The Celebrity Truth

Heath Ledger’s former publicity company, ID-PR, was responsible for the last minute broadcast cancellation of the controversial Ledger video, in which the actor discusses his previous drug use, it has been revealed.

US television shows including ‘Entertainment Tonight’ and ‘The Insider’ were set to air the footage of Ledger, which was shot at a party in Los Angeles in 2006, and show partygoers snorting cocaine in the background.

The program‘s producers reportedly paid US$250,000 for the tape and promoted it heavily on air.

ID-PR sent out a strongly worded email to fellow publicity organizations in a bid to rally against the show’s, saying, "This is not journalism, it is sensationalism. It is a shameful exploitation of the lowest kind, to a talented and gentle soul, undeserving of such treatment."

The letter, obtained by news organization Reuters, stated, "We are asking the Hollywood community to pressure ‘Entertainment Tonight’ to pull the segment."

Ledger’s former publicist and chief operating officer of the publicity firm, Mara Buxbaum, discussed the success of the campaign, saying, "There were a lot of people who were so appalled… they stood up for what was right."

Although there has been no response to the letter from the makers of the programs, the controversial video was pulled from broadcast, with a statement posted on their respective website‘s saying, "Out of respect for Heath Ledger’s family, ‘Entertainment Tonight’ and ‘The Insider’ have decided not to run the Heath Ledger video which has been circulating in the world media."

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Photo courtesy of moviehole.net.

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