December 7, 2007
Blood on Beck's Hands?
The NY Post has another story in the ongoing ogling at Theresa Duncan's death. The East Village artist apparently "fell into suicidal depression after telling friends that oddball rocker Beck backed out of her movie project." So now we have yet another baffling peek into the paranoid mindset Duncan and her long time boyfriend Jeremy Blake were in when they committed suicide, just one week apart from each other.
In the January issue of Vanity Fair, Duncan's fragile mental health will be further exposed when a friend of the couple, Nancy Jo Sales, publishes a series of paranoid emails blaming Beck (who Blake created the "Sea Change" album art for in 2002, pictured) for the untimely demise of her movie, Alice Underground.
"Beck and I met repeatedly to discuss the film," Duncan wrote to a friend in early 2003.Her movie, incidentally, was about a troupe of New York prep-school girls who kidnap a rock star and save him from his religion...Scientology. It's like Gossip Girl meets Battleship Earth! Beck, however, claims he was only "casual friends" with Duncan, and when hearing of her email claims, he stated: "That's ridiculous. Totally false. We never met to discuss the film. I did explain to her I wasn't looking to act right then, and with the album, tour schedule, and a baby on the way, it wouldn't be feasible." He added, "Had we been closer and discussed anything as personal as religion, I would have only had positive things to say about Scientology."Duncan accused the Los Angeles-based Beck of subsequently backing out of the project, fearing that his Scientologist handlers wouldn't like the movie, Vanity Fair will report.
"[Beck] really, really tried to get away . . . [by] using going to NY to be in 'Alice Underground,' " Duncan e-mailed a friend in late 2006.
"He told me he wanted to leave the cult desperately, and this what they do [sic] when someone knows that."
Of course, they probably weren't very tight, especially if Beck was hip to the impending lawsuit against him being penned by the couple -- according to that lengthy LA Times article: "In a 27-page chronology written by Blake in October in preparation for a lawsuit against the church that was never filed, he alleges the couple was 'methodically defamed, harassed, followed and threatened' by Scientologists. [Beck] is singled out in the legal document as the person responsible for bringing the couple into conflict with the church." The same article states that Duncan's film was ultimately never made "because the studio and the producers could not agree on a budget and executives remained unconvinced of the film's appeal to its target audience, preteen girls."
Though she did often dwell on the subject, Theresa Duncan's final words are still yet to come -- her pre-scheduled post is set to go live on her blog on New Year's Eve.
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I'm sorry about Jeremy Blake and Theresa Duncan's committing suicide, But even if Beck put a "Scientology Hit" on them, sadly, they committed Suicide.
I don't think Beck has Blood on his hands for this.
Uh, that movie premise sounds really lame, and really, could Duncan have been that egotistical to think that she's above rejection for her ideas? Gimme a break.
Sorry that she and Blake decided to end their own lives, but their actions are wholly the result of their own paranoia.
Scientology is a cult.
Free personality test!
Anyone whos anyone knows that if you want your movie made you convert to judaism, not scientology!
Talk about a lost cause.
Free stress test!
I think that saying Beck has blood on his hands is a crazy stretch. Even if he sucks.
Scientology may be a cult, but the headline still goes too far, if you ask me.
As a society I thought we decided this question back in the 80s with Ozzy (and later Judas Priest). Artists are not responsible for the actions of their delusional fans.
If this didn't involve a celebrity, would there be any question?
This headline is sensationalistic and irresponsible.
But at least it's spelled correctly.
I agree with the comments above that this headline is grossly inaccurate.
The headline is a question, not a statement.
The headline is a question, not a statement.
The question mark headline is usually a mark of sloppy, sensationalist journalism. It lets the writer or editor punch up the story without worrying about trifling things like, y'know, facts.
I'm no fan of Scientology, but blood on Beck's hands? The answer is no.
PREACH ZANTONY PREACH!
Carlson strikes again!
The headline was sensationalist, Zantony? GASP! How vulgar of us. Think how many millions of innocent Beck fans are smashing copies of Odelay as we speak! Please do go on in further comments about how irresponsible the "question mark headline" is - and be sure to let others know about this lively exchange here.
& FYI Jammer, it should be "Del Signore strikes again!" because yours truly wrote that scandalous headline. (Please note the capitalized "S" in my last name, for future reference, k thx.)
OH HEYELL NO!
I KNEW this cheap headline had Del "S"ignore's fingerprints all over it. A punctuation mark doesn't excuse your reckless allegations toward Mr. Hansen, Del Sensationalist. And no - I was not so gullible as to burn my copies of Dianetics or destroy my mix tape with "Loser" on it.
But don't forget for a second I've forgotten how you last tampered with one of Carlson's posts and sent me on a wild goose chase - IN THE POURING RAIN - to see the Cloverfield trailer that - ACCORDING TO YOU - was to be screened in IMAX glory before Beowulf. NOT!!!!
Next time leave Carlson's posts alone, THANK YOU!!!
Why is so much attention paid to this couple? Yes, a tragedy. But why is it being used as such a huge media blitz? Let it (and them) rest.
"....blogger Emmanuelle Richard points us to a translated 2003 Italian interview with Beck that seems to undermine his credibility a little. Here he is talking excitedly about making his acting debut in a movie that sounds a lot like Duncan's Alice Underground: "It will be full of energy and full of characters: some kind of Alice in Wonderland set in the seventies. It still doesn't have a title. The director is a friend of mine, and it will be her directorial debut. But I trust her. We will begin shooting in the fall."
http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2007/12/how_well_did_jeremy_blake.html
http://www.emmanuelle.net/2007/12/a_propos_de_beck_et_alice_unde.html