Comments on: Christopher Reeve is dead.

Christopher Reeve is dead.

qDot — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 22:45:10 -0800

hey superman, where did you go, now that the lights have gone low...

By: SisterHavana

SisterHavana — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 22:50:54 -0800

Very sad. : ( I seem to remember he was in Chicago recently and he looked like he was doing pretty well of late.

By: ruddhist

ruddhist — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 22:56:41 -0800

This makes me very sad. Out of respect for his death, I won't rant about the stem-cell research ban, without which his paralysis might have been cured. But I really, really want to.

By: tsarfan

tsarfan — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 22:56:42 -0800

this link is a little easier on the eyes. (for those of us who like to remember superman with hair, etc.)

By: sourbrew

sourbrew — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 23:00:17 -0800

hey superman, where did you go, now that the lights have gone low... qDot Thanks for being tasteful..... and ruddhist, while that is the same thing as ranting... I'm with you.

By: allaboutgeorge

allaboutgeorge — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 23:01:04 -0800

ruddhist: Looks like Reeve himself had a lot to say in Reader's Digest last month.

By: mathowie

mathowie — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 23:06:38 -0800

Dang. Chris Reeve was always the guy that was going to walk someday, and prove that technology and science still has the ability to save all. I honestly thought he'd be walking by the end of the decade, so it's really bad news to hear he's gone. How'd he slip into his coma? Random blood clot? Stroke? I can't seem to find any details about it.

By: boredomjockey

boredomjockey — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 23:14:00 -0800

The BBC says he had an infection due to a pressure wound, though I'm not sure how or whether that led to cardiac arrest and a coma. How very sad.

By: mathowie

mathowie — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 23:16:24 -0800

BTW, the lyric was killing me and it took some googling to figure out the band was Love Spit Love.

By: squirrel

squirrel — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 23:18:00 -0800

Sad, indeed. I remember seeing a photo of Reeve from way back in the day, before Superman, when he was doing stage acting. He was wearing a kerchief around his neck, sitting on the sofa of some famous celebrity photographer. Looked like it was taken at a casual party, and Reeve looked like just the sweetest guy. If anyone can find this photo, please link to it or send it to me. As someone who came of age in the 80s, Christopher Reeve was iconic in so many ways. I really hoped that he would someday walk again. The world is a little less bright for his loss. Also, adds weight to the Superman Curse myth.

By: allaboutgeorge

allaboutgeorge — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 23:19:08 -0800

The Second Bush-Kerry Presidential Debate [...] GIBSON: Senator Kerry, the next question is for you, and it comes from Elizabeth Long. LONG: Senator Kerry, thousands of people have already been cured or treated by the use of adult stem cells or umbilical cord stem cells. However, no one has been cured by using embryonic stem cells. Wouldn't it be wise to use stem cells obtained without the destruction of an embryo? KERRY: You know, Elizabeth, I really respect your -- the feeling that's in your question. I understand it. I know the morality that's prompting that question, and I respect it enormously. But like Nancy Reagan, and so many other people -- you know, I was at a forum with Michael J. Fox the other day in New Hampshire, who's suffering from Parkinson's, and he wants us to do stem cell, embryonic stem cell. And this fellow stood up, and he was quivering. His whole body was shaking from the nerve disease, the muscular disease that he had. And he said to me and to the whole hall, he said, "You know, don't take away my hope, because my hope is what keeps me going." Chris Reeve is a friend of mine. Chris Reeve exercises every single day to keep those muscles alive for the day when he believes he can walk again, and I want him to walk again. I think we can save lives. Now, I think we can do ethically guided embryonic stem-cell research. We have 100,000 to 200,000 embryos that are frozen in nitrogen today from fertility clinics. These weren't taken from abortion or something like that. They're from a fertility clinic. And they're either going to be destroyed or left frozen. And I believe if we have the option, which scientists tell us we do, of curing Parkinson's, curing diabetes, curing, you know, some kind of a, you know, paraplegic or quadriplegic or, you know, a spinal cord injury, anything, that's the nature of the human spirit. I think it is respecting life to reach for that cure. I think it is respecting life to do it in an ethical way. And the president has chosen a policy that makes it impossible for our scientists to do that. I want the future, and I think we have to grab it. GIBSON: Mr. President, a minute and a half. BUSH: Embryonic stem-cell research requires the destruction of life to create a stem cell. I'm the first president ever to allow funding -- federal funding -- for embryonic stem-cell research. I did to because I too hope that we'll discover cures from the stem cells and from the research derived. But I think we've got to be very careful in balancing the ethics and the science. And so I made the decision we wouldn't spend any more money beyond the 70 lines, 22 of which are now in action, because science is important, but so is ethics, so is balancing life. To destroy life to save life is -- it's one of the real ethical dilemmas that we face. There is going to be hundreds of experiments off the 22 lines that now exist that are active, and hopefully we find a cure. But as well, we need to continue to pursue adult stem-cell research. I helped double the NIH budget to $28 billion a year to find cures. And the approach I took is one that I think is a balanced and necessary approach, to balance science and the concerns for life. GIBSON: Senator, 30 seconds, less extent. KERRY: Well, you talk about walking a waffle line -- he says he's allowed it, which means he's going to allow the destruction of life up to a certain amount and then he isn't going to allow it. I don't know how you draw that line. But let me tell you, point blank, the lines of stem cells that he's made available, every scientist in the country will tell you, "Not adequate," because they're contaminated by mouse cells, and because there aren't 60 or 70 -- they're are only about 11 to 20 now -- and there aren't enough to be able to do the research because they're contaminated. We've got to open up the possibilities of this research. And when I am president, I'm going to do it because we have to. GIBSON: Mr. President? BUSH: Let me make sure you understand my decision. Those stem-cells lines already existed. The embryo had already been destroyed prior to my decision. I had to make the decision to destroy more life, so we continue to destroy life -- I made the decision to balance science and ethics. [...]

By: homunculus

homunculus — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 23:21:38 -0800

The Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation

By: TangerineGurl

TangerineGurl — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 23:23:30 -0800

ty for that link allaboutgeorge

By: Busithoth

Busithoth — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 23:31:28 -0800

By: vacapinta

vacapinta — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 23:33:28 -0800

This makes me incredibly sad. It doesn't seem right that someone with such a strong will to live should go.

By: mr.marx

mr.marx — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 23:33:33 -0800

Tell everybody Waitin' for Superman That they should try to Hold on best they can He hasn't dropped them Forgot them, or anything It's just too heavy for Superman to lift

By: blasdelf

blasdelf — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 23:35:20 -0800

Every Para/Quad I know (including my mother) despises Reeve, mainly because he refused to accept that he was not going to walk, and that he needed to simply accept that he was now disabled. He used his disability to get back into the limelight. Feel free to hate me forever...

By: Kwantsar

Kwantsar — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 23:39:48 -0800

Ken Caminiti has also died. Sad day, indeed.

By: allaboutgeorge

allaboutgeorge — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 23:40:57 -0800

Every metafilter reader I know (except, perhaps, blasdelf's mother) despises blasdelf, mainly because he refused to accept that snarking about disability accepatance in a dead man's thread is tantamount to trolling. blasdelf used his poor sense of timing to get back into the limelight. Someday, somebody's going to offer him that special kind of forever-hate, but not here and not now.

By: mathowie

mathowie — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 23:43:45 -0800

He used his disability to get back into the limelight. Well, speaking for myself, he became an optimistic goal. In a way, kind of like flying to the moon must have been in the 60's. Every time I heard news about Reeve, I'd think "great, we must be getting closer to the point where he can walk, right?" My dad kind of treats his own stroke the same way, insisting that he'll walk without aid again soon, even though he's kind of gone downhill physically since the stroke paralyzed his left side. It's frustrating to deal with, so I can kind of understand where your mom is coming from.

By: phyrewerx

phyrewerx — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 23:43:46 -0800

By: cinderful

cinderful — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 23:50:41 -0800

ditto, mr. marx Everyone play a little Waitin' for a Superman by The Flaming Lips (from The Soft Bulletin)

By: chrid

chrid — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 23:55:45 -0800

RIP, Supes.

By: feelinglistless

feelinglistless — Sun, 10 Oct 2004 23:59:29 -0800

By: RavinDave

RavinDave — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 00:10:29 -0800

I recall many years back when Supes paid his own way to come to Omaha to support a small charity event. I'm told it wasn't unusual.

By: Civil_Disobedient

Civil_Disobedient — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 00:19:00 -0800

Goodbye, Superman.

By: Pretty_Generic

Pretty_Generic — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 00:42:42 -0800

NOOOO

By: Pretty_Generic

Pretty_Generic — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 00:46:36 -0800

This could be very bad news for Bush. No?

By: NationalKato

NationalKato — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 01:03:12 -0800

blasdelf, from 1994-1996 i worked for the Florida Governor's Alliance for the Employment of Disabled Citizens [now known as The Able Trust, and still a 501(c)(3) established by the Florida Legislature]. we worked with Para/Quads quite frequently, and Reeve was a major cause of disputes amongst those we spoke with. i would argue that the majority of people inflicted with spinal injuries do not 'despise' Reeve. as a matter of fact, he was a source of inspiration for many - not because there was all this hope of a cure, but because he chose not to sit back and accept it without hope...and at least made Joe Schmo aware, or more aware, of spinal injuries in general (which is always good when you're trying to get more government and private funding for research). in my opinion, those that were angry were just like the blind or deaf that are angry when blind/deaf parents of blind/deaf kids do not fully embrace sign language or Braille - as if it has become a culture that must not be forgotten. when in fact, these parents just want a better life for their children, and this 'better life' includes not having the same obstacles in their path. or, having a 'better life' through optimistic hope for medicinal and/or technological advancement. i find that those that are upset about someone else in a similar situation having seemingly incredible hope in the face of impossible odds are really just upset at their own inability to see that light - or incapable of that same hope. and isn't that a bit sad, really?

By: Pretty_Generic

Pretty_Generic — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 01:07:25 -0800

Understatement of the century. I want people to walk, and if breaking down a few cells that have the collective intelligence of a rubber plant will help, then do it now.

By: ed

ed — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 01:07:34 -0800

I remember reading a story about Reeve shooting the Niagra Falls scene in Superman II. The entire group of extras wanted Reeve's autograph and they couldn't shoot the scene. Reeve personally promised all of them that he would give them personal photographs if they could shoot the scene. By all reports, Reeve was a nice guy and a class act. I'll always remember his dark overlooked performance in The Aviator. But his resolve to find a cure using technology was even more noble. A sad day indeed.

By: Pretty_Generic

Pretty_Generic — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 01:08:20 -0800

Remember, every time you don't rape a stranger, you're killing a theoretical child. Won't somebody PLEASE THINK of the THEORETICAL CHILDREN?

By: bz

bz — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 01:20:42 -0800

By: wdpeck

wdpeck — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 01:29:31 -0800

The BBC says he had an infection due to a pressure wound, though I'm not sure how or whether that led to cardiac arrest and a coma. Decubitus ulcers (aka pressure wounds or bedsores) are extremely common in paras/quads (among others), and about 10% of their deaths are found to be directly caused by them. Basically, tissue breaks down due to pressure and irritation and dies, which promotes localized infection. If this infection enters the bloodstream it can cause systemic infection, which is a very bad thing. It sounds like that's what happened in this case. Re: para/quad attitudes about Reeve: what NationalKato said.

By: cookie-k

cookie-k — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 01:32:01 -0800

By: stevis

stevis — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 01:33:19 -0800

A gentle reminder that Christopher Reeve was about more than just his Superman role: A woman I work with travels to Michigan every year for a "Somewhere in Time" festival. It's like a Star Trek convention, but for fans of the 1979 Christopher Reeve/Jane Seymour movie. It has quite a cult following among the romantic-at-heart set.

By: matteo

matteo — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 01:46:23 -0800

I second those who mention his foundation. those who have a buck or two to spare could do worse to donate them to spinal cord injury research. it's a fucking of a hellish thing to have, and the cure is out there. Reeve, with his bravery, demonstrated just that: if you don't surrender and work and lobby, the cure is out there. and someday it'll be found. .

By: insomnia_lj

insomnia_lj — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 02:04:35 -0800

And now, a message from Christopher Reeve...

By: Joey Michaels

Joey Michaels — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 02:12:54 -0800

By: ZachsMind

ZachsMind — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 02:13:15 -0800

At the moment I'm suffering from an ear infection, and have been whining all night cuz I can't sleep. Woe is me. Then I learn this. Suddenly the ear infection seems rather trite and pointless. It even hurts a little less, although that might be the nyquil talking. "So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable." One of the great actors of my lifetime. The ideal male ingenue lead in his heyday. Magnificent sense of timing for both comedy and drama. A guy with the amazing range to play Superman and Deathtrap and Somewhere In Time. Devoted husband and father. Tremendous courage and a refusal to give up. His directorial approach to Hitchcock's Bedroom Window still haunts me to this day. You can't please everybody all the time, but he strived to please himself and I hope in the end he succeeded. Well, come November I'll do the very little that I can do, so that his death will not have been in vain. "Don't give up. Don't lose hope. Don't sell out." Janet Leigh. Rodney Dangerfield. Christopher Reeve. This has just been a bad month.

By: caution live frogs

caution live frogs — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 05:22:20 -0800

well, that's a great cap on my weekend. it's sad to see someone with so much will to live lose the battle. i don't know if i could have been as optimistic as him if i were in the same position.

By: yoga

yoga — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 05:23:44 -0800

I hope it makes research bureacracy wake up to the extreme value of time. [very sad]

By: bwg

bwg — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 05:36:23 -0800

I took a walk around the world to Ease my troubled mind I left my body laying somewhere In the sands of time I watched the world float to the dark Side of the moon I feel there is nothing I can do, yeah I watched the world float to the Dark side of the moon After all I knew it had to be something To do with you I really don't mind what happens now and then As long as you'll be my friend at the end If I go crazy then will you still Call me Superman If I'm alive and well, will you be There holding my hand I'll keep you by my side with My superhuman might Kryptonite You called me strong, you called me weak But your secrets I will keep You took for granted all the times I Never let you down You stumbled in and bumped your head, if Not for me then you would be dead I picked you up and put you back On solid ground If I go crazy then will you still Call me Superman If I'm alive and well will you be There holding my hand I'll keep you by my side with my Superhuman might Kryptonite .

By: sourbrew

sourbrew — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 05:48:21 -0800

bwg - you're a bastard for that... a class a bastard, shame on you

By: ed\26h

ed\26h — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 05:51:51 -0800

allaboutgeorge: Well what you’ve done there is insulted blasdelf. Whether or not any or all of the things you’ve said about him are correct, his opinion maybe true for all that.

By: fluffycreature

fluffycreature — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 05:53:56 -0800

He was a class act. I had the pleasure of working with one of his daughters, who was elegant with her dad's smile and eyes. I think he took his injury and made his celebrity work for him, to raise awareness of a problem that research might solve. A multitude of stories since his injury would back that statement up. My best to him and his family. "Used his injury to be in the limelight" is a pathetic comment.

By: oneiros

oneiros — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 05:54:24 -0800

"So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable." This just became my new mantra. I had never read this quote from him, so thank you very very much Zachsmind Reeves summoned forth that will and began to beat seemingly insurmountable odds, regaining motion and feeling to parts of his body, and even though these were a limited achievement, it was a monumental display of what happens when you live with those words in your heart and mind. Summon the will. Fate, it seems, would deny him the final desired outcome, or perhaps, in another way, deny him years of frustration or failure. I like to think he passed away with achievement and success and even a degree of happiness in his heart, with the feeling that hope was indeed being redeemed, and that all that torturous hard work and emotional grind did indeed approach some sort of redemption in his mind. If one is to measure that success in how he has motivated and inspired people, in how he instilled hope in those that thought there was none, then he truly was a Superman. Very sad day indeed.

By: codger

codger — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 06:00:23 -0800

...and sometimes I despair the world will never see another man like him

By: CunningLinguist

CunningLinguist — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 06:11:00 -0800

O Superman...... I happen to think one of the coolest bits of acting I ever saw was in the second Superman movie, when Reeve as Clark Kent is found out by LL. He turns his back to the camera and without any FX at all, and without even using his face, he turns from Clark into Superman.

By: DrDoberman

DrDoberman — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 06:24:13 -0800

Every Para/Quad I know (including my mother) despises Reeve, mainly because he refused to accept that he was not going to walk, and that he needed to simply accept that he was now disabled. So he wasn't a proper crip because he stayed positive and hopeful? His hope was enough to make your mother despise him!! Creepy! For my part, I will miss him and his relentless hope.

By: chicobangs

chicobangs — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 06:31:23 -0800

O Superman, O Judge, O Mom and Dad. Despite the implicit promise in the beginning of this thread that we wouldn't make this a platform for stem cell research, we've done it anyway, it seems. I mean, sure, it might have saved his life (and maybe Reagan's too, which you know, in this context, would have been okay), but I don't get the feeling that the election is going to hinge on the setm cell issue. It'll be Iraq, the economy, and who do you believe. My thoughts go out to Mr. Reeve's wife and family. The guy was a good actor and an eloquent spokesman for his cause.

By: scalz

scalz — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 06:48:11 -0800

I can't stand to fly I'm not that naive I'm just out to find The better part of me I'm more than a bird...I'm more than a plane More than some pretty face beside a train It's not easy to be me Wish that I could cry Fall upon my knees Find a way to lie About a home I'll never see It may sound absurd...but don't be naive Even heroes have the right to bleed I may be disturbed...but won't you concede Even heroes have the right to dream It's not easy to be me Up, up and away...away from me It's all right...you can all sleep sound tonight I'm not crazy...or anything... I can't stand to fly I'm not that naive Men weren't meant to ride With clouds between their knees I'm only a man in a silly red sheet Digging for kryptonite on this one way street Only a man in a funny red sheet Looking for special things inside of me Inside of me Inside me Yeah, inside me Inside of me I'm only a man In a funny red sheet I'm only a man Looking for a dream I'm only a man In a funny red sheet And it's not easy, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm... Its not easy to be me Five For Fighting

By: headspace

headspace — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 06:54:26 -0800

I went to bed last night in my Superman jammies, but it's not Superman I remember Christopher Reeve best for- in 1980, I was seven and I fell in love with Richard Collier in "Somewhere in Time." To this day, my dream man is tall, dark-haired, blue-eyed, and would literally defy time and space to get to me. Goodnight, Christopher. Thank you.

By: ZachsMind

ZachsMind — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 06:59:51 -0800

For me it is stem cell research that clinched it. If not for that, i'd stay home on Nov 2nd. Both Kerry and Bush are silver spoons who have no clue the plight of the average american beyond what their stooges and yesmen tell them. However, Kerry's a little smarter when it comes to stem cell research, and we need to move forward there. I don't believe either of them, Iraq's far too late to fix, and the economy is bigger than any president can resolve alone. Stem cell research though, Kerry will just make a few phone calls or maybe sign some paperwork and the U.S. medical industry will be back on track. As for turning a thread about Reeve's passing into a forum for debate on stem cell research? I'd be willing to bet Mr. Reeve wouldn't want it any other way. His whole effort was towards opening a dialogue about it, and getting the facts out there.

By: Trik

Trik — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 07:03:24 -0800

Goodbye Chris. Thanks for being an inspiration in entertainment and in real life.

By: anastasiav

anastasiav — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 07:10:06 -0800

Tarzan wasn't a ladies' man He'd just come along and scoop 'em up under his arm Like that, quick as a cat in the jungle But Clark Kent, now there was a real gent He would not be caught sittin' around in no Junglescape, dumb as an ape doing nothing Superman never made any money For saving the world from Solomon Grundy And sometimes I despair the world will never see Another man like him Hey Bob, Supe had a straight job Even though he could have smashed through any bank In the United States, he had the strength, but he would not Folks said his family were all dead Their planet crumbled but Superman, he forced himself To carry on, forget Krypton, and keep going Sometimes when Supe was stopping crimes I'll bet that he was tempted to just quit and turn his back On man, join Tarzan in the forest But he stayed in the city, and kept on changing clothes In dirty old phonebooths till his work was through And nothing to do but go on home Superman never made any money For saving the world from Solomon Grundy And sometimes I despair the world will never see Another man like him And sometimes I despair the world will never see Another man like him

By: lodurr

lodurr — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 07:10:50 -0800

refused to accept that he was not going to walk From what I could see, this was more or less just what he was: He was someone who refused to accept that there was such a thing as an inevitable. I also got the sense that he didn't demand the same of everyone. He knew this was how he was wired; he was willing to use that fact, to accomplish a real goal. We can only really judge him by his works, and those, overall, were pretty good. Yes, he spent a lot of money on himself, with what could be seen as a selfish goal of walking again; but it's also true that he was making of himself a best-case experiment for methods that were sharply out of favor, and that he has since proved to be valid. I have a hard time hanging on to hope, myself. That's my nature. So I need people like Chris Reeves in the world. I'll miss him.

By: bwg

bwg — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 07:14:41 -0800

I'm a bastard for posting a song with Superman lyrics? Maybe you're reading too much into them, sourbrew. And you must be blind... did you not notice the "." at the end? Christopher Reeve was a class act, and I like many others are saddened he's gone.

By: jester69

jester69 — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 07:20:43 -0800

Tell everybody Waitin' for Superman That they should try to hold on Best they can He hasn't dropped them Forgot them Or anything It's just too heavy for Superman to lift .

By: lodurr

lodurr — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 07:22:04 -0800

bwg: I think maybe you were a "bastard" in the way that men call each other "bastard" sometimes instead of saying "thank you." Or something else they'd rather not say.

By: Yossarian

Yossarian — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 07:32:38 -0800

By: nthdegx

nthdegx — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 07:50:28 -0800

"Superman stands alone".

By: Fezboy!

Fezboy! — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:07:29 -0800

By: skyboy

skyboy — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:09:19 -0800

By: ed\26h

ed\26h — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:15:04 -0800

Every Para/Quad I know (including my mother) despises Reeve, mainly because he refused to accept that he was not going to walk, and that he needed to simply accept that he was now disabled. The only reason I can imagine someone may have for holding this fact against Reeve is that it could to said to show that being able bodied is a more preferable or a better state of affairs than being disabled. And this somehow translates to a belief that able bodied people being inherently better human beings. Perhaps they think of it in the same way as those who criticised Michael Jackson for trying to “paint himself white” – as it seemed to send out the signal that being white was something to strive for, or something better than being black. Still, I think this is a terrible bit of reasoning but it’s the only explanation I can think of.

By: charms55

charms55 — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:15:47 -0800

"Can You Read My Mind".... Goodnight, Christopher.

By: chunking express

chunking express — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:23:55 -0800

It is a sad day.

By: lodurr

lodurr — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:25:28 -0800

ed, I think we'd find it varies, but that the most common, primary reason disabled folks would dislike Reeves would be that the resent the implication they should be doing more. It's hard enough already, they'd say; why are you making it harder by holding up this impossible standard? It's a pretty high standard, true; but again, I don't think he went around demanding that of people, like a lot of other folks do. Another thing that I've seen a lot of is a manifestation of what you might call "faith of the convert". With a major life-changing condition like paraplegia, you go through something similar to the "stages of mourning", and eventually you get into an "acceptance phase." I think for a lot of people, that phase resembles creedal faith, in many ways. So challenges to it are dealt with in a similar way to challenges to one's ideological or religious beliefs. These are by no means mutually exclusive attitudes, either, and I'm not even sure they're fundamentally different.

By: fenriq

fenriq — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:29:16 -0800

Man, this has been a tough season on the famous. Go with peace, Christopher.

By: Stynxno

Stynxno — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:36:55 -0800

By: rushmc

rushmc — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:39:38 -0800

He did good work. Now it's time for others to pick up the yoke. Do your part: vote for Kerry. (and those of you who would seek to kill hope can go to hell.)

By: joeclark

joeclark — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:39:42 -0800

At some point, is anybody going to notice a dozen or more posts in this thread consisting of nothing but a period?

By: cortex

cortex — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:49:04 -0800

bwg: lodurr's take is very forgiving, but I suspect it's wrong. I reckon you're a bastard for quoting possibly the shittiest, most insipid top-40 crap-rock song ever written that mentions Superman, as successor to the thread's previous collection of poignant, excellent lyrical citations. Yech. As for the Dummies lyrics: But he stayed in the city, and kept on changing clothes In dirty old phonebooths till his work was through And nothing to do but go on home That's the line that always seemed like the key to the song, the bit that always socks me right in the gut, and Brad Roberts' delivery and the production of that moment of the track seems to support it -- where the hell was Superman going to go home to? Dammit, I can't believe Reeve is dead.

By: lodurr

lodurr — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:59:06 -0800

joeclark: Consider that the British English term for "period" is "full-stop." .

By: whatnot

whatnot — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 09:02:20 -0800

By: WolfDaddy

WolfDaddy — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 09:30:45 -0800

I don't want to believe this man could die. :-<

By: JanetLand

JanetLand — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 09:31:59 -0800

Noises Off. Reeve was hysterical in that one. Also very funny in Switching Channels, an otherwise tiresome movie. A really good comic actor, I think.

By: bwg

bwg — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 09:35:50 -0800

Okay, let me get this straight. You don't like a song, therefore I'm a bastard for posting its lyrics? Your dislike is not my problem; it's your problem. I'm not responsible for your feelings. Only on Mefi can people derail a thread about Reeve with pedantic bullshit. That's all I'm going to say on this. Rest in Peace, Christopher.

By: aclevername

aclevername — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 09:40:43 -0800

"But most will remember this sad day as the day the proudest, most noble man they ever knew finally fell. For those who loved him -- one who would call him husband, one who would be his pal, or those who would call him son -- this is the darkest day they could ever imagine. They raised him to be a hero: to know the value of sacrifice, to know the value of life. And for those who served with Superman in the protection of all life comes the shock of a failure: the weight of being too late to help. For a city to live, a man had given his all and more. But it's too late. For this is the day that a Superman died." Superman #75, 1992 RIP Chris

By: cortex

cortex — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 09:48:07 -0800

bwg: I don't just not like the song by some arbitrary whim. I don't like the song because it's a big old pile of over-played underwritten music-machine poo. I've got nothing against you personally, and I can qualify the above rant as being my opinion, but it's like you googled your brain for superman lyrics and posted the first thing that came out without giving it any thought. The song isn't about Superman, or anything relevant to Christopher Reeve or the surrounding context -- it's just poorly metered, cat-mat-that rhyming dreck. It happens to mention Superman and Kryptonite because the jackass who wrote the song thought it was DEEP, no doubt. Even the Laurie Anderson reference made more sense, and I'm pretty sure she was riffing on Nietzche. So my reaction -- and I'm guessing lodurr's reaction -- was that it seemed pretty thoughtless of you. Clearly you didn't mean it that way, so I apologize for any sense of personal attack, but can you see where I'm coming from?

By: SpaceCadet

SpaceCadet — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 09:54:22 -0800

I read "Nothing Is Impossible" a few months back....I honestly thought Reeve would be alive for at least another 10 years. RIP Chris, long live the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation.

By: Krrrlson

Krrrlson — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 09:57:02 -0800

I was sure he was going to walk again some day, if even for a step or two. His conviction was contagious.

By: lodurr

lodurr — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 10:01:11 -0800

I suppose I should make my reaction clear and get out of the middle: I didn't know the song, still don't; I mistakenly read the reaction to it as being too moved. And I agree that this thread in the conversation is a bit unseemly, and suggest that we drop it.

By: lodurr

lodurr — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 10:03:05 -0800

Afterthought: I always thought Laurie Anderson was riffing on psychotherapy -- i.e., "Superman" as a "daddy" symbol.

By: chicobangs

chicobangs — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 10:30:07 -0800

lodurr, I'm pretty sure you're right. (Bastard.) Still, I like it, and it was the first song I thought of when I heard he'd died. In Deathtrap, he and Michael Caine had the first same-sex kiss I'd ever seen. I remember there being gasps in the theater. It's funny now, but then it seemed scandalous. I don't know why that of all things has come back to me now.

By: Al_Truist

Al_Truist — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 10:42:55 -0800

By: tommasz

tommasz — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 10:55:58 -0800

Krrrlson, I'm with you. I really believed he was going to walk again, that it wasn't just wishful thinking. Sometimes all it takes is one "yes" in a sea of "no" to make all the difference. RIP Chris.

By: lilboo

lilboo — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 12:20:24 -0800

By: cortex

cortex — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 12:37:34 -0800

So my reaction -- and I'm guessing lodurr's reaction Here I meant sourbrew, of course. Oy.

By: konolia

konolia — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 13:19:15 -0800

I couldn't sleep last night. I got up and went to the computer, clicked on Drudge...I didn't need to see that Superman died, but that is what it said.... My thought was, well, now he knows what God's opinion on stem cells are... I went back to bed. And lay awake for yet a little while...

By: justgary

justgary — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 13:21:04 -0800

He did always seem like a genuinely nice guy, though calling him a great actor is a stretch (sorry, but somewhere in time was sappy, cheesy, and melodramatic, and that's being kind). I thought he handled himself well, and took advantage of his position, money, and the fact that 99 percent of those in his position don't receive his level of care to spread the word. because he refused to accept that snarking about disability accepatance in a dead man's thread is tantamount to trolling. I agree george. Even though every thread on metafilter is an open forum for all ideas no matter the occasion, talking bad of the dead does seem to be in bad taste. But this pales in comparison with the reagin thread. I, for one, won't mourn the bastard's passing. Hell, I think I'll take a trip to his grave just to piss on it. Isn't he the guy who was about as bright as a 40W bulb he was quite the tool I did, in fact, come here to piss on the bastard's grave "AH-HAHA! He's Dead! It's Dead! The Republican Beast is fucking dead! Good riddance. If you didn't want to see bad things said about one of the worst presidents of modern times, you shouldn't have posted it. Let's bid him good riddance and be done with it. Well, one less bastard in the world Off to hell with you, Mister President. Let's remember him for the empty suit that he was. I'm thrilled Reagan is dead. I say, fuck you Reagan and the horse you rode in on. I have at least the satisfaction that he has probably been shitting his pants like a baby for years and the people closest to him are thrilled that he's died. Of course, that's just a small taste of all the classy comments regarding the death of another human being who also died from a tragic medical condition. If you had seen that thread, knowing how you feel about this one, you would have been so offended, at least I hope.

By: LittleMissCranky

LittleMissCranky — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 13:45:57 -0800

My thought was, well, now he knows what God's opinion on stem cells are... konolia, can I just say that, religion or no, you are a horrible human being? Seriously, what is the matter with you?

By: PinkStainlessTail

PinkStainlessTail — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 13:56:04 -0800

My thought was, well, now he knows what God's opinion on stem cells are... konolia, can I just say that, religion or no, you are a horrible human being? Lord knows I'm not a fan, but I think Konolia meant that Chris is talking to god in heaven about the issue, not that his death was god passing judgment.

By: LittleMissCranky

LittleMissCranky — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 14:05:09 -0800

I really hope so, PST, and if you're right, I sincerely apologize.

By: chicobangs

chicobangs — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 14:15:48 -0800

justgary, did you just put a big rubber Reagan mask on a straw man for us? Because really, thanks for that.

By: graventy

graventy — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 14:18:36 -0800

I'm gonna have to agree with PST on this one, Cranky, but way to live up to the name. .

By: konolia

konolia — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 14:47:18 -0800

I meant he was in a place where he and God could discuss it. Sorry, people, I am having a bad day today. Maybe not posting would be a good idea for me.

By: LittleMissCranky

LittleMissCranky — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 15:17:10 -0800

No, konolia, my fault. Heck of a day for me too. I apologize.

By: XQUZYPHYR

XQUZYPHYR — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 15:23:58 -0800

Of course, that's just a small taste of all the classy comments regarding the death of another human being who also died from a tragic medical condition. Ummm.... I missed the part where Reeve was accused of launching an illegal war in South America that caused the horrific deaths of tens of thousands and the ignorance of a global pandemic that killed millions more. I'm not tap-dancing on Reagan's grave or anything, but I base my opinions of people on how they lived, not how they died.

By: SuzySmith

SuzySmith — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 15:29:45 -0800

I had a long post about being disabled and acceptance and I decided this wasn't the place for it. I'll mourn Christopher Reeve passing on, fiercely. He was a good man with boundless amounts of hope.

By: NationalKato

NationalKato — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 16:36:22 -0800

god doesn't exist. Reeve is going to decay and his energy will pass on to other things, as energy tends to do. to make it sound like he's going to have some discussion with god about why he had to die prior to the almighty making the breakthrough available for us stupid humans is just ridiculous.

By: justgary

justgary — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 17:40:57 -0800

justgary, did you just put a big rubber Reagan mask on a straw man for us? Because really, thanks for that. Ummm.... I missed the part where Reeve was accused of launching an illegal war in South America that caused the horrific deaths of tens of thousands and the ignorance of a global pandemic that killed millions more. I'm not tap-dancing on Reagan's grave or anything, but I base my opinions of people on how they lived, not how they died. This is not about who the better person was, it's about basic human decency. No, Reeve has nothing in his past as controversial as Reagin did. Then again, he was an ACTOR. An actor who had something awful thrust upon him and was as much an inspiration as the thousands of others who face their situation with grace and courage minus the millions of dollars and threads on metafilter. It's important to realize that other people may have a different opinion of Reagin than posters here, just as others may have a different opinion on Reeve. They're all valid, and if pissing on one thread as if the person wasn't human is ok then certainly a few dissenting words on Reeve can be handled. Unless we have hypocrites here, and I know we don't. Not on metafilter.

By: andrew cooke

andrew cooke — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 18:02:07 -0800

,)(,)' . . .

By: bwg

bwg — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 20:36:01 -0800

By: jokeefe

jokeefe — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 21:03:44 -0800

joeclark, it's a Mefi meme signifying 'there are no words' or 'I bow my head in silent respect'.

By: lodurr

lodurr — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 22:01:49 -0800

NationalKato: Speaking as an atheist, I can say with some confidence that the fact of God's non-existence is of little comfort to me with regard to Christopher Reeve's death. I expect the same is true of Dana and Will Reeve. As an atheist of some long standing (25+ years, thus confirmed nearly 75% of my life) and firm conviction, I should hope that this helps to bring home the fact that sometimes, rational considerations do not trump all.

By: scarabic

scarabic — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 22:41:03 -0800

The only thing that passes through my mind is that it's better Christopher Reeve lived on after his accident, as opposed to simply breaking his neck and dying on the spot. He took the opportunity to raise awareness about several specific medical issues, as well as the plight of handicapped around the world. He was an inspiration to a lot of people struggling, and helped get some eyeballs and dollar signs pointing in the right direction. Compared to his memorable but insignificant acting career, these are huge accomplishments. You've gotta die anyway. Spending a couple of years making a difference like that, in the process, is hardly to be looked back on as a tragedy. He suffered, but he did the things he needed to to make his pain worthwile, as his positive attitude reflected. I'm glad his pain is over now, and frankly, the existence or nonexistence of God is completely and totally fucking irrelevant.

By: nthdegx

nthdegx — Tue, 12 Oct 2004 02:25:18 -0800

Channel 4 have whacked their August 2000 interview with Reeve online.

By: grum@work

grum@work — Tue, 12 Oct 2004 09:24:50 -0800

Up, up and away!

By: homunculus

homunculus — Wed, 13 Oct 2004 15:19:48 -0800

Republicans sell out Christopher Reeve’s paralysis bill

By: homunculus

homunculus — Wed, 13 Oct 2004 21:49:02 -0800

Two separate teams of Harvard scientists are preparing to produce cloned embryos for disease research, and one has officially applied for permission from the university's ethical review board.

By: emmling

emmling — Thu, 14 Oct 2004 19:08:27 -0800

So long, Superman I'll light a candle for you