FRIENDS UNAWARE OF DIRECTOR'S HEART PROBLEM

Death: After Coroner Finds Cocaine In Ted Demme's System, Acquaintances Say
They Didn't Know The Severity Of His Condition.

Friends of director Ted Demme, who was found to have small traces of
cocaine in his system at the time of his death, said they were aware he
occasionally used the drug but that they did not know his heart condition
was so delicate.

The official cause of Demme's death, announced over the weekend by the Los
Angeles County medical examiner, was a heart attack, with coronary artery
disease listed as a contributing factor. The metabolized cocaine could have
played a part in bringing on the heart attack, the medical examiner said.

The 38-year-old director had thickened heart arteries and died when a blood
clot formed in a heart vessel, the coroner said. "There is a history of him
having problems with his heart--hypertension and high blood pressure," said
Scott Carrier, a spokesman for the medical examiner. "The use of the
cocaine is a contributing factor."

But some of his friends said the director may not have realized how serious
his heart condition was. "He clearly didn't know he had a heart problem;
otherwise I know he would not have done that," said one friend who asked to
remain anonymous. "I know that he was a guy who liked to party, but not any
more than lots of other people who do cocaine and every other drug and are
still alive and kicking."

Demme, father of a 2-month-old boy and a 5-year-old girl, was pronounced
dead Jan. 13 at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center after paramedics rushed
him to the facility in full cardiac arrest.

Demme, the nephew of director Jonathan Demme, was playing in an NBA
Entertainment League game at Crossroads School in Santa Monica at the time
of the attack. He collapsed shortly after leaving the court and sitting
down on the bench, sources said.

Acquaintances said they were not aware Demme had a history of heart or
health problems and that he played basketball with friends as often as five
times a week.

Screenwriter Richard LaGravenese said he was not aware that Demme used
drugs and regretted the fact that his autopsy report could tarnish his
reputation.

He was, LaGravenese said, "a wonderful father and partner and friend."
Being a cocaine user "is the last thing in my mind I would ever refer to
him as. I wouldn't even think of referring to him as that. It's kind of
hurtful."

Ironically, Demme's last movie was "Blow," the story of George Jung, a
small-town kid from New England who became Colombian drug lord Pablo
Escobar's right-hand man in the United States during the 1970s. The film
starred Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz.

But LaGravenese said Demme was attracted to Jung's story because of its
tragedy, not the cocaine use or fast lifestyle. "'Blow' was a about a guy
caught in the wrong path who loses his daughter, the thing he loves most,"
LaGravenese said. "That was what appealed to him. It wasn't about the drugs
or how great drugs are."

The bearded, outgoing Demme worked in the entertainment industry for more
than a decade, both as a producer and director. Much of his best-known
work, including episodes of "Homicide: Life on the Street" and the films
"Blow," "Monument Ave." and "The Ref" combined gritty, urban stories with
offbeat, sharp-edged humor.

At the time of his death, Demme was working on pilot programs for two
networks, and he was seen as a promising film director. His gregarious
personality also made him a fixture in some of Hollywood's most famous
hangouts.

Dan Tana's restaurant renamed a popular dish in the director's honor a day
after his death. The Chicken Parmigiana Ted Demme, a breaded, deep-fried
breast of chicken smothered in mozzarella and marinara sauce, was the
director's favorite item on the menu, assistant manager Nada Palikovic said.

Palikovic said Demme came to the restaurant two or three times a week and
nearly always ordered that dish. "He was a steady customer," she said.