Didn’t he have a couple hits* twenty years ago? No, except to his rabid fans, Jimmy Buffett is a footnote.
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- [Groucho Marx voice] That was more than a COUPLE hits! Plus lots of tequila [/Groucho Marx voice]
Relevant in that he would get a larger than usual obit in Entertainment Weekly, probably with a picture. Some music stations will play Margaritaville a couple of times. The OP was asking for predictions on media circus deaths like Anna Nicole. Do you really think that Jimmy Buffet’s death will have that kind of legs in the media? Maybe if he flies his seaplane into the White House or something.
But he is relevant because of the Parrot Heads, just like Jerry Garcia was relevant because of the Dead Heads. Anna Nicole is the bigger mystery, I had no clue she had any fans before the stupidity of the media circus surrounding her death. Apparently being a human train wreck occasionally has some marketability.
I wonder if Andy Dick knows this? 
Jim
Yeah, it’s been like years since we’ve heard anything about Paul McCartney. I’m amazed the paparazzi are letting him and his family live a nice peaceful life where ever they may be…
My Key West time share used to be his house. It is relevant to moi.
I’m wondering if this is a case of our perceptions being greatly influenced by our locale. From my perspective, I haven’t heard a thing about Jimmy Buffett in years, and I couldn’t tell you if he’s alive or dead today. I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t sell out anything larger than a local bar here, and there are certainly no restaurants or booze with his name on them.
Because when he goes, you’ll cash in?
One might have said the same thing about Jerry Garcia, but remember what happened after he passed on.
Anyway, my thoughts on some random celebs who would at least merit a few ‘strongly worded’ editorials, either pro or con:
Anita Bryant
David Crosby
Billy Graham
Larry Kramer
Al Sharpton
Michael Jackson
Jane Fonda
Betty Friedan
Ike Turner
Angela Davis
Interesting list, I never head of Larry Kramer or Angela Davis and I had to quickly look them up. They seem rather marginal in terms of the Op.
Sharpton and Fonda are good candidates. They have been controversial for a long time.
Bryant has not be relevant for about 20 years has she? I would not have been surprised if she was already dead.
I love David Crosby, but despite his problems, I doubt his death will raise many eyebrows. He is already living on borrowed time.
Betty Friedan will probably get a lot of nice bios. It would be hard for her to generate scandal and intrigue.
Billy Graham just needs a hint of controversy, but then same thing with Pat Robertson.
Jim
It will be interesting to see what stock footage and canned eulogies will be hauled out for:
Charles Manson
Sirhan Sirhan
Osama Bin Laden
Do you suspect GWB will get as big a send-off as Reagan? Will there be a week-long mourning period and round-the-clock coverage as the throngs file past his casket? How quickly will his image appear on coins or bills?
Pat Robertson pretty much swims in controversy. Billy Graham, on the other hand, is so vanilla, he’s almost unflavored. Hardly a hint of any controversy ever. He opens all his accounting books for scrutiny, and he refuses to be in the same room with a woman alone who isn’t his wife. How are they the “same thing”?
One that I would add to the list is Walter Cronkite.
After reading the today’s news about Keith Richards, I imagine that his death will get some play during late-night talk show monologues. (Even if, as he is now saying, he didn’t do it.)
I meant controversy surrounded Billy Graham death. Something with drugs or sex involved. I might not like him but he has been pretty vanilla so far excepting a few very unchoice words following 9/11.
Pat Robertson should be easier. Even many religious folks dislike him.
Walter should bring out heavy but loving coverage. He is probably the most respected living newsperson. Every news show will give him and his funeral heavy coverage. I imagine it will nearly be on par with Reagan’s funeral. Anchors will be elbowing each other to praise him. Presidents and Senators will make proclamations about what he meant to America and the World. NASA might name a program or vessel after him. I will weep.
Jim
Somebody that’ll probably dominate the airways for a day or 2 will be Neil Armstrong. First man to set foot on another world, has kept out of the public eye ever since. Not all Apollo astronauts, Pete Conrad was the 3rd man to walk on the moon (and had no trouble being in the public eye) and there wasn’t much about his passing.
Of course there will be a big send off. The government will make sure of it. Big state funeral, casket in the Rotunda. It’s in the script. If they did it for Ford they certainly will for a two term president. As for the other, has Reagan appeared on coins or bills? Neither will GWB at least for a while. Reagan will beon a coin but will every other dead president on the new dollar. Not for any political reason.
Young A-List famous folks will certainly get this kind of attention.
David Beckham
Angelina Jolie / Brad Pitt, especially if they’re kidnapped or killed in Africa
Bono
It’s almost guaranteed his image will appear on a dollar coin. Of course, the timing of that will almost certainly be a long way off. Even if GWB should die tomorrow, George H. W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton all have to pass on and have their images on the dollar coin before they can get around to putting W. on it.
EDIT – and of course I should have previewed. I missed Loach’s reply to the very same comment.
Yes, Oprah, as Marley23 says. She doesn’t have kids and she’s megarich. The big question will be, who gets her money?
Presidents themselves play a role in deciding their funeral arrangements, so in part it depends on Bush. But they’re always big by definition.
I can’t believe no one has mentioned Vera Lynn 
Alot of the people who are being mentioned here I don’t think fit the criteria of the OP - they are much loved figures who have made a genuine contribution tothe fabric of the world and will be allowed some measure of dignity in death (given that do in fact die a dignified death - heroin fuelled sex suicides notwithstanding!)
But the Andy Dick, Lindsay Lohan, Bobby Brown, Paris Hiltons, insert generic rapper here, of the world - anyone for whom death would seem like an extension of their overstayed 15 minutes of fame, they are the fair game for a feeding frenzy.
mm