We have lost quite a few famous names this year, seemingly much more than usual. Is this just a perception, or does anyone know of anything indicating that, yes, 2003 has been a major statistical abnomality in terms of celebrity deaths?
[NB: I think this is more Cafe soceity than IMHO or GQ - others may disagree…]
It sure seems that way! Just off the top of my head we have lost:
Bob Hope
Mr. Rogers
Gregory Peck
Johnny Cash
June Carter Cash
David Brinkley
Bobby Bonds (Barry Bonds’ dad / former All-Star Baseball player)
Warren Zevon
Joe Strummer (From the Clash)
And, of course since I’m trying to think of whoelse has died I can’t think of any more. But this is quite a few. Maybe it’s because there are just more famous people?
John Ritter’s death was truly stunning to me. Most of the others had illnesses that they had been battling.
Don’t forget about Katherine Hepburn.
I have never really thought much about celebrities who pass away, but I find myself really torn up over Johnny Cash today.
You can see last year’s toll here:
http://www3.sympatico.ca/jenoff/obit02.htm
Notable 2002 deaths up to this time last year:
Dave Thomas
Peggy Lee
Waylon Jennings
Howard K Smith
Chuck Jones
Spike Milligan
Milton Berle
Dudley Moore
The Queen Mother
Stephen J Gould
John Entwhistle
Ann Landers
Rosemary Cloony
Ted Williams
Lionel Hampton
I think it’s just a perception thing.
Everyone seems to forget Barry White.
I think this is all just a matter of perception. Some of that is exemplified by the fact that two beloved people who were extremely aged, Hope and Hepburn, passed away.
But if you go by sheer demographics, there will always be more “celebrity” deaths because:
Sometimes death just catches up to you. I never had anyone close to me pass away and then in 1993 my mother passed away, my uncle in 1995, my grandmother in 2000, and my father last year. It just seemed that there was one heartwrenching death after another.
It just happens. Whether or not you’re famous.
Have there been more people wondering if there have been more celebrity deaths this year than any other year this year than any other year?
Nina Simone died back in May.
Spike Milligan?!!!
Oh man, how did I miss his passing? My favourite Muppets Show episode is with him and I also loved his war memoirs.
Damn.
One of the guys I sing with came into rehearsal one day and said “Oh my god, dude! Barry White just died! I feel like I’ve just had my heart torn out or something!”
Another one of my buddies asked “Lame! How did he die?”
“Suffocated under a mountain of panties thrown up onstage during his last performance, no doubt.” I replied.
Until today (Johnny Cash’s death), I was far more upset about dear Wesley Willis’s passing than anyone else this year.
I’m pretty sure Joe Strummer was 2002.
I think what was so unusual about THIS year was so many deaths happened during the summer, in a short period of time, and they seemed to have doubled up occasionally this year.