# Casey Kasem died today. 82 years old **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 15, 2014, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casey-kasem-died-today-82-years-old/690822 "2014-06-15T15:14:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casey-kasem-died-today-82-years-old/690822/1 "2014-06-15T15:14:54Z")
:(☹ A big part of my teen years were spent listening to the top 40 countdown. Every weekend I had my radio tuned to Casey Kasem. He introduced me to so many bands. Told personal stories about the guys in the band. My biggest source of new music came from the top 40 countdown. R.I.P. keep spinning those hit records. > **[Casey Kasem dead at 82: Radio legend dies on Father’s Day amid family battle...](https://www.nydailynews.com/2014/06/16/casey-kasem-dead-at-82-radio-legend-dies-on-fathers-day-amid-family-battle-over-his-care/)** > > Casey Kasem, the sentimental king of the music radio countdown and the television voice of Shaggy on “Scooby-Doo,” died Sunday in Gig Harbor, Wash. He was 82. He had suffered from Lewy … > [@](#): > > His name still made news because over 40-plus years on the radio, Casey Kasem set the benchmark for contemporary countdown shows. > > He would play the top 10, 20 or 40 songs, interspersed with upbeat patter and stories about the artists or records. > > He regularly read listener dedications and never apologized for a sentimental style that often dipped into cornball. He ended each show by telling listeners, “Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars.” > > He had the tone of an enthusiastic conversationalist whose appreciation for the music transcended the traditionally teenage Top 40 audience. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casey-kasem-died-today-82-years-old/690822/2 "2014-06-15T15:27:22Z")
just heard. scooby doo is my favourite cartoon. he will live on as shaggy. i hope that the recent family strife will ease, somehow, i don’t think it will. god brings death, the devil brings heirs. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casey-kasem-died-today-82-years-old/690822/3 "2014-06-15T15:27:34Z")
To me, he will always be the voice of Robin from _The Super Friends_. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casey-kasem-died-today-82-years-old/690822/4 "2014-06-15T15:36:38Z")
I remember the countdowns very well. Sometimes driving down the interstate to and from my grandmother’s house in Arkansas, we could pick him up on the car radio. So I often equate him with road trips. RIP, Casey. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casey-kasem-died-today-82-years-old/690822/5 "2014-06-15T15:48:46Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I remember the countdowns very well. Sometimes driving down the interstate to and from my grandmother’s house in Arkansas, we could pick him up on the car radio. So I often equate him with road trips. > > RIP, Casey. ☹ SiriusXM replays the countdowns every Saturday. I was listening yesterday ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casey-kasem-died-today-82-years-old/690822/6 "2014-06-15T15:50:37Z")
Poor sunnavagun. His last years were likely Hell, because of his family. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casey-kasem-died-today-82-years-old/690822/7 "2014-06-15T16:00:30Z")
One of the most mellifluous voices I’ve ever heard; the Top 40 Countdown was a huge part of my youth. RIP Mr. Kasem; you totally fucking rocked. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casey-kasem-died-today-82-years-old/690822/8 "2014-06-15T17:08:12Z")
Zoiks! It’s, like, sad man! Although in all honesty not really, there is an amount of sadness when someone goes but he lived a good life and given his situation in recent memory death is probably the best thing for him A prayer for his soul should be his request…and dedication ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casey-kasem-died-today-82-years-old/690822/9 "2014-06-15T18:06:52Z")
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that you throw some meat. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casey-kasem-died-today-82-years-old/690822/10 "2014-06-15T18:10:22Z")
He finally reached the stars. RIP, Casey. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casey-kasem-died-today-82-years-old/690822/11 "2014-06-15T18:24:40Z")
[This song was among the first of many](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20W4slP2PGg) I heard for the first time on America’s Top 40. Seems appropriate for today’s Long Distance Dedication. R.I.P., Casey. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casey-kasem-died-today-82-years-old/690822/12 "2014-06-15T18:29:03Z")
I have the original 12-minute version of this on a mixtape somewhere. It led to a huge legal battle with U2, and is mega-NSFW due to language. Ever since I first heard this, I cannot hear Mr. Kasem without thinking of it. The song is called “U2” and the band is called Negativland, a group of DJs who have been putting together things like this for many years. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Z6gPSSYxex0/hqdefault.jpg "U2's lost song NEGATIVLAND") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6gPSSYxex0) RIP, Casey. Tell Snuggles hello for us anyway. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casey-kasem-died-today-82-years-old/690822/13 "2014-06-15T19:54:15Z")
Wow, I honestly did not know he did voice-over cartoon work! Guess I’m a little older than the target audience on those. You learn something every day. RIP Mr. Kasem. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casey-kasem-died-today-82-years-old/690822/14 "2014-06-15T23:11:42Z")
I looked up the AT40 wiki. Casey started AT40 July 4, 1970. I had always thought that AT40 dated back to the late 50’s (like American Bandstand). I started listening to it in junior high. Probably 1974 or 75. > **[American Top 40](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Top_40)** > > American Top 40 (previously abbreviated to AT40) is an internationally syndicated, independent song countdown radio program created by Casey Kasem, Don Bustany, Tom Rounds, and Ron Jacobs. The program is currently hosted by Ryan Seacrest and presented as an adjunct to his weekday radio program, On Air with Ryan Seacrest. > Originally a production of Watermark Inc. (later a division of ABC Radio known as ABC Watermark, now Cumulus Media Networks), American Top 40 is now distributed by Premiere Ne... ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casey-kasem-died-today-82-years-old/690822/15 "2014-06-16T00:51:27Z")
Because of comments here, I’m browsing through his IMDB listing. Pretty impressive list of credits. And there was “The New Scooby-Doo Movies” in 1972? ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casey-kasem-died-today-82-years-old/690822/16 "2014-06-16T00:56:10Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that you throw some meat. Or a Scooby Snack. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casey-kasem-died-today-82-years-old/690822/17 "2014-06-16T01:23:32Z")
Listening to the top 40 was such a part of my childhood, I guess- just hearing his voice makes me feel like I’m 13. I really loved the long-distance dedications. I’m glad that his long battle is over and he can finally get some peace. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casey-kasem-died-today-82-years-old/690822/18 "2014-06-16T02:13:23Z")
Loved the swearific out-take. Beyond that, his top 40 show was a fixture of my high school, Army, and college years. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casey-kasem-died-today-82-years-old/690822/19 "2014-06-16T02:35:43Z")
Casey was a DJ on my local rock station during my teenage years (KRLA). I’ll miss you Casey. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casey-kasem-died-today-82-years-old/690822/20 "2014-06-16T13:14:49Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Poor sunnavagun. > His last years were likely Hell, because of his family. Yeah, the last I remember hearing was when he went missing a month or so ago. Whatever happened with that? (Obviously they found him…) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casey-kasem-died-today-82-years-old/690822.md?page=2)