# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/61 "2008-12-04T17:51:29Z")
> [@VunderBob](#): > > You can change at will up to 13:59:59 CST on 31 December. But do me a favor and make clear that you are modifying so that I don’t add you in twice. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/62 "2008-12-04T17:59:29Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > But do me a favor and make clear that you are modifying so that I don’t add you in twice. I thought I did… ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/63 "2008-12-04T18:03:41Z")
> [@VunderBob](#): > > I thought I did… You did. Sorry - I quoted your response to **gonzomax** as you answered his question, but I was really addressing my post to him. ---
**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:** [December 4, 2008, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/64 "2008-12-04T18:08:51Z")
WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Another year of the BEST and SICKEST PASTTIME ON EARTH! I’ll submit my list in the closing hours of 2008. Thanks, Amarone! ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/65 "2008-12-04T18:22:11Z")
Interesting note- there are already twice as many posts in this thread as there were in the previous year’s thread by the fourth of December. I predict an increased turnout this year, as opposed to last year’s slackened turnout. Since my list from last year is almost entirely still breathing (I’m currently third to last with a big 10 points!), I’ll spend the rest of the month searching out the one, single, solitary replacement I’ll need to finally overtake **Captain Lance Murdoch** in the coveted “First Loser to **Rachm Qoch** award!” ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/66 "2008-12-04T19:03:39Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Ah, I’m just cranky because not a single person on my '08 list had the decency to die. Big fat hairy deal. Like I said, mine are writing books on how they beat the Big C. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/67 "2008-12-04T19:53:03Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > John Dingell > Pat Swayze > Liz Taylor > Ted Kennedy > Cloris Leachman > Allen Shellberger > Michael Jackson > Amy Winehouse > Alan Osmond > Dan Rather > > Dick Cheney > George Bush the Elder > Fidel Castro Change Alan Osmond for Seve Ballesteros (golfer) Do I rewrite the whole list? ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/68 "2008-12-04T20:50:38Z")
gonzomax, is that thirteen with no alternates? If so, well and good. But the last three are place like alternates usually are in other folks lists. So, is that thirteen or what? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/69 "2008-12-04T20:57:14Z")
You mean the last 3 have to be specifically designated alternates? That is what they are. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/70 "2008-12-04T21:03:22Z")
We don’t have to have alternates. But shortly after you posted your list for the first time, on the first page, someone reminded you there were only ten in your list, because I guess they assumed the seperate three were alternates. We’re supposed to have thirteen first choices, not ten, and then up to three alternates. Just wondering. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/71 "2008-12-04T22:18:58Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > Interesting note- there are already twice as many posts in this thread as there were in the previous year’s thread by the fourth of December. I predict an increased turnout this year, as opposed to last year’s slackened turnout. I’ve intended to participate for years and it’s slipped my mind every time. I would have scored big last year, too… ---
**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 4, 2008, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/72 "2008-12-04T22:28:20Z")
[ol] [li]Seve Ballesteros, b.1957[/li][li]Patrick Swayze, b. 1952[/li][li]Michael Lohberg- swimming coach, b. 1950[/li][li]Susan Atkins, b. 1948[/li][li]Omar Abdel-Rahman, b. 1938 [/li][li]Elizabeth Taylor, b. 1932[/li][li]Ted Kennedy, b. 1932[/li][li]Robert Novak, b. 1931[/li][li]Jack Kevorkian, b. 1928[/li][li]Fidel Castro, b. 1926[/li][li]Nancy Reagan, b. 1921[/li][li]Bob Shepard- Yankee Stadium PA announcer, b. 1910[/li][li]Frank Buckles- World War I veteran, b. 1901[/li] Alternates: [li] Farrah Fawcett, b. 1947[/li][li] George Steinbrenner, b. 1930[/li][li] Amy Winehouse, b. 1983[/li][/ol] Seve Ballesteros Patrick Swayze Michael Lohberg Susan Atkins Omar Abdel-Rahman Elizabeth Taylor Ted Kennedy Robert Novak Jack Kevorkian Fidel Castro Nancy Reagan Bob Shepard Frank Buckles Alternates: Farrah Fawcett George Steinbrenner Amy Winehouse ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/73 "2008-12-04T23:37:27Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > You mean the last 3 have to be specifically designated alternates? That is what they are. I used them as your selections as you only had ten without them. Plus those three gets you up to the required 13. I swapped Ballesteros in and Alan Osmond out. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2008, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/74 "2008-12-05T02:18:22Z")
I guess I’ll try to do this again this year but I won’t post my list yet. My guaranteed dead guy, Kevorkian, who supposedly had only months to live years ago keeps plodding along. I guess I will foil everyone’s plans and help out Amy Winehouse by putting her on my list for '09. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2008, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/75 "2008-12-05T04:04:20Z")
Okay, here’s my 2007 & 2008 list again, unless I change my mind- Shane MacGowan James Garner Olympia Dukakis Peter O’Toole Ariel Sharon Clint Eastwood Sparky Anderson Ernie Banks Kirk Douglas Margaret Thatcher Ruth Bader Ginsberg Eunice Shriver Annette Funicello I think I’ll use Stephen Hawking as my first alternate. Damn, these are some of the longest-lived alcoholics, addicts, hard-living, ancient, comatose, cancer-stricken people on the planet! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![MarkF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MarkF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarkF)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2008, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/76 "2008-12-05T15:26:40Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > Interesting note- there are already twice as many posts in this thread as there were in the previous year’s thread by the fourth of December. I predict an increased turnout this year, as opposed to last year’s slackened turnout. Well I am determined to have a crack at it, I have a number of esteemed famous people I am looking forward to preserving the existence of… (snicker) It may even be construed as a combination of un-lurking and being brought up to speed by the good 'dopers on [goodreads](http://www.goodreads.com) > [@EJsGirl](#): > > Damn, these are some of the longest-lived alcoholics, addicts, hard-living, ancient, comatose, cancer-stricken people on the planet! And they keep telling us it’s bad for us… sheesh! ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2008, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/77 "2008-12-05T15:55:22Z")
[quote=“gonzomax, post:45, topic:475262”] John Dingell Pat Swayze Liz Taylor Ted Kennedy Cloris Leachman Allen Shellberger Michael Jackson Amy Winehouse Seve Ballesteros Dan Rather Dick Cheney George Bush the Elder Fidel Castro I guess I should have read it first. Sorry Alt. Sen Robert Byrd Jerry Lewis Hugh Hefner ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/78 "2008-12-06T02:33:53Z")
Hulk Hogan Fidel Castro Osama bin Laden Patrick Swayze Amy Winehouse Ted Kennedy John McCain Barack Obama Britney Spears George Takei Willy Nelson Stephen Hawking Quinton “Rampage” Jackson Been planning on picking Hogan for a couple of months now. Thought my pick would be unique. Rationale is there’s no way he looks that good at his age without being on steroids, and they’re bound to catch up to him eventually. ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/79 "2008-12-06T06:41:48Z")
> [@cbawlmer](#): > > John Goodman > Fidel Castro > Fyvush Finkel > Kirk Douglas > Ariel Sharon > Eartha Kitt > Patrick Swayze > Lex Luger aka Lawrence Wendell Pfohl > Jack Kevorkian > Ray Harryhausen > Forrest J Ackerman > Zsa Zsa Gabor > Jerry Lewis > > Alternates: > William Schallert > Beverly Clearly > Doris Day Ok, Forrest J. Ackerman just died. I would like to replace him with Bettie Page. So now my revised list is: John Goodman Fidel Castro Fyvush Finkel Kirk Douglas Ariel Sharon Eartha Kitt Patrick Swayze Lex Luger aka Lawrence Wendell Pfohl Jack Kevorkian Ray Harryhausen Bettie Page Zsa Zsa Gabor Jerry Lewis Alternates: William Schallert Beverly Clearly Doris Day ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/80 "2008-12-06T13:44:52Z")
Wow I had no idea Bettie Paige or Doris Day were still alive. Would’ve guessed they both died at least 20 years ago. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262.md?page=5)