# 2026 Celebrity Death Pool **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** death-pool\ **Created:** [December 2, 2025, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-celebrity-death-pool/1025318 "2025-12-02T04:28:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2025, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-celebrity-death-pool/1025318/1 "2025-12-02T04:28:23Z")
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!!! **The Rules** : 1. You pick 13 celebrities (that’s thirteen, not ten) whom you predict will die within the calendar year 2026. If any of your celebrities dies, you score 100 points minus their age at death. Whoever has the most points at the end of the year wins the undying _snort_ admiration of the SDMB. 2. All picks must be time- and date-stamped by midnight CST, Dec. 31st, 2025. (That’s U.S. Central time, which is six hours behind Greenwich.) 3. Valid picks are not a. already dead b. a fictional character c. non-human d. under age 18 at death, 'cause we’re macabre but not THAT macabre. e. a registered member of the SDMB, 'cause that would be weird f. famous solely as a result of their illness or associated actions/events. g. listed as “any member of whatever group” It’s really hard to define “celebrity” Best we can do is someone who’s death is rather widely reported in major media outlets, because of something they’ve done, be it art, politics, athletics, science, music, the military, or even serial murder. It’s not going to be your Aunt Mabel who was in the local paper because her apple pie won first place in the county fair. HOWEVER if you Do have a question about whether or not someone else’s choice qualifies, please, I’d prefer a PM about it to start off with, rather than thrashing it out in public and possibly causing resentment. Remember, people, it’s only a game. It’s supposed to be fun, Fun FUN!!! 1. You can pick people who are 100 or more years old but you won’t score points for them. See the “Quantity Not Quality” award, below. 2. If we are uncertain about the celebrity’s age at death, we will go by the higher age (lower score). 3. Prisoners held on death row will be valid for scoring points only if they die by means other than official execution. 4. Any poster who kills or otherwise contributes to the death of any celebrity mentioned in this thread is disqualified. The only exceptions to this rule would be deaths caused by those posters serving as members of the police or armed forces of any country, in the line of duty. 5. Editing your choices: be careful! You can make changes to your list before the end of the year, but it has to be clear which names are your final choices. It might be advisable to submit one or more “alternates” with your list, in the event that one of your picks dies during December 2025. If you have no alternates, and one of your picks has died the remaining twelve will be all you have. You may have no more than 13 picks. If you pick more than 13, or if any of your picks is otherwise invalid, I may ask for clarification. Otherwise, I will submit the first 13 names on your list. Do me a favor: check twice, post once. Sharing news of celebrities in ill health and whatnot is up to individual posters. If a poster playing the game gets banned during the year, this does not invalidate their entry, although they won’t be able to gloat in the thread if and/or when they do get points. If a player changes their username at some point, post this news on the thread, or PM me, so I know who you are. Players who pass away themselves during the year will still have their points counted, and will receive a special award, or notice, when the year is over. Some celebrities have common, identical or similar names. It is helpful to be specific. Spelling counts! Please try to spell celebrities’ names correctly. In 2023 I had Rosalynn Carter’s name spelled three different ways, and almost lost one. Names that weren’t originally spelled in English can be tricky, I know, but if you aren’t sure of a name, try looking at what a major news outlet, like CNN or the BBC, uses. While all deaths garnering points must occur during the calendar year, I know that a death might go unreported for a day or so. So, I will not post official total points for at least 24 hours after 12/31/2025 If you find that one of your picks died, say, late on 12/31/2026, and you didn’t hear about it until late on Jan. 1, 2026(this is a not so subtle hint to check your lists)then post a cite at once, and you will get your points. After that you will be out of luck. Additional awards: The “Opening Kickoff” Award: awarded to the poster or posters who pick the first listed celebrity to die in 2025 The “Quantity Not Quality” Award: awarded to the poster or posters who pick the greatest number of celebrities who died, regardless of their actual point value. The “Inside Track With the Grim Reaper” Award: awarded to the poster or posters who had the most unique picks that died. The “Robbing the Cradle” Award: awarded to the poster or posters who pick the youngest celebrity to die in 2025 but see rule 3.d. The “Final Hours” Award: awarded to the poster or posters who pick the last listed celebrity to die in 2025 I have a spreadsheet that allows me to post game standings and produce various other statistics. The pain is “loading” the data into the sheets. So if a person is born by one name and refered to by another, use the most common one. I refer to it as the “Pope” rule, that is, use the name a celebrity is most commonly known by. It isn’t necessarily their birth name. If a person is known primarily by a titled name, please use that. So it wouldn’t be Jorge Bergoglio, it would be Pope Francis. And don’t put down Charles Windsor, put down King Charles III. If you do pick George or Chuck, under their lesser known names, I might not notice it, to give you those points if and when they shuffle off this mortal coil and go to join the choir invisible. And please, let me mention again, check your spelling of names!!! And second, post your list in a plain format. An example of a plain list follows here: Pete Arredondo Greg Abbott Dan Patrick Ken Paxton Ted Cruz John Cornyn Tony Gonzales. Don McLaughlin Mandy Gutierrez Christina Mitchell Busbee Tucker Carlson Lindsey Graham Paul Gosar No spaces between the names. So not like this Pete Arredondo Greg Abbott Dan Patrick However, I know that many of you like to include commentary within your lists, such as: Pete(I wasn’t in charge) Arredondo That’s fine, it’s entertaining. But if you do that, please include the list again in plain format for me to copy & paste. I will give one reminder only, and after that you have to figure things out for yourself. It’s good to be the Death Mistress!! Have fun, sickos, and “May the odds be ever in your favor!” ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2025, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-celebrity-death-pool/1025318/2 "2025-12-02T04:29:44Z")
Poo?.. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2025, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-celebrity-death-pool/1025318/3 "2025-12-02T04:33:06Z")
Death poo is the unfortunate result of your sphincter releasing when you die. ETA": Dammit, the correction is no fun. For those who didn’t see the original thread title, it was: **2026 Celebrity Death Poo;** ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2025, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-celebrity-death-pool/1025318/4 "2025-12-02T05:31:50Z")
Guess I’m first because all I need to do is dust off last year’s list. Drake Lil Baby Doja Cat The Weeknd Lil Durk Giveon Polo G Rod Wave Post Malone Moneybagg Yo Megan Thee Stallion J. Cole Ye “Ye” being Kanye West if you prefer. Alternates: DaBaby The Kid LAROI Gunna ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2025, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-celebrity-death-pool/1025318/5 "2025-12-02T06:00:04Z")
I’m going to wait until after Christmas before posting my list, as there is still a small chance 12 celebrities will take pity on me and board a fateful flight into a volcano. ---
**Author:** ![billiefan2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@billiefan2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billiefan2000)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2025, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-celebrity-death-pool/1025318/6 "2025-12-02T06:11:39Z")
My list … Justin Timberlake James Van Der Beek Zachary Ty Bryan Ariana Grande Bruce Willis Michael Shannon Kenneth Copeland Jesse Duplantis Tommy Lee Jones Chris Hemsworth Alec Baldwin John Travolta Jamie Lee Curtis Alternates: Daveigh Chase Leven Rambin Jennifer Lawrence ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2025, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-celebrity-death-pool/1025318/7 "2025-12-02T06:21:54Z")
No spaces, **billie** , it makes more work for the Death Mistress. You do not want to make more work for the Death Mistress. ---
**Author:** ![billiefan2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@billiefan2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billiefan2000)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2025, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-celebrity-death-pool/1025318/8 "2025-12-02T06:23:12Z")
I fixed it. It was acting up on my end. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2025, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-celebrity-death-pool/1025318/9 "2025-12-02T07:58:28Z")
A repeat of last year’s list (and the year before!) One of these years…. Donald Trump Kim Jong-Un Vladimir Putin Newt Gengrich Mitch McConnell Rupert Murdoch Rudi Giuliani Chuck Grassley Charles Koch Harlan Crow Clarence Thomas Donald Trump, Jr. Xi Jinping Alternates: Miguel Díaz-Canel Stephan Miller Bill Cosby ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2025, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-celebrity-death-pool/1025318/10 "2025-12-02T08:14:40Z")
Raymond Teller John Astin Donald Trump Lewis Black Frankie Valli Rudy Giuliani Robert Silverberg Tom Baker Cher Andrea Martin Samuel A. Alito, Jr. Mike Ditka Penn Gillette Alternates: Joe Namath Billie Jean King ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2025, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-celebrity-death-pool/1025318/11 "2025-12-02T13:03:58Z")
Getting this in so I don’t forget. Elton John Paul McCartney Brittany Spears Justin Bieber Mariah Carey Halsey Selena Gomez Celine Dion Adele Alanis Morissette Billie Eilish Bebe Rexha Constance Wu Alts: Bono Harry Styles Madonna ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2025, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-celebrity-death-pool/1025318/12 "2025-12-02T17:05:24Z")
My list has 29 names. Is that ok? ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2025, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-celebrity-death-pool/1025318/13 "2025-12-02T17:20:05Z")
If 16 of them are alternates, sure! ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2025, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-celebrity-death-pool/1025318/14 "2025-12-02T17:54:46Z")
This is interesting. I missed last year so I’m recycling my 2024 list; however I have to replace two of them … so at least I know I was on the right track. I scored on Jimmy Buffet but I think I got bogarted on Pele because he died so late in the year. Anyhoo … celebrities with pilots licenses dominate, but I’m looking for some ringers to include too. Final list may vary. John Travolta Bill Burr Thomas Middleditch Tom Cruise Clint Eastwood Harrison Ford David Lee Roth Morgan Freeman Bill Cosby Jerry Sandusky Harvey Weinstein Dave Coulier Chuck Grassley Alts Jeffrey Jones R. Kelly Ted Nugent ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2025, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-celebrity-death-pool/1025318/15 "2025-12-02T18:04:18Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Newt Gengrich It’s Gingrich. ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2025, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-celebrity-death-pool/1025318/16 "2025-12-02T18:11:24Z")
Shirley MacLaine Tina Louise Max Baer, Jr. John Goodman Margaret O’Brien Ian McKellen Judi Dench Billy West Jeff Bridges Mel Brooks Alan Alda Sally Struthers Jack Nicholson Alternates: Jacques Pepin Joseph Biden Courtney Love ---
**Author:** ![RollOutTheBarrel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rolloutthebarrel/32/1649_2.png) [@RollOutTheBarrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RollOutTheBarrel)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2025, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-celebrity-death-pool/1025318/17 "2025-12-02T18:57:25Z")
Jonathan Banks Len Cariou Joseph DeAngelo Bob Dylan Jane Fonda Uri Gellar Alan Greenspan Rudy Giuliani Mitch McConnell Pat Sajak George Takei Donald Trump Dick Van Dyke alternates: Squeaky Fromme Wings Hauser Ted Nugent ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2025, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-celebrity-death-pool/1025318/18 "2025-12-02T19:04:38Z")
A fuckhead no matter how it’s spelled. But thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2025, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-celebrity-death-pool/1025318/19 "2025-12-02T19:12:37Z")
Fuck it. Cut/Paste last years. Who cares anymore. Vlad Zelenski Johnny Knoxville Vicktor Bout Charlie Sheen Steve-O Travis Pastrana Bam Margera Andy Bell Josh Todd Bombshell McGee Danny Bonaduce Michael Schumacher Lizzo This is like **8** years running. Again, You People Owe Me! ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2025, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-celebrity-death-pool/1025318/20 "2025-12-02T20:41:58Z")
Chris Hoy Tatiana Schlossberg Asma al-Assad Imelda Marcos Donald Trump Clarence Thomas Ghislaine Maxwell Jerry Sandusky R. Kelly Harvey Weinstein Rudy Giuliani Mitch McConnell Vladimir Putin Steve Bannon Lindsay Graham Marjorie Taylor Greene [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-celebrity-death-pool/1025318.md?page=2)