# The Celebrity Death Pool 2009 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** death-pool\ **Created:** [December 1, 2008, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262 "2008-12-01T23:40:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**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:** [December 31, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/341 "2008-12-31T20:49:52Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > For what is Earl Woods famous in his own right? > > This is why I am against these new rules; they are too subjective and ambiguous, and as your predecessor opined, it will make your head hurt. FWIW, the definition of “celebrity” I craft my lists by is simply this: Their deaths will make national news in at least USA, UK, Canada, or Australia. Since this is an English-language board. I’m kind of taking an unorthodox approach this year. I’ll be surprised if any of the folks on my 2009 list are on anyone else’s. I’m fine with whatever decisions are made, but any new rule changes might disqualify them. -None are presently household names. -A few have been profiled in recent news reports. -Some, but not all, have been in the news recently. -Most, but not all, have the same last name, and have been in the news periodically over the years. A documentary was made about them. -All are intimately connected with each other. -I expect if one goes they’ll all go, and it will be front page news. By Jan 1 2010, I’ll either have 13 hits or 0 hits. And I’m not aiming for the low hanging fruit – 2009 could quite possibly see a new DP champion. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/342 "2008-12-31T20:53:32Z")
> [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](#): > > My suggestion has always been that the person’s death needs to be reported by one of the world’s major news sites to count. No coverage = no celebrity. That removes all the tough calls from the person running the game. Celebrity relatives are sometimes reported; so are people famous only for their disease. Hence if we adopted this approach, it would still leave some of these people in - which may be fine, if we are ok with that. Then we have to define “one of the world’s major news sites”. What is “major”? Would we have to name specific ones in advance? ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/343 "2008-12-31T20:58:37Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > For what is Earl Woods famous in his own right? Stage-managing Tiger’s early career. I think the fact that almost everyone recognizes him by name indicates that he was a celebrity. But yes, there is an element of judgment required. I think that is better than a free for all. Otherwise, what is to stop someone nominating a terminally-ill friend or relative of theirs? ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/344 "2008-12-31T21:02:50Z")
> [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](#): > > My suggestion has always been that the person’s death needs to be reported by one of the world’s major news sites to count. No coverage = no celebrity. That removes all the tough calls from the person running the game. Yep, otherwise the dead ‘celebrity’ becomes way too subjective. Examples: Earl Woods = celebrity Phil Mikkelson’s father ± celebrity Elizabeth Edwards = celebrity Mike Huckabee’s wife ± celebrity And what about the S Korean boxer who suffered fatal brain injury very late in 2007? The boxer in question was not very well known, IMHO. He only became well known through his injury. ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/345 "2008-12-31T21:04:38Z")
How about “major news site” being any site that Google News accesses?? ---
**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, 2008, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/346 "2008-12-31T21:09:48Z")
> [@5\_time\_champ](#): > > How about “major news site” being any site that Google News accesses?? I can go along with that. Very objective. ---
**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, 2008, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/347 "2008-12-31T21:15:41Z")
> [@VunderBob](#): > > Provide a bare list, too, please. Whoop – sorry. Bare list: Barack Obama John McCain Amy Winehouse Osama Bin Laden Gough Whitlam Emilio Navaira III Robert Novak Salvatore “Fat Sal” Scala Rosanne Cash Al Davis John Madden Fred Phelps Reverend Donald Wildmon ---
**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:** [December 31, 2008, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/348 "2008-12-31T21:19:04Z")
Or you could simplify it even more. CNN and/or the BBC have to report it. What celebrity is going to die that wouldn’t be covered by either one of them? They both have huge global operations. ---
**Author:** ![Walkabout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walkabout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walkabout)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/349 "2008-12-31T21:22:14Z")
Farrah Fawcett Michael Jackson Jang Jin-young Steve Jobs Ted Kennedy Osama bin Laden Robert Novak Ariel Sharon O.J. Simpson Maggie Smith Patrick Swayze Morgan Tsvangirai Amy Winehouse Alternate: Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. (Lil Wayne) ---
**Author:** ![batsto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b2d939/32.png) [@batsto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/batsto)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/350 "2008-12-31T21:27:09Z")
Elvira Doug Llewellyn Bob McGrath Phyllis Diller Finesse Mitchell Dan Quayle Burt Ward Frank Sinatra Jr Donovan Rue McClanahan Conrad Bain Hal Linden Garrett Morris alternates Tom Bosley ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/351 "2008-12-31T21:33:19Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > Stage-managing Tiger’s early career. I think the fact that almost everyone recognizes him by name indicates that he was a celebrity. But yes, there is an element of judgment required. I think that is better than a free for all. > > Otherwise, what is to stop someone nominating a terminally-ill friend or relative of theirs? I just want to point out, I could guess that Earl Woods was Tiger’s father, but that was because he was named Woods and I know that Tiger’s father had a lot to do with his career. If you asked me out of the blue what Tiger’s father’s name was, I could not have told you. He seems to me to be the epitome of someone famous because of who he is related to. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/352 "2008-12-31T21:36:28Z")
> [@5\_time\_champ](#): > > How about “major news site” being any site that Google News accesses?? > [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I can go along with that. Very objective. Incidentally, it was using Google News how I found then about the few picks I made that are raising a ruckus now. “Gruesome, Isn’t It?” 😉 - Bugs Bunny. ---
**Author:** ![Andrew\_21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bcef8e/32.png) [@Andrew\_21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andrew_21)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/353 "2008-12-31T21:37:44Z")
> [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](#): > > Or you could simplify it even more. CNN and/or the BBC have to report it. What celebrity is going to die that wouldn’t be covered by either one of them? They both have huge global operations. How would this work? If, for example, Bob Shepard (one of my picks) dies, and his death is not covered by CNN, would he be replaced by my first alternate? Or would I be out of luck? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/354 "2008-12-31T21:47:04Z")
I’m finally going to play the Death Pool! For the record, I don’t _want_ any of these people to die and will actually be very bummed if some of them kick it (especially Bob Barker). Patrick Swayze Ted Kennedy Amy Winehouse Michael Jackson George H.W. Bush Willie Mays J.D. Salinger Harper Lee Fidel Castro John Madden Bob Barker Stephen Hawking Ed Asner Alternate Judge Wapner ---
**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, 2008, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/355 "2008-12-31T21:49:57Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Incidentally, it was using Google News how I found then about the few picks I made that are raising a ruckus now. You’ll get no grief from me. I took a lot of stick a couple of years ago for picking Bertie Griffey, wife of baseball star Ken Griffey Sr., and mother of baseball star Ken Griffey Jr. Her cancer was reported in the news, so I saw her as fair game. I still do, but as she survived my list and is now immortal, I won’t be picking her again. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/356 "2008-12-31T21:50:13Z")
Amy Winehouse Farrah Fawcett Steve Jobs Dick Clark Nate Dogg Michael Jackson Elizabeth Edwards Hamed Karzai Patrick Swayze Jade Goody Nancy Reagan Fidel Castro Kim Jong-Il Alternate: Gary Coleman ---
**Author:** ![Critical\_Mass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@Critical\_Mass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical_Mass)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/357 "2008-12-31T21:50:35Z")
I think we’ve opened a can of worms. For instance - Let’s say a former Canadian Governor General dies. News in Canada? Yes. Celebrity in Canada? Yes. Does CNN or BBC pick it up? Maybe but probably not. I don’t offer any suggestions. I do understand why there was no concrete rule in place. I don’t have a problem with not having such a rule in place. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/358 "2008-12-31T21:51:05Z")
Claude Levi-Strauss Esther Williams Hal David Nanette Fabray Edwin Newman Phyllis Diller Robert McNamara Sargent Shriver Marcia Strassman Dick Clark Hugh Downs Tom Bosley Annette Funicello Lou Jacobi alternates Julie Newmar Marty Allen Mitch Miller ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/359 "2008-12-31T22:25:53Z")
Patrick Swayze George Wendt Daniel Pinkwater Ron Jeremy Jack Black John Goodman Amanda Vanstone Edie McClurg Ian McKellen Stephen Colbert OK so this year, I’m going with the obvious, obesity, and wildcards. I figure Stephen’s coked up wife will shoot his brains out like any other good comedian that does a spot on the Simpson’s. ETA Alternate Dick Clark ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/360 "2008-12-31T22:27:49Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#): > > Patrick Swayze > George Wendt > Daniel Pinkwater > Ron Jeremy > Jack Black > John Goodman > Amanda Vanstone > Edie McClurg > Ian McKellen > Stephen Colbert > > OK so this year, I’m going with the obvious, obesity, and wildcards. I figure Stephen’s coked up wife will shoot his brains out like any other good comedian that does a spot on the Simpson’s. You need 3 more, the lists need to have 13 names. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262.md?page=19)