General Music Chat

Old news by now, but I didn't see any mention of it here, and it is relevant, because she was not just a successful actor, but also a singer with at least one hit song to her credit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk3Z__7ItJY


Dead at 32 from cardiac arrest, which for successful people that young, can often be the technical cause of death, but resulting from drug overdose. Details have not been released yet however, and one early report claimed her death appeared to be from natural causes. Friends speculate that she pushed herself too hard, never feeling as if she had achieved enough, which if true, is amazing, because she was a successful TV actor, then a successful big screen actor, and also a singer, who fronted her own band for awhile, and also had at least one major hit song with trance DJ and record producer Paul Okenfeld.

Below is the Wikipedia article detailing her many accomplishments...

Brittany Murphy (November 10, 1977 – December 20, 2009)[1] was an American actress and singer. She starred in films such as Clueless; Girl, Interrupted; 8 Mile; Uptown Girls; Sin City; Happy Feet; and Riding in Cars with Boys, and performed vocals on a range of films and with dance musician Paul Oakenfold, together garnering a number one dance music hit in the United States in 2006.

Early life

Brittany Murphy was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on November 10, 1977.[2] Her parents, Sharon Murphy and Angelo Bertolotti, divorced when she was two years old, and Murphy was raised by her mother in Edison, New Jersey, and later in Los Angeles, where they moved so Murphy could pursue an acting career.[3][4][5] Murphy said her mother never tried to stifle her creativity, and she considered her mother a crucial factor in her later success: "When I asked my mom to move to California, she sold everything and moved out here for me. ... She always believed in me."[2] Murphy's mother is of Irish and Eastern European descent and her father is Italian American.[6][7] She was raised a Baptist and later became a non-denominational Christian.[8][9]

Acting

Murphy landed her first job in Hollywood when she was age 14, starring as Brenda Drexell in the series Drexell's Class. She then went on to play Molly Morgan in the short-lived The Torkelsons spinoff Almost Home. Murphy also guest-starred on several television series, including Parker Lewis Can't Lose, Blossom and Frasier. She also had recurring roles on Sister, Sister; Party of Five and Boy Meets World. In 1997, she began voicing the character of Luanne Platter (as well as the younger version of Joseph Gribble) on the long-running animated series King of the Hill.

Murphy starred in several films, including Clueless (1995); Girl, Interrupted (1999); Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999); Don't Say a Word (2001); the TV adaption of the novel The Devil's Arithmetic (2001); 8 Mile (2002) and Uptown Girls (2003) as well as many lesser-known films, such as Spun (2003). In 2004, she starred in the romantic comedy Little Black Book, and the critically acclaimed Sin City (2005). She starred in two Edward Burns films: Sidewalks of New York (2001) and The Groomsmen (2006). In 2009, she was cast in the Lifetime TV movie, Tribute, as the main character, Cilla. She was set to appear in the Sylvester Stallone film, The Expendables, which will be released in 2010.[2]

Murphy was also a voice actor. She voiced the character Luanne Platter on the FOX animated sitcom King of the Hill for the entirety of the show's run. She also provided the voice for Gloria the penguin in the 2006 feature Happy Feet.[10] She was nominated for an Annie Award for voice acting in the King of the Hill episode "Movin' On Up".[11]

Music and modeling

Murphy performs for the crew during a USO show aboard USS Nimitz on June 19, 2003.She was in a band called Blessed Soul in the late 1990s. On June 6, 2006, Murphy and Paul Oakenfold released the single "Faster Kill Pussycat", from the album A Lively Mind. The song became a club hit, and hit number one on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart.[12] It also hit number seven in the UK singles chart in June 2006.[13]

She dabbled in music again with the release of the film Happy Feet, in which she covered Queen's "Somebody to Love" and Earth, Wind & Fire's "Boogie Wonderland".

Murphy starred in Wheatus' video "A Little Respect" alongside actor Shawn Hatosy. She has also appeared in the music video for Luscious Jackson's "Here" and Tears for Fears' "Closest Thing to Heaven".[14]

In 2005, Murphy signed as the spokesmodel for Jordache jeans.[15]

Personal life

In late 2002, Murphy began dating Ashton Kutcher, her co-star in Just Married.[16] Once engaged to talent manager Jeff Kwatinetz, Murphy became engaged to Joe Macaluso in December 2005, a production assistant she met while working on the film Little Black Book.[17] In August 2006, they ended their engagement.[17] In May 2007, Murphy married British screenwriter Simon Monjack in a private Jewish ceremony.[18]

Death

At 8:00 a.m. (16:00 UTC) on December 20, 2009, the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to "a medical request"[19] at the Los Angeles home Murphy and Monjack shared. She had apparently collapsed in a bathroom.[2] Firefighters attempted to resuscitate Murphy on the scene, and she was subsequently transported to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead on arrival[20] at 10:04 a.m. after going into cardiac arrest.[2][19] Cause of death is yet to be determined, but Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter told the Associated Press: "It appears to be natural."[21][22][23] An autopsy was performed on December 21, 2009. Full results will not be available for several weeks; experts are looking into her medical records and toxicology reports.[22][23

btw...

I wouldn't be surprised if her husband contributed to her demise in some way. He is a bad person. A user and manipulator. No, I haven't met him, but I've seen his picture, and for some reason, I have always had an unusual gift of being able to tell many things about people just from looking at a photo of them. And this guy is bad news. I'm not saying he murdered her, but emotionally, he may have drained her, controlling her, and using and manipulating her, to the point it broke her.

I hope she left everything to her mother, rather than this asshole!

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Craig, when you talk like that, it bugs the sh*t outta me.

You can tell all that from a photo, huh?

One day you will be judged by the same standards you hold others to, & with the same randomness, too. How will you hold up. I wonder...

I suspect her death was caused by an eating disorder more than drugs, although Hollywood people often suffer from multiple conditions. She was a sweetheart and damned fine actress and singer.

One thing that really sucks about life-

My eyes are kind of close together, which gives me a "shifty" look. Anyone who knows me, knows that my personality is the opposite of that look.

But most people take one look at me and just instinctively know that I'm a bad person.

We can thank TV for creating the "villain" image with that "shifty" look so people can make easy judgements.

Craig, when you talk like that, it bugs the sh*t outta me.

I know.

Sorry.


I can't help it that I have this ability though. I don't know that it is a spiritual gift though, rather than simply powerful observational skills? But I have freaked my friends out all my life, when I tell them this, and they show me a pciture of a relative and I can tell them all this stuff about their personalities, and even history sometimes. I grew up in nightclubs and hotels, traveling with my mom's band from 12 years old until I turned 18 and left the road. I never drank, cause I was underage. I think I may have just learned alot about people, by being sober for 6 years in a bar, and as a kid, just taking it all in, listening to the older drinkers, spill their guts about their problems, etc...

I think I just learned to pick up on facial expressions and subtle gestures that people generally make unconsciously.

Kind of like Sherlock Holmes and the power of observation.

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He would see faces in movies, on T.V., in magazines, and in books....
He thought that some of these faces might be right for him....And
through the years, by keeping an ideal facial structure fixed in his
mind....Or somewhere in the back of his mind... That he might, by
force of will, cause his face to approach those of his ideal....The
change would be very subtle....It might take ten years or so....
Gradually his face would change its' shape....A more hooked nose...
Wider, thinner lips....Beady eyes....A larger forehead.

He imagined that this was an ability he shared with most other
people....They had also molded their faced according to some
ideal....Maybe they imagined that their new face would better
suit their personality....Or maybe they imagined that their
personality would be forced to change to fit the new appear-
ance....This is why first impressions are often correct...
Although some people might have made mistakes....They may have
arrived at an appearance that bears no relationship to them....
They may have picked an ideal appearance based on some childish
whim, or momentary impulse....Some may have gotten half-way
there, and then changed their minds.

He wonders if he too might have made a similar mistake.

Talking Heads "Seen and Not Seen"

Actually Craig I do understand what you mean because I shared a similar Childhood. I wouldn't swap it either, its nice to be on ones toes isn't it.

I grew up in nightclubs and hotels, traveling with my mom's band from 12 years old until I turned 18 and left the road. I never drank, cause I was underage. I think I may have just learned alot about people, by being sober for 6 years in a bar, and as a kid, just taking it all in, listening to the older drinkers, spill their guts about their problems, etc...

I think I just learned to pick up on facial expressions and subtle gestures that people generally make unconsciously.

Kind of like Sherlock Holmes and the power of observation.

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I think we all have those abilities to varying degrees, but we usually look at our results a bit differently than you, Craig.

I mean, I can generally look at someone & tell if I would get along with them. That's as far as I will judge someone with so little info, though. I would never make your type of blanket statements about someone from the info I get from a simple picture. Even if you claim to be "right" in your assessments 100% of the time, there's a HUGE chance that you are also letting certain biases rule your assessments, simply because you are not infallible. You ARE human, aren't you? Act like it, man!

Oh, & btw, while I can tell if I will get along with someone or not, it still doesn't stop me from trying to. Sometimes it's my assessments that are self-fulfilling prophesies, as I suspect yours may be from time to time, since you ARE human.

Looks like any regular joe you see on a chicago street.

Reminds me of Danny Aiello...boy what an a-hole HE is, right?

Reminds me of Danny Aiello...boy what an a-hole HE is, right?

hahaha I see that.

Who ??? Never heard of her.
How many other poor souls passed the same day?
Perhaps someone relevant in life to more than just entertainment.
Disrespectful of the dead? Perhaps.
More disrespect, no, outright contempt for the fact that somehow her death is nationally newsworthy but the names of the young men and women passing in Afghanistan and Iraq are not.

Who ??? Never heard of her.
How many other poor souls passed the same day?
Perhaps someone relevant in life to more than just entertainment.
Disrespectful of the dead? Perhaps.
More disrespect, no, outright contempt for the fact that somehow her death is nationally newsworthy but the names of the young men and women passing in Afghanistan and Iraq are not.

I've thought about that myself before, but I concluded that it is more innocent than that. Celebrities are public figures. If they are famous enough, then WE ALL know who they are. It provides an automatic basis for a feeling of shared experience or understanding. If my Uncle Frank died however, I could share that fact, and everyone here would be sympathetic out of courtesy, but have no real basis for real interest. You didn't know my Uncle Frank, and now that he would be passed, you will never have the opportunity to. It is more difficult to feel involved or interested in such a situation.

Whereas, we watch stars on the silver screen and then in interviews and such, chatting and smiling and joking around. We laugh with them, and we learn alot about them and begin to feel we "know" them somewhat. We feel familiar with them. We share nights in company with them from time to time, albeit, through watching their movie or performance. There is more basis for widespread interest in someone passing, like that, whom we ARE ALL familiar with, than someone unknown to us personally.

But, being a singer for many years, and this being a music discussion group... her passing certainly seemed appropriate enough to mention here.

And I certainly share your respect for our military. Which is why it is unlikely I would ever write a song about Brittany Murphy, but I have already written quite a few songs about our military.

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Phil,

You are right. We all have this to varying degrees. It may be akin to playing piano. There are probably very few of us, in relatively wealthy countries, who have not had the experience of being able, even if briefly, to play on a piano. I would venture that most people have learned the little song where kids roll their knuckles over the three black keys grouped together, or maybe even learned chop sticks, but of these, very few will continue on to really develop that skill to a high degree over years of time. The same with body lanuage and facial expressions. we all learn the basics, i.e. someone avoiding looking you in the eyes, could be a sign of deception. Fidgeting is a sign of nervousness, etc... Then there are others so interested in such things, they actually become professional body language experts, and can tell you a whole panoply of gestures and cobinations of gestures and what they indicate.

If you are someone who is not well versed or not very concerned about such things, then it would ne natural not to rely so much on your own assessment, but rely on other methods for assessing a person's traits. But if you were really good at making such assessments, than naturally, you would put more trust in your own conclusions, simply based on past track record. That doesn't mean you can't be fooled, or mistakes can't be made. It just means you have more confidence in your initial instincts than someone else may.

Our facial expressions alone, tell entire stories to those watching them. We all know what raised eyebrows mean, and many other facial expressions. There are more than 40 facial muscles, making THOUSANDS of combinations possible. Our expressions reveal emotions, fear and insecurities, forthrightness, deception, confusion.

I have simply learned that we accidentally reveal FAR MORE than most of us realize is being revealed, by our own actions and expressions, especially the unconscious ones.

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