old nephew go to town. Low class.
Good for Rob.
That was a ridiculously immature and just cruel joke so soon after Heath’s death. Especially something that could have been prevented had the doctors and pharmacists just cross-checked his medications.
And to all nay-sayers, this is on the heads of the doctors and pharmacists. I’m 20 and had 2 different doctors prescribe me two cold medicines that should never be mixed together and I was very forthcoming about my prescriptions. Lucky for me, I have a habit of checking the side effects of prescription drugs online.
Anyway, point is, Heath Ledger was an amazing man snatched away in the prime of his life and the comic was a no talent asshat who will hopefully be struck by lightening any day now for his tackiness.
wow enon you are a true waste of sperm and egg. when you get hit by an 18wheeler I’m sure comedians will have a shitton of fun making fun of your ass smeared all over the road. and for those comedians, i will clap.
p.s. enon, do the world a massive favor and never speak or voice your opinion again.
Lora, bite me you ignorant fool. I suggest you take on your advice and STFU. I hope Karma hits you in the a*s.
This is exactly my point, idiots like Lora that take a comment that it was not that rude and more importantly has NOTHING to do with this person whatsoever and starts fuming at the mouth and curses everyone. Get a life girl and definitely get some much stronger medication because you sure sound that you are not right in the head.
PS. If you do not agree with a person’s comments then never EVER attack that person (blogger) personally but try as a sensibly human being (I know that is a stretch for some) to try and make a more logical and better point, that is how debates work.
Well ya see Heath was a good actor and a handsome young man, whereas Robert is a rat-faced unibrowed little flash in the pan who’ll fade off the collective radar in about another week or so unless he keeps making himself tabloid fodder- so I don’t see the connection- at all.
Twilight is like the worst Buffy TVS episode ever written and stretched to 90 minutes (if Buffy was originally conceived by 1000 of the giggliest, most hormone-driven gang of 13-year-old girls ever to stalk Hot Topic on a Friday night.)
Monster’s Ball got great reviews – it made many Top 10 lists that year – and so did Heath Ledger for his performance in the film.
Roger Ebert raved about Ledger’s performance in “A Knight’s Tale.” He called him “The next big thing to come out of Australia” and gave the film 3 stars.
He was also noted for his turn as a version of Bob Dylan in the 2007 film “I’m Not There,” (which garnered 4 stars from Roger Ebert and also landed on many critics’ top 10 lists for 2007.
Other critics have said the following about his work:
NYT, review of Brokeback Mountain, “Mr. Ledger magically and mysteriously disappears beneath the skin of his lean, sinewy character. It is a great screen performance, as good as the best of Marlon Brando and Sean Penn.”
Rolling Stone, review of Brokeback Mountain: “Ledger’s magnificent performance is an acting miracle. He seems to tear it from his insides. Ledger doesn’t just know how Ennis moves, speaks and listens; he knows how he breathes. To see him inhale the scent of a shirt hanging in Jack’s closet is to take measure of the pain of love lost.”
You wanted to debate with facts, mister “I studied media in college.”
MSat, although I never intended to talk about Heath Ledger film career in this thread, as I said before, most of his roles were small and supportive and were over showed by other more capably actors. As for A Knight’s Tale, seriously, go to yahoo movies and check out some of the most important reviews, that film got such bad reviews that it is well known that the studio started writing their own positive reviews under a ghost writer’s false name so people will go and see it. I am not saying that Ledger was a bad actor, I am saying that he was good enough but certainly not great like some people make him out to be.
in my opinion, good for Rob! Quite frankly, this “joke” is an insult to Heath Ledger’s memory! What Rob and his friends did was down right heroic! Good for them!
Wow folks…I think I see Enon’s point – and I adored Heath Ledger. No need to pile on…
Heath was an exceedingly handsome young man who battled some very dark demons (if the reports are to be believed), but we’ll never know his true potential because his life was cut short so suddenly. However, despite how much I adored the guy, I wouldn’t say he was one of ‘the greats’ – not yet anyway – and tomorrow will never come for him.
I thought A Knight’s Tale was a cheesy movie, but I loved it because I loved the story and I loved Heath Ledger. It’s ok to disagree…just my opinion
First of all, jokes can be in bad taste and by the sounds of it this was one of them. Now, I don’t know how Heath was viewed all over the world however I can tel you here in Australia he was pretty much unanimously loved. I know people who dislike him but the vast majority at least respected him.
Rob was right to yell at the comedian and I like to think I would’ve done the same.
well robert was right, that joke is inapprioate! Health elde did a make great joker but seriosuly maybe robert could tone down his lanaugage but seriously that was in pprioate joke
This comedian is sick. Everyone knows that the world was shaken when the legend Heath Ledger died. He needs to get a sense of humor. As for Robert Pattinson, go him. Seriously. The public look up to celebrities like him so he is showing everyone that they have every right to speak their mind! Alothough he could have had a better impact if he didn’t just start swearing, but he stood up for an amazing actor. Millions of people will be backing him up now!
Thats great how Robert would stand up for that guy like that.
Baholicious haha funny.
But yeah, seriously, I bet all of the people at said comedy club were thinking the same thing, they just didn’t have the balls to do anything about it. I’m glad that Robert did do something, and stood up for someone who can’t stand up for themselves. That comic really needs to find some ‘good’ material, because from what I’ve heard he sounds like crap. Good on you Robert and your mate. =]
Are u serious? Twilight is a total disrespect to vampires in general so who is some bullshit actor have the audacity to claim he knows what comics can or can’t do. If it was michael jackson, elvis or jimi hendrix the joke was on nobody would say shit. Ledger only made 1 good movie he aint done shit. If u dont like the joke fine but don’t act like ledger is ur brother n shit n say u can’t joke about it. that is bullshit