# If You Could, What Celebrity's Death Would You Prevent? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 4, 2009, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-what-celebritys-death-would-you-prevent/501934 "2009-07-04T22:52:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-what-celebritys-death-would-you-prevent/501934/81 "2009-07-07T02:18:07Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Freddie Mercury. Maybe all we missed would have been a descent into mediocrity, but I doubt it. Without a doubt my #1,he was an amazing songwriter,lyricist and singer.Freddie would have made so much more wonderful music.With Brian and Roger still going strong (and I doubt John would have retired if Freddie had lived)Queen would be remembered ,forever, as the best musicians of all time,…if they aint already there. > [@JThunder](#): > > Got it in one. At the risk of offending the general populace, I consider John to be even more talented than the late Mr. Michael Jackson. He also popped into my head along, with Marty Robbins and Warren Zevon. > [@faithfool](#): > > Mitch Hedberg. I always wanted to see him live, but he died before I got a chance to. And he was way too young. ☹ From the funny pages,most definately. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-what-celebritys-death-would-you-prevent/501934/82 "2009-07-07T02:40:31Z")
I heartily agree with **Bridget** about Doug Sahm! I have loved his sound ever since _She’s About A Mover_, when he fronted the Sir Douglas Quintet. He truly loved his _ **Tejano** _ music, and I was saddened by his death. Luckily, there is a wealth of his work available, and **Bridget** , why don’t you favor us with a YouTube link to your favorite Doug Sahm tune? 🙂 Thanks for the reminder, **Bridget**! Quasi ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-what-celebritys-death-would-you-prevent/501934/83 "2009-07-07T03:08:46Z")
Stevie Ray Vaughn, Mitch Hedberg and Sam Kinison and Douglas Adams ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-what-celebritys-death-would-you-prevent/501934/84 "2009-07-07T03:47:25Z")
Zappa. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-what-celebritys-death-would-you-prevent/501934/85 "2009-07-07T03:51:25Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > Mitch Hedberg. I always wanted to see him live, but he died before I got a chance to. And he was way too young. ☹ Of course! What a funny, genuine, guy. ☹ ---
**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:** [July 7, 2009, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-what-celebritys-death-would-you-prevent/501934/86 "2009-07-07T04:35:01Z")
He’s not dead yet (AFAIK), but I’d like to keep Bill Watterson alive as long as it takes for him to draw another ten years of Calvin and Hobbes. As for people who died too young, Mozart, John F. Kennedy, and Andy Kaufman come to my mind. ---
**Author:** ![jehan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f6c823/32.png) [@jehan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jehan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-what-celebritys-death-would-you-prevent/501934/87 "2009-07-07T04:39:28Z")
Stan Rogers, Canadian folksinger. He was getting better with each song he wrote, and was only in his early 30s when that plane crashed back in 1983. We could have had another 50 years or more of great songs. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2009, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-what-celebritys-death-would-you-prevent/501934/88 "2009-07-09T05:51:24Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > Also he looked _a hell of a lot_ like John Denver (to me anyway) > > And **Face**? Thanks for the John Denver/Cass Elliott video! It and your nick got put on my blog!🙂 > > Quasi Glad to have brought it to your attention. Really, I post that link at the drop of a hat. It’s one of those things that really NEED to be brought up often 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2009, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-what-celebritys-death-would-you-prevent/501934/89 "2009-07-09T06:43:59Z")
He probably doesn’t count as a “celebrity” but my vote goes to [Frank Ramsey](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_P._Ramsey), an English mathematician, philosopher and economist who died at the tragically young age of 27 after a remarkable career. In addition to being a genius he was by all accounts a wonderful person, much loved by those who knew him. What makes his death especially tragic is that there were so many developments in the 30’s and 40’s which were especially suited to his interests and talents: like the rise of game theory, computer science and macroeconomics. If he had lived he might have well made some truly profound contributions which changed the course of those disciplines. ---
**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:** [July 9, 2009, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-what-celebritys-death-would-you-prevent/501934/90 "2009-07-09T15:26:52Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Jesus. I would have had Jesus live to a ripe old age. Nobody else commented on it, but I saw what you did there. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-what-celebritys-death-would-you-prevent/501934/91 "2009-07-10T00:54:19Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Jesus. I would have had Jesus live to a ripe old age. “Excuse me, Argent… Towers, right? Look, I appreciate the sentiment, but I’m busy dying for the sins of humanity.” “Shut up, Savior, or they’ll hear us. I’m busting ya off dis cross, see? Now, grab this winch, and as soon as I’ve got the rest o’ these… nails out…” “I’m not getting down.” “Oh, yeah? Well, I didn’t get those centurions drunk for nothin’ – you’re comin’ wit me!” “Unhand thou me!” Scuffle ensues. ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-what-celebritys-death-would-you-prevent/501934/92 "2009-07-10T01:02:33Z")
You guys have gotten many of mine, like Croce, Hartman, Mercury… So I pick Brad Delp. What a fantastic talent - I would love to have had him around for a longer time. I just learned today that Michael Sweet from \*Stryper \*is replacing Delp on tour. I just threw up a little in my mouth ☹ ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-what-celebritys-death-would-you-prevent/501934/93 "2009-07-10T09:32:15Z")
Divine. I always felt bad he died so soon after Hairspray opened. At least he got to read the good reviews, but he would have loved how huge the Broadway version got. I’m sure he would have even starred in it. I had the pleasure of meeting Mink Stole a year ago and she got teary when we talked about him. She lamented she was the last of the Dreamlanders. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-what-celebritys-death-would-you-prevent/501934/94 "2009-07-10T09:44:48Z")
Well, if Jeff Buckley is already taken care of, I guess I’ll go and try to slap some sense into Nick Drake before he takes the pills. Maybe I’ll check Shannon Hoon into rehab while I’m at it. I suspect that one’s a lost cause, tho. ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-what-celebritys-death-would-you-prevent/501934/95 "2009-07-10T12:11:23Z")
Oh, I had another one. It would have been cool if Joey Ramone could have lived just a little bit longer and made the induction ceremony for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ---
**Author:** ![Shawn1767](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shawn1767](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shawn1767)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-what-celebritys-death-would-you-prevent/501934/96 "2009-07-10T13:17:22Z")
Carl Sagan. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-what-celebritys-death-would-you-prevent/501934.md?page=4)