I don't know how many of you guys are behing me with this campaign but i'm doing it in the best interests of his friends,family and and anyone else associated with him. I think (and I know many of you feel the same with what I am about to say)that Riv should be allowed to rest in peace and also that his family (Heart, John, Rain, Joaquin, Liberty, Summer and everyone else associated with him) should be given the privacy that they deserve.

River's cousin - i'd like to know what you think about this. Once the photo is removed, his family will be able to get their privacy what they deserve.

So who's with me on this?

I am totally with you, I am just not too sure if it is any good as I have looked into that. But you know, it does not hurt to try. At this time the family is trying to get to the bottom of what happened at the Funeral home, not an easy task as it is was 11 years ago.

Thanks for what you are doing and what you said.

One last thing! I unfortunstely cannot get on here everyday, but all I can say is that I think all we can hope for right now is to try and prevent this from happening to anyone else. Nothing was done about it at the time when the pic was published in the Rag mags, (due to the fact that we all were grieving) and the offenders knew tha would be the perfect time to take advantage of a famly in mourning. Real class act huh!

Hey River Fan!

Nice to meet you . I should be sleeping right now, but your post caught my interest.

While I sincerely appreciate your efforts, and commend you for speaking out , most of us realize at this point that due to freedom of expression and freedom of speech, this photo will never go away. It would take forever to go back through the several hundred posts on the site, but I believe most people here may know me perhaps as someone who was burned BAD by Hollywood and the press concerning the murder of a good family friend and a movie made about her killer called "Dead Man Walking". If one were to ever be able to remove this photo, then even that stupid movie would have to come off of the shelves as well. This will never happen - no matter how much of a lie it may be.

Hollywood is a VERY, VERY hypocritical way of life. Nothing will ever change my mind about that. I agree that the photo of River is dreadfully wrong. It should have never been taken by an intruder nor reproduced to the public. And yet - Hollywood has no problem taking a real life story, slaughtering the livleyhood of many in our area, just to gain notoriaty, conflict, and most of all MONEY.

The picture of River in his casket is wrong since I am officially convinced at this point it was not done out of posterity by family. This was a cruel, and ILLEGAL move on some fools part to gain money, and yet, isn't that EXACTLY what Hollywood does in the first place?

i just thought that it's about time that something was done. heart,john,joaquin,liberty,rain and summer and everyone else associated and related to Riv have the right to live in privacy. now this isn't going to happen if this photo is still on the net so i'm going to do whatever i can to get it off

tell me what you think

river_fan1985

ps give heart,john,rain,joaquin,liberty and summer my love

It's one thing to like an actor but it's another thing to be a junkie. Sure, he was wonderful at what he did but lets not overlook what that picture represents. It represents somebody who is emotionally weak and has to resort to many different kinds of illegal substances to get over his insecurities. Don't get me wrong his death was tragic but the only person he has to blame is him self. I'm all for that picture because it lets people know that noboby is to rich or famous to die from drugs. Let it just be a reminder to the people that click on that site. It makes me sad to look at that picture of River lying there lifeless. To me it's like he shouldn't be there. He should be that young, beautiful, talented soul we remember as full of life and charisma. I do think Hollywood had a lot to do with his crash and burn as it has fucked up so many other young talents in the past. God Bless you River I wish you were still with us. I will leave you guys with this song title because I think it sums up this scenario well "Gone To Soon" If you want to listen to the song you'll know where I'm comming from. It was done by Michael Jackson written for Ryan White the boy who died of AIDS in the early ninetys. Love To All,

Tony C.

hey i know you wrote this a while ago but i thought it would be still worth writing a reply to show my support.

i feel that river spent show much of his life trying to keep his life and any pictures of him away from the press, that as fans of him that we should at least attempt to get the picture of his dead body removed. i doubt he would want it spread all over the internet. i love river phoenix deeply as an actor and also what he believed in and cant see why you would want to look at this picture, it is insulting to the memory of river.

i know we will never remove it completely but at least we can try.

hey i know you wrote this a while ago but i thought it would be still worth writing a reply to show my support.

i feel that river spent show much of his life trying to keep his life and any pictures of him away from the press, that as fans of him that we should at least attempt to get the picture of his dead body removed. i doubt he would want it spread all over the internet. i love river phoenix deeply as an actor and also what he believed in and cant see why you would want to look at this picture, it is insulting to the memory of river.

i know we will never remove it completely but at least we can try.

hey i know you wrote this a while ago but i thought it would be still worth writing a reply to show my support.

i feel that river spent show much of his life trying to keep his life and any pictures of him away from the press, that as fans of him that we should at least attempt to get the picture of his dead body removed. i doubt he would want it spread all over the internet. i love river phoenix deeply as an actor and also what he believed in and cant see why you would want to look at this picture, it is insulting to the memory of river.

i know we will never remove it completely but at least we can try.

I completely agree with u River_fan, that pikture is disresectful to him AND his family, they need to take it off, there MUST be SOMETHING illiegal about that? lik i ono, but there has to be!

We need to storm Frank's house(the guy that owns the site), and MAKE him take it off.....POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!

i donīt even know the site of frank's house...

can someone give me a link...so i may write him a mail or whatever...
first time i have seen this disrespectful picture on the site findadeath.com

and you can believe me..
i was so fucking close to break down and cry...because i was so shooked about it...i'm a river fan for already 8 years....and i really respect his work and his love to animals.....

...i really wasn't prepared for this horribily pic...we have to do something against it..now...

Unfortunately Annon, the thing should have been prevented when the A-Holes came into my cousins service and took the pic. The Net being what it is...well, enough said! It all has been said before! There will be something done, FINALLY, to get the people that took the photo held responcible, I can assure you the family is working on that in private. That is all we can hope for now. I see the link to the pic when I come on here and I cringe, but I can tell you this, it IS real, but somewhat altered, as River did not look totally like that at rest that day.

Im with you, I also commend you on your effort, its nice to know there are
those who have a heart. There are so many discussions on this site about
the " RIGHTS" to view the photo and the graphic warning. The people who
argue this are really missing the point. While I agree that you certainly dont have the view the photo if you dont want to, there is still the issue
of respect to him and his family. I think that after all this family has been through, the deserve to have some sort of closure and their privacy.

Dear C.,

Everything you just said in your above post is exactly why the debate continues.

I too agree that this is a personal moment for the family, and the family only. But I have also been burned by Hollywood and the press myself enough to know that controversy, conflict, and debate is the one and only thing that keeps photos and stories alive and well and make a living for those who thrive from it.

A weird analogy is kind of like the jungle or safari. The animals are beutiful to look at in their natural habitat, but they have to eat each other alive just to survive. That's exactly how I see Hollywood and press photos such as these, and perhaps you do too. Take care.

Well Said!! I recently came to this site hoping that there had been some
sort of justice for this person who took the photograph, only to find
that 11 years later, this nightmare for the family still continues.
I have two children and cannot even imagine what it would be like to lose a child, let alone have it exploited such as this has been. It just makes you
really feel for this family, you feel like you wish you could do something to help! Your right that all the debates on the issue are only feeding
hollywood. I will not continue to post on the site, instead will only pray that thhis family will soon have the peace that they deserve.

Ditto, C! Seems like we are all along the same lines when it comes to this debate. Media outlets are like a snowball is to an avalanche. It has to start somewhere, no matter how small, and erupts to enourmous proportions far beyond our control. It's exactly what we see here.

I've gone off topic in recent months,speaking about my friend Faith Hathaway who was murdered years ago. But the repercussions of her murder were immortalized in a movie called 'Dead Man Walking". For once - JUST ONCE - I would love to see people who have seen this movie and it's debatable content to remember the VICTIMS of crime - and not "cause seeking" nun and a handsome actor named Penn. I think relatives of River would want the same for him.

Remembering the qualities of a person who has passed on, and not the senastionalized debate over a photo (like the movie) that is not a fair representation. Let alone a sneaky way to obtain it.

May i ask what picture.

Hey Elle!

The pic being the one in his casket.

ICU

i ve heard of it but never have i seen it.

The pic is linked on your website http://www.freewebs.com/river-phoenix-uk/index.htm under the topic "The story and mine". You are the same "Elle", yes?

Hey Elle!

I see you just took the link of Rivers coffin off of your site - GOOD ! Since it's the identical write-up used for several sites on the web, you may not have realized the html had the hyperlink included in the script. Good job on the site!

Please remove the photo

Im with you river_fan1985

I havent looked at it - but I'm so with you guys!! Take it down!!

Peace,
Cindi. xxx

I totally agree with you. I think it's totally wrong. And sad I think everyone wants to remember him alive not dead.

Hey guys I'm curious...do any of you go around during the day trying to determine what your friends can and can't do? Or do you just do that on the internet. Why do you all think that you should be able to control what people can see on the internet?

When my friends do something that is offensive to other people, I usually ask them to stop. It's the same thing, no?

So then I take it you ask your friends to stop listening to music with offensive lyrics? And then join a crusade to have all music with offensive lyrics removed from the shelves of record stores?

Here's the point: What might be offensive to one person may not be offensive to another. If you don't want to see the photo, don't look at it. If you don't want to listen to offensive music, don't listen. But don't try to control what others want to see or listen to. Very simple.

This is the same argument that went down over in the US with regards to what some consider offensive music. 10 or 15 years ago, the religious right in America decided that they wanted to ban all music with offensive lyrics (or what they decided was offensive) from the shelves of music stores. Of course, many people didn't like being told what kind of music they can listen to. (founding principles of what made USA) So, the solution was to put the "explicit warning" label on all CDs with explicit language. That way, parents can have some control over what their children listen to and also so that those who don't wish to hear that kind of music can make their own decision. This is the same thing with the photo on this site. It is labeled as "graphic" so that people can make their own decision whether or not they want to view it. It should bother someone that another person wants to see it!

The problem with that theory: "if you don't want to see it, don't look at it" is that you can't help looking at it. What I mean is that when one is looking up pictures of River, they can come across it. Hell it happened to me the first time I was looking for his pictures on google. It doesn't matter what your opinion is one what is graphic. If that were the case, they'd have pictures of the deceased all over the net. The point is that it is wrong and unfair to his family. Would you like having a picture of your dead brother or son (or cousin!) all over the internet? Do you think it's what River would have wanted people to remember him by? TAKE THE PICTURE OFF!

You will not accidently run into the photo from this site. The photo is not even housed on Morbidly Hollywood's servers. Only a link to it.

You say "It doesn't matter what your opinion is on what is graphic." Yes it does. I think that the majority of people agree that the photo is graphic, that's why it is labeled as such. So that people can make their own decision on whether they want to see it or not. But just because it is graphic does not mean it should be banned from the net. That's an extremist viewpoint.

You also say "it is wrong and unfair to his family." Then I guess you also think that it is wrong to sell CDs with explicit lyrics. Music that popularizes cop killing is not fair to the families of cops who have lost a loved one due to gang violence brought about by such music.

And I guess you also think it is wrong to sell alcohol. It's not fair to the people who have lost a loved one due to a drunk driver.

And not sure if you are in USA or not, but as I understand it, you Americans prize your ability to own firearms very greatly. What if someone tried to tell you that you can't carry firearms?

And what if a religious group tried to tell you that you can't drink beer or wine because they find it offensive.

And it has been brought up many times but there are people who greatly value their ability to look at porn. Who are you and I to tell them can't?

Sometimes we have to separate ourselves from the feelings of others and do what is better for the common good. What pleases one person might offend another. But perhaps we musn't wear our feelings on our sleeves so much.

1) the people that sell them selves for porn can be sold. did river? NOOO he did not give permission to sell his photos soo no it is NOT the same.
2) firearms? are you kidding? no one (in the north anyways) carries firearms.
3)okay how is explicit lyrics affending towards one certain family?

adress those & ill take you seriously

1) If you were genuinely concerned about the repercussive effects these issues have on their loved ones, you'd express equal concern about the negative effects of pornography. Pornography is a seedy industry that wrecks way more lives than were affected by River's photo. Do you not feel sympathy for these people and families too? Do you not go on boards calling for the banishment of pornography?

2) So you are saying that no one in the northern part of the US has guns. Hmmmm people from the northern US don't hunt. People from the northern US don't shoot target practice? I was not aware of this fact. Ok then I stand corrected. Only people from southern US own guns. I'll modify my statement then: Do you think southerners would willingly give up their guns simply beacuse there are people out there who are offended by guns? More than likely not!

3) Ok, there are many groups of people who are calling for the banishment of music with explicit lyrics. Are you willing to give in to these groups? Are you willing to allow them to have their way and remove them from the shelves? The movement several years ago was squashed beacuse people did NOT want to give up their right to free speech. The concession was an explicit lyrics label that stands to this day. Do you think a devoutly Christian family would be offended when their son comes home and plays music with profane lyrics and messages about killing cops? Do you feel sympathy for a family who lost their policeman son to the gun of an enraged gangster who listened to offensive music and violent video games? Are you posting on message boards to have these materials banned from public consumption?

It's all about people having free access to material they want to do and see. It doesn't matter what this material is, what's important is that people be given free access and that it be labeled properly so they can make an informed decision.

Let’s state the obvious.

If you ingest drugs and die, you deserve to be humiliated. I demand a refund you drug addict!

So, do you believe that his family also deserves to be humiliated?
Especially the younger nieces and nephews, thats sick!

Don't worry so much about his family

I happen to have a bit of compassion for anyone who has lost someone they love. Dont need you telling me what or whom to worry about!!!!!!

hey Rp, you said the family is trying to get to the bottom of the mystery at the funeral home, what mystery? and why would they wait almost 11 years later?

Does anyone here knows how he get the nickname Rio??

Rio is the Spanish translation for River.

thanx! Hmm.. Why spanish? Why not Italian? That's sweet 2.. Or German for example..?

Well, I guess because Spanish is the second most common language spoken in USA.

River did spend his childhood years traveling through different Spanish-speaking countries, and I heard he spoke Spanish pretty fluently. Logical choice of a language to translate his name into, IMO. After all, two of his siblings (Joaquin Rafael and Libertad Mariposa, aka Liberty Butterfly) were given Spanish names because they were born in Spanish-speaking countries.

Geez.. Thank you!Ą

I think it is cruel to be so cold and critical of someone elses weakness. Do you walk in River's shoes? Do you know why he did the things he did? I don't think you do. I am sure you have made mistakes. Would you want to be humiliated for eternity for them you syphilitic swine? I am certain that you would not. You need to check your karma once in a while before it sneeks up on you. Have a nice day.

I'VE ONLY JUZ SEEN THIS WEB SITE FOR 1st TIME AND AM HORRIFIED THAT PICTURES LIKE THIS ARE ALLOWED!!!! WHY CAN'T HE BE ALLOWED TO REST IN PEACE?

Helga, what about pictures of nudity? And what a about pictures of Heavy metal groups that seem to worship satan. And what about websites that sympathize with terrorism? Don't we find all these things offensive? I think these things are way more offensive than a funeral picture.

Shouldn't we try to ban those kinds of pictures and websites too? Just how far should we go?

wow, you definantly have a point jiggy, but it doesn't hurt to try!

hey if your talking about the pictures that they said they show when river is in his coffin and they said it was grafic and stuff.then i am with u. even though i did not see the pictures they should not have them on there.

yeah u do have a point. but i dont think they should have pictures of him in a coffin all over the web. but someone put it on there just like they put porn and people worshiping satan on the web. so yeah u do have a point jiggy jam.

"Helga, what about pictures of nudity? And what a about pictures of Heavy metal groups that seem to worship satan. And what about websites that sympathize with terrorism?"

The difference between CERTAIN pictures of nudity (porn sites that have women & men modeling for that reason only) and the River Phoenix is that theyre VOLUNTARILY TAKEN. Heavy metal groups that seem to worship satan? But how are pictures of the band performing hurting anyone? The pictures are just of people in a band, unless they're actually performing rituals that harm animals or anything else, and if they are, then I don't think that that would be able to occur in a public arena without them being banned. (Ozzy Osbourne biting the head of a bat senario aside). Websites that sympathize with terrorism is the only thing that seems to hold any argument, but even with that, how can you stop WORDS. It would of been different if morbidly hollywood just talked about River's death or even decided to describe what the picture looked like, because that isnt posting something that was taken that obviously gives pain to his family & friends. Now, terrorist sites or sites that hold pictures that upset family's of those who died at the place the picture was taken is also wrong. But if it is a picture such as the twin towers when the planes struck, it isnt the same as a picture of a human being whom was dead and in a coffin.

I don't know, maybe no one will agree with what I just said, but I believe there's a difference between voluntary pictures, pictures of certain events pertaining to something horrible, and an actual picture that is of one human being.

I totally agree with you!!

The subject matter of the photo doesn't matter. The point is that you can't ban all photos that are distasteful. What might be distasteful to you might not be to someone else. A religion that you like, might offend someone else. Your tattoos might offend someone else, should we ban tattoos? Taste is subjective.

distastefullness & disrespectfullness (ie: putting a picture of a man who died, cannot defend himself and whose family goes through the really tough time everytime they stumble upon the photo..) is totally different.

...be careful what you say to RP. she "claims" to be his cousin but I have doubts

NAT...It seems that all you do is come here and say negative things about most members here and threaten people. This person who "claims" to be a cousin has not posted here in ages. I have looked, and I cant see any posts from him/her lately so whay mention them? Just to cause troulbe and have a fight? NAT, things have gotten tense since you started here, just think about that and STOP. RELAX!

Alexis

"NAT...It seems that all you do is come here and say negative things about most members here and threaten people. This person who "claims" to be a cousin has not posted here in ages. I have looked, and I cant see any posts from him/her lately so whay mention them? Just to cause troulbe and have a fight? NAT, things have gotten tense since you started here, just think about that and STOP. RELAX!

Alexis"

let me clear some of this bunkum up! the only people on here who i have said negative things about on here are the lowlifes who come on here,post nonsense and piss people off on purpose

rp cannot be trusted i had a chat with someone very high up on here and they told me that she claims to be his cousin and makes stories up for sympathy so we give her our personal details to her and she dupes us

i've ben here a while alexis and i don't think you have

Highly doubtful. This person does not even post here and you do say negative things all the time here about lots of stuff. You seem angry. The posts I have read do not show this "cousin" asking anything of anyone. Enough said! If someone is not here to defend themselves it should not be discussesd is all I am saying.

Alexis, Hi, Im ally! Im sick of Nat saying stuff about RP, which is completly uncalled for! You said Nat, that You are talking like that to people who are writing complete nonsence, so they go away, well why dont you just go away so no one will have to say it to you, because you are the one who talks complete nonsence more than anyone else! RP, happens to be a friend of mine, and I can tell you, RP didnt befriend me for my personal details, and if what you said was true, which it isnt, but about RP befriending people for their personal details, we all know why she didnt ask you for your personal details, dont we?

1. becuase RP Isnt like that, and thats not why RP came on here in the first place! She came on here to get that awsome photo of the site, and now that Frank wont budge, for his own reasons, one which is probably that no one would comeon this site if the photo wasnt on here, its one of the only things that attracts people to the site!

2. and two, why would she want your personal details? She isnt like that! She didnt come on here to make friends, she came on for her and the family's personal reasons, not that I should really be calling it personal, seeing as everyone bloody knows about the photo, but Hey, thats people for you!

Seriously Nat, give up! RP was a liked member on this site, and Im not going to stand for you talking about her like that, because she deffantly dosent deserve it, espcially not from you Nat!

So hopefully that cleared some untrue facts up, for people who were starting to beleive that load of shit that came out of Nats mouth, and Im pretty sure everyone knows that its not true!

Oh shutup Nat! You wouldnt know anything! You dont know her, and I have been talking to her for some time know, and what she says . I believe it! What makes you think we should be so sure as to who you say you are!

Unlike you, RP is nice, and has nothing bad to say about anyone, but all you ever do is either talk about that fricken JTB, or bitching about someone, and no one deserves it, wether they are nice to you or not!

What would say to the people who don't find such photos distasteful? What is your authority to determine what they should find distasteful? Are you the morality police?

Actually photos of family members in coffins where quite common in America for many years.

ally you really shoudln't believe everything people tell you. i did actually think that rp was riv's cousin but icu told me to be very careful of her and i should stay away from her because she makes up lies and tries to befriend you. sorry if you don't like that ally but i was told that

Ally - FYI. What Nat says above is true. Be very cautious about anyone and their claims on the net be a word of caution.

RP is an imposter. The same RP who doesn't want people signing under his/her name making claims of his/her "cousin" is the same RP who signs into chats under different user names starting arguments with one another. I for one experienced this first hand with RP and had to laugh out loud when it was going on. This is the same RP signing in under different names who nearly wet her pants when others sign in as "RP"? What a joke .

RP is a very infatuated fan. Maybe somewhere along the lines she may be a "Bottom" relative - who knows? I sure as hell don't, AND NEITHER DO YOU.

What I do know for a fact, is that clearly RP cannot and will not follow the example set by the Phoenix family. That example being, GET OVER IT. The pic is here - it's never going away. If there was any wrong doing whatsoever, the family would have taken this up with the funeral home, along with the National Enquirer. But does any family member do that? Noooooooooo. RP wants us to believe that her undying love for her pure hearted vegan cousin drives her to this madness we see here at Franks Reel Reviews. Again I say - what a joke!

I think Frank and Jiggy have been more than patient with all of the claims that fly on this board. And as it should be! But let's face it - if Frank or Jiggy managed "The Globe" or "National Enquirer", they would eat RP for breakfast.

Ally - God Bless you for being a friend. You sound like a good kid who means no harm to anyone here. But are you sure RP feels the same? RP NEEDS to feel included on so many issues when it comes to River Phoenix. The obsessive claims of "I'M HIS COUSIN" are overkill, as if RP is trying to prove it more to his/herself than anyone here. Most of us here know better than to believe such claims from a faceless, nameless screen name. With all of the causes in Hollywood to claim - RP has found a home and friends on the web from "Morbidly Hollywood". Think about that for a moment. What does that tell you?

From an OPS perspective - claims of a close relationship by RP to Joaquin, River, and any other Phoenix family member are bogus. Mostly for being the obvious - which is RP spending waaaay too much time on email and this site and being an imposter in chat rooms claiming relative staus, AS OPPOSED TO HELPING HER "RELATIVES" FIGHT THEIR ADDICTIONS IN THE FIRST PLACE. Let's also realize that RP must maintain her own anonymity because she's related to a STAH, right? Uh, no. That would be because he/she does not want you to find out that he/she is just a lonely soul like so many on this earth just needing a little more attention than the rest of us. The anonymity claim and privacy because "I'M RIVERS COUSIN" are the perfect decoy. Be careful. There is more political and social pull when family of a celebrity come out into the open. Certainly NOT an anonymous claim of celebrity status.

If RP were any real relative, or real friend for that matter - River would be alive - Joaquin wouldn't have gone into rehab, and no coffin photo would exits. Instead what we have here - is one dead River Phoenix, another Phoenix on his way to being dead (Sorry Joaq fans!), and a coffin photo that has been floating around the world for ages.

You think if my kid had a drug problem that I would waste one moment of my time on the web? Of course not. But if your a Phoeniox family member, such as RP, you'll suck just oooooone more movie out of him before you get him some help, right? Riiiiiiight. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.

And on a further note - let's look at it this way. Rivers been dead for 11 years now. The idea that he is no longer making movies has got to suck because he was one hot commodity demanding the big bucks. So is it fair to say that "Hey ~ I'M RP & I'M RIVERS COUSIN" is actually not here to defend her pure cousins name, but rather to keep his memory alive so fans will continue to buy his movies and the royalties will be unending? If that were the case - then I'd have to say RP truly is a relative. What a waste.

I've worked waaaay too many overdoses, way too many crime scenes, detailed way too many celebrity funerals. I know better than the claims of our one and only RP. I've seen the hypocrit at work first hand. And if anyone here hasn't - just take the blinders off of your eyes. Move past the obsession with River Phoenix and see RP's claims for what they are. A sad fantasy . And that's too bad. Seems to me RP would have made a pretty decent fan here open for discussion without all the claims of "I'M HIS COUSIN" that are enough to make many of us here just VOMIT at the site of the words. But it makes for good conversation nonetheless .

"another Phoenix on his way to being dead (Sorry Joaq fans!)"

Now that's just mean. :( I'm way more a River fan that Joaquin (movies only here, people), so I'm not biased. But saying that Joaquin is "on his way to beign dead" is SO wrong. :( Yeah, the man had alcohol problems, but HE WENT TO REHAB to deal with them! You don't have any way of knowing that he hasn't stopped drinking permanently, andn no reason to believe he's doing drugs now like River did. Why on earth would you say something so mean andn cold about someone you don't even know????

"Now that's just mean. I'm way more a River fan that Joaquin (movies only here, people), so I'm not biased. But saying that Joaquin is "on his way to beign dead" is SO wrong."

Hey There! It's me, ICU. But check out my new user name .

It wasn't meant to be mean towards you. It was a point I was making in my above post that this family has serious problems when it comes to alcohol/drug abuse. And if they don't get help (like Joaquin did recently in rehab) then once again we will have a dead movie star on our hands. So rather than "family" spending time on this message board pretending to be a relative and luring young girls into private emails and such - perhaps this "family" member needs to pay attention to whats most important ..... FAMILY.

But alas, as we can all see, this "family" member who has been haunting the boards for ages now (and was already kicked out of another River site) is more interested in emails, chats, and message boards with little girls than saving her own "cousins". Please. The person I was referring to in my above post is no family member whatsoever. The tales of family gatherings and Alekas Attic Music with the Phoenix family are pure fantasy made up by this person to gain your respect, attention and sympathy. Don't fall for it. But thanks for calling my statement out so I could explain it further .

 

Are you talking about the um i dont like saying it but the one of him in the u know what?i dont think that any one but family should have the right to put that photo on there

icu thanks for clearing that up for ally

so ally the only person round here who's bullshitting round here is RP so you can stop bad mouthing me thank you very much

Hey Nat (and anyone else who is interested ...), if you or others are being emailed on a regular basis by certain members, that's another M.O. of the obsessive poser. Getting people interested "outside" of this website, and have others turn against you. It makes the "stalker" feel more in "control". Creepy. Nothing wrong with having friends to email here and elsewhere. It's when they start the arguments behind each others backs such as emails and chat rooms that cause problems. The "Stalker" knows this. Don't give him/her the satisfaction. Ally has beeen here for a long time. She'll come around .

hey icu yes someone on here has been e-mailing me and saying horrible things to me hang on i'll give you her e-mail address would you like it on here or the chat bit?

i'll be glad when "RP" is caught

Lets please stop focusing on that photo. Lets focus on his photo's in life and move on!!

Obviously i am new to this board but i have to admit, when i read the this RP was rivers cousin, i thought "bullshit"

She never gives anyone answers to questions that they ask her, she said in one post that the family are currently in the middle of something to get to the bottom of who took the photo and anotehr member asked why it had taken the family 11 years to do something about it and she hasnt replied.

Every answer she comes out with is " personal family business " And obviously your River fans would want to correspond with one of his cousins. She worries me, she could be a 50 yr old man for all we know.

seriously people ..im disgusted why do people feel the need to look at the pic is beyond me ..im so disgusted..that pic needs to be removed not just from this site but from any site thats hosting it on the net anywhere..sheesh some people need to have some respect..

Oh get over it! Thw photo isn't going to get taken down you idiots! It never will, unless Frank himself decides to take it down, and it doesnt look like there is a big chance of that ever happeneing!

You all know its not going to get taken down, and many people have come on here, saying the same thing as you all are, and do you think by making a post/petition to get it down, will work!

1. its just some post, not a real petition, so why would it make a differnce (why would the post have any impact)

2. He's feelings about the photo are obviously careless, so when he put the photo on the website, do you really think he cared about some random fan's feelings towards it? If he cared enough to take the photo down, would he have put it up in the first place?

This site has turned into a meaningless shithole, infested by obsessed teens with nothing to do with their time, and adults who need to get a life, instead of coming on here, arguing about some guy who died 11 years ago, thinking what they are saying is making a difference...Please!


I used to see a point in coming on here, but now,...no point at all! Ever since these stupid kids started coming on here, you just cant be bothered anymore!
I just love reading these kids pathetic posts, kids who used to go on about how hot River was, but now pretend to me 'OH SO WISE', arguring with people so they can feel comfortable and welcomed by popluar members such as ICU, so they act all wise, and then change their opinion on River and his death, so they feel like they have friends on this board! Come on!

"This site has turned into a meaningless shithole, infested by obsessed teens with nothing to do with their time, and adults who need to get a life, instead of coming on here, arguing about some guy who died 11 years ago, thinking what they are saying is making a difference...Please!"

now i wouldn't put it quite like that, but hey the lady has a point! though the whole idea of removing this photo is well meaning, but lets look at this issue in terms of reality. thousands of wedsites are created everyday, lets just say that 10 a day show some version of this photograph, how are you going to find all of them, we all know that find a death is not the only site that has this photo, and as these kind of sites go its pretty responsible when it comes to accessing it, at least more so than some others.

how the hell would you guys go about this crusade? are you going to stay infront of your computers surfing the net and looking for photos of some dead guy? are you willing to sacrifice a social life of job in order to find these things, and once you do getting rid of those sites is not easy.

its nothing more than a well meaning pipe dream. i hate this photo as much as you do, but i am not about to fool myself into thinking i can rid the world of this photo.

I agree with you maybe us teens are a little ubsesed but istn all teens have those guys they thnk are totally great. PPoor us because ours is river and he is dead. I think you rase a fare piont ec=ven though i still like to come on here. It's something to do it hs people on there that i have things in commin with like river phoemx for examp;e.

Ok..... I may have things in common with other people on this board, you might not think so, but you wouldnt know because I am not going top share personal information about myself to any of you! You may see me as a bitch, but I prefer to stand my grounds, and stick up a good point that take shit from immature little brats! I am nice, I honestly am, yuo dont know the real me! None of you, I just fine this site amazingly disturbing, and I have no problem with expressing my opinion! Some kids/people may not like it, and thats fine, but the teens who have problems with it are the ones that know im right, and im saying a lot more important things than them!

The way some carry on here.....I couldnt help but comment on, because as an outsider its just looked stupid! There is no problem with having jokes and mucking around, but to some extend and a couple of people are really pushing a joke into reality, and taking things to seriously, for example, the JTB! Some might find it funny, and it was kinda cute at the beggining, in an obsessive type of way. ....but now.....uhh dont get me started!

Ashelly, you say you have things in common with him! How would you know? You didnt know him personally! He was plastic, jhe was just an image created by movies and paparazi, no one on the outside really knew what he was like! You may be an animal lover like him, but he was passionate about it, and didnt take interest in loving animals because someone he thought was 'hot' loved animals. which I fear is the case with some kids!
Some celebrities are liked so much by some teens, kids feel they need to take on personality traits or passions these celebrities have because they love these celebrities so much! I often wonder how serious these kids are, because if half the kids on this site act is being for real... there is deffantly a problem there!

yes the photo is distasteful , but thats hollywood for you there are plenty of more terrible photo's out there ie manson murders , chris farley. They will never go away , no matter how much you try. Morbidity sells bottom line! and people are curious its human nature not a nice part but it is. They could use it as an anti drugs campaign , because that would shock people into reality , just like the guns campaign with John Lennon's 'bloodied glasses'. I don't find it offensive, and IF someone close to me dies and they get photo of them 'shit happens' BUT saying that people are all different and react in different ways.

And as for someone calling themselves 'River's Cousin' be careful its not always what it seems especially you younger fans dont believe everything you read.

b~cuz....just maybe the horror of it will stop some poor unknowing & innocent kid from od'ing on heroin and cocaine!

A sad picture sure, yes!...but remove it?

no...never!

cathytreks ( just "google" me sometime, caio)

Very well said cathytreks. This image, and his death can now be used to show people what not to do.

I highly doubt this photo will help to reassure people of the bad effects of drugs, and to make them realise they should stay away, they would be freaked out more than anything!

It could happen, but have you ever heard of a story of a brave man/woman quitting drugs becuase they saw a photo of a junkie movie star who died to drugs at the age of 23? NO!

If they are looking to get away from the drug seen, the last thing on their mind will be to go on the net and search for this photo! If they had common sense , which is highly doubtful seeing as they are in this drug rut in the first place, but they would be going to get help for themselves, not to moarn over some dead hollywood movie star and all of the sudden smack into reality! I dont think so!

And with kids you mean me.. Kelly...*spuugt op de grond.. en vloekt en scheld Kelly uit* Sorry, that just HAD to be in Dutch.. To hard..
I'm sorry Kelly, but 'as an outsider' you don't know what some of us mean with stuff, like the JTB..! Don't (can't get out of her words)
Bye!!

please dont be a played for a fool people...

Just how would YOU like to look at "the real deal" in YOUR family?

Of course it would make a difference to ALOT of people just looking at the results of the overdose as your friend lays there in a coffin...dead.

Get your blinders off.

this is what i'm getting at, the photo should not have been released. plus seeing as the circumstances of how the press (well the national enquirer, but close enough i guess) got of hold of this seems to be pretty questionable, not to mention the pain it inlflicts to his family.

i am not entirely convinced that photo was not tampered with either. lets face it, even if the body was to be cremated at the end of the day this is still a famous person who has most likely left alot of money to living relatives. if he looked that bad in real life his family would have most likely sued the asses of the company responsable for the embalming.

river's family have had to deal with the none too palatable fact that river was addicted to drugs. no ordinary family would be expected to deal with this indignation, so why them? river may have in a sense given up his right to anonimity,but those around him may not have done so.

I think you are right Ana. There have been people who came forth that say it was tampered with. I think the Priest at his service said something on another board about this in the past.

I remember that also. It was from a letter that the priest (who performed Rivers service) had written. It's somewhere on the River Phoenix website ... the one that has "Across The Way" message boards. Somewhere on that Phoenix website is a typed out letter allegedly written by the priest who said that River didn't look like that at the funeral.

lets face it, if i had to deal with an open coffin funeral of a loved one, and the embalming job was clearly botched i would be straight down the embalmers with a bitchslap and a lawsuit all ready for them.

perhaps the photo is a result of bad lighting and shoddy equiptment, but it wouldn't be the first time the national enquirer altered a few details.

I am not a person who feels that things as they are regarding these matters (and upon which I will expound below) are right in any way. They are not! BUT, THEY ARE THE WAY THEY ARE......HERE ARE THE FACTS...


We, in this society, do not treat our celebrities as human. We treat them as objects, to be admired, talked about, obsessed over, respected and disrespected, depending upon their and our behaviour at the moment, and in general, to be envied, jealous about, loved and hated!

They after all, aren't real people. They are images conjured by mass media and their own press agents. In most cases, these celebrities are willing participants and in some, enthusiastically so. There is plenty of upside to go with their downside. They enjoy privileges the rest of us do not. They are welcome where only the exclusive wander and are often given free stuff even though they are the ones who need it the least. They are admired the world over and even though they complain about lack of privacy, they can afford and often go to, places so private and isolated, not even Columbus could find them if he wanted to (I know....it's a joke...: )

So, in my opinion, one of the biggest downsides to celebrity is that underneath it all, the celebrity hound, the obssessed nerd who feels so deeply about this person, who let's face it, they haven't even met nor do they know, has a deep seated hatred for everything their celebrity has and they do not. So when these people fall off of the high and mighty pedestal the depraved hero worshipper placed him or her on in the first place, there is a certain amount of happiness the "fan" feels....finally, their high and mighty privileged and loved celebrity (having the privileges and love this deeply obsessed fan should have....not them!!!) is in a vulnerable place. The pure exploitation of that vulnerability is hardly enough and to the troubled fan, long overdue.

That is how I see the picture of River Phoenix in the casket. It is a picture which was obviously taken before the undertakers could do their work to make him as pretty as before. Death makes one look ugly physically speaking.
So, how much more vulnerable do you think River Phoenix could be? Looking like that, lifeless, unable to defend himself further and oh so dead. Well....how about we take a picture and plaster it in the public forum. And that is what they did! And there it is....for all the depraved world to enjoy. I guess it comes with the package of celebrity.

So much for the saying, "die young, stay pretty!" uh?

Hey Carson!

Nice post! I have only one disagreement with you. It's when you say: "It is a picture which was obviously taken before the undertakers could do their work to make him as pretty as before. "

I have to disagree there - and that is ONLY if the accounts given time and tme again are accurate. But several accounts talk of family passing by and placing memorabilia with River, such as jewelry, and especially the pink carnation. If you were to take a glance at the pic again, you'll see the pink carnation and memorabilia already placed with him - thus the photo was taken well into the service itself, and long after the mortician had done his/her job.

Nice post though! We don't get those too often anymore thanks to some "posers" on the board. Hope to see more of them soon!

hey i think this is very true cause all the newspapers do is alter pictures and make them look different but i do think that the picture tooken isnt appropriate for this site because its disrespecting him and his family- he has died and people should take that in to account and take the picture of the site!!!!!!!!!!

I'm totally with you on this! Imagine how River's family would feel if they found out that that photo was off the net! They would be so happy with us :)Take away the photo!!!!!

yeah for real..........get the photo off.........people dont want to remember river being in that state........i certainly like to try to get the image out of my mind........i mean imagine if you were the dead person, or heart, john, rain, liberty, joaquin, or summer? would you want people posting pictures of your dead brother or son all over the internet?? this is not the way we should remember river.....// like joaquin said "if i ever found out who did this i would personally beat the living sh** out of him."

In the name of decent
taste we would all be
better off with out
that awful picture.
Its explotation of a
poor man who happened
to be famous. Give us
all a break! I hope
its taken off.