Daily Dish

By tbt* Tampa Bay Times
Published January 24, 2008

Results of Heath Ledger's autopsy early Wednesday were inconclusive, the AP reports, and further tests are required to determine the cause of death. Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner, said it will take another 10 days to get the results.

The New York Post's Page Six is reporting that no one outside the medical examiner's office had seen the body, and no family or friends have yet visited the office.

Early Wednesday, his ex-girlfriend, Michelle Williams, and their 2-year-old daughter, Matilda, left Trollhattan, Sweden, where the 27-year-old actor had been shooting scenes for the movie Mammoth, said Martin Stromberg, a spokesman for Memfis Film.

"She received the news at her hotel late last night," Stromberg said, adding he had not spoken to Williams after she learned of Ledger's death.

TMZ has been reporting that Heath was sick with pneumonia when he died. The site also identified the housekeeper and masseuse who found him as Theresa Solomon, 56, and Diane Lee, 40, respectively. They apparently found him naked and face down at the foot of his bed. Speculation is rising that the death was accidental and that is the "operating theory" the NYPD is working with, the site says.

Ledger had previously told the New York Times he had been taking sleeping pills because his roles as the Joker in The Dark Knight and Bob Dylan in I'm Not There had kept him up at night.

Bottles of prescription and over-the-counter sleeping aids and the anti-anxiety medicines Xanax and Valium were found at the scene Tuesday, TMZ says. The AP also adds that a rolled-up $20 bill was found near his body, according to police, although it was unclear whether it was used to ingest drugs.

While we're in the speculation stage, the Sydney Morning Herald says the actor was on Ambien, which he has admitted taking. Product information for Ambien says that it should not be taken if you have a respiratory illness or shortness of breath.

In the wake of the surprising death, President Bush postponed a Wednesday event at the White House, where he was to announce an ad campaign about stopping prescription drug abuse, Page Six says.

"We thought it would be better to postpone the event," press secretary Dana Perino said, "rather than run the risk of anyone thinking that we were being opportunistic in highlighting the issue."

Busta Rhymes cops plea

Also in New York City, a judge sentenced Busta Rhymes to three years' probation and 10 whole days of community service after he changed his plea to guilty in exchange for a deal, TMZ and the AP report. The rapper, a.k.a. Trevor Smith, was accused of assaulting his former driver and a fan. He also was fined $1,250 plus court costs on counts of driving while intoxicated and with a suspended license. He will have to enroll in a drunken driving program and surrender his driver's license for six months. And the judge made it clear he'd better keep it clean, because he'll spend a year in jail if he violates probation. Who's all in check now, hmm?

Cops catch Lil Wayne

Lil Wayne may be the next to look for a plea deal after he was arrested on felony drug charges Wednesday in Arizona, the AP reports. Federal agents said they found illegal drugs including cocaine on his charter bus about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday at a checkpoint near Dateland in southwestern Arizona. DEA agents found almost 4 ounces of weed, just over an ounce of cocaine and almost 2 ounces of X, along with drug paraphernalia. They also found a .40-caliber pistol registered to the rapper, who has a concealed weapons permit in Florida. The rapper, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., was being held at the Yuma County sheriff's jail on state drug charges.

Cops investigate Winehouse vid

Well, that trip to rehab Amy Winehouse took with her father, Mitch, on Tuesday lasted all of two hours, the Daily Mail reports. The paper says she spent a couple hours at the facility but didn't check herself in. Apparently, her bad habits have returned with her beehive, and Scotland Yard is looking into that video from the Sun of her allegedly smoking what the kids call the crack rock, the AP says (see it at blogs.tampabay.com/juice). "Officers will be reviewing the footage and will then assess the footage and ascertain whether any action is to be taken," a police spokesman said. Her "friends" aren't too happy about the footage, and say she was set up by the tabloid. Well, duh.

[Last modified January 23, 2008, 23:54:38]