# Celebrities whose deaths are going to cause a mega-brewhaha **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 3, 2007, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-deaths-are-going-to-cause-a-mega-brewhaha/398605 "2007-04-03T19:48:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-deaths-are-going-to-cause-a-mega-brewhaha/398605/1 "2007-04-03T19:48:57Z")
Having survived the media circus of Anna Nicole’s demise, let’s think about who else’s death will cause such a feeding fenzy? One sure one is OJ Simpson. Especially if it even looks the littest bit suspious. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-deaths-are-going-to-cause-a-mega-brewhaha/398605/2 "2007-04-03T19:53:34Z")
Vera Lynn. For lots of good / happy reasons, though. ---
**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:** [April 3, 2007, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-deaths-are-going-to-cause-a-mega-brewhaha/398605/3 "2007-04-03T19:57:21Z")
Prince Harry ---
**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:** [April 3, 2007, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-deaths-are-going-to-cause-a-mega-brewhaha/398605/4 "2007-04-03T19:59:08Z")
Considering I had to Wiki Vera Lynn (never heard of her before today) I don’t think her death is going to merit more than the obligatory obit. Sorry. I do think the death of either Paul McCartney or Ringo Starr, whichever is last, will generate an awful lot of headlines and reminiscences. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-deaths-are-going-to-cause-a-mega-brewhaha/398605/5 "2007-04-03T20:01:22Z")
Paris Hilton Michael Jackson Elton John Pamela Anderson ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-deaths-are-going-to-cause-a-mega-brewhaha/398605/6 "2007-04-03T20:02:23Z")
Katie Holmes, if she should die before her husband. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-deaths-are-going-to-cause-a-mega-brewhaha/398605/7 "2007-04-03T20:02:47Z")
This may be a Texas thing but: Willie Nelson. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-deaths-are-going-to-cause-a-mega-brewhaha/398605/8 "2007-04-03T20:05:05Z")
If they die while still in mid-career, I would say actors and singers like: Tom Cruise Mel Gibson Madonna Michael Jackson Britney Spears Paris Hilton and all the other Media Attention Whores and major nutcases that already constantly make the headlines of scandal sheets. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-deaths-are-going-to-cause-a-mega-brewhaha/398605/9 "2007-04-03T20:16:28Z")
Oprah Winfrey. ---
**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:** [April 3, 2007, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-deaths-are-going-to-cause-a-mega-brewhaha/398605/10 "2007-04-03T20:19:20Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] If they die while still in mid-career, I would say actors and singers like: Tom Cruise Mel Gibson Madonna Michael Jackson Britney Spears Paris Hilton and all the other Media Attention Whores and major nutcases that already constantly make the headlines of scandal sheets. Jim [/QUOTE] I don’t think so. Not in the way the OP states, an Anna Nicole media circus. There has to be something extra involved to throw it into the three rings, a mystery, an ongoing saga, something. Anna Nicole had old man’s money, the Supreme Court, multiple fathers, a dead son… It practically writes itself. Britney maybe, just because of the kids and KFed. Any of the others it would depend on how they die. If its just a car accident with nothing else going on, a days worth of obits and then nothing. Same with Elton John, Willie Nelson, Vera Lynn… If Prince Harry dies in combat, that story has legs. Would have been JK Rowling if she didn’t finish the book first. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-deaths-are-going-to-cause-a-mega-brewhaha/398605/11 "2007-04-03T20:24:49Z")
[QUOTE=Loach] I don’t think so. Not in the way the OP states, an Anna Nicole media circus. There has to be something extra involved to throw it into the three rings, a mystery, an ongoing saga, something. Anna Nicole had old man’s money, the Supreme Court, multiple fathers, a dead son… It practically writes itself. Britney maybe, just because of the kids and KFed. Any of the others it would depend on how they die. If its just a car accident with nothing else going on, a days worth of obits and then nothing. Same with Elton John, Willie Nelson, Vera Lynn… If Prince Harry dies in combat, that story has legs. Would have been JK Rowling if she didn’t finish the book first. [/QUOTE] I don’t know, I picked celebs that live their outrageous, even by Hollywood standards, lives in the press. I think it would take very little controversy for their deaths to result in a media circus. Can you imagine if Katie Holmes flips out and kills Cruise, that would be good for 18 months covering the death and then the trial. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-deaths-are-going-to-cause-a-mega-brewhaha/398605/12 "2007-04-03T20:25:06Z")
The way things have gone and keep on going for her, I’m-a go with Tonya Harding. She still pops up in the news now and again, most recently for making 911 calls about some made-up shi\*t. I just don’t imagine her life ending peacefully. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-deaths-are-going-to-cause-a-mega-brewhaha/398605/13 "2007-04-03T20:28:39Z")
[del]You’re probably right. Not much peaceful about a tornado through a trailer park…[/del] Nah. ---
**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:** [April 3, 2007, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-deaths-are-going-to-cause-a-mega-brewhaha/398605/14 "2007-04-03T20:36:20Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] I don’t know, I picked celebs that live their outrageous, even by Hollywood standards, lives in the press. I think it would take very little controversy for their deaths to result in a media circus. Can you imagine if Katie Holmes flips out and kills Cruise, that would be good for 18 months covering the death and then the trial. Jim [/QUOTE] That would work. I guess I meant to say that it is hard to predict. A quiet death of even a major celebrity won’t cause more than just a blip. Going out in a blaze of glory would be good publicity for even a minor celebrity. Having Al Sharpton drive your body cross country to the Apollo theater is a good start. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-deaths-are-going-to-cause-a-mega-brewhaha/398605/15 "2007-04-03T20:44:44Z")
Current or former Heads of State like Queen Elizabeth II, Bill Clinton (or Carter or Bush I) would get a lot of attention. Rock icons like Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger. Older screen icons like Jack Nicholson. Sports icons like Muhammed Ali. Other than that, I think any celebrity death which is unexpected or suspicious would get attention. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-deaths-are-going-to-cause-a-mega-brewhaha/398605/16 "2007-04-03T20:54:39Z")
As inconsequential as Jimmy Buffett and Ringo Starr are, I’m sure I’ll discover upon their deaths just how vital they both were to the culture. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-deaths-are-going-to-cause-a-mega-brewhaha/398605/17 "2007-04-03T21:03:14Z")
[QUOTE=Krokodil] As inconsequential as Jimmy Buffett [is]. [/QUOTE] What? I think you can describe Buffett as many things, but inconsequential ain’t one of them. I’m really curious about what led you to make this comment. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-deaths-are-going-to-cause-a-mega-brewhaha/398605/18 "2007-04-03T21:44:39Z")
Mass Celebrity Scientology Suicide. We all have our fantasies ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-deaths-are-going-to-cause-a-mega-brewhaha/398605/19 "2007-04-03T23:31:24Z")
Margaret Thatcher. Half the country will be in mourning, the other half will party like it’s 1999. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-deaths-are-going-to-cause-a-mega-brewhaha/398605/20 "2007-04-03T23:35:52Z")
[QUOTE=cochrane] Considering I had to Wiki Vera Lynn (never heard of her before today) I don’t think her death is going to merit more than the obligatory obit. Sorry. [/QUOTE] And for how many people do you speak? Just because you didn’t know who she is doesn’t mean you’re in the majority, or even a respectable minority. Well, given that I motivated you to look her up, I consider that ignorance has been fought. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-deaths-are-going-to-cause-a-mega-brewhaha/398605.md?page=2)