# The Celebrity Death Pool 2004 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** death-pool\ **Created:** [December 1, 2003, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359 "2003-12-01T22:29:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![fruitbat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@fruitbat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fruitbat)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/41 "2003-12-02T15:48:11Z")
> [@](#): > > Sam Walton’s been dead for a while… (I’m thinking of the WallyWorld founder Damn! Saw his autobiography on sale and it looked new. Please replace with Jazz Pianist McCoy Tyner. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/42 "2003-12-02T16:10:13Z")
Sam Walton, McCoy Tyner – six of one, half dozen of the other. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/43 "2003-12-02T16:37:47Z")
Frankie Laine Maynard Ferguson Patty Andrews (Andrews Sisters) Noel Redding Allan Melvin (Sam the Butcher, Brady Bunch) Al Molinaro June Lockhart Chris Kattan Robert McNamara Hamid Karzai PW Botha Lloyd Bentsen Bill France Jr ---
**Author:** ![earthpuppy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8c91f0/32.png) [@earthpuppy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/earthpuppy)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/44 "2003-12-02T16:40:53Z")
Bob Barker Marlon Brando Julia Child Walter Cronkite Kirk Douglas Stephen King Don Knotts Pope John Paul II Richard Pryor Dan Rather Ronald Reagan Peter Ustinov Barbara Walters ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/45 "2003-12-02T17:08:21Z")
Hey **a35362** , kudos on a great job in 2003 and here’s looking forward to another morbid year. My 2004 picks: Bob Barker Dick Clark Ed McMahon Eminem Gerald Ford Macauly Culkin Michael Jackson Michael Jackson’s Accuser (name unknown) Paul Harvey Pope John Paul II Richard Pryor Ronald Reagan Walter Cronkite ---
**Author:** ![Horseflesh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horseflesh/32/7502_2.png) [@Horseflesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horseflesh)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/46 "2003-12-02T17:14:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by a35362 \* > **Horseflesh, as pointed out above, The Queen Mother is already dead but Queen Elizabeth II is still a valid pick. Which names shall I go with?** Ah, leave it like it is. The Grim Spectre is a tricky one to outguess. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/47 "2003-12-02T17:41:51Z")
Who won last year? I can’t recall if I got any at all. The Soon-To-Be-Dearly-Departed 1. Richard Pryor 2. Annette Funicello 3. Ronald Reagan 4. Pope John Paul II 5. Dick Van Dyke 6. Studs Terkel 7. Courtney Love 8. Eddie Van Halen 9. Sid Caesar 10. Prince Ranier of Monaco ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/48 "2003-12-02T17:53:28Z")
Disclaimer- The following list of celebrities does not imply that I necessarily feel any ill will towards these people. This is more or less a seat-of-the-pants list, in no particular order, so here goes: 1. **Bob Barker-** He’s outlived two TPiR announcers. You have to wonder what this does to his psyche. 2. **Michael Jackson-** He’s on everyone else’s list, but what the hell. He’s so far gone and lost all self-respect and respect from the public, that if he doesn’t do himself in, someone else will. 3. **Eddie Vedder** (Pearl Jam lead singer)- Every year it seems we lose at least one prominent figure from the rock music scene before his time. 4. **James Hetfield** (Lead singer for Metallica)- These guys have been around awhile, but with all the fallout from Napster and the loss of their fans, along with the abysmally poor release of _St. Anger_, the band members may start using drugs more to deal with the disappointment. 5. **Lars Ulrich** (drummer for Metallica)- see above. 6. **John Travolta** - No particular reason, just a wildcard I decided to throw in there. 7. **Walter Cronkite** - I wasn’t sure if he was still alive before submitting his name. 8. **Andrew Dice Clay** - Gotta have at least one has-been in the mix. 9. **Steve Tyler** (lead singer for Aerosmith)- Another veteran rocker who’s been lucky so far. 10. **Ed Koch** (former mayor of New York City)- I needed to get at least one political figure on my list and nobody else chose this one yet. 11. **Hugh Downs** (ABC news personality)- An old-timer who hasn’t been listed yet. 12. **Andy Rooney** (CBS news personality)- Another one who’s getting way up there. 13. **Tom Cruise** - A relatively young one I’m putting in my list for the longshot. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/49 "2003-12-02T18:15:38Z")
**Horseflesh** – do you want me to go with Queen Elizabeth II or Martin Landau? **plnnr** , gimme three more names. To answer your question, the 2003 game isn’t over yet, but **Cisco** is in the lead. You didn’t submit a list last year. ---
**Author:** ![swannguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@swannguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swannguy)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/50 "2003-12-02T19:09:12Z")
Here’s my list in no specific order… Pope John Paul II Carol Burnett Roy Horn Larry King Charlton Heston Maggie Smith Ronald Reagan Scott Weiland Crown Prince Albert Grimaldi (of Monaco) Prince Philip (Duke of Edinburgh) Helmot Kohl (Former German Chancellor) Jacques Chirac Andy Griffith ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/51 "2003-12-02T19:10:38Z")
Must have played in an earlier version. My final three: 1. Don Rickles 2. Ralph Stanley 3. Bishop Desmond Tutu ---
**Author:** ![Mad\_Matt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Mad\_Matt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mad_Matt)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/52 "2003-12-02T20:47:42Z")
1. Pope John Paul II 2. Margaret Thatcher 3. George Best 4. Hamid Karzai 5. Richard Pryor 6. Prince Philip (Duke of Edinburgh) 7. Stephen Hawking 8. Whitney Houston 9. Mollie Sugden 10. Holly Johnson 11. Pamela Anderson 12. 50 Cent 13. Doris Day ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/53 "2003-12-02T20:54:00Z")
Well, I did pretty poorly this year so I’m gonna revamp the list: Keeping these: Pope John Paul II Michael Jackson Christopher Lee Yassir Arafat Steve O Jimmy Carter Dumping the 3 Supermen for: Ray Harryhausen Russell Johnson (The Professor from Gilligan’s Island) Kirk Douglas And 4 new outside chances: Macauley Culkin Martin Short Meat Loaf (They say he’ll recover, but you never know) David Blaine ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/54 "2003-12-02T21:45:36Z")
The Important Folks: 1. Ronald Reagan 2. Pope John Paul II 3. Margaret Thatcher (recent strokes, I think) 4. Yasser Arafat (looking shaky) 5. Saddam Hussein (I think Osama will keep hiding, damn him) The Theater and TV World: 6) Betty Comden (saw her recently, this fine lady still has the spirit but the body is failing) 7) Jane Wyatt (has had strokes) 8) James Doohan (ditto) 9) George O’Dowd (wild card; stage name is Boy George) OMFG!! Category: 10) Jack Osbourne (turned 18 a few weeks ago) 11) Michael Jackson 12) Robert Downey Jr. 13) Current President George W. Bush (dangerous world out there for him right now, all somebody needs is ‘one good day’. NOT an endorsement of this on my part). If I miscalculated and Jack O. is ineligible, please sub Pres. Gerald Ford. ---
**Author:** ![Infectious\_Lass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e56c9b/32.png) [@Infectious\_Lass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infectious_Lass)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/55 "2003-12-02T21:58:02Z")
oh wow! I never played this game before! (only ever saw old threads, never saw them early enough to actually enter!) I am officially excited. and stuff. Most of my picks are fairly obvious, ah well. A lot of them are elderly too. I’m not too worried about the points. I’m aiming for quantity over quality or er, something 😃 1. David Crosby 2. Pope John Paul II (yeah I know everyone else has him too!) 3. Michael Jackson (ditto!) 4. Courtney Love 5. Fidel Castro 6. Margaret Thatcher 7. Gerald Ford 8. Ronald Reagan 9. Prince Rainier of Monaco (he must be pretty old by now right?) 10. Paris Hilton (oblig. self destructive young person long shot) 11. Lady Bird Johnson 12. Zsa Zsa Gabor 13. Agnetha Faltskog (out of Abba. I don’t know why I picked her, but there’s just something very mortality-ous about howard hughes-esque recluses who date their own stalkers-yes I know mortality-ous isn’t a word!) and that’s it! ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/56 "2003-12-02T22:31:25Z")
A point of clarification: When I said ‘Pope John Paul’, I meant II, not I…:smack: A suggestion to the organizer: what about adding an optional general manner of death category? I would suggest 3 categories: Disease/Old Age/Infirmity, Accidental/Misadventure, and Violence. Extra points or a special award for correctly guessing the category… ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/57 "2003-12-03T02:28:32Z")
Correction on mine, please. I completely blew off the “18 and older” rule. Please replace _Michael Jackson’s Accuser_ with **June Foray**. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/58 "2003-12-03T05:01:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Infectious Lass \* > \*\*Most of my picks are fairly obvious, ah well. A lot of them are elderly too. I’m not too worried about the points. I’m aiming for quantity over quality or er, something > 😃 > 2. Pope John Paul II (yeah I know everyone else has him too!) > \*\* Nobody likes a shutout! Things aren’t looking good for the boy. _Scott Weiland!_ Man! Theres a winner! I wish I’da thought of him! He’s on the cusp! Oh well. I stand by my originals. P.S. We are all sick Sons-a-Bitches! 😃 * * * Insert clever sig here. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/59 "2003-12-03T12:54:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by vunderbob \* > \*\* > A suggestion to the organizer: what about adding an optional general manner of death category? I would suggest 3 categories: > Disease/Old Age/Infirmity, Accidental/Misadventure, and Violence. Extra points or a special award for correctly guessing the category… \*\* I am in total awe that you found a way to make this contest even sicker!:eek: ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/60 "2003-12-03T13:07:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Annie-Xmas \* > \*\*I am in total awe that you found a way to make this contest even sicker!:eek: \*\* Thank you… 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359.md?page=4)