# Philip Seymour Hoffman Dead at 46



## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

His portrayal of Capote was outstanding 

http://nypost.com/2014/02/02/philip-seymour-hoffman-found-dead-in-his-apartment/


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Wow,

For a while he seemed to be the flavour of the month. His name was all we heard.

He had the world by the cajones.

but, he was human.

A sad loss.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

An extremely flexible actor. Damn shame.

The needle and the damage done.


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

i mentioned the headline to my wife, and her first question was "OD?"
the idiot had kids to take care of too

tremendous talent. huge asshole for leaving his kids.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

puckhead said:


> i mentioned the headline to my wife, and her first question was "OD?"
> the idiot had kids to take care of too
> 
> tremendous talent. huge asshole for leaving his kids.


I think this sums it up correctly.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Maybe it's just me, but calling a recently deseased person an asshole is not particularly classy.

He wasn't hitler. He was a guy fighting addiction.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

I always thought it was weird.to tip toe.around talking about the deceased. I also understand that I'm considered insensitive at times by my family and friends. Not sure where to go from here....


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

Milkman said:


> Maybe it's just me, but calling a recently deseased person an asshole is not particularly classy.
> 
> He wasn't hitler. He was a guy fighting addiction.


I agree in general however every time I hear of a person dying of heroin or getting hooked on it I can't help but think "You dumbass!" In all the known history of heroin as a "street" drug how many people are better off for having ever tried it? Almost every person who goes there eventually dies on this shit or is lucky to be "in recovery" trying to hang on the rest of their lives and hope they never slide back in. How many hellacious stories do we have to hear before it sinks in? The effect of this drug isn't news people! Use your F&(kn head!
In that respect I have little sympathy.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

I agree with the above very much. The guy was smart, or at least it appeared to be so, but nonetheless he chose to give it a try. I don't think it's a secret that this is an addictive drug with often a fatal end. If you choose to have a family I would say that you have a certain responsibility towards them and doing stupid shit like this is selfish.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

adcandour said:


> I always thought it was weird.to tip toe.around talking about the deceased. I also understand that I'm considered insensitive at times by my family and friends. Not sure where to go from here....



I don't expect everyone to conform to my codes of conduct, but I figure when a person dies, they're no longer able tp defend themselves and deserve a little respect.

Nobody's perfect and I only hope people don't crap all over my grave when I go.

I'd wager most of us have done or said things that someone could criticize us for.


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## zdogma (Mar 21, 2006)

He was a great actor, sad.


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## Cartcanuck (Oct 30, 2012)

Milkman said:


> I don't expect everyone to conform to my codes of conduct, but I figure when a person dies, they're no longer able tp defend themselves and deserve a little respect.
> 
> Nobody's perfect and I only hope people don't crap all over my grave when I go.
> 
> I'd wager most of us have done or said things that someone could criticize us for.


I have to agree. I was very judgemental of people who committed suicide until I watched my brother succumb to depression and ultimately commit suicide. I still think it was the pussy way to get out of life and leaving an 11month old kid was pathetic. But I also know that he wasn't in his right mind, he was on medication, he was under medical care, in his job he had suicide watch training, and his wife works in the anxiety treatment field. No one thought it could happen, but these things take control of your life.

The same thing with Hoffman. My first thought was "you have the world by the balls dude, you're talented, you have an awesome family, and you blow it all on drugs...well f**k you, good riddance". That was my gut reaction (similar to the kid from Glee who threw it all away last year). But with 5 minutes of reflection the sadness of the situation becomes reality. Someone so talented, apparently so nice and kind, and so weak and flawed at the same time. I think of the actors who have come close to this end (say Robert Downey Jr, Robin Williams, and maybe even Jim Carrey) and immediately feel sorry for him that he wasn't strong enough, didn't have the support around him, had people making it too accessible to him, or whatever. The guy was incredibly talented, and not having another 25 years of new movies from him will be OUR loss. 

I've personally experienced watching a seemingly strong person fall in a most unlikely and unexpected way. This is so similar. It makes me mad and sad at the same time. I have full respect for those that have passed on for the quality of life they lived. But I can also carry frustration, anger, and/or disrespect for the way they left this world. To this day I speak with great respect about my brother but in the same breath call him an idiot and a jackass for the way he left this world.....but I do so respectfully  I understand depression and addiction (as much as these things can be understood), but there are always helping hands reaching out to these people, they aren't abandoned and on the street (which is another entirely different and sad story). There are people right beside them who loved them, and they still fell. Sad........but also stupid.


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

Cartcanuck said:


> I have to agree. I was very judgemental of people who committed suicide until I watched my brother succumb to depression and ultimately commit suicide. I still think it was the pussy way to get out of life and leaving an 11month old kid was pathetic. But I also know that he wasn't in his right mind, he was on medication, he was under medical care, in his job he had suicide watch training, and his wife works in the anxiety treatment field. No one thought it could happen, but these things take control of your life.
> 
> The same thing with Hoffman. My first thought was "you have the world by the balls dude, you're talented, you have an awesome family, and you blow it all on drugs...well f**k you, good riddance". That was my gut reaction (similar to the kid from Glee who threw it all away last year). But with 5 minutes of reflection the sadness of the situation becomes reality. Someone so talented, apparently so nice and kind, and so weak and flawed at the same time. I think of the actors who have come close to this end (say Robert Downey Jr, Robin Williams, and maybe even Jim Carrey) and immediately feel sorry for him that he wasn't strong enough, didn't have the support around him, had people making it too accessible to him, or whatever. The guy was incredibly talented, and not having another 25 years of new movies from him will be OUR loss.
> 
> I've personally experienced watching a seemingly strong person fall in a most unlikely and unexpected way. This is so similar. It makes me mad and sad at the same time. I have full respect for those that have passed on for the quality of life they lived. But I can also carry frustration, anger, and/or disrespect for the way they left this world. To this day I speak with great respect about my brother but in the same breath call him an idiot and a jackass for the way he left this world.....but I do so respectfully  I understand depression and addiction (as much as these things can be understood), but there are always helping hands reaching out to these people, they aren't abandoned and on the street (which is another entirely different and sad story). There are people right beside them who loved them, and they still fell. Sad........but also stupid.


I feel for you my brother had taken his own life and it was difficult watching him lay there in a hospital bed hooked up to life support. And for those who criticize Hoffman well what in any bodies name do you know of addiction, chasing the white dragon is an extremely difficult. The high is such that it takes away the pain and who are you to understand his dragons and demons of his addiction. Its never his or hers getting high but then I guess some folks are just lucky to go through life with not having to worry about such things. lucky you hey. ship

Its sad that anyone has to die from their demons let us hope that someone else might find the help they need to battle their own demons


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

puckhead said:


> i mentioned the headline to my wife, and her first question was "OD?"
> the idiot had kids to take care of too
> 
> tremendous talent. huge asshole for leaving his kids.


Would you say the same about a smoker who dies from lung cancer? Just curious.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

Milkman said:


> I don't expect everyone to conform to my codes of conduct, but I figure when a person dies, they're no longer able tp defend themselves and deserve a little respect.
> 
> Nobody's perfect and I only hope people don't crap all over my grave when I go.
> 
> I'd wager most of us have done or said things that someone could criticize us for.



Nor mine. 

I neither respect or disrespect him, since I don't know him. I liked him in Lebowski, but that's as far as my relationship goes with him. , I always treat people that I meet with respect until they give me reason not to. The 'dead' and 'can't defend' stuff is irrelevant to me.

I've always found it difficult to project sympathy or empathy to people I don't know. I need to imagine myself in their situation. The thing is - I don't want to picture myself in that situation. So, ultimately, I am unaffected, but hope that things go well for the family.

I agree that we shouldn't be attacking him, but not cause he's dead, but because we don't know him or his circumstances. 

Further, I don't care who craps on me when I'm dead. I just hope that no one says anything to hurt my family's feelings (which I don't expect to happen)


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

The circumstances I don't know but I don't really care, if you choose to smoke, do drugs or bet on the Broncos to win this last Super Bowl you should be ready to deal with the consequences associated with all of it, not condemning any of it, just saying. In this case it seems like the consequences of his actions will greatly impact his family and they'll be the ones left dealing with his selfish behaviour, does he deserve to be called an asshole? Maybe, it's a matter of opinion. As for demons and chasing dragons, again, I don't know his circumstances or situation but if he's created his own I have little sympathy for him.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Milkman said:


> I don't expect everyone to conform to my codes of conduct, but I figure when a person dies, they're no longer able tp defend themselves and deserve a little respect.
> 
> Nobody's perfect and I only hope people don't crap all over my grave when I go.
> 
> I'd wager most of us have done or said things that someone could criticize us for.


I think there's a difference between "crapping all over someone's grave" and stating what is almost self evident, in that he made so stupid, selfish choices.

i think if he survived his overdose, in a moment of clarity, I think he would agree with that assessment. So I don't see why his death should erase any critical accountability.


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

hardasmum said:


> Would you say the same about a smoker who dies from lung cancer? Just curious.


interesting question. i fully understand people's reactions may differ. this is just what my gut tells me.

PSH was an incredibly gifted actor, and it is really sad that that talent is gone at such a young age.
above and beyond that however (for me), was that he had three young kids to take care of. 
leaving them without a father for something as selfish as heroin is a far worse tragedy than the loss of a great actor.
another strike against him - he had the means and support at his disposal to battle those demons. but man, if you won't quit for your kids....

so, on to the smoking question.
again just my opinion - we all know by now that smoking is a pretty strong cause of lung cancer... if you are a heavy smoker, have kids and continue to be a heavy smoker... that's a pretty shitty thing to do to your kids. Not only exposing them to the smoke, but putting yourself at risk of not being there.
I don't know about you but when I had my kid, my life changed pretty dramatically. I don't drink to excess anymore, drive dangerously, the drugs pretty much stopped. it's not just me I need to worry about anymore, every thing I do is about being able to take care of my kid.
I honestly don't mean to be preachy, or come off as holier-than-though. that's not my intention. I would have left it at my first post, but your question intrigued me. I understand addictions can have pretty deep claws, and on certain brain-chemistries can be even tougher. having the thing you love most in the world NEED you to be there for them.... man, how can you put your ability to be there at risk?


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

puckhead said:


> hardasmum said:
> 
> 
> > Would you say the same about a smoker who dies from lung cancer? Just curious.
> ...


Thanks for answering. I don't disagree with you, my motivation has changed completely since having kids too but I've had the luxury of growing up with decent parents with a middle class lifestyle. Relatively speaking I'm well grounded (my wife might disagree on this point).

Some people have suggested that it was dumb to try heroin in the first place knowing the consequences of doing such but I can't imagine someone just saying, "Okay I'm bored let's shoot up."

I can't help but think people willing do do this to themselves have some serious inner demons they're trying to escape. Who knows what horrible events they have lived through? Molestation, mental health issues, physical abuse? 

Being a wealthy and successful actor or musician doesn't make these things go away, you're haunted forever. 

While it's not impossible, I think it's unfair to assume that someone becomes an addict because they were looking to have a good time at a party.


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## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

For starters, every person's addiction is unique to their own life experience and cannot be generalized. Narcotics are especially insidious in that with most, the addictive effect is slow like a frog in a slowly simmering pot of water coming to a boil - he doesn't notice he is being cooked until it is too late.

Drugs or alcohol can be your best friend when you really need one and you think you are completely in control until that inevitable day that you realize you need them just to feel normal. Many people can get away with social substance abuse, including narcotics, for many years or even their entire lives without addiction rearing it's ugly head. But as with Russian Roulette, you take your chances every time you pull the trigger.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Diablo said:


> I think there's a difference between "crapping all over someone's grave" and stating what is almost self evident, in that he made so stupid, selfish choices.
> 
> i think if he survived his overdose, in a moment of clarity, I think he would agree with that assessment. So I don't see why his death should erase any critical accountability.



I do.

And I hope for your sake, people don't have nasty things to say about you after you're dead. Like I said, none of us are so pure that somebody couldn't find some dirt to throw.


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## Krelf (Jul 3, 2012)

Some people have a strong tendency toward addictions. It's harder for them to resist harmful substances that bring them contentment or relief. When such a person makes a judgment error and allows themselves to be exposed to something stronger than their internal willpower, tragedies will result.

I have sufficient problems keeping the fridge door shut after 10 PM. Luckily I've never used addictive drugs. The fact that I'm allergic to tobacco is a Godsend!

As for the booze, ...it's a challenge on occasion.

RIP Mr. Hoffman.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Milkman said:


> I do.
> 
> And I hope for your sake, people don't have nasty things to say about you after you're dead. Like I said, none of us are so pure that somebody couldn't find some dirt to throw.


TBH, I don't really care about what ppl say about me after Im dead. If its the truth, then so be it. 
Besides, saying someone made stupid , selfish choices isn't the same as saying they were bad person. We have all made those kinds of choices. part of being human is realizing we aren't perfect. But again, that doesn't mean there shouldn t be some accountability for it.

Im not a believer in revisionist history for the deceased. I guess we should all think Bin Laden was a good guy now, rather than utter any negativity that his ghost or family may get wind of, since after all, he cant defend himself now.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Diablo said:


> TBH, I don't really care about what ppl say about me after Im dead. If its the truth, then so be it.
> Besides, saying someone made stupid , selfish choices isn't the same as saying they were bad person. We have all made those kinds of choices. part of being human is realizing we aren't perfect. But again, that doesn't mean there shouldn t be some accountability for it.
> 
> Im not a believer in revisionist history for the deceased. I guess we should all think Bin Laden was a good guy now, rather than utter any negativity that his ghost or family may get wind of, since after all, he cant defend himself now.


LMAO,

Maybe those you leave behind could be hurt by nasty hateful comments about you?

But hey, everyone has their own code of conduct, ethics, morals et cetera. My concern with your attitude is that we ALL have something we're not particularly proud of. Shall we look for a reason to disrespect EVERYone's memory?

Comparing an actor who died of a drug overdose to a serial mass terrorist is an interesting leap.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Milkman said:


> LMAO,
> 
> Maybe those you leave behind could be hurt by nasty hateful comments about you?
> 
> ...


Anyone with common sense should be able to tell that Im not calling PSH a terrorist. But they certainly can be compared in some pretty basic ways 1) both are human beings 2) both are deceased 3) both are public figures 4) both will have some staunch supporters /detractors , depending on ones own personal beliefs/morality.

Again, I don't think anyones disrespecting his memory, "hate" or anything else, as much as I think your viewpoint wants to sweep some of the cold hard facts about his death/lifestyle under a rug and pretend it never happened, rather than see it as a learning experience for others to not go down the same path. I don't hate PSH. I just think he died stupidly and unnecessarily. And don't worry too much about his family, they already know this, and aren't likely members on GuitarsCanada.com. So that's a red herring.

Perhaps if everyone thought about the legacy they leave behind a little more, than tragedies like these would be at least a few less frequent. Its too easy to live life recklessly without concern for how your actions impact others and then just hide behind a cliché like "you cant judge me". Besides, part of living in the public spotlight is accepting that your actions will be judged. Don't be famous if you cant handle that, be like the rest of us who barely make the obituaries.


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## 4345567 (Jun 26, 2008)

_______________


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

nkjanssen said:


> Well said.
> 
> I can't personally relate to PSH's situation, as I don't live with addiction. I do know, though, that becoming an addict is not something someone plans. It usually starts relatively innocently and builds into something the addict can no longer control. To call someone who OD's an "idiot", "stupid", "dumbass" or "asshole" seems to presuppose they sat down and made some rational decision that becoming an addict was the best course of action for them. I don't think that's the case.


I think that's very true. 
Id still wonder why he didn't get help though.


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## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

Diablo said:


> I think that's very true.
> Id still wonder why he didn't get help though.


Since he was still working, he must have been a functional drug user who hadn't yet gotten to the stage where he really realized that he needed help. Considering that he ODed on regular tried and true street heroine, of which he had an unusually large stash, perhaps he was still a neophyte user who was unused to how much can be tolerated. That would be pure speculation of course.


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

Diablo said:


> I think that's very true.
> Id still wonder why he didn't get help though.


Because maybe you didn't take the time to understand what really happened which is often the case with folks who are far to quick to judge the action of others without knowing the whole story.
firstly he has been clean for a very long time and was recently injured which caused him to have pain medication prescribed to him by a physician, which lead to him starting up his addiction and of course you having never been addicted to heroin so will never understand the control it has on some folks and how it changes your brains capabilities to reason. So its a lot easier for those who have never been that route to judge and criticize folks who are addicts. And he was getting help with it, but that control that it had on him, well as I said you CANNOT ever understand how just one mistake can lead you to a life time of misery, lucky you. ship

Oh and just for the record it wasn't street heroin, street heroin is very often cut so the profit margin is extremely large. His heroin was pure unadualtrated smack of the worst kind that was found in his needle and some packs where pure and some cut, go figure.


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