# The Celebrity Death Pool 2008 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** death-pool\ **Created:** [December 1, 2007, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439 "2007-12-01T11:46:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Nutty\_Bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/241 "2007-12-31T18:29:59Z")
Amy Winehouse Britney Spears Lindsay Lohan Bob Barker Dick Clark Andy Griffith Abe Vigoda Kirk Douglas Jerry Lewis Fidel Castro Conrad Bain Carl Reiner Estelle Getty Alternate: Andy Rooney ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/242 "2007-12-31T19:57:21Z")
This year’s list: Muhammed Ali Robert Byrd Fidel Castro Dick Clark Kirk Douglas Roger Ebert Elizabeth Edwards Zsa Zsa Gabor Billy Graham Ralph Hall Paul Harvey Ariel Sharon Owen Wilson Alternates: Bob Barker Ernest Borgnine ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/243 "2007-12-31T20:14:25Z")
List in: 1 - John Astin 2 - Ralph Bakshi 3 - David Bowie 4 - Robert Carlyle Byrd, Senator 5 - Phyllis Coates (Lois Lane 50s) 6 - William B. Davis (cigarette man from the X-files) 7 – Bill Keane 8 - Madeleine LeBeau (Casablanca) 9 – Noel Neill (Lois Lane 50s) 10 – Joy Page (Casablanca) 11 – Joyce Randolph (Played Trixie on “The Honeymooners”) 12 – Keith Richards 13 – Pernell Roberts (Bonanza) Only one change from last year, cause I’m lazy. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/244 "2007-12-31T20:14:55Z")
Yet another substitution: scratch Amy Winehouse; add Mary Tyler Moore. Roger Ebert Pervez Musharraf Geraldine Ferraro Michael J. Fox Rudy Boesch Louis Farrakhan Tony Snow Suzanne Pleshette Farah Fawcett Mary Tyler Moore Muhammed Ali Elizabeth Edwards Pete Domenici Alternates: Fred Phelps Kim Jong-Il Michael Moore ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/245 "2007-12-31T20:27:58Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] I would like to propose a rule. The winner of the previous year gets dispensation to post his list 24 hours later than everybody else, so long as he submits it in private to the moderator before the deadline. This would prevent copying. [/QUOTE] The rules do mention copying: > [@](#): > > We have no rule about submissions having to be unique, despite claims of “copying” anyone else’s list. If you want to copy, go ahead - but what’s the point? You can win half the prize money 😕 Copying someone else’s list sounds about as enjoyable as transcribing a crossword someone else has filled in into a new grid. As for your suggestion, while it has merit, the current position in 2007 is that RQ is in first, ahead of someone who largely copied his list, followed by me. I am not sure RQ would want to give me a sneak preview of his list. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Understander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3da27b/32.png) [@The\_Understander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Understander)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/246 "2007-12-31T20:48:50Z")
Donald Rumsfeld Dick Cheney Andy Griffith Raul Castro Fidel Castro Ed McMahon Tommy LaSorda Jerry Lewis Pervez Musharraf Ariel Sharon Barack Obama Nancy Reagan Abe Vigoda Alternates: Queen Elizabeth II Donny Most ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Dirx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b77776/32.png) [@Sir\_Dirx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Dirx)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/247 "2007-12-31T20:57:30Z")
I’m still fuming that I missed [Phil Brown](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0114436/) by 40 days the last time I entered. He was a unique pick, too. This year’s list: James MacArthur Norman Alden Pernell Roberts Brian Bedford Monica Evans Carole Shelley George Lindsey Michael Anderson Milo O’Shea Jules Bass Arthur Rankin Jr. George S. Irving Leslie H. Martinson ---
**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 31, 2007, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/248 "2007-12-31T21:05:37Z")
**amarone** my friend, I hate to do this, but I’ve made a change to my list - specifically my number two pick. (While it’s true that no one has ever stopped running things in Pakistan voluntarily, that doesn’t mean he or she has to die to leave office.) Sean Factotum Nawaz Sharif Elizabeth Edwards Manto Tshabalala-Msimang Ronnie Biggs Lindsay Lohan Farrah Fawcett James Gammon Bobby Brown Amy Winehouse Roger Ebert Suzanne Pleshette Ronald Isley Harold Pinter Alternate: Kylie Minogue ---
**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, 2007, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/249 "2007-12-31T21:07:29Z")
OK, here’s my list. Hopefully I do a heck of a lot better than I did for 2007: Fidel Castro - Cuban President Cher - Actress, Singer Farrah Fawcett - Actress Maury Povich - Talk Show Host Terry Pratchett - Author Stuart Scott - ESPN Sportscaster Ariel Sharon - Former Israeli Prime Minister Britney Spears - Singer Stephen Stills - Singer, Songwriter Alex Trebek - Game Show Host Russell Watson - Singer Leslie West - Guitarist, Singer, Songwriter Amy Winehouse - Singer, Songwriter Alternates: Yoko Ono - Artist, Singer Sergio Aragones - Cartoonist Bob Barker - Game Show Host Arthur C Clarke - Writer ---
**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 31, 2007, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/250 "2007-12-31T21:12:10Z")
Hey folks, this close to the deadline, how about y’all make it easier by reposting plain lists? ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/251 "2007-12-31T21:13:45Z")
Mickey Rooney Queen Elizabeth II Britney Spears Earvin “Magic” Johnson Hi, I’m Chris Hansen from Dateline NBC B.B. King Batista (professional wrestler) Jimmy Carter Laird Hamilton Jeff Gordon Takeru Kobayashi Lindsay Lohan Dr. Robert Jarvik ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/252 "2007-12-31T21:24:00Z")
[QUOTE=Sean Factotum] Hey folks, this close to the deadline, how about y’all make it easier by reposting plain lists? [/QUOTE] Nobody’s listening. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/253 "2007-12-31T21:27:03Z")
[QUOTE=Sean Factotum] Hey folks, this close to the deadline, how about y’all make it easier by reposting plain lists? [/QUOTE] Thanks. I will take a pause after post 242 to see if I can get any that are easier to handle. There are 132 entries to that point and the most frequent nominees are, in order: Fidel Castro Ariel Sharon Farrah Fawcett Britney Spears Elizabeth Taylor Amy Winehouse Billy Graham Kirk Douglas Muhammad Ali Dick Cheney Elizabeth Edwards ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/254 "2007-12-31T21:30:51Z")
**amarone** thanks for the update and for bein’ our host (hostess?) with the most (mostest?) this comin’ year for this most gruesome yet fun thread. Also, in case I haven’t said so, thanks to **a bunchanumbers** for all her hard work and dedication. I could not do this. I would have already reached out and slapped a bunch of folks for not following directions. Thanks again! ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/255 "2007-12-31T21:35:11Z")
Thank you **Sean** , for reminding the MMPers - I almost forgot. Here is my Death Pool 2008 final list. Claude Levi-Strauss Esther Williams Hal David Nanette Fabray Edwin Newman Phyllis Diller Robert McNamara Sargent Shriver Robert Mondavi William F Buckley Hugh Downs Tom Bosley Annette Funicello Lou Jacobi alternates Julie Newmar Marty Allen Mitch Miller ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/256 "2007-12-31T21:37:02Z")
[QUOTE=swampbear] **amarone** thanks for the update and for bein’ our host (hostess?) with the most (mostest?) this comin’ year for this most gruesome yet fun thread. Also, in case I haven’t said so, thanks to **a bunchanumbers** for all her hard work and dedication. I could not do this. I would have already reached out and slapped a bunch of folks for not following directions. Thanks again! [/QUOTE] Hear, hear. (Here, here? Hair, hair?) and ditto about not being able to do this myself. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/257 "2007-12-31T21:41:16Z")
Wow !!! Gotta get my list in pronto !!! Ervin ‘Magic’ Johnson Jerry Lee Lewis Jerry Lewis Jayne Meadows Art Linkletter Ann B. Davis William Shatner Barbara Billingsley Larry Storch Professor Irwin Corey Charlie Daniels Les Paul Barbara Bain and an alternate in case one of those folks passes away in the next 8 hours … Chevy Chase ---
**Author:** ![Kuizelemartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19b73/32.png) [@Kuizelemartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kuizelemartz)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/258 "2007-12-31T22:14:06Z")
Trying it again, my Drugs Are Bad, MKay??? Farrah Fawcett Amy Winehouse Blake Fielder-Civil Brittany Spears Lindsay Lohan Whitney Houston Courtney Love Andy Dick Jeff Conway Boy George Keith Richards Eddie Van Halen Mary Kate Olsen Alternates George Michael Natasha Lyonne Jessica Sierra ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/259 "2007-12-31T22:17:06Z")
It would seem I’m better at this than I thought. I had a fresh list of 13 brand new names that I was going to submit. Then I ran each of them through Wikipedia, an found that nine of them already died this year. Ah well… So, here’s four new ones and nine reissues (as always, all original ideas – no picking through the thread for tips): 1. Elizabeth Taylor - Actress 2. Salvatore “Fat Sal” Scala - accused Gambino crime family captain 3. Robin Roberts - _Good Morning America_ host 4. Rosanne Cash - Singer 5. Aretha Franklin - Singer 6. Muhammad Ali - Boxer 7. Louis Farrakhan - Nation of Islam Leader 8. Jerry Lewis - Comedian 9. Jerry Lee Lewis - Musician 10. Fidel Castro - Cuban Dictator 11. Al Davis - Oakland Raiders Owner 12. John Madden - NFL Commentator 13. Reverend Donald Wildmon - Raging Douchebag And in easy C&P format as well: Elizabeth Taylor Salvatore Scala Robin Roberts Rosanne Cash Aretha Franklin Muhammad Ali Louis Farrakhan Jerry Lewis Jerry Lee Lewis Fidel Castro Al Davis John Madden Reverend Donald Wildmon Aaaand, just in case we have a clock-beater, we’ll call Charlton Heston to be an alternate. ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/260 "2007-12-31T22:31:50Z")
Last year I went with an Old Fogey strategy, average age in the upper 80s. They’re all doing fine and well, thank you very much.\* Best I managed was Art Buchwald, who was #20 on the list I had compiled. What to do, what to do? Dig a deeper hole! The thirteen listed below now have an average age of 92: Mitch Miller Karl Malden Studs Terkel Jack LaLanne Norman Lloyd Richard Widmark Harry Morgan Les Paul Olivia de Haviland Van Johnson Daniel Schorr Walter Cronkite Kirk Douglas Alternates: Zsa Zsa Gabor Lena Horne Phyllis Diller Alas, June Foray (voice of Rocket J. Squirrel, Esq.) falls to #17 on my current list. Hang in there, little buddy! * * * - If anyone has heard of the demise of Studs Terkel, Harry Morgan, Daniel Schorr, Walter Cronkite, Kirk Douglas, Phyllis Diller, June Foray, Oral Roberts, Mike Wallace, Billy Graham, Andy Rooney, Mickey Rooney, or Hugh Downs,+ please let me know! * * * - Wanna bet the last seven, who didn’t make the cut this year, all bite the big one in Ought Eight? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439.md?page=14)