Celebrity deaths since 2002 that upset you most?

[Gyrate]

One that surprised me by how much it affected me: John Peel

Between his championing of new music (genuinely new music, not this studio-spewed pablum you usually get; people would send him their EPs and tapes directly) and his other radio work he was a real presence on the airwaves. I used to lie in bed on a Sunday morning and listen to Home Truths on Radio 4. It was a real blow when he died suddenly of a heart attack, and I was moved to tears by the report of his funeral at which the crowd of over a thousand spontaneously broke into “You’ll Never Walk Alone” at the end of it.

[Khadaji]

Mostly they don’t upset me at all. But I was a little saddened when Dr. Seuss and Charles Shultz died. I think I was grieving for my youth as much as anything.

[Drain_Bead]

Amy Winehouse. What a waste of an amazing talent.

Layne Staley. I was a huge AiC fan, always hoping he’d get his shit together so they could put out more music. To find out that he was dead in his apartment for days before anyone even found him was just awful. Plus, he died on my birthday.

[Filbert]

@Gyrate

One that surprised me by how much it affected me: John Peel

Between his championing of new music (genuinely new music, not this studio-spewed pablum you usually get; people would send him their EPs and tapes directly) and his other radio work he was a real presence on the airwaves. I used to lie in bed on a Sunday morning and listen to Home Truths on Radio 4. It was a real blow when he died suddenly of a heart attack, and I was moved to tears by the report of his funeral at which the crowd of over a thousand spontaneously broke into “You’ll Never Walk Alone” at the end of it.

I was just about to post this one too- I was in holiday in New Zealand at the time, and three people messaged me to tell me.

I used to listen to his Radio 1 show in the dark, after I was supposed to be in bed in my teens. I still listen to Galactic Symposium in memory

[Helena330]

@NitroPress

Funny, when I saw the title of this thread, he was the one who jumped into mind. Very surprised to see him in the OP… B5 is getting pretty obscure in the larger scheme. I have at least some resonance with most of the names in this thread - Carlin, Adams, Armstrong, Ride standing out - but if there are any deaths that really bothered me, it has been the Babylon 5 cast… because it meant any chance of further material diminished to the point where even JMS threw in the towel.

Richard Biggs, 2004
Andreas Katsulas, 2006 (also a favorite from Max Headroom)
Tim Choate (“Zathras”), 2004
Jeff Conaway, 2011
Michael O’Hare, 2012

and, not B5-related, but a Max Headroom regular and a terribly sad suicide…

Charles Rocket, 2005.

I’ve been re-watching B5 and the work of these wonderful actors who are gone.

Peter Jennings.

[Trom]

Nobody has mentioned Elliott Smith.

[artemis]

@Leaffan

Not John Lennon? I know it’s out of this thread’s scope, but John Lennon? I didn’t cry or anything, but there is not another celebrity death that even comes within a mile of how I felt about John Lennon’s demise.

To me, George Harrison’s death eclipsed John Lennon’s, because George Harrison died such a mundane death. An old man’s death. And that’s why it floored me - how could the Beatles ever grow old?

The passing of Walter Cronkite, Johnny Carson, Steve Jobs, and Neal Armstrong all shook me hard, too. They were all such iconic people. (And the thought of living in a world where no living person has ever walked on the moon horrifies me, and that day’s not to far off.)

[Leaffan]

@artemis

To me, George Harrison’s death eclipsed John Lennon’s, because George Harrison died such a mundane death. An old man’s death. And that’s why it floored me - how could the Beatles ever grow old?

The passing of Walter Cronkite, Johnny Carson, Steve Jobs, and Neal Armstrong all shook me hard, too. They were all such iconic people. (And the thought of living in a world where no living person has ever walked on the moon horrifies me, and that day’s not to far off.)

mmm hasn’t responded, but his username is obvious, so I thought he might have something more to say, but perhaps he has a 10 bob note up his nose.

[ThelmaLou]

David Rakoff

I’ve listened to his audio books over and over-- love his humor and his worldview.

[vislor]

I think I have one that wasn’t mentioned.

Michael Crichton

I was shocked at this but like others, it wasn’t personal because I didn’t know him. But the thought of no more of his books was sad. (Same for Douglas Adams.)

The cast of B5 also touches me as that’s one of my favorite shows.

Lis Sladen as I like Dr Who. (Most of the Dr Who people who have died.)

I also thought that Brittany Murphy’s was sad as she was just coming into her own. Same for Heath Ledger. Again, like Crichton, it’s more that I miss what they would have done that I could see.

I think the one that shocked me most was Christopher Reeve. I kept hearing how well his recovery was going, that I expected him to walk again. And then he was gone.

[Alex_from_CB]

Paul Newman. He could eat 50 eggs.