Tony Scott

[Sultanosurf]

"Top Gun" director jumps to death from LA area bridge at 68. The news was a jolt, like most of his flicks.

A few misses in his career, but plenty of hits. He sure transformed the image of naval aviation. And had some fun movies with Denzel, especially "Crimson Tide." "True Romance" is an overlooked gem, too.

I never imagined that the Vincent Thomas Bridge was tall enough for the fall to be fatal...

[Mom]

There's something about committing suicide by jumping off a bridge that I find particularly disturbing. I think it's because the jumper has time before they die to change their mind without being able to do anything about it. I've read of a few people who lept off a bridge and lived to tell about it who said the moment they jumped they regretted it.

A few months ago, I ran across a compilation video (online) of people jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. I don't know what possessed me to watch it but I did. Their leaps were accompanied by the song "Mad World." I so wish I had never seen it. I can't shake it still.

As for Tony Scott, a very sad end for a talented man.

[Marty McFly]

The movie, 'The Bridge' was a documentary about suicides off the Golden Gate Bridge. I'm sure the video you saw used clips from that documentary.

[Jane Craig]

So sad. I hope he has found a sort of peace he didn't get from this life. Jumping does seem like a particularly cruel-to-self act.

[Marty McFly]

Found this online... I'm sure there is more to it:

A study of people's reasons for choosing a method for suicide indicated that females are more concerned with quickness, painfulness and disfigurement, but less concerned with the availability of the method. Those choosing guns were more concerned about the quickness of the method and less concerned about disfigurement. These results were discussed for their implications as to whether people will switch methods for suicide if one method is made less easily available.

[Lazlo Toth]

It's a nasty way to suicide. The experts say you don't necessarily die on impact and hittng the water can be like hitting concrete.

[writer2]

A survivor of a jump from the Golden Gate said he realized after he jumped that there was nothing in his life he couldn't fix--except for the fact that he had just jumped off the bridge.

I believe this was from a long article in the New Yorker about GG bridge jumpers.

[Pro]

I read once (sorry, can't remember where) that building jumpers do it for that one last thrill before death (similar to the thrill that parachutists and bungee jumpers get, although the idea is for them not to die) . I would assume that would also apply to bridge jumpers.

But I agree with Sultan, that bridge doesn't seem high enough, but perhaps Scott didn't want to take the time to go to San Francisco.

[Lazlo Toth]

It's 185 feet at the clear channel of navigation. That seems like enough.

By contrast, the GGB is 220 feet.

[Roy Hobbs]

You can always count on the CAG for the clearest explanation: Scott's ego kept writing checks his body can't cash!

[Sultanosurf]

'Never heard of anybody jumping off the Bay Bridge. Yet more East Bay dis...

[Lazlo Toth]

Originally Posted by Sultanosurf

'Never heard of anybody jumping off the Bay Bridge. Yet more East Bay dis...

You can't walk out onto the Bay Bridge like you can on the GGB. But every so often (maybe once a decade), someone stops his/her car on the Bay Bridge and jumps.

The Bay Bridge is actually eight feet lower at rush hour than it is when there's little or no traffic.

[Pro]

An update: Tony Sott had been diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer.

[Sultanosurf]

Yeah, I knew no walkways on the Bay Bridge, but didn't ever hear much about jumpers there. Nor about the deck being lower during rush hours, though it makes sense. Bridges are cool. One of my high school classmates is one of the chief engineers for the new eastern span. He's spent something like 20 years involved with the thing.

Come to think of it, the Vincent Thomas used to have some sort of tall screens on each side above the road deck, so I wonder how Scott able to just stop his car and jump, like they're saying.

Sad deal, he had young twin sons...

[writer2]

Originally Posted by Pro

An update: Tony Sott had been diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer.

I actually guessed that it had to be something like that. Poor man.

[Roy Hobbs]

Originally Posted by writer2

A survivor of a jump from the Golden Gate said he realized after he jumped that there was nothing in his life he couldn't fix--

Good thing he wasn't considering trying to get back into teevee news after age 40.

[Ralphie the buffalo]

Originally Posted by Pro

An update: Tony Sott had been diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer.

Not according to TMZ (and I trust them on celebrity stuff)
http://www.tmz.com/2012/08/20/tony-s...-cancer-tumor/

Tony Scott did NOT have inoperable brain cancer, or for that matter brain cancer at all* ... this according to Scott's family.

TMZ has learned ... Scott's wife told investigators the rumor that Tony had inoperable brain cancer is "absolutely false."

Although the autopsy results have been deferred pending more tests, our sources say there is no evidence of brain cancer.

What's more ... we're told Scott's wife says Tony did not have any other severe medical issues that would have caused him to take his own life.

The LA Times is saying the same thing http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lano...mily-says.html

Looks like ABC's Good Morning America is giving out bad information - again. And a lot of other outlets followed.
http://www.deadline.com/2012/08/tony...-brain-cancer/

[Pro]

OK, I was just going by what other media sources reported.

[Ralphie the buffalo]

If wasn't blaming you. A lot of other outlets followed without confirmation. Now they are having to retract. This thread just took a journalistic twist into another discussion.

[Sultanosurf]

Originally Posted by Ralphie the buffalo

A lot of other outlets followed without confirmation. Now they are having to retract.

If only they were employing more part-time navy teevee news guys over 40 this wouldn't happen. Just as long a Scott wasn't a Tea Party member...

Two things: The family wants us to respect their privacy in this trying time, which I totally get. Yet their loved one chose to take a very public way out, leaving behind young twin sons, and traumatized witnessed. Second, once again we'll have to wait weeks for toxicology tests, which always seems strangely long, and only fuels speculation and interest...

[Mom]

Whatever happened to Daniel von Bargen after his attempted suicide last February?

http://www.eonline.com/news/296005/s...lf-in-the-head

[Clever Login Name]

Originally Posted by Ralphie the buffalo

Looks like ABC's Good Morning America is giving out bad information - again. And a lot of other outlets followed.
http://www.deadline.com/2012/08/tony...-brain-cancer/

In their defense, there's a Tea Party member in LA with the name of Tony Scott who does have inoperable brain cancer, so ...

[Sultanosurf]

A friend just emailed me that he's seen the bystander video taken of Scott's jump. Evidently, there was serious discussion about paying for it, even though TMZ has reportedly passed. So much for respecting the family privacy...