# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2007, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/61 "2007-12-11T22:31:31Z")
Ok, here’s mine: Jack T. Chick Muhammed Ali Charlton Heston Fidel Castro Billy Graham Art Linkletter Farrah Fawcett Andy Rooney Willie Mays Bum Phillips Chuck Berry Betty Ford Lena Horne Alternates: Nelson Mandela Henry Kissinger Kitty Wells :: crosses fingers :: (You guys know what I mean… ;)) ---
**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 12, 2007, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/62 "2007-12-12T15:30:33Z")
[QUOTE=Fiveroptic] I’m sure I’ll feel terrible if any of the people I’ve chosen actually dies. [/SIZE] [/QUOTE] Yeah, you’d think so. But I rarely do (when I rarely hit.) ---
**Author:** ![IrreverentTone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@IrreverentTone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IrreverentTone)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/63 "2007-12-12T18:22:13Z")
Alan Arkin Shirley Jones Rulon Gardner Peter O’Toole Roger Ebert Suzanne Pleshette Amy Winehouse Lindsay Lohan Britney Spears Farrah Fawcett Dr. Jack Kevorkian Elizabeth Edwards Fidel Castro _alternate_ Estelle Getty ---
**Author:** ![tarragon918](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d26b3c/32.png) [@tarragon918](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tarragon918)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/64 "2007-12-13T22:09:04Z")
I’ve been taking my time in composing my list for 2008 and after consultation with my daughter, here it is: Farrah Fawcett Nancy Reagan Liza Minelli Elizabeth Taylor Britney Spears Eunice Kennedy Shriver John Forsythe Marie Osmond Jerry Lewis Keith Richards Eddie Van Halen Brian Wilson Fidel Castro Alternates: James Arness Joan Kennedy Nicole Richey Now, for the reasons: Farrah Fawcett: on her second go-round with colo-rectal cancer. ☹ Nancy Reagan: mourning and missing Ronnie, doesn’t look good, probably ready to join him Liza Minelli: from my daughter (who gave me Anna Nicole!), fainted after concert last night, brought all the way to USA for treatment - not good IMHO Elizabeth Taylor: another from my daughter - she’s not been well for years Britney Spears: she’s on a very self-destructive path, unfortunately Eunice Kennedy Shriver: recently hospitalized, not doing well John Forsythe: had colon cancer in 2006 Marie Osmond: after the “fainting” on Dancing with the Stars, she may be sicker than they’ve told Jerry Lewis: he still doesn’t look well - return appearance on list Keith Richards: although he may live forever, his number should be up sometime! Eddie Van Halen: another pick from my daughter - wild card rock star pick Brian Wilson: unfortunately, suffers from severe depression Fidel Castro: he is sicker than what’s being told … Alternates: James Arness: old, but hanging in there Joan Kennedy: alcoholic ☹ Nicole Richey: in childbirth? (og forgive me, please!) And I’ll join with the others in crossing my fingers … in most cases! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2007, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/65 "2007-12-14T14:49:35Z")
I just can’t wait until Dec. 31 to post my list, because there’s too great a chance that I will forget and miss the deadline. Here are the folks who shouldn’t bother making New Year’s Resolutions for 2009: 1. Dane Cook (Wanker) 2. Zsa Zsa Gabor (Slapper) 3. Norman Borlaug (“Green Revolution” architect) 4. Mickey Foote (Music producer) 5. Nancy Regan (Rhymes with _Witch_) 6. John Mayall (Bluesbreaker) 7. Margaretta Large Fitler Murphy Rockefeller (“Happy”) 8. Don Shula (May he sleep with his “fishes”) 9. Darryl Strawberry (Ex-baseball player) 10. Hubert “Geese” Ausbie (Ex-Harlem Globetrotter) 11. Jovanka Budisavljević Broz (Tito’s widow) 12. Lew Lewis (Eddie & the Hot Rods) 13. Caril Ann Fugate (Famous girlfriend) Alternates: 1. Todd Rundgren (Musico) 2. Martin Gardner (Mathico) ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2007, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/66 "2007-12-14T14:57:41Z")
[QUOTE=Spiff] I just can’t wait until Dec. 31 to post my list, because there’s too great a chance that I will forget and miss the deadline. Here are the folks who shouldn’t bother making New Year’s Resolutions for 2009: 1. Dane Cook (Wanker) 2. Zsa Zsa Gabor (Slapper) 3. Norman Borlaug (“Green Revolution” architect) 4. Mickey Foote (Music producer) 5. Nancy Regan (Rhymes with _Witch_) 6. John Mayall (Bluesbreaker) 7. Margaretta Large Fitler Murphy Rockefeller (“Happy”) 8. Don Shula (May he sleep with his “fishes”) 9. Darryl Strawberry (Ex-baseball player) 10. Hubert “Geese” Ausbie (Ex-Harlem Globetrotter) 11. Jovanka Budisavljević Broz (Tito’s widow) 12. Lew Lewis (Eddie & the Hot Rods) 13. Caril Ann Fugate (Famous girlfriend) Alternates: 1. Todd Rundgren (Musico) 2. Martin Gardner (Mathico) [/QUOTE] Any chance you could do a plain format list? ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2007, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/67 "2007-12-14T15:38:21Z")
These are all former major league baseball players. Some are slightly obscure and won’t make headlines, so I’ll probably be the one to pop back in and note when they die. And, they will die. Wait, that sounds ominous, evil, and potentially planned. It’s not, I just think I have a good set of picks. Walt Masterson Larry Eschen Val Heim Deacon Donahue Wally Westlake Bill Werle Stan Musial Ray Hamrick Red Murff Chuck Kress Andy Pafko Ralph Kiner Harry Perkowski ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/68 "2007-12-15T16:30:04Z")
Fred Phelps, oh please, please let this be the year Romuald Klim (gold medal hammer, '69) Ray Bradbury, unfortunately, I don’t think it’s that far off Castro George HW Bush, because I’m just hoping Salinger Frank Lucas (ex drug lord) Ellen Straton (first playmate of the year, 1960) Anne McCaffrey, looked her up, no idea she was that old Al Jaffee (MAD magazine) Roger Moore, the worst Bond William “beam me up” Shatner Shirley MacLaine-- those crystals can’t help you forever Alternate: Don DeLillo clean: Fred Phelps Romuald Klim Ray Bradbury Castro George HW Bush Salinger Frank Lucas Ellen Straton Anne McCaffrey Al Jaffee Roger Moore William Shatner Shirley MacLaine Alternate: Don DeLillo ---
**Author:** ![Paladud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Paladud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paladud)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/69 "2007-12-15T18:59:49Z")
Ariel Sharon Ehud Olmert Gary Kasparov Fidel Castro Robert Mugabe Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Hugo Chavez Kim Jong-Il Bhumibol Adulyadej Pervez Musharraf Hamid Karzai Jack Chick Ursula Le Guin ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/70 "2007-12-15T20:30:10Z")
1. Eunice Kennedy Shriver (7/10/21) Special Olympics founder; hospitalized since November 2. Fidel Castro (8/31/26) Cuban dictator; holdover from 07 3. Ariel Sharon (2/27/28) Former Israeli PM; holdover from 07 4. Jack Kevorkian (5/20/28) Euthenasia advocate; holdover from 07 5. Lawrence Eagleburger (8/1/30) Secretary of State for the first President Bush; seen him in person, he doesn’t look at all well 6. Dick Cheney (1/30/41) Veep; his recent atrial fibrillation was described as not serious by the White House. Given this administration’s relationship with the truth, I figure he’s a goner. 7. Farrah Fawcett (2/2/47) Ex-Charlie’s Angel. Reccurence of colo-rectal cancer; according to one report has rejected chemo in favor of alternative medicine 8. Elizabeth Edwards (7/3/49) Presidential candidate’s wife; metastic breast cancer 9. Benazir Bhutto (6/21/53) Former Pakistani PM; assassination target in 07 10. Randy Pausch (10/23/60) Caregie-Mellon U. professor who’s been hitting the talk show circuit since his last lecture 11. Steve Smith (8/30/64) Former Raiders/Seahwaks running back with ALS 12. Jason Becker (7/22/69) Rock guitarist with ALS 13. Pete Doherty (3/12/79) Brit singer and walking train wreck Plain Jane version: Eunice Kennedy Shriver Fidel Castro Ariel Sharon Jack Kevorkian Lawrence Eagleburger Dick Cheney Farrah Fawcett Elizabeth Edwards Benazir Bhutto Randy Pausch Steve Smith Jason Becker Pete Doherty Alternates Kirk Douglas Nancy Reagan ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/71 "2007-12-15T21:57:54Z")
[QUOTE=Hostile Dialect] Fidel Castro Billy Graham Ariel Sharon Ruth Bader Ginsberg Doku Umarov Ali Khamenei Ned Vukovic John Mahoney Julia Carson Paul Kraus Farrah Fawcett Orlando Thomas Arnold Palmer Here’s hoping for a cherry-popper! [/QUOTE] You need a substitute for Julia Carson. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Macphisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@Ms\_Macphisto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Macphisto)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/72 "2007-12-15T22:15:27Z")
Nelson Mandela Jerry Lee Lewis Liza Minnelli Jean Chretien Roger Ebert Michael J. Fox Benazir Bhutto Margaret Thatcher Barbara Ann Scott Pete Doherty Amy Winehouse Fidel Castro Terry Pratchett Alternates: Jimmy Carter Muhammad Ali Kirk Douglas ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/73 "2007-12-15T22:32:34Z")
Suzanne Somers Dick Cheney Gary Kasparov Dolly Parton John Mackey Farrah Fawcett Lisa Minelli Jack Kevorkian Amy Winehouse Rudy Giuliani Tony Snow John Goodman George Bush Sr. Suzanne Somers-sells cadaver on shopping channel Cheney-heart attacks by the six pack Kasparov-radiation poisoning Parton-looked bad in interview Mackey -fooballer demented and sick Fawcett-goofyness runs out Lisa-human test tube of alcohol and drugs Dr. Jack-they let him out to die,tortured him long enough Amy-have to reward her hard work Rudy-cancer survivor Snow-survivor whose time runs out Goodman -fat actors die young Bush-dies of shame after jrs next fiasco ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/74 "2007-12-15T22:44:28Z")
[QUOTE=amarone] You need a substitute for Julia Carson. [/QUOTE] Well, shit. I guess that’s a good omen, in a creepy way. Suzanne Pleshette That’s just a quick add, I’ll see if I can find a couple more alternates. I didn’t think I’d need any. It’s a little weird to make your first accurate pick, even if it’s a little too accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/75 "2007-12-15T23:40:44Z")
[QUOTE=Hostile Dialect] Well, shit. I guess that’s a good omen, in a creepy way. Suzanne Pleshette That’s just a quick add, I’ll see if I can find a couple more alternates. I didn’t think I’d need any. It’s a little weird to make your first accurate pick, even if it’s a little too accurate. [/QUOTE] Those of us in Indiana are a little flabbergasted. She only announced terminal lung cancer like 3 weeks ago. I guess the crazy guy who wanted to buy a top hat yesterday was right - the funeral home really was calling to make arrangements for her! ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/76 "2007-12-15T23:56:25Z")
To be fair, she missed a lot of votes in September while hospitalized. (I know how to pick 'em, don’t I? :eek: ) ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/77 "2007-12-16T01:54:10Z")
Haven’t tried this before, but what the hell: Dick Cheney Fidel Castro Eunice Kennedy Shriver Stephen Hawking Dick Francis Muhammad Ali Larry King Elizabeth Taylor Jimmy Carter Walter Cronkite Mel Brooks Betty Ford Barbara Bush Alternates: Queen Elizabeth George H.W. Bush Dick Clark ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee7513/32.png) [@Mona\_Lott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lott)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/78 "2007-12-16T03:48:39Z")
Elizabeth Taylor Michael Jackson Walter Cronkite James Garner Nancy Reagan Tony Danza Fred Phelps Barbara Bush Muhammed Ali Loretta Lynn Fidel Castro Dick Cheney Farrah Fawcett Alternates in order: Angela Lansbury Zsa Zsa Gabor Mary Tyler Moore Barbara Bush–Mrs. George H. W. Bush ---
**Author:** ![Randy\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@Randy\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randy_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/79 "2007-12-16T04:18:33Z")
I really wanted to do this last year, but didn’t. And I know it’s traditional to wait as long as possible so people don’t copy you too much, but if I don’t do it while I’m thinking about it, I’ll forget. 1. Claude “I’m going to score **Randy** ONE point” Levi-Strauss (11-28-08) 2. Oscar “A mother fucking piano player!” Peterson (8-15-25) 3. Fidel “Outlasted 10 presidents” Castro (8-13-26) 4. Mikhail “Naevus Flammeus” Gorbachev (3-2-31) 5. Leonard “Death Grip” Nimoy (3-26-31) 6. Lenny “Super Bowl IV” Dawson (6-20-35) 7. Joe “.605 with New York” Torre (7-18-40) 8. Richard “Shaft” Roundtree (7-9-42) 9. Farrah “The Blonde One” Fawcett (2-2-47) 10. Vladimir “In Soviet Russia, TV watches YOU” Putin (10-7-52) 11. Stanley G. “STS-122 mission specialist” Love (6-8-65) 12. Amy “They tried to make me go to rehab” Winehouse (9-14-83) 13. Jeffrey “I’ll make granddad proud” Earnhardt (6-22-89) Alternates: 14. Queen Elizabeth “Lilibet” the second (4-21-26) 15. Stephen “A Brief History of Time” Hawking (1-8-42) Claude Levi-Strauss Oscar Peterson Fidel Castro Mikhail Gorbachev Leonard Nimoy Len Dawson Joe Torre Richard Roundtree Farrah Fawcett Vladimir Putin Stanley G. Love Amy Winehouse Jeffrey Earnhardt ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/80 "2007-12-16T11:27:07Z")
Some of these are carried over from last year. Last year, BTW, I could have gotten the points for Anna Nicole Smith, but I was honest and reminded the scorekeeper that when Gerald Ford died, I had promoted J.D. Salinger instead of her. So I’m still scoreless. 1. John Goodman 2. Shane McGowan 3. Queen Elizabeth 4. Terry Gilliam 5. J.D. Salinger 6. Cliff Richard 7. Britney Spears 8. Ruth Rendell 9. Michael Jackson 10. William Shatner 11. O.J. Simpson 12. Ann B. Davis 13. Terry Pratchett Alternates: Berkley Breathed Cedric the Entertainer Keith Richards [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439.md?page=5)