We haven’t written much about Cory Monteith’s death. We covered it and then kind of sat back and watched this sad story unfold without commenting. It just seems so sad and pointless. It also makes me remember losing a friend about five years ago. I start to get teary and my heart breaks a little. There’s almost nothing you can say except that you’re sorry.
There are a lot of updates in this story, but we won’t try to cover everything. Here are a few of the bigger stories about Cory’s passing. To me the main news is that Glee will continue to film without Cory. He was integral to the show and will not be forgotten, but it’s an ensemble show that’s very popular and it will go on. I think this is what he would want. TMZ has the news:
“Glee” is going full steam ahead without Cory Monteith — and TMZ has learned, the show’s writers have called an emergency meeting today to figure out how to work him out of the story.
Sources close to production tell us, “Glee is definitely not canceled. If you look at the dollars and cents of the show and that it was very much an ensemble with new kids being added last year when some graduated. It’s clear that the show wasn’t about one character.”
Our source says producers are taking their cue from shows like “8 Simple Rules” and “The West Wing,” which have also suffered real-life deaths … the lesson being: one character doesn’t make or break a show.
Our source adds, “The producers and writers are taking time to meet and figure out how to best address this situation in the context of Glee. No decision has been reached about a script yet, as it’s still early.”
People are wondering how Cory’s girlfriend Lea Michele is doing, and if she’s ok. On Tuesday her publicist issued a poignant statement about how she’s with Cory’s family and is grieving with them:
“Lea is deeply grateful for all the love and support she’s received from family, friends and fans. Since Cory’s passing, Lea has been grieving alongside his family and making appropriate arrangements with them.
They are supporting each other as they endure this profound loss together. We continue to ask the media to respect the privacy of Lea and Cory’s family.”
There have also been rumors that Cory and Lea were engaged right before he died. People Magazine claims that they were talking about marriage, but that it wasn’t official.
TMZ reports that Lea has been planning Cory’s memorial and helping to make arrangements following his death. They also report that she worked hard to keep him off drugs when they were together and was instrumental in getting him into rehab earlier this year. I can’t imagine what she is going through at this time and hope that she is ok.
Cory’s death is featured on the cover of People Magazine and US Weekly this week. People’s article focuses on Cory’s struggle with fame and how that tied in to his ongoing addiction problems. They quote a source who says that Cory was always professional on set regardless of what he was going through.
some photos credit: FameFlynet
I just hope they don’t exploit this whole situation to get ratings…
Me too but that’s not going to happen. Such a loss.
🙁 you know, I would say: “usually, celebrity deaths don’t bother me too bad, but… this is different” but, I’ve seen the sentiment shared on several websites that have covered his death. So, I’ll spare you all with it.
I’ll just say that the comment from Fox quoted here REALLY rubs me the wrong way. “It was very much an ensemble with new kids being added last year when some graduated. It’s clear that the show wasn’t about one character.”
Obviously Fox has entirely missed the point. I haven’t seen a single commenter suggesting Fin was the center of Glee.. most just worry that the network will completely butcher the storyline and make it offensive to friends, family and fans of Cory. It’s a delicate situation with the cast members, being that Cory was dating Lea Michele and they all seem so close to one another. Personally, Glee has lost a lot of what made it interesting to begin with. This will probably prove to be the final nail in its coffin. (yet, I would never suggest they cancel it, as many people depend on the show for work.)
Also, I read another article that said he was cremated yesterday, with his mom, brother and Lea Michele viewing his body beforehand. Apparently, his biological father was left out of the viewing. Obviously, he is quite devastated. It’s just so heartbreaking.
Can you even imagine what it will be like for Lea to mourn in real life and then to have to turn around and mourn again on the set of Glee while being filmed (if they choose to write him off in a deadly accident, etc)?
That’s the point that I think the Glee producers have missed. People suggesting that the show should be cancelled are not saying so because CM/Fin was the center of glee, but because of the situation with the other characters. I believe most of it stems from the fact that many believe Glee should have been cancelled long before Cory passed away. It just seems silly to continue on, given everything that has happened.
I’m not a Glee fan but I hope they don’t write Finn out with some off screen accident or whatever. I hope they write in a happy ending for Finn at least – he can’t visit the new characters because he’s got a role in Europe or he’s travelling the world. It’s a silly detail compared to everything but it would be maybe…fairer?
I don’t think so. In fact, I think that may be the absolute worst way to address the situation. (I mean, it would make more sense from the perspective of Lea and the rest of the Glee people. At least, the original Glee members that are returning for season 5. I know several, like Agron, Mills and Rivera, supposedly demoted themselves from recurring roles to guest stars.) I believe ignoring him and not addressing his death, would be a slap in the face to everyone involved. (After the initial shock wears off) I’d say they will make a spectacle of it. Maybe make it into a lesson? If for no other reason but for the ratings. They are slipping in their demographic.
I could be wrong… but man.. this sucks. I’m not a big Glee fan either. At least, I wasn’t, but I have a major soft spot for Cory. The rest kind of annoy me (especially Lea Michele.)
I’m hoping if they do, it will be healing for them, kind of like Phil Hartman’s death on News Radio–maybe a good chance to say goodbye. But no matter what they do, I’m sure it will hurt like hell.
There was quite a sadness or uncertainty in his eyes.
this is a heartbreaking situation for everyone involved. I started watching Glee when I was 18 and even though I know Cory is older, it still felt like he was going through the motions like I was and growing up with me because of that show. His loss is devastating. Not only was he somewhat of an inspiration with him trying to overcome an addiction he’s had since 13, but he tried to give back, even bringing attention and aide to youth homelessness. I’ve read on several sites that they don’t feel sympathy because he made the choice to do drugs and while it’s true to an extent, at the end of it all he was still a great man who struggled to make a difference in his life and others and I think it’s important we remember that, especially as all of these so-called “friends” and sources come forward. I wish all the best to his family and Lea.
Every time I read about this I get a lump in my throat. And it’s sad to realize that these celebrity deaths involving illicit drug use won’t ever stop.
I feel so sorry for him and all of his loved ones. People on the other sites trash-talk him because of his addiction and the way he died but I think it’s unfair. There are hopeless junkies and there are people like him who have a serious problem but try hard to get better and he was the latter. I’ve just found out that my mother’s former best friend died from an overdose the same day as Cory and it’s odd but I’m more heartbroken about his death than this woman’s whom I’ve known since I was born and used to like. The difference is that he seemed like a genuinely lovely person who tried to get clean but failed – he was professional and willing to admit that he had a problem and the friend I’m talking about was basically a middle-aged version of the Cracken. She used to be a nice, lovely lady but then she got addicted, started stealing from friends, broke up the relationships with everyone who tried to help her including her husband and my mom who did everything to save her for years. Her boss tried to make her go to rehab but she’d rather quit the job than drugs and alcohol and her body was found after many days because she burned all the bridges and there was no one who was would miss her. Cory will be missed by so many people.
I completely agree with everything that you said. He seemed like such a lovely, genuine human being that tried to make a difference even as he struggled with his own demons. So many commentators on other sites make it seem so black and white – that his drug addiction negates or diminishes his humanity somehow. Not all drug addicts are like the Cracken, and many people have complex underlying issues. I was one of those and I am the same age as Cory (only a few months older). After my twin sister died at 20, I was really messed up and tried to self-medicate. But, I had a strong group of friends and family who really cared and I went to rehab. Twice actually, but I’ve been clean for over seven years now. It seemed like Cory had the same, but just slipped one last time. It’s so easy to do.
He seemed such a bright light and I just pray for his family and Lea and his friends.
Yes, I am so sick of the “hurrah, one less junkie” comments. Addiction is complex and it affects *people*.
I’m so glad to hear you are doing better now.
Sorry, a little off topic. I wanted to add, I just read an article in the Boston Globe about there being a strange jump in Heroin deaths and overdoses in the Northeast. It will take a couple of weeks for Toxicology reports but, they are trying to figure out what is it about the current Heroin supply on the streets that’s causing this sudden jump in deaths.
I believe it’s fentanyl mixed in with the heroin that’s the issue. I also think the BC Coroners Service has already stated Cory had no fentanyl in his system.
Hubs and I saw a similar story on our local news and he commented he thought it was related to an increase in the attention being given to cracking down on meth labs in our area. Similar high, I guess? Anyone with more insight on this?
I am surprised there hasn’t been more discussion in the media about heroin. It is a very, very bad drug that gets its hooks into good people and won’t let them go. Even drug addicts who use other things say they won’t touch it.
I think over time that message has been lost or other drugs became more “in fashion” and people forgot how bad H is. Now you have a whole generation of kids who grow up fearless about experimenting with things and they think they won’t get hooked.
I’m no expert on drugs but I know they talk about all the deaths on the rise in my midwestern city and how the image has changed from inner city to a “white suburban” epidemic. Even when the users get clean i think they always have to be on guard. Didn’t Russell Brand talk about how he’s clean but jealous of his old self who got high and how sometimes he would rather feel that high than anything else? Major paraphrase but i get the impression you never forget that high. Scary!
There is “bad heroin” killing people but the normal kind kills from plain ODs too. Moral of the story – don’t do it.
Poor Cory.
I honestly don’t know if I’m going to watch Glee anymore. I’ve been a fan the entire time–never missed an episode. I just don’t see how I can keep watching. And i agree about the comments from Fox–it has nothing to do with how important a character Finn was. I would hope they’ll treat his passing with gravity and respect. I’m sure they will, but statements like that don’t really make me confident in them.
This has been a hard week for me and my pregnant hormones. I’m currently writing about last week’s passing of one of the greatest Paint Horses in history for a magazine… and still sad about this guy Cory. 🙁 Sad week.
Such a waste. Drugs are killing our country. I would like to think that this would change some lives in hollywood – but it won’t
I haven’t watched “Glee” in a couple of years, but I have been hit hard by Cory’s death.
Yes, it’s an ensemble show, but his character has been there from the beginning and has always been very important to the show.
I really think the show should come back later in the season, potentially in January 2014, to show respect for how important Cory was to the show and how much he meant to his cast mates, his family and friends, and his fans. Doing that would also give everyone affected some time to grieve.
I think that, no matter how the writers try to handle his departure on screen, some people will feel uncomfortable, hurt, alienated, etc. I think that waiting to bring the show back will help reduce both the number of people who have negative reactions and the intensity of those reactions.
We talked about this over on Pajiba but I’d love for them to do a farewell episode for him. It’s a great way for fans and cast members to grieve the death and loss together and start to move forward. Just look at 8 Simple Rules or Newsradio…both were devastating but cathartic.
That would be heartbreaking but beautiful. That show will never be the same without him.
I dont know about and entire episode, but I think the last five minutes of the season opener. Have his cast members sing a song, show some video of him, and be done. Sweet and quick.
Spartacus (Starz Network, Australian I believe) did something similar. After the first season she main actor (Andy Whitfield), who played Spartacus, died of cancer. I was in love with the show and to me, Andy just was Spartacus.
The network and his co-stars handled this in a very respectful way (every year they did an ‘in memoriam’ on their website, he was not ‘ignored’ and never mentioned again). After a couple of years the series finale came along and the last shot of the show was Andy, like we saw him in season 1 (I cried SO HARD). The man who replaced Andy as Spartacus did an amazing job, yet he was humble and knew of Andy’s popularity with the fans. He was respectful and because of that most of the fans accepted him as Andy’s replacement.
It was all beautifully done, and a sign that after years the network, his co-stars and his fans had not forgotten him. For some reason I felt like Andy never left the show and he was there every episode. I know it sounds weird and it is very hard to explain. Lets just say the creators/co-stars didn’t ignore his death and moved on, and THE END.
(For people who have also watched Spartacus, they will know what I mean).
I hope Cory gets a proper goodbye, not just a black screen with white letters stating ‘in memoriam’ and that’s it, off to the next season. He was a huge part of the show (and Fox’s statement pisses me off, because they make it seem like he just had a small part). For crying out loud; season 1 was all about Rachel and Finn! He deserves it like that, and so does Lea Michelle, because they were a big part of eachothers lives off screen as well.
I agree about Spartacus’s series finale. Andy was there at the very end, shouting “I AM SPARTACUS!” in all his glory.
When that clip was shown, I said, “Yes you are, Andy. You’re Spartacus.” And I got sad all over again.
When I was watching Seasons 2 and 3 I kept on thinking how Andy would have fared in the scenes. He just embodied the character so much.
I hope Glee and Ryan Murphy can do Cory’s memory well.
I think the major problem that other shows who faced the same issue (correct me if I’m wrong) did not face is that the reel life girlfriend is the real life girlfriend. Like some shows, his character can be killed off (pardon the language) but this could have a devastating impact on Lea who has to relive the horror even though other cast members may get their closure. Lea is still young and she may be seriously depressed or even turn to unsavoury habits like over-medication to numb her pain. Aside from the fact that there is a lot of money invested, I hope the producers would at least have a bit of sympathy for Lea if she feels that she cannot handle a death scene.
Yeah, the fact that Cory and Lea were together in real life (and, according to rumors, planning on getting married, possibly soon) makes the whole thing that much more sad. I really hope the producers are sensitive to that.
Completely agree!
I hope Leah still can work on Glee, since there are a lot of memories there. I can’t imagine how she feels.
Judging by Fox’s opinion (their statement was like ‘meh, we can write around it, the show was not all about him’), i feel sad. I hope they have the decency to give Leah and her co-stars (and the fans) a proper goodbye and not a cheap way of writing him off the show.
Yeah, exactly. Even though he wasn’t necessarily the dramatic center of the show, for a lot of long-time viewers, I think he’s one of the major emotional centers of the show.
I agree, I think it would be cruel to make her re-live the moments of finding out, to have to share her true emotional devestation with the world.
On the other hand, if she thinks it would help her, I would support that decision.
I just don’t know what the right answer is here. So very, very sad all around.
I am a huge Gleek and this news saddens me deeply, however the worst thing Glee producers and writers could do is to give Finn some cliched ride into the sunset. In true Glee fashion i hope against hope that they will address the issue of drugs and overdose. it is sensitive, it is painful, and I know all the original Glee cast will be present for the funeral and be able to weigh in. I think it would be therapeutic to be able to remember him as he was, add an element of realism to the way Glee will protray so cast members/characters can speak more earnestly about who Cory/Finn was as a person and how cruel his death is. They kind of already set it up and the end of last season, with Finn’s partying hard ways when he finally went off to college.
I hope that Glee does not mess up this opportunity, and really does say something relevant about all these accidental overdoses that plague not only celebrities, but every day real people all over the world who do not get People covers.
that’s my two cents
I too am hoping that they have Finn die after trying drugs at a college party. The stark reality is that sometimes it only takes that very first try of hard drug and die from it.
And yes, sometimes the All-American boy makes a poor choice and the result is death. It happens in reality, why not this show?
I would be pretty willing to bet that Corey was the kind of guy who would want the show to go on simply because it means that all those people – the writers, makeup artists, crew, the other actors – get to keep their jobs. A show like this represents the livelihood of many people, many of whom we dont even think about
I just don’t know a way around this for Glee. I mean let’s say they kill Finn off in the show, how are the actors supposed to act? Are the tears real, are they a performance? I mean if I was close to Cory or in Lea’s position, I just wouldn’t be able to do it. I’ve dealt with a death of a loved one and it’s such a private grief that I can’t imagine enacting it for others on tv
Harsh truth? They are professional actors. Tap into that pain and hope that this will all be a very real life lesson to those watching. Use the situation in hopes that it will, at the very least, prevent one person from making the same mistakes.
Otherwise, his death will be even more of a complete waste.
They are professional actors, but at the end of the day they are human beings too. I don’t think they should be forced do anything that would be devastating.
Maybe as artists, it will help them move forward, the same way a musician or a painter would use the experience. Maybe that’s naive of me, but still, i hope it would work that way.
I honestly don’t know how they will write around/about his death. I just hope they do it well.
I really liked the way 8 Simple Rules dealt with the issue when John Ritter passed away. It wasn’t an over-the-top tribute, but the entire episode really reflected the sadness of losing a beloved person.
But I also liked how Spartacus (TV series) gave tribute to their lead actor passing away from cancer. At the end of season 2 premiere, they showed Andy Whitfield’s photo in a white background. There was nothing else that was done, there was no special music or montage. But the sadness, loss, and grief could be felt with that one image of a smiling Andy Whitfield.
What a waste of such a young life. I’m sad that he’s gone. Murphy won’t have the balls or humanity to address drug problems directly in a storyline about Finn.
How this is handled will have a big impact on the interim (and future) success of Glee.
PS – a few of the girls in my daughter’s class at school (11 year olds) were talking about Cory’s death and the teacher said “it’s sad but seriously, don’t do drugs. This is what can happen”. I’m Ok with her saying this.