When Your Friend Dies: TMI

I learned about the death of film director Tony Scott in a Facebook post from a friend who had worked with him. Since then, details have trickled out about what is now considered a suicide (several notes were found).

It was typical reporting of a celebrity death: “what’s your favorite Tony Scott movie?” Clips from his films were shown on TV and the internet. Reactions from other celebrities were sought.

One persistent rumor – denied by his wife – was that he had recently been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. Funny: tumor, rumor. Both should be stopped, don’t you think?

Anyway, it all seemed typical, until this morning. One of the cable news programs reported that onlookers were shopping videos of Scott’s fatal leap off a Los Angeles bridge.

That got my attention.

I’ve always hated when the media plays 911 tapes after a tragedy. Use them in court as evidence, by all means. But I don’t believe the public has either a need or a right to hear dying people in the World Trade Center on 9/11 begging for their lives, or witnesses to the Aurora shootings describing what they see.

I can’t imagine any reputable news service or internet site purchasing videos of Tony Scott’s death. But there are plenty that can and probably will. And if all else fails, there’s always YouTube.

My friend who worked with Scott has probably heard about this by now, but I certainly won’t ask her. Watching someone die in an action movie is one thing. Watching your friend jump to his death is something entirely different.

And right now, I hope there’s a special place in hell for those who are trying to sell those tapes.