Heath Ledger "Brokeback Mountain" as a nominee for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, the "Los Angeles Times" referred to his presentation as an "apparent gay spoof". Ledger called the "Times" later and explained that his levity resulted from stage fright, saying that he had been told that he would be presenting the award only minutes earlier; he stated: "I am so sorry and I apologise for my nervousness. I would be absolutely horrified if my stage fright was misinterpreted as a lack of respect for the film, the topic and for the amazing filmmakers." Ledger was quoted in
Heath Ledger months after Ledger's death, on 23 December 2008, Jake Coyle, writing for the Associated Press, announced that "Heath Ledger's death was voted 2008's top entertainment story by U.S. newspaper and broadcast editors surveyed by The Associated Press". He claimed that this was partially a result of the "shock and confusion" surrounding the circumstances of Ledger's death, as well as due to Ledger's "legacy [...] in a roundly acclaimed performance as the Joker in the year's biggest box office hit "The Dark Knight"." After Ledger's death, in response to some press reports about his will, filed in New York City on