Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Christian Bale Visits Shooting Victims


I can't tell you how many people sent me links to the stories about Christian Bale visiting the shooting victims in Colorado. It was by far the most people who have ever sent me links and shows you how affected people are by this tragedy and how touched they are when someone does something really nice for others without prompting. Bale went there on his own. No publicity. No Warner Brothers well wishes. In fact, Warner Brothers tried to distance themselves from his visit. Why? They just want to make sure they have no liability for anything. You would think they would have got on this bandwagon, but nope. Christian tried to meet with every victim that is still in the hospital and the photo above is Carey Rottman with Christian Bale.


The official Aurora Victim's Relief Fund set up by the Governor and Community First Foundation is up and working. That link can be reached by clicking here.

Caleb Medley is a victim of the shooting. He was shot through the right eye which he lost and is in an induced coma because of a brain injury. His wife gave birth to their first child two days ago. Caleb is uninsured even though he worked full-time at Target and Walmart. One of his friends set up a website to help pay his medical bills and share his story. It can be reached by clicking here.


86 comments:

a non a miss said...

Ever since I saw him in Little Women, I've been in love. Thank you CB, that was so thoughtful. I'm glad he wasn't dressed as batman either, that would have been too much. He has anger issues or whatever, that's a class act right there. A tip of the hat to you sir!

libby said...

I read somewhere he rode to the hospital in an ambulance, to foil the media.

He is so sexy, AND secretly kind. CB just gets hotter all the time.

Frufra said...

First of all, these stories are awesome, of course. I'll be visiting the links shortly. Thanks, Enty, and thanks to everyone who sent in the stories.

Secondly, on a purely superficial level, my first thought here was, "Oh My Gawd. That's a lotta hawt going on in that picture right there."

Henriette said...

I thought this was pretty decent of him too. He did it all on his own and with no fan fare.

The baby was actually born yesterday and not two days ago.

boomom22 said...

Thumbs up, Mr. Bale.

Danielle said...

I was very touched by this and I am REALLY not a Bale fan. I posted this on my fb. This may have changed my mind about him. :)

libby said...

r-carebear---totally, right? They thought those people would want a man in black Kevlar showing up right now? They've clearly never heard of PTSD, ffs!

goheels83 said...

I had hoped he would do something like this. I know he gets a bad rap, but I have always really liked him.

He stayed at my sister's in-laws home/plantation in Florence, SC, when filming Public Enemies. Apparently there are no good hotels in Florence, SC (shocker). Of course my sister went down there a few times to visit for the weekend and said he was extremely nice and such a gentleman the entire time. I've liked him since then.

Karen said...

I'm really glad that he did this. We've heard about his rage issues and I remember reading a comment on this site once (someone spoke to a bartender at a hotel where Bale was shooting or something?) about him being an asshole.

None of these celebrities are perfect and many will disappoint us over time, so it's nice to look at kindness acts like this and recognize that no one is always a jerk just like no one is always a role model.

Lissette said...

Love this story...I love Christian and am so glad he came in person and not dressed as Batman. The man behind the mask is so much better. LOVE him so much more! Thank you.

angie said...

This definitely overshadows his temperamental outbursts, so all is forgiven. Thanks much for providing those links Enty!

cheesegrater15 said...

I heard on the radio he also called the hospital beforehand and asked permission. He wanted to know if he would get in the way of the staff.

He has his own demons, but this makes him a good guy in my book.

sifichick said...

I have to admit this was pretty classy of him. Next time he rails on someone I'm giving him a pass because of this.

Warner Bros should be ashamed of themselves. What are they going to be liable for? What happened was in no way their fault. They should at the very least support CB for doing this.

djphob said...

I know he gives some people the creeps but I just like him.

@rejectedcarebear Laurie is my favorite Bale! Batman is second.

Hercules said...

This guy? Yeah, what a gem. Cheap publicity stunt by another HW jerk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0auwpvAU2YA

Patty said...

One of the victims is suing WB, the movie theater and a third party which I can't remember. WB - because there was violence in the movie. The theater - because there were no alarms on the emergency exit.

The fault for this tragedy lies with one party...that orange headed idiot.

Anonymous said...

Have loved him since Newsies. I'm so glad he did this, not surprised though. I know he has gotten lots of flack in the past few years for yelling at people, etc. but I've heard only amazing things about him apart from that.
It doesn't undo all the pain of this tragedy, but it definitely gives some joy to those affected.

MISCH said...

Yeah, Target & Walmart the homes of full time part time employee's....they keep them just under 40 hours so they don't have to give benefits...this is why a government health insurance plan is so very important...
Christian Bale while I'm not a fan I am impressed...it was the right thing to do.
And Warner Brothers should make a big donation to help these families....

seaward said...

I really hope the interent can come together for these people the way they did for the bullied bus monitor.
I have loved CB since Newsies, this just solidifies it.
And like sifichick said, WB should be ashamed of themselves for not embracing this.

billybob said...

I love this man. He’s from my home town. His family are nice a nd good people. I knew he’d visit the victims, it’s the type of guy that he is. Yes, am also hoping the internet family will support the victims. Perhaps a big donation from WB.

KaySea said...

@patty - Here's the link for the lawsuit. The third party is James Holmes' doctors. Thankfully he's the minority and the only case we've heard of so far who is trying to "profit" from this tragedy.

http://kdvr.com/2012/07/24/report-aurora-theater-shooting-ticket-holder-plans-to-sue/

@MISCH - Warner Brothers donated $1million ... that's 1/160th of their weekend gross from this movie. Props to them for donating but I feel they could have done more.

http://kdvr.com/2012/07/24/warner-bros-donating-substantial-amount-to-theater-shooting-victims/

Agent**It said...

Thanks, Sunny for providing that link
to Enty.


Note the Red Sox cap, that will find its way to Beantown and get supporrt!

Grey said...

I'm thinking WB didnt want to be liable because the fact that Christian Bale is Batman.

Imagine you are in a hospital having just been shot during a Batman movie and then you open your eyes and Batman himself is in your hospital room.

You know some nutjob would sue WB for pain and suffering/trauma/duress/whatever

Kudos to CB though...I find the gesture very nice and thoughtful of him!

Anonymous said...

The reason Bale's outbursts seem worse than other celebrities is that he has no personal publicist to run interference for him. When Sean Penn acts stupid, there's someone there to spin a different story to the press while Penn goes on a goodwill mission. Bale is one of the few big-time celebs that doesn't have someone on the payroll for that. So he tends to look worse when really, he hasn't done as much, like punch photographers.

Bale doesn't play the HW game too much. You rarely see him beyond promoting a movie or attending award shows as necessary. He keeps to himself and avoids the paps as much as possible. The few times you do see him, he's with his wife and daughter. He seems focused on being a good actor, not a celebrity.

Is he high-strung? Yeah. Temperamental? Sure. No one is suggesting that he's perfect. But he's shown himself to be a pretty sincere guy over the past few years and visiting Aurora is one such example.

Besides, who can hate on a guy who knows the Powerpuff Girls theme song?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6gIc_8pXUI

SueRH said...

VERY classy! I have goosebumps!

surfer said...

Okay, I have a few thoughts.

All these people who were injured, through no fault of their own, are now going to be saddled with huge insurance bills. Don't you think the right thing, at the very least, would be for all these businesses - Warner's, the movie chain, etc., to step up and pool their resources to help this people? I heard last night on the news that this guy Caleb, his medical expenses could exceed two million. That's insane. All these people did was go to a movie.

When this picture of Cary was first posted yesterday, I think on TMZ, I happened to be on FB, and clicked on to his page. The picture with Christian wasn't showing yet, but there pictures of him with some of the Denver Broncos and the Governor. While still looking at his pictures, he suddenly tightened his privacy settings - I think he realized this picture had gone viral. But something important to note - he just got married on June 25th! Can you imagine?

And for what it's worth, I did hear that Warner's was either setting up some sort of fund for the victims or making a huge donation. Maybe they wanted that to be separate and apart from Christian's visit.

libby said...

Layna Day---thanks for the info--that he has no PR person.

Youre right, and it does totally fit---CB IS so much about the work, and never the fame or attention.

auntliddy said...

I hv loved him since Empire if the Sun. So he gets mad once in a while. Who doesnt? And anything he has done id wiped out by this generous act.

anita_mark said...

I'm not going to demonize Warner Brothers. You know the lawsuits are coming and they have to tread lightly right now. As well, I believe they own the rights to Batman so CB couldn't walk in wearing that costume (just like Nancy Cartwright can't do unlicenced Bart Simpson voice appearances).

I guess I thought an entertainment lawyer would know that.

And this is a cool thing for CB to do.

This, I can see people donating to more than a bullied bus monitor. Hopefully donations for this surpass that.

sweetstarshine1 said...

@christina i thought i was the only one who saw him in newsies!!! I loved him since then!
I'm glad he did tihs nice gesture and didn't bring a camera crew to show off.

Agent**It said...

@surfer, their med bills will be taken care of. I really like the 2nd link in Enty's post, Caleb's friend wrote a beautiful page for him. Crisis brings out the best in people (except for those that try to distract you with political crap). You'll see, keep the faith:)

Sunny said...

I read on the Huffington Post yesterday that Warner Brothers has already donated to the Giving First website that Enty linked to. As of last night, it was over 2 million dollars. 100% of the proceeds go to help meet the immediate and long term needs of the vicitims of the shooting

The story about Cale is just heartbreaking.

Amber said...

BTW the guy that's suing WB & the theater wasn't a victim. He worked at the theater. And Holmes hadn't even seen TDKR yet, and planned his attack in advance. I'm not sure how the violence in the movie he hadn't seen yet made him kill people.

Opportunists are so grody.

surfer said...

I'm glad, Agent**It - it really saddens me that a lot of the injured wither don't have great coverage, or any at all. I really hope people/businesses step up and make sure everyone is properly taken care of.

surfer said...

*either

goheels83 said...

@Amber that makes me sick.

Mayrose said...

I know some people will think it's for publicity and he can be a hot head. But I also can't imagine how terrible everyone who made the movie must feel, especially him. I think it would have been worse if he had kept quiet. How could a human not feel empathy towards all those people?

Nobody making the movie could have imagined this would happen, just as all those people going to watch it could have expected a maniac to show up and do that. The blame 100% lies with the shooter. I think CB was just trying to reach out.

MISCH said...

@KaySea..
Thanks for the update...yes they could have done more and should..
But I'm glad they did something...

Redheat said...

I was just thinking that it would be nice for the stars of this movie, to go and visit victims. It was great to see this story, and I'm glad that he did this.

whocaresnow12 said...

He's not a victim perse. He wasn't shot. Yes, he was in the theater, but after the shooting he got to walk to his car an go home.....to find an attorney and try to profit off this. Least the a-hole could have done was wait a month to give credibility to his "mental anguish" claim.

Anonymous said...

While this is nowhere near as serious as what happened to the Aurora victims, Nolan and his cast/crew have been hurt, too. It was said that Marion Cotillard burst into tears on hearing the news. I imagine the others went into near shock.

Imagine spending a year working on a film. Imagine being Nolan and the actors (Bale, Caine, Freeman, Oldman, and Murphy) who have been a part of the trilogy since the beginning. This was supposed to be a moment of triumph for them, seeing all their hard work come to a fantastic conclusion.

But now, it's been scarred by some wacko who used your movie against those who had come to enjoy it. It's sick, and it would break my heart if something I had worked so hard for so long had been manipulated in such a cruel fashion.

That effing bastard hurt a lot of people in a lot of ways.

NomNom83 said...

This is a beautiful thing among a devastating tragedy.

I wish complete healing for all the survivors -- though I suspect most of the scars will be mental and emotional. I can't imagine what they went through.

I'm not proud to bring politics into this but since certain details were shared in this post... CO was one of the states challenging the Affordable Healthcare Act, specifically the individual mandate. What so many people forget or fail to realize is that being employed, even with a "full time" job (big box stores are notorious for part-full-time employees), does not guarantee access to affordable or decent healthcare. Mr. Medley's circumstances are not unusual. Now, in addition to recovering, his family will have to bear the significant costs associated with a random and violent act he could never have expected (yes, even with donations pouring in to a fund for all the victims). I don't want to volunteer this guy as a mascot, he may disagree with Obamacare for all I know, but the reality is that all the resistance on the issue is done at the expense of addressing and treating real people with real medical needs. The bill may not be perfect, but this is one of millions of people who would benefit.

Unknown said...

The person who is suing was actually friends with one of the victims, AJ, and he was in the theater. He's probably just coming out of shock and is very angry.

I love CB!

Karmen said...

This is the third or fourth time I've read about this story and it still makes me teary-eyed. Christian Bale is my hero. I love how he didn't (purposefully) make it into a publicity stunt. Also very relieved he didn't go dress in Batman gear. Not wise at all.

The Caleb Medley story breaks my heart. I also don't have health insurance. I gripe about paying out the ass for doctor's appointments and medicine, but I can't imagine being left with a $2 mil bill.

Karmen said...

Two more things. To the people reviling WB for distancing themselves from Bale's visit, I don't think you understand how angry grieving people can be. Someone always wants to point the blame at someone else and feel that person should pay. Case in point: the douchebag suing almost everybody, except the shooter for the incident. Hopefully he'll pull his head out of his ass and find better ways to cope.

Also, WB donated an undisclosed large sum to the victims. They've handled this matter as compassionately and as delicately as they could.

libby said...

Layna Day, that was beautifully said. Nolan & his cast and crew have put what--8 years into this?

It was one of the reasons I was determined to fight potential crowds and see it on that opening Friday---along with my absolute 'f*ck terrorists' stance.

I also felt driven to go see it immediately, 'for' all the people in that theater who didn't get to watch it. It sounds weird, but I had so many levels to my anger last Friday. It's not really logical/explainable.

I'm thinking of going again, today, after these yummy CB stories & pics... I thought the movie was GREAT!

uofazwildkitty said...

so much cooler than the
campaigner-in-chief's visit.

kudos to bale!

SusanB said...

I work with personal injury lawyers. The lawsuit against Warner's isn't going to fly - but they have the deepest pockets. Too soon to say about Holmes' MDs - might be slight liability there if they had documented abnormal behaviour. As for the movie theater - I would have assumed that there would be alarms on the emergency exits - go to Macy's or Kohls and see what happens if you open the emergency exit. Alarms go off. I would have assumed that a movie theater would have alarms not because they thought a gunman would use them, but because one idiot would buy a ticket, open the emergency door and let 6 of his friends in. That's why lawsuits against the theater might work. Would it have saved any lives? Probably not, but an alarm going off would have caught the audience's attention and perhaps allowed them to flee or duck a few seconds sooner. Who knows?

Agent**It said...

For a major film opening, anybody who has ever run any kind of movie complex will tell you that you have an usher posted at the doors OR in a private small complex you treat your local off duty cop to the movie and he sits in that area. I learned that opening a StarTrek movie and the 1st Batman movie in the early 90's. They are ripe for lawsuits.

@SusanB, familiar with the Gateway in Sunrise?

lolaluvs2snack said...

Yay Bale!!!I love it when someone does the right thing. That is awesome:-)

Finlay said...

Whatever the reasons he did it, I'm sure it made a shitty situation for those people a whole lot better, so yay, Christian!

Also times like these make me glad I live and grew up in countries with socialized healthcare. Our system isn't perfect, but never ever will I have to be shot by a madman then have someone present me with a giant medical bill to fix me. I hope Caleb gets all he needs and the others too.

SusanB said...

@Agent*it - no, we haven't been to a movie since 2005. We just get too angry at people talking, on cell phones, etc.

I did think of you Sunday as I was driving up Federal Highway - looking for zombies!

Agent**It said...

Double tap:)

dia papaya said...

@surfer - I am worried about their health bills too. And the long term damage. Loss of work income. Future complications - physical and emotional. This will be a big pre-existing condition on their record. None of these people will be able to get an individual plan in the future if they don't have insurance now. And who knows how many will be dropped.

dia papaya said...

@auntliddy - I think my first boyhood crush was Christisn Bale in Empire of the Sun. So sexy even at 12. *sigh*

He's a passionate guy, but always seems to apologize when he gets too crazed.

Very classy CB! Glad to know there are kind hearted people in HW.

Sarah said...

Very sweet. I felt so haunted by this, I wonder how much more so these actors must feel connected horribly to this.

HalleGoLightly said...

It's not political crap to talk about our woeful health care system, Agent (if that's what you were referring to). If this happened in Canada (or any civilized country), these folks would get the care they deserved without the - "How are you going to pay for this?" being asked. As this is heavily in the spotlight, they'll probably be okay (donations). Then again, I'm sure the 9/11 responders thought so too before they were cut loose.

Here's a seemingly responsible guy working two jobs, yet he's either not offered coverage (probably the case) or can't afford coverage (might be the case). It's disgusting, and is exactly why we need universal coverage.

Instead, his family (and others) can throw a benefit for him to try to pay all the bills. They can rely on the generosity of strangers (some of whom probably cant afford to send $$ but do anyway) to send them money (like the bullied bus monitor did).

Agent**It said...

This is about the victims and how to get them money for their immediate concerns, not personal political opinions on health care.That's what I meant before we go round and round and lose focus.

Hey, I just had to reorder my diabetes and other meds, $900.00 for 3mos.Think I'm thrilled?(and I HAVE insurance).I am SO not thrilled. But at least, for this moment, I am alive and have about $50.00 left to contribute.

Popcorn Sutton said...

Huh. I must have a piece of dust in my eye. Make that both eyes.

This is the first story about the tragedy that I have enjoyed reading.

SueRH said...

@NomNom - I'm with you!

Sherry said...

Christian is a true gentleman for taking the time to be there for the victims. Whatever raging he's done in the past (and I do believe he apologized for his behaviour so let's forgive and forget)this more than makes up for it. Very selfless and hopefully a real comfort.

astrogirl said...

I am appalled that the US Govt doesn't cover expenses when something like this happens.

If your constitution allows people to bear arms they need to look at the other side of the coin and tend to those who are injured by those same people.

We have a great free national health system and super strict gun laws, it seems ridiculous to me for a country have archaic gun laws but no decent health scheme for all.

Agent**It said...

Australia has est 21 million people compared to the US population of est 300 million.

The judge is barring news cameras from the next court hearing for this murderer. Wonder how much they raised today?

dia papaya said...

@astro - Where do you live? Can I claim political asylum? I want free health care and no guns too.

astrogirl said...

dia papaya I live in Sydney. You only get totally free healthcare if you don't work or are on low income, but all GPs and hospitals are paid for by the Govt. You only need cover to get a private room or elective surgery or to choose your own surgeon/doctor in hospital. Most Australians have private cover for dentists, chiro, etc but it's only about $150 per month for a single person for top cover.

We still have our issues of course, but at least people never get refused medical aid.

car54 said...

I am proud of him and how he did this visit.

I don't see how people can sue the filmmakers--this was the first showing and nobody had seen it so it could not have caused anything. Maybe someone obsessing about the characters but they have no control over that.

The theatre owners, yes--maybe--if they were not following proper security procedures that let him get in after arming himself.

The Dr's? I would have to hear that they knew he was disturbed and didn't do anything but he is of age and was very quiet so they may not have had any idea what was going on with him. You have to be pretty sick to have a dr make you get treated.

I heard today that 2900 people in the area have applied for gun licenses in the past few days.

astrogirl said...

dia papaya our gun laws are great. You can only own a gun if you have a permit. To get a permit for a hand gun is hard, you MUST

Join a gun club
Go to shooting range at club at least fortnightly.
You install and keep gun in safe at home at all times.
You are not to take the gun anywhere except to gun club. You are not allowed to use gun for self protection, only sport. if you stop attending, your permit is revoked.

To get a gun permit you cannot have a criminal record or be involved in dodgy stuff.

It's a little easier to get a rifle, if you live on over certain acreage and have demonstrated need, once again you can APPLY for a permit, doesn't mean you'll get one.

It's a good law because if you are genuinely into shooting as a sport you're not restricted.

Kaizer... said...

Most importantly very glad Enty is posting this, often these tragedies happen and its hard to know what donation sights are legit.

@astrogirl you're being too logical.

Numbers are relative. If all people add EQUALLY to the pot, then all participants are equally and fairly covered at a reasonable rate. Doesn't matter if it’s a few million or more. It’s the same formula, just different #s. Now getting 300 million people to agree...

As for who's culpable ($$$wise), it seems as though the movie theater will be found to be negligent. And depending on what his psychiatrist recorded he could be held responsible monetarily, and will most likely face a thorough investigation

At some point, we need to stop reacting to these tragedies as a one off situation and proactively find a solution.

astrogirl said...

USA is a democracy If you want change you'll have to find lots of likeminded people, band together and fight for it. Don't just accept things because they've always been that way.

Think of your kids, do you really want them to think that carrying guns is the only way to feel safe.

You are heading back to the days of the wild west, be very careful.

Kaizer... said...

@astrogirl I agree & no I haven't given up, but at this point the division in our country is a massive hindrance.

astrogirl said...

Kaizer I know it seems impossible but if enough Americans speak up they have no choice but to listen.

The Black Cat said...

I have no idea how much it costs to give birth in an American Hospital, I seem to remember over $10,000 but if Walmart and Target don't provide medical coverage how can this couple afford to pay for their newborn baby being born even? I really don't understand how a first world nation like the U.S. can NOT have universal healthcare having lived in 2 socialist countries my entire life.

astrogirl said...

Agent**It I don't understand how talking about healthcare isn't relevant here when Enty's original post actually mentions the lack of health cover. I honestly can't see a more relevant time to discuss shortcomings in Govt healthcare policy.

uofazwildkitty said...

the 2nd amendment takes care of itself.

don't lose sight of the difference between evil and crazy, folks.

the shooter was evil.

Kaizer... said...

@The Black Cat, I was wondering that also the 1st time I read the article about the Medley family.

As for why he doesn't have insurance through Wal-Mart and Target, that confuses me too. Although, I have never worked for either company, but I used to work in HR for a similar employer. Most national chains have insurance plans for a regular part-time employee. Granted they usually only have 1 option, its usually the cheapest plan w/ the least amount of coverage, and so on. Plus, taking in to account for state laws.

@Astrogirl, I'm just going to give you a thumbs up!

astrogirl said...

Thanks Kaizer.

@uofazwildkitty that statement is rather ignorant considering there are shooting victims everyday who get nothing but a big medical bill thanks to your second amendment

dia papaya said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Agent**It said...

@astrogirl, I previously replied to you: there are 20 million Aussies and there are over 300 million USA citizens. The health care requirements of the USA are a tad different in term of federal requirements and distributions in the USA.There are plenty of books out there that you can read and educate yourself with so you will have a comprehensive understanding of the complexities.

Agent**It said...

@uofazwildkitty , ditto. You realize that the word evil is banned (unless Himmmm or Enty said it). Oh wait, they did!

astrogirl said...

I feel for you dia, hang in there xox

astrogirl said...

Agent**It It's all relative.

astrogirl said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
dia papaya said...

Thanks @astrogirl! I'll make it to Aussie eventually or somewhere else warm and exciting!

astrogirl said...

dia where do you live?

dia papaya said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

"The reason Bale's outbursts seem worse than other celebrities is that he has no personal publicist to run interference for him."

This is not true. He does have a publicist. Numerous news accounts that ran his statement said it was released through his publicist.

I don't know her name but on IMDB they claim that she went with him to the hospital.

She's the blonde woman:

http://livedoor.blogimg.jp/falcounderground-3rd/imgs/a/1/a159afe6.jpg

Look, I think Bale's a good guy and he went to the hospital mainly because he feels terrible and feels for the victims of this horrible thing.

But I also think he went because it made him look good. There's nothing wrong with that.

But mainly, I don't like misinformation about Hollywood stars to be spread. Christian Bale, like all Hollywood stars, has a machine behind him. Don't kid yourself.

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