Off topic, but what do you mean by queues outside apple stores? It sounds like something that would be funny if I understood it… 
If you take the Graceland tour, the story is pretty much that Elvis had a heart attack in the bathroom after spending the day reading the Bible and singing gospel music.
Y’know, when either a new Apple store opens or a new iPad or iPhone is released. The media, here at least, seems obsessed with the bloody queues.
Even as an Apple-user I find the whole scene vaguely creepy, especially the staff and the way they greet people on such events. Perfectly lovely at other times, but on those days insufferable.
Are you kidding? The theme for NBC Nightly News was composed by John Williams. And all the other TV news programs will have countless samples of music John Williams composed. You’ll hear Star Wars themes for weeks.
Mitt Romney.
Think about it… the GOP would have to come up with a replacement candidate at the last minute who hadn’t been digging himself into the hole that Mitt Romney owns, and suddenly all the people who were on the fence about whether or not to vote for their party would be behind whoever replaces him.
Making Harry king…
And if all four of them go at once, that gives it to Andrew. That could be interesting…
Unless, as the tabloids keep hoping, Kate is pregnant.
I can’t figure out how the media decides what to cover and to what extent. When Michael Jackson died, I was working graveyard and my client had CNN on 24/7. Every single fucking night for weeks and weeks ol’ Larry King would go on and on about Jackson. Exclusive! Michael Jackson’s pool cleaner saw Jackson walking his dog once 27 years ago! That’s important and we will devote 9 full hour-long episodes to this! Ad nauseum. When Patrick Swayze died he had one episode devoted to him then went on to other things. Same with Brittany Murphy.
When Heath Ledger died, it was in the magazines for a week or two then faded. When Amy Winehouse died, it was covered for months.
The death of Steve Jobs was bigger, media-wise, than Niel Armstrong’s.
I first read this thread this morning, and my conclusion: Mitt Romney. U.S politics is a hate-filled clusterfuck, and Romney dying would just add fuel to the fire. Hell, it would be a nuclear firestorm where previously there was a small campfire. A lot of people believe Brietbart was murdered, is there any reason to think that the death of Romney would not be the biggest news story in decades? Less than 60 days until the election, during one of the most sharply divided moments in U.S. politics, and the man vying for one of the if not the most powerful job in the world dies?
a “firestorm” is a strong understatement.
Dopers are cute. He’d get mainstream press now because of the Avengers, but before that? Internet enclaves of geekery would circlejerk for a long time but it’d fade from the mainstream media quickly.
I gotta agree with this. Whedon would get maybe one mention on the evening news. And maybe another if other major celebs provided some eye candy and quotable quotes at his memorial service.
That’s was my initial thought, but after the moderate press Neil Armstrong got, not sure if kids these days know who he is or care that he wrote some of the best theme music and scores ever, despite the fact they’d probably recognize even some of the more obscure ones.
I hope he lives forever.
Speaking of Armstrong, makes me wonder if Buzz will get as much if not more press, since no news anchor or blogs will be able to resist saying, “To infinity and Beyond. Godspeed, Buzz.”
Betty White. She’s had an illustrious career and has been part of iconic TV shows. She’s had a renaissance of late and her death would prompt retrospectives, specials where MTM talked about working with her, colleagues of her generation and current generation.
Oh, don’t get me wrong. Of course, if he’d died before The Avengers, only the geeks would be erecting shrines in his name.
But, he’s locked in now. Personally, I find his stuff hit or miss. His major achievement in my book is Buffy. Firefly just didn’t grab me like I thought it would.
Justin Bieber’s death might cause a media frenzy and shatter many teenage lives.
I have to say, if Bill Gates died soon, it’d be huge news. Especially with his huge philanthropic efforts in AIDs, TB, and of course, Malaria.
Nelson Mandela will make big headlines, even though at his age it won’t exactly be a surprise. But the major media organisations have plans, and in some cases cameras already in place at his house.
I don’t think there would be as much reaction to the Pope or the Queen as there would be to someone like Barack Obama who isn’t old enough that you’d expect him to die. The Queen, although she’s in good shape for 86, is 86. The Pope is 85, and looks 110. If either dies it’ll be a big deal, but it’s an event most news agencies probably have contigency plans for right now. Nobody would be shocked.
If Barack Obama dies at 51, that will be shocking news. It’d also have more of a real impact on the world.
The mention of Joss Whedon is, I’ll admit, pretty funny. Whedon isn’t one of the world’s 1000 most notable celebrities, much less #1.
George Lucas. Just imagine the cheesy Star Wars reference we will have live with for weeks.
Biggest? Neil Armstrong. First man on the moon… Oh yeah, was not much of a reaction:mad:.
Probably the Queen. Obama. Perhaps Shimon Perez (who is about 200). The Pope? I doubt it, Benedict XVI is not the icon John Paul II was. If some Head of State in a war zone gets assassinated.
I think there are a couple of obvious tests you have to pass to be the next big death. You have to merit the “we interrupt our currently scheduled programming” treatment and your funeral has to be televised. They are not interrupting anything to announce that Joss Whedon is dead and they certainly won’t preempt anything to show his funeral. He won’t be the lead story on the news. He might even suffer the indignity of being mentioned only in the scroll at the bottom of the screen. Old people haven’t heard of Joss Whedon. If old people haven’t heard of you, you’re nobody.
Here’s my current opinion of what would be the American list. I’ve thought about this for a couple of days, asked around some, read the replies in this thread, and done some research. But I’m sure I’m way off. Anyway, here’s the top 19–as far as I have any confidence whatsoever:
- Barack Obama
- Mitt Romney (very temporarily)
- Michael Jordan
- Paul McCartney
- Oprah Winfrey
- Jon Stewart
- Prince William
- Madonna
- Queen Elizabeth II
- Hillary Clinton
- Tiger Woods
- Magic Johnson
- Ringo Starr
- Bill Clinton
- Pope Benedict XVI
- Stephen Colbert
- Prince Charles
- Muhammad Ali
- George W. Bush
Others in consideration:
Bill Gates
Bono
Eddie Murphy
Tom Hanks
Harrison Ford
LeBron James
George Lucas
Kobe Bryant
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Sylvester Stallone
Stephen Hawking
Jimmy Carter
Tom Cruise
Pete Rose
Hank Aaron
Will Smith
Julia Roberts
Charles Barkley
David Letterman
Bruce Springsteen
Larry King
Steven Spielberg
Prince
Brett Favre
Charlie Sheen
William Shatner
Chuck Norris
Kate Middleton
Dave Chappelle
George Clooney
Brad Pitt
John Williams
Shaquille O’Neal
Fidel Castro
Jerry Seinfeld
Cal Ripken, Jr.
Wayne Gretzsky
Willie Nelson
Robert De Niro
Robert Downey, Jr.
John Cleese
Jack Nicholson
Steve Martin
Robin Williams
Alec Baldwin
Johnny Depp
Jay Leno
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Larry Bird
George H. W. Bush
Patrick Stewart
Pele
Roger Federer
Eddie Van Halen
Andre Agassi
John Madden
Nelson Mandela
Margaret Thatcher
Buzz Aldrin
Lady Gaga
Ozzy Osbourne
Steven Tyler
Mike Krzyzewski
Tom Brady
Barry Bonds
John Travolta
Roger Clemens
Mark McGwire
Peyton Manning
Matt Damon