Thirty entries ago Michael Jackson was tied for 39th place in this contest. By my count(non-official!) he’s now in sole possession of 6th place. We are all so going to hell!
Horse puckey.
James Arness
Sylvia Browne
Natalie Cole
Gary Coleman
Farrah Fawcett
Joan Fontaine
Andy Griffith
Ted Kennedy
Jack Klugman
Pauline Phillips
Nancy Reagan
Patrick Swayze
Amy Winehouse
Alternates
Ariel Sharon
Roger Ebert
Olivia de Havilland
I decided to make my list a mix of fast and loose characters and from the terminal department.
The Ready to make a cover of “Closing time” department:
**
Shane Patrick Lysaght MacGowan** (born on 1957) the original singer of The Pogues. Alcholic ++
Amy Jade Winehouse (1983) singer-songwriter drugs galore.
Jason Becker (1969) metal guitarist. Has ALS, or "Lou Gehrig’s Disease, still composing.
The “Waiting for the final curtain” department:
**
Patrick Wayne Swayze** (b. 1952) dancer, actor, and songwriter. I agree, this was the last Patrick Swayze Christmas.
Arthur Steven Lange, Jr., (1967), American stand-up comedian, radio personality, and actor. Heroin and alcohol don’t mix well…
World leaders dep.:
King Bhumibol, of Thailand, who is 81, was due to give the speech delivered annually on the eve of his birthday and he could not.
The so unfair, at least I can call attention to their efforts, department:
Alex Macomber lies in intensive care fighting a cancer so rare at his age (just 18) that there was even a “Metalfest for Cancer”, a benefit concert in Tacoma, Washington, to raise funds for him and his family.
At 23, Thomas Buckley just finished going against the bitter weather to walk right across Britain. The Manchester’s Christie Hospital’s Young Oncology Unit will be more than £50,000 better off because of his mammoth effort.
The unrepentant, and therefore good to wish for their points, department:*
Robert David Sanders “Bob” Novak (born 1931) is a conservative American political commentator.
**
Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir** (1944) is the President of Sudan. Bush called on him to be accountable for Darfur. Kettle, meet Pot.
Joaquin Gracilazo Cruz, 65 years old, has pancreatic cancer. The Bakersfield bondsman, accused of tricking and coercing clients into giving up property that had been put up for bail.
The 4rth and inches to the final football score department:
Ronald Edward Springs (born 1956) is a former professional American football running back. He played 8 seasons in the NFL, Still In a comma.
Orlando Thomas (born 1972) He played his entire career for the Minnesota Vikings. Fighting Lou Gehrig’s Disease. His current condition is so bad that it would be cruel to wish for him to last a year more.
The Alternates:*
Former Amarillo College President Steven Jones, terminal cancer. 56 years old.
Michael Jackson, I wanted to put him in the main list, but several sources came dumping on the unauthorized biographer, until someone else confirms it I have to partially jump out of the bandwagon.
Kalashnikov, Mikhail (Born 1919) Military engineer who designed the the AK-47 assault rifle. In 2004, he began marketing his own brand of vodka. Just don’t drink and shoot!
And so, here is the Clean List department:
Shane Patrick Lysaght MacGowane
Amy Jade Winehouse
Jason Becker
Patrick Swayze
Arthur Steven Lange, Jr
King Bhumibol
Alex Macomber
Thomas Buckley
Bob Novak
Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir
Joaquin Gracilazo Cruz
Ronald Edward Springs
Orlando Thomas
Alternates:
Steven Jones
Michael Jackson
Mikhail Kalashnikov
Arse! I thought I was the only one who’d spotted these two. Still, I’ve found a couple of others.
Jimmie Johnson
Prince Charles
Ozzy Osborne
Clint Eastwood
Lindsey Lohan
Neil Patrick Harris
Fidel Castro
Nancy Reagan
Ron Santo
Vin Scully
Charles Manson
George Steinbrenner
Steve Wynn
Alternates:
Queen Elizabeth II
Jack Black
Could be worse. He could be in a colon.
If they take out half of his large intestine, does that mean he has a semicolon?
Shirley Bassey
Prince Charles
Peter Falk
Ricky Gervais
Helen Hunt
Michael Jackson
Billy Joel
Shirley Jones
Lindsay Lohan
Bill Murray
Rachael Ray
Patrick Swayze
Abe Vigoda
A few comments:
Abe Vigoda - gotta be true sometime, why not 2009.
Rachael Ray - just don’t like her, the giggle, EVOO, bleh. I feel pretty small for putting her on just for that, but there it is.
Now Bill Murray - I’ve had this weird feeling about him this year. I think I saw a clip of him talking about parachuting and feeling good and I remembered that Rod Serling had this period where he went parachuting and said he felt great and was dead not long after. Am I just imagining this? Dunno, but he doesn’t look well to me.
A few hand-picked here, but most, with a prayer to Rachm for guidance, drawn at random from slips of paper in a cup.
Ray Bradbury, author
Harry Morgan, actor
Phyllis Diller, comedienne
Richard Adams, author
Billy Graham, evangelist
Jerry Lewis, actor
Dom DeLuise, actor
Gene Wilder, actor
Angela Lansbury, actress
Shirley Temple, actress
Alan Alda, actor
Julie Andrews, actress
Bob Barker, game show host
Clean list:
Ray Bradbury
Harry Morgan
Phyllis Diller
Richard Adams
Billy Graham
Jerry Lewis
Dom DeLuise
Gene Wilder
Angela Lansbury
Shirley Temple
Alan Alda
Julie Andrews
Bob Barker
Alternates:
Ruth Buzzi
John Goodman
Bea Arthur
Mostly unchanged from last year’s list.
Lauren Bacall
Fidel Castro
Farrah Fawcett
Billy Graham
Yousaf Gillani
Larry Hagman
Henry Kissinger
Jerry Lewis
Robert Mugabe
Ariel Sharon
Than Shwe
Patrick Swayze
Elizabeth Taylor
Wow dude. I just gotta call these out as lame. Didn’t we used to have a rule that people couldn’t be on the list if their sole reason for being famous was that they were terminally ill? Our standards have dropped.
:dubious:
Both were mentioned by the press and they mentioned efforts other than just being terminally ill, but I will defer to the judge of the contest if there is a direct complaint.
The standards were higher in past years. This restriction was in effect 2000-2002:
“Celebrity status will be determined loosely. In case of disagreement, a majority vote of the posters will be binding.”
This was the rule in 2003:
“Since ‘celebrity’ is loosely defined, when in dispute, the posters of the SDMB will rule on celebrity status by a date to be determined soon after the pick’s death. My guess is that if major news media outlets report your death, you’re a celebrity for our purposes.”
The current rule has been in effect since 2006:
“We have no rule about what constitutes “celebrity,” because it makes our heads hurt to think about this.”
Years ago after lurking for ages I whipped out the credit card and my first ever post was my Death Pool list. then I forgot to post in time twice. I have ZERO points lifetime, my only close call was George Carlin, but I missed that year.
So in desperate effort to get a point in some way shape or form here are some old guys that have to give in sooner or later;
Ted Kennedy
Ralph Wilson (owner of the Buffalo Bills)
Larry Flint
Fidel Castro
Abe Vigoda
Ernest Borgnine
Guys with dangerous hobbys and fast toys;
Jay Leno
John Travolta
Harrison Ford
Richard Branson
Jeff Gordon with the hazzardous occupation and BAM Emril Lagasse can’t get away with eating all that forever and my perennial favorite for unhealthy living Courtney Love.
All you peole picking Amy Winehouse as the trendy pick have to see true mastery to Ms. Love of how to live hard and be put away wet yet slog on. Amy has years of debauchery ahead of her. Lindsy Lohan, Paris Hilton and Britney are mere dilatants.
Ted Kennedy
Ralph Wilson
Larry Flint
Fidel Castro
Abe Vigoda
Ernest Borgnine
Jay Leno
John Travolta
Harrison Ford
Richard Branson
Jeff Gordon
Emril Lagasse
Courtney Love
Sorry, I must make a change. I would like to switch Angela Lansbury for Doris Day. (My husband advised me to take Gene Wilder off the list, but I’ve never played without him. What if I’m helping to keep him alive?)
Revised list:
Ray Bradbury
Harry Morgan
Phyllis Diller
Richard Adams
Billy Graham
Jerry Lewis
Dom DeLuise
Gene Wilder
Doris Day
Shirley Temple
Alan Alda
Julie Andrews
Bob Barker
We should, like, start a club of People Who Didn’t Pick Patrick Swayze In The 2009 Death Pool.
It’d be like the People Who Didn’t Like Dances With Wolves Society, only more exclusive.
Britney Spears
Paris Hilton
Nicky Hilton
Mary-Kate Olsen
Mischa Barton
Lindsay Lohan
Nicole Richie
Pink
Amy Winehouse
Miley Cyrus
Vanessa Hudgens
Samantha Ronson
Chyna
Too young. (Rule 3. d.)
Most of the names below are unambiguous, but I suspect that there are a number of Antonio Fernandezes – the one below is Antonio “King Tone” Fernandez, former leader of the NYC Latin Kings.
Bobby Bowden
Fidel Castro
Raul Castro
Ahmad Chalabi
Andy Dick
Antonio Fernandez
Ramzan Kadyrov
Hamid Karzai
Garry Kasparov
Ted Kennedy
Mandy Patinkin
Ariel Sharon
Patrick Swayze
Alternate:
Miep Gies