# Most shocking or surprising celebrity death? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 28, 2020, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-shocking-or-surprising-celebrity-death/847132 "2020-01-28T22:54:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [January 28, 2020, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-shocking-or-surprising-celebrity-death/847132/1 "2020-01-28T22:54:43Z")
Kobe Bryant’s extremely sudden and out of nowhere death was so stunning, I did not believe the initial reports until I saw a proper source. I saw it on Twitter a few minutes before any major news agency carried the story and I was, like most people, totally blown away. I’m trying to think of a celebrity death that was more shocking and surprising. I was born in 1978(6 days before Kobe, by the way) and I am struggling to think of any in my lifetime. Ones I can list some of us might remember are: - John Kennedy - obviously a huge shock that rattled the world - Michael Jackson (this one blew me away, but I can now not ever picture him growing old) - Paul Walker - nice guy, doing good work, gone with no warning - Princess Diana- again, my gut wrenched when I heard about it I think Princess Diana is the most stunning and shocking death in my lifetime. I was almost speechless when I heard about it. I’m still blown away that we knew her for so little time. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-shocking-or-surprising-celebrity-death/847132/2 "2020-01-28T22:56:45Z")
I’d add John Lennon to that list. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-shocking-or-surprising-celebrity-death/847132/3 "2020-01-28T23:05:08Z")
In recent times, Neil Peart. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-shocking-or-surprising-celebrity-death/847132/4 "2020-01-28T23:05:21Z")
Whitney Houston. I mean, sure she had drug problems but that was supposedly in the past where she left Bobby. A friend texted me she died and my immediate reply was ‘no she didn’t’. I thought she was kidding me. ETA: Sadly, I was not at all surprised when I found out Bobbi Christina had died. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-shocking-or-surprising-celebrity-death/847132/5 "2020-01-28T23:05:52Z")
In addition with those already mentioned… Chris Cornell Robin Williams George Michael Anthony Bourdain …all suicides ☹ Bernie Mac Neil Peart ---
**Author:** ![Rough\_Draft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@Rough\_Draft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rough_Draft)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-shocking-or-surprising-celebrity-death/847132/6 "2020-01-28T23:16:59Z")
Phil Hartman. But for me, the most shocking by far was John Lennon. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-shocking-or-surprising-celebrity-death/847132/7 "2020-01-28T23:17:23Z")
Seconding Robin Williams. Since hoaxes claiming such-and-such celebrity died often spread on social media, I initially just assumed the stuff on Facebook about his death was just another one of these hoaxes. It was only when serious news outlets started reporting it that it started to sink in. Phil Hartman was another shocking one, particularly the manner in which he died. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-shocking-or-surprising-celebrity-death/847132/8 "2020-01-28T23:22:12Z")
For me… Spalding Gray. Suicide was always a theme in his work but if you had kept up with his work his last two monologues (Slippery Slope and Morning Noon and Night) you’d think that was something he had worked through and was squarely in the past…Then the car accident and the subsequent issues there (I saw him once after that) you’d understand that the struggle was back…but at least I thought it would not…get there. As soon as it was reported that he had gone missing–my first thought was–“he went on a ‘walkabout’ and will turn up the next day.”…and then he didn’t …and I knew…so it was shocking but not surprising, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-shocking-or-surprising-celebrity-death/847132/9 "2020-01-28T23:31:20Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > In addition with those already mentioned… > > Chris Cornell > Robin Williams > George Michael > Anthony Bourdain > > …all suicides ☹ > > Bernie Mac > Neil Peart I thought George Michael died from a heart attack? I don’t consider Robin Williams’ death to be from suicide, because his autopsy revealed that he had Lewy Body Dementia, which is like a cross between Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s and much, much worse than either because (among other things) people with it can live for many years after they reach the end stage, and it causes depression and paranoia. He did end his life, but he had a precipitating cause that nobody apparently knew about. The actress who played Violet Beauregard in the original “Willy Wonka” movie, who lived in my hometown for a while, recently ended her own life, although like Williams, things were a lot more complicated. > **[Denise Nickerson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denise_Nickerson)** > > Denise Marie Nickerson (April 1, 1957 – July 10, 2019) was an American child actress. At the age of 13 she starred as Violet Beauregarde in the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. She later played Allison on The Electric Company, and had recurring roles as Amy Jennings, Nora Collins, and Amy Collins in the soap opera Dark Shadows. She retired from acting in 1978 and later worked as a receptionist and office manager. > Nickerson was born on April 1, 1957, in New York City, to Florence... ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-shocking-or-surprising-celebrity-death/847132/10 "2020-01-28T23:34:27Z")
Another one. Rick Nelson. At least one reporter, when the Teleprompter said he’d been free-basing before the plane crashed, flat-out said, “I knew him, and I’m not going to report that because I know it isn’t true.” John Denver’s death was also quite a shock. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-shocking-or-surprising-celebrity-death/847132/11 "2020-01-28T23:35:44Z")
And on a slightly different note? Keith Richards, because he hasn’t yet. Y’all knew THAT one was coming. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-shocking-or-surprising-celebrity-death/847132/12 "2020-01-28T23:41:53Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I thought George Michael died from a heart attack? Oops, you are correct. Wiki article says “natural causes”. I was mistaken that his death was a suicide. Nonetheless, I still found his passing a bit of a shock. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-shocking-or-surprising-celebrity-death/847132/13 "2020-01-28T23:44:14Z")
Elvis? Oh…wait…he’s still alive…isn’t he? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-shocking-or-surprising-celebrity-death/847132/14 "2020-01-29T00:03:00Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > Oops, you are correct. Wiki article says “natural causes”. I was mistaken that his death was a suicide. Nonetheless, I still found his passing a bit of a shock. Maybe you were thinking of [Michael Hutchence, lead singer for INXS?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hutchence) Not being a big fan of either, I used to get them mixed up. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-shocking-or-surprising-celebrity-death/847132/15 "2020-01-29T00:18:00Z")
Prince, Anthony Bourdain, and Robin Williams in the recent past. Prior shocks: Jim Henson, John Belushi, Freddie Prinze Sr, River Phoenix. Bob Crane’s murder was such a shock to me, I remember distinctly eating pancakes as I heard about it. ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-shocking-or-surprising-celebrity-death/847132/16 "2020-01-29T00:26:31Z")
Given that it is January 28, and I can vividly remember where I was on Jan 28, 1986, I will throw out: Michael J. Smith Dick Scobee Ronald McNair Ellison Onizuka Christa McAuliffe Gregory Jarvis Judith Resnik [Probably not what you were thinking about, of course.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger_disaster) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-shocking-or-surprising-celebrity-death/847132/17 "2020-01-29T00:26:47Z")
Buddy Holly, Big Bopper, Patsy Kline, both Kennedys, MLK, Hendrix, Joplin, Elvis, Stevie Ray, Princess Diana, Tony Bourdain. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-shocking-or-surprising-celebrity-death/847132/18 "2020-01-29T00:29:46Z")
Kurt Cobain Philip Symour Hoffman Steve Irwin Heath Ledger Selena Amy Winehouse ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-shocking-or-surprising-celebrity-death/847132/19 "2020-01-29T00:32:19Z")
John Lennon and Heather O’Rourke off the top of my head. There was another young child actress in some sort of murder/suicide thing (her father and the body was set on fire?) but the name escapes me. With most other famous people you almost expect some sort of drug/alcohol related death enough not to be surprised when they happen. ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-shocking-or-surprising-celebrity-death/847132/20 "2020-01-29T00:54:06Z")
[ul] [li]Michael O’Hare [/li][li]Jerry Doyle [/li][li]Jeff Conaway[/li][li]Stephen Furst[/li][/ul] All with in the last ten years. I can’t help watch B5 and think to myself a significant portion of the main cast is now dead. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-shocking-or-surprising-celebrity-death/847132.md?page=2)