# The Celebrity Death Pool 2006 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** death-pool\ **Created:** [December 1, 2005, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632 "2005-12-01T22:25:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 40
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632/781 "2006-05-02T20:31:29Z")
> [@tarragon918](#): > > . . . Keith Richards is hospitalized in New Zealand after either a fall from a coconut palm tree or off of a jet ski (take your pick, apparently!) while on vacation at an exclusive Fiji resort. . . . Mebbe he was jet skiing through the treetops. :dubious: I had Galbraith two years ago but passed on him this year because of his diminished value, shall we say. I am happy to see our OP get three points off of him - consider it payment for all the work you do on this thread every year. (!) ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632/782 "2006-05-02T21:05:46Z")
> [@Governor Quinn](#): > > I can’t find a free link to this at this moment, but Oscar-nominated screenwriter/playwright Jay Presson Allen died yesterday at 84. Interestingly, Allen perhaps gained her greatest fame by adapting Muriel Spark’s novel, _The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie_, for the stage. Spark died a few weeks ago. [This obit for Allen](http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/02/theater/02allen.html?ex=1146715200&en=0d578be59a88664d&ei=5087%0A) is a free link, but does require that you register with _The New York Times_ before reading the article. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632/783 "2006-05-03T09:33:28Z")
[Louis Rukeyser](http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060503/D8HC2LE80.html) ---
**Author:** ![fluffyemu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@fluffyemu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluffyemu)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632/784 "2006-05-03T12:41:10Z")
The Elizabeth [not Liz, you meanies!] Taylor health thing is a rumor, as usual: [http://www.nationaljeweler.com/nationaljeweler/headlines/article\_display.jsp?vnu\_content\_id=1002425834](http://www.nationaljeweler.com/nationaljeweler/headlines/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002425834) Plus, she’s been “near death” about fifteen times since 1960, and she’s had over 100 surgeries. Between actually being pronounced dead circa Butterfield 8 and her brain tumor, that woman personifies the definition of a survivor. She’s old(er) and has had health issues, but she isn’t ailing from any terminal or serious illness at present, so I think people overestimate her likelihood of dying on the basis of the numerous false tabloid reports over the years. /Elizabeth Taylor Fan Rant ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632/785 "2006-05-03T13:05:02Z")
> [@VunderBob](#): > > [Louis Rukeyser](http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060503/D8HC2LE80.html) Well crap. He was on my potentials list for next year. He was also a Friday night tradition with my dad when I was growing up. Is it bad that I can figure out what upsets me more? ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632/786 "2006-05-03T13:55:30Z")
> [@fluffyemu](#): > > The Elizabeth [not Liz, you meanies!] Taylor health thing is a rumor, as usual: Well, I certainly wonder why Liz herself wasn’t the one to release the statement to the press. ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632/787 "2006-05-03T14:17:17Z")
People as rich and famous as Elizabeth Taylor have _people_ to release statements for them, dahling. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632/788 "2006-05-03T15:00:02Z")
Nobody picked Louis Rukeyser. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632/789 "2006-05-03T19:24:43Z")
Tiger Woods’ dad, [Earl…](http://www.tigerwoods.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=327330&itype=6245&iCategoryID=505) ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632/790 "2006-05-03T19:30:03Z")
Nobody picked Earl Woods. ---
**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:** [May 3, 2006, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632/791 "2006-05-03T20:28:37Z")
This is amazing. I run a little real-life death pool that attracted a grand total of nine entries this year, and as you would imagine it’s very rare for someone to be picked in my pool but not in this humongous pool. But today it happened twice, as one of my players had Rukeyser and another had Woods. The bad news is I’m sinking to the bottom of my own pool. You know, you can’t go swimming in a Death Pool. Roger Miller said so. ---
**Author:** ![fluffyemu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@fluffyemu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluffyemu)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632/792 "2006-05-03T20:42:56Z")
\<\\> Celebrities often DON’T release their own statements, especially if they’re a bit reclusive like Elizabeth. She’s been “near death” several times in the last few decades and not releasing a statement personally clearly hasn’t validated the rumors on those occasions. Not saying that a non-celebrity release prior to a death can’t be seen in hindsight as a preminition, but in the vast majority of occasions - whether on account of laziness or busyness - they just don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632/793 "2006-05-03T21:10:40Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > Nobody picked Earl Woods. Look again. Earl is **Grits and Hard Toast** ’s first points of the year. ---
**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:** [May 3, 2006, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632/794 "2006-05-03T21:22:44Z")
What did Earl die of, anyone know? He always seemed like a really nice guy and I really feel bad for Tiger. ---
**Author:** ![Rachm\_Qoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Rachm\_Qoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachm_Qoch)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632/795 "2006-05-03T21:28:35Z")
> [@VunderBob](#): > > [Louis Rukeyser](http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060503/D8HC2LE80.html) The first of last year’s stragglers to shuffle off this mortal coil. ---
**Author:** ![Hung\_Mung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hung\_Mung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hung_Mung)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632/796 "2006-05-03T21:29:31Z")
Earl Woods died after a lengthy struggle with prostate cancer. Link [here](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/golf/05/03/earl.woods/index.html?cnn=yes). ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Lance_Murdoch)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632/797 "2006-05-04T04:33:23Z")
This may come as a bit of a shock - in fact maybe everyone should sit down before reading this, but a rapper has been felled in an act of violence! [Big Hawk](http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7003427657) went down in a volley of bullets. He seems to have taken one of the gunmen out with him, but then we’ve already talked about Rukeyser enough. Seriously though, has anyone calculated the death rate for rap performers? I’ll bet it’s way safer to be stationed in Iraq. ---
**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:** [May 4, 2006, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632/798 "2006-05-04T15:29:36Z")
The problem with putting rappers on a list is that many are called, but few are chosen. Do we go with guys from L.A. or NYC (and then someone fromDetroit gets killed.) Putting rappers on a Dead Pool list? That way lies madness. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632/799 "2006-05-04T19:30:49Z")
> [@Only Mostly Dead](#): > > Look again. Earl is **Grits and Hard Toast** ’s first points of the year. And **Grits and Hard Toast** picks up another 26 points with a unique pick for Earl Woods. (Actually, she already has 21 points for Roy Chapman.) She is now tied with **Nutty Bunny** and **Rico** with 47 points. My apologies for missing this one. And nobody picked Big Hawk, aka John Hawkins. ---
**Author:** ![Grits\_and\_Hard\_Toast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Grits\_and\_Hard\_Toast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grits_and_Hard_Toast)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2006, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632/800 "2006-05-05T04:31:35Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > What did Earl die of, anyone know? > > He always seemed like a really nice guy and I really feel bad for Tiger. Shirley, Did you really have to point out what a great guy he was??? I am sufffering enough. He was a great guy, and made Tiger what he is. Golf has benefitted from Tiger. Tiger has donated so much money to help so many. Lives have been changed for the better because of Tiger, a result of Tiger’s dad. All golfers agree that Tiger’s influence on golf has been a great thing. Tiger’s dad is ultimately responsible for that. Everyone feels for Tiger. I alone, benefitted from this passing. I am so going to hell. This game is just plain morally corrupt. How many points did I just get? I think he was one of the youngest on my list. My first solo points!! I wish I was catholic and could say some prayers to absolve me of my BIG SCORE!! My husband is a big golfer. Plays 5 days a week. He is so sad for Tiger. I am thinking, “How many points?” I am so going to hell for playing this game. I moved up!! Anyone who plays this game is just plain horrible!! Two down, 11 to go!! I am so going to hell. It is only May, several of my picks look really heathly, I misjudged them. But six months could really take a toll, I still have a shot! I am so going to hell. Shirley, absolve me! Please say it’s OK when I heard the sad news, that I secretly thought, “Yeay! I was right!!” He did have horrible cancer. It was bound to happen. I know logically I didn’t cause this. But now I feel guilty. I am so going to hell. What place am in now? I now know, you have to be tough to play this game. I am thinking this is good for my soft soul. What have I become??? Enough of my rant, I am so going to hell, which I really don’t believe in. OK, I will say it. Whoo whoo, I got some points!! ( Hell has chocolate ice cream doesn’t it?? ) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632.md?page=39) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2006/333632.md?page=41)