# RIP Glenn Shadix (aka "the fat gay guy from Beetlejuice")
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-glenn-shadix-aka-the-fat-gay-guy-from-beetlejuice/552998
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [September 8, 2010, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-glenn-shadix-aka-the-fat-gay-guy-from-beetlejuice/552998 "2010-09-08T01:08:20Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2010, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-glenn-shadix-aka-the-fat-gay-guy-from-beetlejuice/552998/1 "2010-09-08T01:08:20Z")
Charactor actor [Glenn Shadix](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Shadix) has died. He’s one of those “that guy” actors, specifically (as in the title) “that fat gay guy”, though in recent years he lost a LOT of weight through gastric bypass. ([Fat pic](http://www.howardcruse.com/cruseblog/blogpix/glennwinona.jpg)/[thin pic](http://www.mikekara.com/biography/glenn-headshot.gif).)
His best known roles were in Tim Burton movies: _Beetlejuice_ (the [fat gay interior decorator](http://minadream.com/timburton/images/Beetlejuice/Pic2.jpg)) onscreen and as a voice in _Nightmare Before Christmas_ and an [orangutan senator](http://www.wearysloth.com/Gallery/ActorsS/15674-25509.gif) in _Planet of the Apes_ but he did a zillion TV and movie and stage appearances including _Carnivale_ in recent (thin) years.
He was semi-retired for the past few years and living in his native Birmingham, AL (where his parents sent him for electroshock treatment when he was a college student to cure teh gay). He owned a beautiful Queen Anne home there for a while but it burned to the ground at Christmas a few years back. He died from a head injuries he suffered in an accident at his downtown B’ham condo. Apparently he had health problems as the obit says he was in a wheelchair.
Anyway, unique actor and worthy of mention.
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### Author:  [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2010, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-glenn-shadix-aka-the-fat-gay-guy-from-beetlejuice/552998/2 "2010-09-08T01:11:36Z")
Don’t forget Associate Bob in _Demolition Man_, although Otho was his best part overall.
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### Author:  [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2010, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-glenn-shadix-aka-the-fat-gay-guy-from-beetlejuice/552998/3 "2010-09-08T01:15:25Z")
I agree. Interesting actor, for sure. To bad, Glen. I enjoyed your work.
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### Author:  [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2010, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-glenn-shadix-aka-the-fat-gay-guy-from-beetlejuice/552998/4 "2010-09-08T01:22:28Z")
Wow, I \*\*just \*\*watched \*Beetlejuice \*again last night and wondered what “Otho” had been doing lately. He was great in that role.
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### Author:  [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2010, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-glenn-shadix-aka-the-fat-gay-guy-from-beetlejuice/552998/5 "2010-09-08T01:49:30Z")
Tremendous actor! I will miss him.
Also, let’s not forget his contribution to the always eminently quotable [**Heathers**](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3Z1pZhUYDc).
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### Author:  [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2010, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-glenn-shadix-aka-the-fat-gay-guy-from-beetlejuice/552998/6 "2010-09-08T06:04:36Z")
I believe he also appeared on a couple of Seinfeld episodes as the super of Jerry’s building, or maybe he was more of a resident helper to the landlord. Either way, he was always funny.
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### Author:  [@Indyellen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indyellen)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-glenn-shadix-aka-the-fat-gay-guy-from-beetlejuice/552998/7 "2010-09-08T16:17:55Z")
I met him a few years ago at our convention. Once of the nicest guys ever. He will be missed.
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### Author:  [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2010, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-glenn-shadix-aka-the-fat-gay-guy-from-beetlejuice/552998/8 "2010-09-08T16:27:58Z")
> [@MTCicero](#):
>
> Tremendous actor! I will miss him.
>
> Also, let’s not forget his contribution to the always eminently quotable [**Heathers**](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3Z1pZhUYDc).
One of the best lines ever is when he calls out against the “MTV video games.”
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### Author:  [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2010, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-glenn-shadix-aka-the-fat-gay-guy-from-beetlejuice/552998/9 "2010-09-08T16:53:38Z")
> [@Tangent](#):
>
> Wow, I \*\*just \*\*watched \*Beetlejuice \*again last night and wondered what “Otho” had been doing lately. He was great in that role.
This is almost my exact post, except we watched it Monday night.
Godspeed to him.
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### Author:  [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-glenn-shadix-aka-the-fat-gay-guy-from-beetlejuice/552998/10 "2010-09-08T17:58:17Z")
This is long but interesting: Glenn[discussing the electroshock therapy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gIUnr2gojU&feature=player_embedded) he had beginning at 17 to make him straight.
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### Author:  [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-glenn-shadix-aka-the-fat-gay-guy-from-beetlejuice/552998/11 "2010-09-08T18:03:55Z")
Man, that sucks. I never saw him in a show or movie where he didn’t pull off one of his rolls excellently.
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### Author:  [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-glenn-shadix-aka-the-fat-gay-guy-from-beetlejuice/552998/12 "2010-09-08T18:16:45Z")
On his blog he mentioned a recent trip to NYC to audition for a Christopher Woltz project for which they had tracked him down in Alabama (he was essentially retired). Nice to know he did not lack for quality work.
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### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-glenn-shadix-aka-the-fat-gay-guy-from-beetlejuice/552998/13 "2010-09-08T19:47:54Z")
> [@Sampiro](#):
>
> This is long but interesting: Glenn[discussing the electroshock therapy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gIUnr2gojU&feature=player_embedded) he had beginning at 17 to make him straight.
That is a really interesting interview.
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### Author:  [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2010, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-glenn-shadix-aka-the-fat-gay-guy-from-beetlejuice/552998/14 "2010-09-08T20:43:04Z")
I loved him! Definitely a “Hey, It’s That Guy!”
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### Author:  [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2010, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-glenn-shadix-aka-the-fat-gay-guy-from-beetlejuice/552998/15 "2010-09-08T21:09:46Z")
> [@gwendee](#):
>
> > [@Tangent](#):
> >
> > Wow, I \*\*just \*\*watched \*Beetlejuice \*again last night and wondered what “Otho” had been doing lately. He was great in that role.
>
> This is almost my exact post, except we watched it Monday night.
Well, when I posted that, last night was Monday night. 🙂
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### Author:  [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)
#### Post date: [September 9, 2010, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-glenn-shadix-aka-the-fat-gay-guy-from-beetlejuice/552998/16 "2010-09-09T04:26:48Z")
He was great as prickly, shady Val Templeton in **Carnivale**. What a shame he died in such a way.
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### Author:  [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)
#### Post date: [September 9, 2010, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-glenn-shadix-aka-the-fat-gay-guy-from-beetlejuice/552998/17 "2010-09-09T04:36:45Z")
What a crappy way to go. He will be missed!
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### Author:  [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)
#### Post date: [September 9, 2010, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-glenn-shadix-aka-the-fat-gay-guy-from-beetlejuice/552998/18 "2010-09-09T14:06:11Z")
The early reports say “blunt head trauma” or something to that effect. If he was wheelchair bound (which me might not have been 100% of the time), it seems hard–but certainly not impossible–to imagine him falling out of it an getting so banged up that he died from the injury. So. . .
If he was having mobility problems, maybe he was trying walk without it? Or possibly he had a heart attack (or something) in his chair and bumped his head as he fell out of it. I had not seen a lot of detail in the reports, and since there’s no indication of foul play, there probably wasn’t an autopsy.
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### Author:  [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)
#### Post date: [September 9, 2010, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-glenn-shadix-aka-the-fat-gay-guy-from-beetlejuice/552998/19 "2010-09-09T14:14:35Z")
> [@Mr.Accident](#):
>
> Man, that sucks. I never saw him in a show or movie where he didn’t pull off one of his rolls excellently.
The guy’s dead, let’s lay off the fat jokes.
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### Author:  [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)
#### Post date: [September 9, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-glenn-shadix-aka-the-fat-gay-guy-from-beetlejuice/552998/20 "2010-09-09T17:25:08Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#):
>
> The early reports say “blunt head trauma” or something to that effect. If he was wheelchair bound (which me might not have been 100% of the time), it seems hard–but certainly not impossible–to imagine him falling out of it an getting so banged up that he died from the injury. So. . .
>
> If he was having mobility problems, maybe he was trying walk without it? Or possibly he had a heart attack (or something) in his chair and bumped his head as he fell out of it. I had not seen a lot of detail in the reports, and since there’s no indication of foul play, there probably wasn’t an autopsy.
This will be the plot of _Tim Burton’s Oliver Stone’s GLENN SHADIX_. It’s kind of like JFK but with really bizarre shadows and angles.
[My favorite Beetlejuice moment.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQXVHITd1N4)
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