Lee Grivas, Christina Applegate's Boyfriend, Found Dead

Media Shows Insensitivity

July 4, 2008 -- Lee Grivas, 26, the on-again off-again boyfriend of Christina Applegate was found dead in his apartment on July 1, 2008, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Lee Grivas, a photographer, had a history of drug abuse, and there was a syringe found at the scene, according to the Lt. Fred Corral of the Los Angeles coroner's office (Newsday.com). The official cause of death will not been released until the results of toxicology tests and an autopsy are completed, according to E! New.

Christina Applegate and Lee Grivas

Christina Applegate, whose career has seen a recent resurgence with her TV show Samantha Who, is best known for playing ditzy Kelly Bundy on Married With Children. According to various reports, Christina Applegate met Lee Grivas while she was on Broadway in "Sweet Charity."

Most recently, Christina Applegate and Lee Grivas were back on again and "had been seeing each other again" for the past few months, according to E! News. Christina Applegate and Lee Grivas first got together after Christina Applegate's divorce from Jonathan Schaech in 2006 (Wikiepdia.org).

Celebrity Deaths and Mass Media

Sometimes the media tries to be too clever when covering celebrity news, and oversteps the boundaries of good taste and journalistic ethics. In its news report of Lee Grivas' death, the The Dish Rag by Elizabeth Snead published by the LA Times tries to go for clever and make a joke. They also make an unjustified jab at Christina Applegate, almost implicating her in her boyfriend's death.

The headline is factual enough, as it reads "Christina Applegate's boyfriend Lee Grivas found dead." However, the lead makes a poor attempt at a joke, as it reads, "Maybe they should change it from "Samanatha Who" to 'Whodunnit.'" Not only is this in poor taste, it also leads readers to believe that the death of Lee Grivas, Christina Applegate's boyfriend, involves a mystery or foul play.

The Los Angeles coroner's department has ruled the death of Christina Applegate's boyfriend Lee Grivas as a drug overdose. So, the answer to the LA Times blog lede would be, Lee Grivas.