# 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:** 32
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/621 "2009-02-03T20:36:00Z")
Author and columnist [James Brady](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Brady_(columnist)) died January 30th at the age of 80. He wrote for Parade magazine for years, interviewing all sorts of famous people. ---
**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:** [February 4, 2009, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/622 "2009-02-04T13:09:19Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Author and columnist [James Brady](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Brady_(columnist)) died January 30th at the age of 80. > > He wrote for Parade magazine for years, interviewing all sorts of famous people. Although he was best known for his celebrity reporting he was also a decorated Marine officer and Korean War veteran. He wrote several books about his experience and about the Corps. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/623 "2009-02-04T14:58:12Z")
It’s not looking good for [Jade Goody](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7869090.stm). ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/624 "2009-02-04T20:59:55Z")
[Millard Fuller](http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/02/04/america/obits.4-423202.php), who founded Habitat for Humanity International, has died at the age of 74. Habitat has built more than 300,000 homes, and has enlisted such notables as former U.S. presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter in its efforts. ---
**Author:** ![Tazmanian\_Devil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@Tazmanian\_Devil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tazmanian_Devil)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/625 "2009-02-05T11:59:21Z")
[http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/02/longtime-wgn-radio-host-eddie-schwartz-dies.html](http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/02/longtime-wgn-radio-host-eddie-schwartz-dies.html) ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/626 "2009-02-05T12:26:17Z")
[Lux Interior](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erick_Purkhiser), lead singer of **The Cramps** , has died at age 62 of a heart ailment. R.I.P. ☹ ---
**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:** [February 5, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/627 "2009-02-05T15:32:48Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > It’s not looking good for [Jade Goody](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7869090.stm). I guess she’s not faking it then. Don’t tell me the thought didn’t occur. ---
**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:** [February 5, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/628 "2009-02-05T15:42:08Z")
> [@An\_Arky](#): > > [Lux Interior](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erick_Purkhiser), lead singer of **The Cramps** , has died at age 62 of a heart ailment. R.I.P. ☹ The L.A. Times listed him as being 60. Either way, it makes me feel old. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/629 "2009-02-05T16:54:28Z")
> [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](#): > > I guess she’s not faking it then. Don’t tell me the thought didn’t occur. Ok, what’s the backstory? Why might she be faking it? I read enough of the story to see she was one of those reality TV celebs. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/630 "2009-02-05T19:48:57Z")
[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D965J8380&show_article=1) may be a gimme this year… ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/631 "2009-02-05T20:36:45Z")
> [@VunderBob](#): > > [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D965J8380&show_article=1) may be a gimme this year… [Don’t get your “hopes” up.](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090201094129.htm) > [@](#): > > Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine have identified a protein critical for the growth of pancreatic cancer. Blocking the expression of the protein slowed or prevented tumor growth in mice and made cultured cancer cells vulnerable to the conditions of low oxygen that occur in solid tumors. Also might mean “bad” news for those folks with Jobs and Swayze on their lists. Given the lethality of pancreatic cancer, they might just rush this into human testing as quickly as possible. (One would hope so, at the very least.) ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/632 "2009-02-05T20:56:09Z")
**Tuckerfan** , I’m not sure that even rushing this into a medical treatment would be looking at a time frame of less than a year. And probably several years. I agree, though, that it is promising for the longer term. ---
**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:** [February 5, 2009, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/633 "2009-02-05T21:04:17Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Ok, what’s the backstory? Why might she be faking it? I read enough of the story to see she was one of those reality TV celebs. She’s an attention and sympathy whore who got out of an uncomfortable situation with this diagnosis. She also fell over in the London Marathon once yelling “I’m dying, I’m dying” because she ate a bunch of junk food before the race. Practically no one likes Ms. Goody, but this news is tragic. To be given such a prognosis at her age is beyond comprehension. ---
**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:** [February 6, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/634 "2009-02-06T17:39:58Z")
> [@Critical\_Mass](#): > > For those of you keeping score at home, I’ve changed my user name. > > **qwest** is now **Critical Mass** Why do I have the image of Mr. Creosote from Monty Python? Here we are into February and no one I have is dying. This is really annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/635 "2009-02-06T18:04:46Z")
I just saw a story of Billy Graham celebrating his 100th birthday. Jeez, what a waste of a vote he was. If I’d known he was that old, I never would have put him on my list. I scored points last year with his wife, though. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/636 "2009-02-06T18:22:33Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I just saw a story of Billy Graham celebrating his 100th birthday. Jeez, what a waste of a vote he was. I believe you saw an article on [George Beverly Shea](http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ip1pY55X7hrtCNq7iBWflQWv7y_QD962B9BG0), who sang with the Billy Graham Crusades. Graham himself is a relative spring chicken, having turned 90 last November. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/637 "2009-02-06T18:36:02Z")
> [@Sternvogel](#): > > I believe you saw an article on [George Beverly Shea](http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ip1pY55X7hrtCNq7iBWflQWv7y_QD962B9BG0), who sang with the Billy Graham Crusades. Graham himself is a relative spring chicken, having turned 90 last November. Ooh, it seems you’re right! Zero points on the hoof, but still 10 points on a slab! ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/638 "2009-02-06T18:45:21Z")
[Frederiek Nolf](http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/9182516/Belgian-cyclist,-21,-found-dead-in-hotel-room-bed?MSNHPHMA), a Belgian cyclist who was participating in the Tour of Qatar race, was found dead at the age of 21. Nolf’s Topsport Vlaanderen Mercator teammates withdrew from the competition, which was scheduled to end today. ---
**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:** [February 6, 2009, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/639 "2009-02-06T19:37:02Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > When I posted that it was for informational purposes only. I never thought someone would have him. Johansson has been on my list the last 3 years. Took him long enough to kick the bucket. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/640 "2009-02-06T21:49:45Z")
[Hans Beck, designer of Playmobil figures dies at 79.](http://www.core77.com/blog/business/usercentered_design_alert_hans_beck_designer_of_playmobil_figures_dies_at_79_12559.asp) > [@](#): > > After working as a cabinet maker, Mr. Beck was hired by Geobra Brandstätter as a toy maker after showing executives there the model planes he had designed. In the early 1970s, when the company was facing low revenue, its owner, Horst Brandstätter, asked Mr. Beck to design a line of toy buildings and vehicles into which little figures could be placed. Mr. Beck decided to make the figures first, then fashion their environs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262.md?page=31) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262.md?page=33)