# Don Cornelius - RIP
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-cornelius-rip/611421
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [February 1, 2012, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-cornelius-rip/611421 "2012-02-01T15:07:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2012, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-cornelius-rip/611421/1 "2012-02-01T15:07:47Z")
> **['Soul Train' creator Don Cornelius dead of apparent suicide](https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/soul-train-creator-don-cornelius-dead-of-apparent-suicide)**
>
> Don Cornelius, television personality and the creator of “Soul Train” was found dead in his home in Sherman Oaks, California Wednesday morning. He was 75.
Here’s wishing him Peace, Love and Soul, wherever is he is.
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### Author:  [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2012, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-cornelius-rip/611421/2 "2012-02-01T15:48:03Z")
Sid McCoy, who did most of the voice-over work for ST died a year or two ago. I think Joe Cobb, who did the famous signature high-pitched train-whistlish sounding “SOOOOOOOUL Train” is still alive.
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### Author:  [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2012, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-cornelius-rip/611421/3 "2012-02-01T15:49:13Z")
He beat his wife? He always seemed so cool and laid back. Killed himself? At 75 don’t you just have to wait a few hours?
Still, I’ll bet all my money 'cause it was a stone gas, honey.
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2012, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-cornelius-rip/611421/4 "2012-02-01T19:50:22Z")
Just heard about this. I watched and listened to Soul Train on and off over the years. The quality varied, but there were often great acts appearing. And the Soul Train Dancers were hot! Even though it ended several years ago, it will be the longest, continuously running first-run syndicated program in television history until at least 2016, assuming another show can catch up. Thanks Don. The Soul Train continues will continue, but it wouldn’t have gotten on the tracks without you.
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### Author:  [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2012, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-cornelius-rip/611421/5 "2012-02-01T22:16:58Z")
I hope he rests in peace. I always loved him, even more so than Dick Clark, because he seemed so, well, soulful. And no, I’m not being funny. I just got the impression that he could actually bust a move or four, while I think Dick was mostly a wallflower. Wonder what went wrong… ☹
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### Author:  [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2012, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-cornelius-rip/611421/6 "2012-02-01T23:01:54Z")
[Previous thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=640529)
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### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2012, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-cornelius-rip/611421/7 "2012-02-01T23:02:36Z")
> [@Biggirl](#):
>
> [Previous thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=640529)
Threads merged.
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### Author:  [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2012, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-cornelius-rip/611421/8 "2012-02-01T23:14:38Z")
I was saddened to learn of his death. I recently stayed with friends in New Albany convalescing from open-heart surgery and it was a gas watching old episodes of Soul Train.
He had on a lot of great acts, and those clothes, oh, what we were thinking in 1970’s?
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### Author:  [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2012, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-cornelius-rip/611421/9 "2012-02-02T00:15:22Z")
We weren’t thinking. It was the Seventies.
But damn, my platforms were so high!
Er, much like me. But it was the Seventies and allowances must be made.
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### Author:  [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2012, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-cornelius-rip/611421/10 "2012-02-02T01:07:20Z")
Some comedian many years ago mentioned how _Souuuuuuuuuuuul Train_ is still a depressing sound to kids who grew up in the '60s and '70s because it meant cartoons were over.
His ex-wife (who’s a good bit richer now due to life insurance per [this article](http://www.tmz.com/2012/02/01/don-cornelius-ex-wife-life-insurance-policy/)) reminds me of (a more attractive and probably younger version of) Mad TV’s Nicole Sullivan.
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### Author:  [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2012, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-cornelius-rip/611421/11 "2012-02-02T11:33:22Z")
Phenomenal, groundbreaking, vital producer. Not the greatest host, though…most of the little interviews I’ve seen him do with musical guests were awkward.
Just by chance, my little family just enjoyed two of the Best of Soul Train DVDs (available on Netflix) in the past week. One-year-old Lil’ Map danced his little fanny off.
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### Author:  [@krisolov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krisolov)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-cornelius-rip/611421/12 "2012-02-02T15:34:07Z")
So sad.
My condolences to his family and his estranged brother Yukon.
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### Author:  [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2012, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-cornelius-rip/611421/13 "2012-02-02T17:10:44Z")
Neat clip (but all too brief) of Don Cornelius hosting _[Black’s View Of The News](http://fuzzymemories.tv/#videoclip-3191)_ on WCIU 26 in Chicago in 1970.
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### Author:  [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2012, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-cornelius-rip/611421/14 "2012-02-02T17:10:57Z")
> [@krisolov](#):
>
> So sad.
>
> My condolences to his family and his estranged brother Yukon.
The obits didn’t mention any brothe. . . oh!
Hahahaha!
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### Author:  [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-cornelius-rip/611421/15 "2012-02-02T17:23:40Z")
> [@krisolov](#):
>
> My condolences to his family and his estranged brother Yukon.
Larry D. Mann just turned 89, and is apparently still kickin’, which is somewhat noteworthy. He always looked like a heart attack waiting to happen.
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2012, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-cornelius-rip/611421/16 "2012-02-02T21:24:50Z")
> [@Sampiro](#):
>
> Some comedian many years ago mentioned how _Souuuuuuuuuuuul Train_ is still a depressing sound to kids who grew up in the '60s and '70s because it meant cartoons were over.
>
> His ex-wife (who’s a good bit richer now due to life insurance per [this article](http://www.tmz.com/2012/02/01/don-cornelius-ex-wife-life-insurance-policy/)) reminds me of (a more attractive and probably younger version of) Mad TV’s Nicole Sullivan.
And that motherfucker had an animated intro, too. I’ll never forgive Soul Train, sorry.
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### Author:  [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2012, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-cornelius-rip/611421/17 "2012-02-02T21:47:56Z")
Police say it may be several days before they finish unscrambling his suicide note.
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### Author:  [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2012, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-cornelius-rip/611421/18 "2012-02-02T21:49:48Z")
[Why Don Cornelius Matters](http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2012/02/01/146225653/why-don-cornelius-matters)
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### Author:  [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2012, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-cornelius-rip/611421/19 "2012-02-02T22:40:06Z")
> [@sampiro](#):
>
> police say it may be several days before they finish unscrambling his suicide note.
AFRO SHEEN
Maybe now all caps?
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### Author:  [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2012, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/don-cornelius-rip/611421/20 "2012-02-02T22:47:13Z")
> [@Biggirl](#):
>
> AFRO SHEEN
>
> Maybe now all caps?
Totally not about Mr. Cornelius-- At first I tried to type AFRO SHEEN all caps with no other words in the post except for Sampiro’s quote. When it posted it was all lower case. Then I edited it and added more words that were not caps. It posted the two all cap words (AFRO SHEEN). What I didn’t notice is that when it knocked down my all cap post, it knocked down _all_ the caps in the post-- including the caps in the quote.
Let that be a lesson to you all. Do not joke about Don Cornelius!
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