# The Celebrity Death Pool 2005 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** death-pool\ **Created:** [December 1, 2004, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574 "2004-12-01T21:22:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![Mr.Goob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@Mr.Goob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Goob)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574/261 "2004-12-29T20:21:27Z")
This is the reason I just spent $14.95, in no particular order; 1. Courtney Love 2. Bob Dole 3. Dennis Rodman 4. Emeril Lagasse 5. Pam Anderson 6. Stephen King 7. Jay Leno 8. George Carlin 9. Ralph Wilson 10. Larry Flint 11. Jeff Gordon 12. John Travolta 13. Macaulay Culkin ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574/262 "2004-12-29T22:12:19Z")
1. Liz Taylor 2. William Rehnquist 3. Arthur Clarke 4. James Doohan 5. Rick Majerus 6. Lou Henson 7. Augusto Pinochet 8. Kirk Douglas 9. Bowie Kuhn 10. Rosa Parks 11. Patrick Moore (the astronomer) 12. King Sihanouk 13. Studs Terkel I will _not_ pick the Pope. I will not pick him ever again. I’m beginning to doubt whether he is really mortal. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574/263 "2004-12-30T00:06:47Z")
_Cha Chung_ Damn you! Lumiere is snuffed out 3 days early. You know how hard it is to get to the SDMB with my firewall problems? Nobody else better die until Sunday. The old list: 1. Axl Rose 2. Whitney Houston 3. Steve Jobs 4. Elizabeth Taylor 5. Scott Hamilton 6. James Earl Jones 7. Paul Prudhomme 8. Henry Kissinger 9. Colin Farrell 10. Peter O’Toole 11. Ed Koch 12. Jerry Orbach 13. James Brown Replace Jerry Orbach with Pat Summerall And complete the football announcer trifecta with my alternates: John Madden Al Michaels Just in case I have some bad luck over the next few days. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574/264 "2004-12-30T05:16:28Z")
**Mr. Goob** Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! To the Straight Dope! Your first post is in Dead Pool. A most excellent way to begin any addiction…err…relationship…😃 ---
**Author:** ![zoog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7ea924/32.png) [@zoog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoog)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574/265 "2004-12-30T06:46:38Z")
I had to narrow down a list of 88 contenders to get to this. Mostly, I’m trying to stay away from the low-point 80+ crowd, and also trying to pick a few that I’m not seeing on too many other lists. These are the people that I’m guessing won’t see the end of 2005: **Pro wrestlers, porn stars, what’s the difference:** Lou Albano Ron Jeremy **I actually thought that these folks were already dead:** John Amos John Astin Kitty Dukakis **Obligatory rap/hip-hop entry:** Suge Knight **Anybody can pick Fidel, but I’m taking his brother:** Raul Castro **Random world leader whose name I’m sure I’d never pronouunce correctly:** Sukarnoputri Megawati **I can’t believe that more people aren’t picking this guy:** Mike Tyson **Just struck me as someone who might go on a self-destruction binge:** Colin Quinn **"Rounding" out the list (that’s mean spirited, but so is the whole game):** Wayne Knight John Popper Burt Young ---
**Author:** ![GWVet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@GWVet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GWVet)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574/266 "2004-12-30T07:00:44Z")
Slight alteration: Replace 1st alternate (Barbara Feldon) with Liza Minnelli, b. 3/12/1946 Not that an alternate should make a difference, but I’m concerned that Dick Clark won’t see another Saturday. I was going to replace James Brown, but a knock on the head is no cause for panic. Besides, if I had done so the Godfather of Soul would be doomed. NurseCarmen, I’ve had Jan Michael on my list the past 2 years and somehow he’s pulled through. I think I may be responsible for his longevity. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_in\_second\_hand\_clothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9d8465/32.png) [@wolf\_in\_second\_hand\_clothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_in_second_hand_clothing)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574/267 "2004-12-30T07:14:12Z")
My list, either picked randomly or shamelessly stolen from others The Pope (this year he’s gotta be a slam dunk) Perry Farrell Michael Moore Steve Guttenberg (who holds back the electric car?) Dave Coulier Muhammad Ali Scott Stapp (please don’t let him start another band) Michael Jackson Sally Jessy Raphael Gene Simmons Richard Simmons John Goodman Liza Minnelli (sorry, everyone. I needed a 13th) ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574/268 "2004-12-30T08:44:23Z")
1. John Goodman 2. Bob Saget 3. Kobe Bryant 4. Jerry Lewis 5. Dustin Hoffman 6. Tom Lehrer 7. Gene Hackman 8. Nathan Lane 9. Christine Baranski 10. Warren Beatty 11. Bobby Fischer 12. Sir Mix-A-Lot (Anthony Ray) 13. Mary Ann Mobley ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574/269 "2004-12-30T13:01:30Z")
Out of curious wonder, **A35362** , just how in the heck do you keep all this organized? ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574/270 "2004-12-30T13:05:21Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > Out of curious wonder, **A35362** , just how in the heck do you keep all this organized? If I was running the show, I wouldn’t bother until 1 Jan… ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574/271 "2004-12-30T13:30:01Z")
If I was running the show, I would still be working on DP1997 organizing. ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574/272 "2004-12-30T15:00:52Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > If I was running the show, I would still be working on DP1997 organizing. I don’t believe that. You did well with this year’s Secret Santa. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574/273 "2004-12-30T23:36:27Z")
1. Mickey Rooney 2. Bo Diddley 3. Graham Kerr 4. Tom Smothers 5. The Pope 6. Elizabeth Taylor 7. Robby Gordon 8. Lyle Waggoner 9. Ken Venturi 10. Mickey Jones 11. Van Cliburn 12. Hunter S. Thompson 13. Gore Vidal ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2004, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574/274 "2004-12-31T00:40:25Z")
1. Dick Cheney 2. Dick Clark 3. James Doohan 4. Kirk Douglas 5. Stephen Hawking 6. Philip Johnson 7. Courtney Love 8. Mary-Kate Olsen 9. Luciano Pavarotti 10. Pope John Paul II 11. William H. Rehnquist 12. Mickey Rooney 13. Elizabeth Taylor Alternate: Lady Bird Johnson ---
**Author:** ![Miabella](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ccd318/32.png) [@Miabella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miabella)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2004, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574/275 "2004-12-31T00:57:21Z")
1. Jason Giambi 2. Courtney Love 3. Pope JPII 4. Viktor Yuschenko 5. Fidel Castro 6. Jane Wyman 7. Chris Burke (Corky on “Life Goes On”) 8. Dick Clark 9. Dick Cheney 10. Bill Parcells 11. James Doohan 12. Margaret Thatcher 13. Marion Barry ---
**Author:** ![Santos\_L\_Halper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/santos_l_halper/32/1_2.png) [@Santos\_L\_Halper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santos_L_Halper)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2004, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574/276 "2004-12-31T01:00:36Z")
I almost forgot to put in my picks: 1. Pope John Paul 2 2. Nancy Reagan 3. Gary Busey 4. George Steinbrenner 5. Pete Seeger 6. Aaron Spelling 7. Arthur C. Clarke 8. Osama Bin Laden 9. Fidel Castro 10. Charleton Heston 11. Vincent D’Onofrio 12. William H. Rehnquist 13. Suzanne Somers ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2004, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574/277 "2004-12-31T01:04:54Z")
The Muckety-Mucks: 1. Gerald Ford, he looks very shaky. 2. Pope John Paul II. It’s traditional by now. Amazed this wonderful gent got through another Christmas. 3. Margaret Thatcher. Couldn’t even speak at Reagan’s funeral. 4. Nancy Reagan (replacing Perwez Musharraf). Widowed spouses in long, devoted marriages usually don’t hang around. 5. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, ne Ahmad Fadil an-Nazal al-Khalaylah, born 1966. If there’s any justice, that is. I think Osama won’t emerge from under his rock this year. 6. William Rehnquist. Fading fast. The Theater and TV World: 7) Betty Comden (2004 was a bad year for Broadway greats, and this marvelous but frail lady is one of the finest lyricists still with us) 8) Jane Wyatt (has had strokes) 9) James Doohan (ditto, plus the Alzheimer’s diagnosis this year) 10) Walter Cronkite (met him myself, getting very shaky) 11) Elizabeth Taylor (one of the ailments she imagines will be real someday) Various: 12) Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (replacing Keith Richards, whom he resembles to a truly disturbing degree) 13) Robert Morgenthau (Manhattan District Attorney since the Roosevelt Administration. Theodore Roosevelt’s. Replacing Courtney Love) Now all these fine folks are guaranteed a safe year, since my average ain’t that great. Ronald Reagan? My unborn nephew could have gotten that one. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2004, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574/278 "2004-12-31T01:11:54Z")
> [@Sean Factotum](#): > > I don’t believe that. You did well with this year’s Secret Santa. Flattery will get you everywhere, my dear. But Dealing with dead people and such high stakes as the [Insert Law & Order Thunk Thunk noise here **Dead Pool List** is an honor and a migraine that I feel no prescription medication can handle. It’s the computer program to organize this entire thingie that would give me spazms. While I am on that, I would like to inform all of my fans ( all three of them and they live inside my head) that I have misplaced my \*\* Super Duper Top Secret Dead Pool List. \*\* This list has been with me for _weeks_. I am so annoyed with myself. I shall remedy the situation by avoiding it and going off to watch my new DVD of Harry Potter. _Fiddle Dee Dee._ ---
**Author:** ![Thunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a8b319/32.png) [@Thunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thunder)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2004, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574/279 "2004-12-31T01:28:00Z")
My first “Official” entry into this annual contest… here we go. William Rehnquist Pope John Paul II Dick Clark Frank Gifford Salman Rushdie Macaulay Culkin Lawrence Taylor George Carlin Robert Downey, Jr. Snoop Dogg Florence Henderson Bob Barker Walter Cronkite ---
**Author:** ![imthjckaz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/imthjckaz/32/3223_2.png) [@imthjckaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imthjckaz)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2004, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574/280 "2004-12-31T01:33:08Z")
Ok, here’s my first try at this. 1. Pope John Paul II 2. John Wooden 3. Jesse Helms 4. Don Rickles 5. Willie Mays 6. Mickey Rooney 7. Walter Cronkite 8. Fidel Castro 9. Gerald Ford 10. Richard Pryor 11. Muhammad Ali 12. Andy Rooney 13. Scott Peterson [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2005/277574.md?page=15)