# Celebrity Death Pool 2017 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** death-pool\ **Created:** [December 1, 2016, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517 "2016-12-01T07:00:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 101
**Author:** ![1b3bz18c9ed269201](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/58956e/32.png) [@1b3bz18c9ed269201](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1b3bz18c9ed269201)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/2001 "2017-12-20T15:46:41Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Anyone got [Cardinal Bernard Law](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.nydailynews.com/amp/news/national/cardinal-oversaw-boston-clergy-sex-abuse-scandal-dies-article-1.3710128&ved=0ahUKEwil06Gn4ZfYAhWBQt8KHW4_CZwQqUMIygEwIw&usg=AOvVaw07M09viGudj-nW0JVeKx2Y&cf=1) for 14 points? Good Riddance to a man who assured pedophile priests would have a steady supply of children to abuse. ---
**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:** [December 20, 2017, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/2002 "2017-12-20T16:32:50Z")
Jazz singer Kevin Mahogany dead at 41 points. > **[Kevin Mahogany](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Mahogany)** > > Kevin Bryant Mahogany (July 30, 1958 – December 17, 2017) was an American jazz vocalist who became prominent in the 1990s. Particularly known for his scat singing, his singing style has been compared with those of Billy Eckstine, Joe Williams and Johnny Hartman. > Mahogany began his study of music as a child with piano and later learned to play the clarinet and baritone saxophone, performing with jazz bands and teaching music while still in high school. He said, "When I was a kid, music was just a... ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/2003 "2017-12-20T17:38:05Z")
> [@1b3bz18c9ed269201](#): > > Good Riddance to a man who assured pedophile priests would have a steady supply of children to abuse. I don’t believe in hell, but I’m open to the possibility of purgatory. Wouldn’t mind if Cardinal Law spent some time there. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/2004 "2017-12-20T18:21:01Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > I don’t believe in hell, but I’m open to the possibility of purgatory. Wouldn’t mind if Cardinal Law spent some time there. I thought that purgatory was merely being without the presence of G-d. ---
**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 20, 2017, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/2005 "2017-12-20T18:23:07Z")
What is the precise cutoff time for the end of the year for the purposes of this thread? ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/2006 "2017-12-20T19:53:38Z")
Given that the 2018 Death Pool Deadline to submit is Dec 31, 2017 at 11:59:59 CST, I believe the 2017 Death Pool ends at precisely Dec 31, 2017 at 11:59:59 CST. As for the thread, there will be end-of-year posts and such that continue into 2018 ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/2007 "2017-12-20T20:28:36Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I thought that purgatory was merely being without the presence of G-d. I thought purgatory was hell, only for a finite amount of time. Of course, most of what I know about that is from George Carlin’s routine on Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, and Limbo. So not exactly canonical. ---
**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 20, 2017, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/2008 "2017-12-20T20:34:40Z")
I was just curious and I didn’t see anything in the rules about it. (I have no horse in the race.) It occurred to me that a case could be made for not having a simultaneous cutoff, but have it determined by the location of the decedent. For instance, a celebrity who dies in, say, Paris at 11:59 PM US Central time will have a death certificate dated Jan. 1, 2018. Should that be considered a 2017 death? Something you may want to consider for the 2018 death pool. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/2009 "2017-12-20T20:59:53Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > For instance, a celebrity who dies in, say, Paris at 11:59 PM US Central time will have a death certificate dated Jan. 1, 2018. Should that be considered a 2017 death? It would be 2017 CST, would it not? ---
**Author:** ![Hoopy\_Frood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoopy_frood/32/8452_2.png) [@Hoopy\_Frood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoopy_Frood)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2017, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/2010 "2017-12-21T03:46:13Z")
[Martin Ransohoff](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/17/arts/martin-ransohoff-producer-dies.html), film and TV producer. [Howard Gotffried](http://www.honoraryunsubscribe.com/howard_gottfried.html) doesn’t have to take it anymore. What’s up, doc? Not [Bob Givens](http://www.honoraryunsubscribe.com/bob_givens.html) anymore. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2017, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/2011 "2017-12-21T05:04:07Z")
Two-time [Kentucky Derby-winning trainer LeRoy Jolley](https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/Hall-of-Fame-trainer-LeRoy-Jolley-dies-at-80-12445876.php) dies at 80. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/2012 "2017-12-22T05:57:09Z")
Long time sports announcer [Dick Enberg](http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/21842570/dick-enberg-beloved-broadcaster-dies-age-82) passes at 82. ---
**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 22, 2017, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/2013 "2017-12-22T07:19:57Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > It would be 2017 CST, would it not? Yes, of course, but it would be 2018 local time. Why not a rolling deadline, so that only deaths that occur before midnight, local time, on Jan. 1 are counted? Maybe there haven’t be enough - - or any? - - that occurred on the cusp, so to speak, to make this an issue? ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/2014 "2017-12-22T18:10:50Z")
> [@racer72](#): > > Long time sports announcer [Dick Enberg](http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/21842570/dick-enberg-beloved-broadcaster-dies-age-82) passes at 82 Dick Enberg’s death translates into 18 Points and a Unique Pick for **Dr.Girlfriend** who is currently holding the \*“Final Hours” \*Award Also, just learned of the passing of [Errol Christie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Errol_Christie) (on June 1), which is 47 points for **basset hound** , **DeaderThanDead,** and **Tangent** … With 8 picks, **basset hound** is holding the _“Quantity not Quality”_ award Finally, TV producer Vanessa Greene has [died at 63](http://variety.com/2017/tv/people-news/vanessa-greene-dies-dead-producer-at-63-1202646974/) (on Dec 13), which is 37 points and a Unique Pick for me… with 5 unique picks, your very own Death Shroom holds the _“Inside Track With the Grim Reaper”_ award. Late movement in the standings, let’s see what the next 9 days bring. ```auto Rank Name Score Picks(Unique) 1 carnivorousp 331 6(3) 2 phungi 306 7(5) 3 basset hound 303 8(2) 4 Registered@Last 291 7(3) 5 jeezums 256 7 6 bowler girl 245 7(1) 7 RTFirefly 234 4 8 Andrew 21 213 7 9 Captain Klutz 208 4 10 Quartz 176 3(1) 11 GigoBuster 173 4 12 Rocket Surgery! 171 5 13 Tangent 168 4 14 RobotDevilDog 163 5(1) 15 minionkat 153 3 16 Martonio 151 4 17 DeaderThanDead 144 4 18 Team Dirt 138 3 19 Hoopy Frood 121 3 20 FavreCo 112 5(2) 21 Loach 110 3 22 42fish 102 2 22 Hockey Monkey 102 2 22 QueenAnneLace 102 4(1) 25 septimus 95 4 26 J-P-L 92 3 27 Jack Batty 89 3 28 motu 86 2 29 Dr. Girlfriend* 83 3(2) 29 melondeca 83 2 29 Scoobysnax 83 2 32 notfrommensa 82 2 33 Jeep's Phoenix 77 3 34 lel 74 2 35 zoog 73 2 36 cazwhatever 72 2 37 Yllaria 70 2 38 Maus Magill 67 2 39 Clams* 66 1 39 Vunderbob 66 2 41 Biotop 61 3(3) 42 Superdude 58 4 43 cardboardbox 56 2(1) 44 Tit Whistle 54 3 45 Labtrash 51 3(1) 46 bowler guy 50 2 46 Dung Beetle 50 2 48 5 time champ 47 1 48 Eliahna 47 1 48 emcee2k 47 1 48 Happy Lender… 47 1 48 Lsura 47 1 48 NurseCarmen 47 1 48 Sarabellum1976 47 1 48 Squonk 47 1 56 RivkahChaya 43 2 57 Lancia 42 2 58 Idle Thoughts 41 3 59 kayT 39 2 59 Spiff 39 2 59 TexCat* 39 1(1) 62 ataraxy22 33 4(2) 62 Mean Mr.Mustard 33 1(1) 62 Mona Lott 33 2 62 rucciface 33 4(1) 66 DigitalC 32 2 67 Paul in Qatar 31 2 68 Randy Seltzer* 30 2(2) 69 computergeek 29 2 69 Dolores Reborn 29 2 69 Old Wench 29 2(2) 72 Allecher 28 2 72 JohnT 28 2 72 Taco the cat 28 3 75 Avarie537 24 2 76 amarinth 23 1 76 Borborygmi 23 1 76 freckafree 23 1 76 kopek 23 1 76 Mahaloth* 23 1 81 racer72 22 2 82 PaulParkhead 21 1 83 Bayaker* 20 1 83 Clothahump 20 1 83 panache45* 20 1 83 swampbear 20 1 83 Two Many Cats 20 1 88 BACI 19 1 88 Buttercup Smith 19 1 88 maplekiwi 19 1 88 Simmerdown 19 1 88 SpoilerVirgin 19 1 88 Tread* 19 1 94 Nema98 17 1(1) 95 Sternvogel* 16 1(1) 96 GuanoLad 14 2(1) 97 InvisibleChimp* 13 1(1) 98 RollOutTheBrl 12 1 99 cutielemon07 11 1(1) 100 Kitten Mitten* 10 1(1) 100 RandMcnally 10 1 102 Carlos'Weiner 9 1 102 imthjckaz 9 1 102 justmeetee 9 1 102 Little Nemo 9 1 102 Little_Pig 9 1(1) 102 meghan 9 1 102 UncaStuart 9 1 102 Uncle Frank 9 1 102 wolf_meister 9 1 111 Baker 8 1(1) 112 critter42 5 1 ``` ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/2015 "2017-12-22T18:11:03Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Yes, of course, but it would be 2018 local time. Why not a rolling deadline, so that only deaths that occur before midnight, local time, on Jan. 1 are counted? > > Maybe there haven’t be enough - - or any? - - that occurred on the cusp, so to speak, to make this an issue? OK, suppose some celeb dies in Paris at 3am local time on New Year’s Day 2018, which would be, what, 8 or 9 pm New Year’s Eve 2017 CST? You’re saying it wouldn’t be counted as a death in Death Pool Year 2017. So does it happen in Death Pool Year 2018, or does it magically fall in between the years? If the former, then those who are alert can amend their 2018 lists, add the already-dead celeb to them (free points!), and start off the year with a built-in lead. So it would have to be the latter. You’d have this zone in between the years where deaths didn’t count in either one. ETA: I think a fixed point in time distinguishing one Death Pool year from the next is the only way to go. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/2016 "2017-12-22T18:25:06Z")
[Clifford Irving, author of notorious Howard Hughes literary hoax, dies at 87](http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-clifford-irving-20171221-story.html) ---
**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 22, 2017, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/2017 "2017-12-22T19:50:43Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > OK, suppose some celeb dies in Paris at 3am local time on New Year’s Day 2018, which would be, what, 8 or 9 pm New Year’s Eve 2017 CST? > > You’re saying it wouldn’t be counted as a death in Death Pool Year 2017. So does it happen in Death Pool Year 2018, or does it magically fall in between the years? > > If the former, then those who are alert can amend their 2018 lists, add the already-dead celeb to them (free points!), and start off the year with a built-in lead. > > So it would have to be the latter. You’d have this zone in between the years where deaths didn’t count in either one. > > ETA: I think a fixed point in time distinguishing one Death Pool year from the next is the only way to go. You’re right, since the 2017 Death Pool started at one point, it has to end at the same point. But as I mentioned upthread, the rulemaker(s) may want to consider a change to future Death Pools that would say that any death that occurs in the calendar year _local time_ is counted. That would apply to both starting and ending times, obviously, and would prevent the theoretical problem described above. I’ve never entered a Death Pool, but I think I might be peeved if I were denied points because one of my picks died in the nominal year of the pool, local time, but not in the time zone arbitrarily set as the deadline (heh!) for the Pool. Of course, if it were changed for the 2018 Pools, there would be a theoretical chance that someone could be counted in both 2017 and 2018 pools. Has this question never arisen before? I haven’t paid much attention to the Death Pools before this year. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/2018 "2017-12-22T21:26:26Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > and would prevent the theoretical problem described above. How?? Unless lists were due by midnight in the first time zone west of the International Date Line(or earlier, say on December 30 in any time zone), this problem would potentially exist if deaths counted in the year they occurred in, per the local time of the deceased. ---
**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 22, 2017, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/2019 "2017-12-22T21:46:25Z")
Well, yes, the lists would have to be submitted before the start of the new year anywhere in the world. That’s obvious, isn’t it? The problem I am trying to prevent is a death that occurs in the year of the pool not being counted in that year’s pool because the deadline is in a different time zone than the death. Am I not making myself clear? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517/2020 "2017-12-22T22:04:10Z")
We could use Greenwich Mean Time. Six hours later than CST, for example. I see no problem with using CST, that being the time zone of Chicago and therefore the SDMB. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517.md?page=100) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-death-pool-2017/773517.md?page=102)