# The Celebrity Death Pool 2012 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** death-pool\ **Created:** [December 1, 2011, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679 "2011-12-01T06:00:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/201 "2011-12-20T16:36:17Z")
Okay - my list is ready. Is “Jumping On The Bandwagon” a theme? Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi Fidel Castro Marcia Strassman Zsa Zsa Gabor Billy Graham Charlie Sheen Dick Clark Michael Douglas Robin Gibb Kirk Douglas Barbara Bush Phyllis Diller Muhammad Ali Alternates: Margaret Thatcher Henry Kissinger Stephen Hawking ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/202 "2011-12-20T17:30:43Z")
Well, since no one on my list had the decency to kick off in 2011 and show no signs of doing so in the next 11 days, I’ll just roll them forward a year and see if I wind up with zero again. ☹ In no particular order George H. W. Bush Barbara Bush Lindsay Lohan Joan Fontaine Olivia de Havilland Jimmy Carter Sam Elliot Burt Reynolds Johnny Depp Tom Selleck Bill Clinton William Shatner Leonard Nimoy Alternates: Alex Trebek Chuck Norris Hillary Clinton Pope Benedict XIV ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/203 "2011-12-20T17:46:21Z")
Damn. [Ron Smith](http://reason.com/blog/2011/12/20/ron-smith-rip) [del] had the gall to die 12 days early, blowing a unique pick[/del] Rest In Peace. Adjustments to my list: Connie Newton Needham Robin Gibb James Garner Mari Hulman George George Soros Louis Farrakhan Ryan Leaf Harlan Ellison Marcia Strassman Hugo Chavez Theresa Heinz Kerry Gary Carter Michael Douglas Alternates: Burt Reynolds Joni Mitchell ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/204 "2011-12-20T18:00:22Z")
> [@VunderBob](#): > > Damn. [Ron Smith](http://reason.com/blog/2011/12/20/ron-smith-rip) [del] had the gall to die 12 days early, blowing a unique pick[/del] Rest In Peace. It wouldn’t have been a unique pick (dude did show up on a google news search for pancreatic hospice). Drat. ---
**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 20, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/205 "2011-12-20T18:34:25Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > It wouldn’t have been a unique pick (dude did show up on a google news search for pancreatic hospice). Drat. Yep, I had him on my list too, dang, I’m running out of alternates! ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/206 "2011-12-20T18:52:32Z")
> [@anyrose](#): > > Okay - my list is ready. Is “Jumping On The Bandwagon” a theme? > > Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi > Fidel Castro > Marcia Strassman > Zsa Zsa Gabor > Billy Graham > Charlie Sheen > Dick Clark > Michael Douglas > Robin Gibb > Kirk Douglas > Barbara Bush > Phyllis Diller > Muhammad Ali > > Alternates: > Margaret Thatcher > Henry Kissinger > Stephen Hawking btw - Barbara Bush = wife of GHW, mother of Dubya and Billy Graham = the Evalgelist ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/207 "2011-12-21T00:31:55Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > I think you mean Jonathan Rhys Meyers. John Rhys-Davies is a totally different guy. Indeed I did and I always do that. Officials! Change Mr. Rhys’s last name to Meyers! ---
**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 21, 2011, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/208 "2011-12-21T02:35:52Z")
A question about challenges, my having had two winners kicked out this year. I presume they must be made while there is time to select an alternative. Will challenges be allowed at 23:59 31 December? Can there be a limit to challenges of 24 hours after the list is posted? ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/209 "2011-12-21T02:47:15Z")
Flavor of the day. A better replacement for Ron Smith. Connie Newton Needham Robin Gibb Ethan Zohn Mari Hulman George George Soros Louis Farrakhan Ryan Leaf Harlan Ellison Marcia Strassman Hugo Chavez Theresa Heinz Kerry Gary Carter Michael Douglas Alternates: James Garner Burt Reynolds Joni Mitchell [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/210 "2011-12-21T03:00:12Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > A question about challenges, my having had two winners kicked out this year. > I presume they must be made while there is time to select an alternative. > Will challenges be allowed at 23:59 31 December? > Can there be a limit to challenges of 24 hours after the list is posted? \*\*Baker \*\*is in charge now, but here is the background to this situation. In 2010 when we first introduced the rule about not allow a celebrity famous solely as a result of their illness, I did have a challenge process specifically for that situation. See [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11835894&postcount=2). However, I dropped the challenge process in 2011 and there is now nothing in the rules about challenges - an invalid pick is an invalid pick whether challenged by anyone or not. You asked for a ruling on a couple of your picks before 12/31/10, and I gave you my verdict, allowing you to choose alternatives. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/211 "2011-12-21T03:12:47Z")
I’ll pretty much go as amarone has stated in the previous post. And I’d appreciate it, if there is any question about the status of a pick, to have it done as soon as possible. I’ve been “understudying” amarone this year, keeping my own version of the lists up to date, and I’ve learned the hardest month is that of December, before the darned game even starts. Folks misspell, don’t follow the rules for posting lists, change their lists five or six times, and so on. So once January rolls around it would be great to just total up corpses, not get into a debate about who is or is not a celebrity. That being said, let’s just have some macabre fun!😃_“I’ve got a little list, they never will be missed…”_ ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/212 "2011-12-21T03:15:42Z")
I refuse to take this competition seriously, and offer up a list of random people with surnames fitting a certain criteria, sure to cause amusement to all who read of it. To further the interests of entertainment, it is left to the reader to divine this year’s criteria (it’s not too hard to figure out if you’re American). I tried my best to pick people that were still alive; use alternates if Wikipedia was not updated correctly or some somehow manage to die in the next 10 days. This year’s criteria was inspired by a Feud back when I was a more regular contributor to the board. Denzel Washington - actor Scott Adams - cartoonist William J. Jefferson - convicted Congressman Joe Madison - radio talk show host Earl Monroe - basketball player Joe Jackson - entertainment patriarch Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange - Dutch royal who uses “van Buren” as a surname occasionally Gavin Harrison - drummer Steven Tyler - rock star Susan Polk - convicted murderer Roger Meddows Taylor - drummer for Queen (not Duran Duran) Charles J. Fillmore - linquist David Hyde Pierce - actor Alternates: Roger Andrew Taylor - drummer for Duran Duran Alan White - drummer for Yes Alan White - drummer formerly with Oasis – Denzel Washington Scott Adams William J. Jefferson Joe Madison Earl Monroe Joe Jackson Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange Gavin Harrison Steven Tyler Susan Polk Roger Meddows Taylor Charles J. Fillmore David Hyde Pierce Alternates: Roger Andrew Taylor Alan White (Yes) Alan White (Oasis) Wikipedia gives no middle name for either Alan White. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/213 "2011-12-21T03:19:27Z")
> [@SpazCat](#): > > Indeed I did and I always do that. Officials! Change Mr. Rhys’s last name to Meyers! You do know you’ve just signed the death warrant for Mr. Rhys-Davies now, don’t you?😛 Changed as directed! ---
**Author:** ![Wallet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e99b99/32.png) [@Wallet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallet)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/214 "2011-12-21T07:52:10Z")
Revised list, due to timely death of Kim Jong-Il Theme: A List of Evilness (IMO) Omar al-Bashir - President of Sudan Yahya Jammeh - President of The Gambia Sayyid Ali Khamenei - Supreme Leader of Iran Hu Jintao - Paramount Leader People’s Republic of China King Abdullah - King Saudi Arabia Raul Castro - President of the Council of State of Cuba Robert Mugabe - President Zimbabwe Islam Karimov - President of Uzbekistan Bashar al-Assad - President Syrian Arab Republic Hugo Chavez - President Venezuela Isayas Afewerki - leader Eritrea Yoweri Museveni - President of Uganda Teodoro Obiang Nguema - leader Equatorial Guinea Alternates: Dick Cheney Fidel Castro Plain List: Omar al-Bashir Yahya Jammeh Sayyid Ali Khamenei Hu Jintao King Abdullah Raul Castro Robert Mugabe Islam Karimov Bashar al-Assad Hugo Chavez Isayas Afewerki Yoweri Museveni Teodoro Obiang Nguema Alternates: Dick Cheney Fidel Castro ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/215 "2011-12-21T17:25:17Z")
Asking for a ruling please … > [@](#): > > A Brazilian woman who has given birth to a baby with two heads, admitted she had initially expected twins. Maria de Nazare, gave birth by caesarean at a hospital in Anajas, in Brazil’s northern Para state, with her newborn weighing 9.9lbs. > > And in a tribute to the religious celebrations at Christmas, she has decided to call the pair Emanoel and Jesus. [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2076954/Brazilian-baby-born-heads-Dicephalic-parapagus-twins-Emanoel-Jesus.htm](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2076954/Brazilian-baby-born-heads-Dicephalic-parapagus-twins-Emanoel-Jesus.html#ixzz1hBse3G5E) They are celebrities because of their birth (dicephalic parapagus). So the requested ruling: [ul] [li] Do they qualify as celebrities to be eligible?[/li][li]If they qualify, manage to survive into 2012 and later die in 2012, is the award for 100 points (total) or 100 points apiece (200 total)?[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/216 "2011-12-21T17:29:50Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Asking for a ruling please … > > [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2076954/Brazilian-baby-born-heads-Dicephalic-parapagus-twins-Emanoel-Jesus.htm](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2076954/Brazilian-baby-born-heads-Dicephalic-parapagus-twins-Emanoel-Jesus.html#ixzz1hBse3G5E) > > They are celebrities because of their birth (dicephalic parapagus). So the requested ruling: > [ul] > [li] Do they qualify as celebrities to be eligible?[/li][li]If they qualify, manage to survive into 2012 and later die in 2012, is the award for 100 points (total) or 100 points apiece (200 total)?[/li][/ul] No. Violates the rule that the celebrity must be 18 years of age on Jan 1st. > [@](#): > > 1. Valid picks are not: > > a. already dead > b. a fictional character > c. non-human > d. under age 18 at death > e. a registered member of the SDMB, 'cause that would be weird > f. political prisoners, 'cause we’re macabre but not THAT macabre. > g. famous solely as a result of their illness or associated actions/events. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/217 "2011-12-21T17:35:50Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Asking for a ruling please … > > [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2076954/Brazilian-baby-born-heads-Dicephalic-parapagus-twins-Emanoel-Jesus.htm](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2076954/Brazilian-baby-born-heads-Dicephalic-parapagus-twins-Emanoel-Jesus.html#ixzz1hBse3G5E) > > They are celebrities because of their birth (dicephalic parapagus). So the requested ruling: > [ul] > [li] Do they qualify as celebrities to be eligible?[/li][li]If they qualify, manage to survive into 2012 and later die in 2012, is the award for 100 points (total) or 100 points apiece (200 total)?[/li][/ul] I just want to say. . . BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAH (inhale) AH-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! > [@](#): > > If they qualify, manage to survive into 2012 and later die in 2012, is the award for 100 points (total) or 100 points apiece (200 total)? Dude, that’s epic. EPIC. My hat’s off to you for this attempt. ---
**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 21, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/218 "2011-12-21T17:44:04Z")
Regarding Ron Smith… > [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > It wouldn’t have been a unique pick (dude did show up on a google news search for pancreatic hospice). Drat. > [@GIGObuster](#): > > Yep, I had him on my list too, dang, I’m running out of alternates! Yeah, he was a lock for my list too. Fooey. > [@VunderBob](#): > > No. Violates the rule that the celebrity must be 18 years of age on Jan 1st. Well, technically it’s not an invalid pick until they die. The rule is that picks must be 18 at time of death, not on Jan 1. So go ahead and use your picks on that one, **Duckster**! ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/219 "2011-12-21T17:57:46Z")
Sorry, **Baker** – new list: Fidel Castro Michael Douglas Robin Gibb Etta James Artie Lange Lindsay Lohan Shane MacGowan Fred Phelps Prince Philip John Pinette Keith Richards Charlie Sheen Margaret Thatcher Alternates, in this order: Jerry Lewis Roger Ebert Britney Spears ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/220 "2011-12-21T17:58:23Z")
> [@VunderBob](#): > > No. Violates the rule that the celebrity must be 18 years of age on Jan 1st. Damn. Brain fart. Missed it. Thanks. > [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > I just want to say. . . > > BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAH > (inhale) > AH-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! > > Dude, that’s epic. EPIC. My hat’s off to you for this attempt. Thanks. Based on the story and a bit of research, 100 points (minimum) is almost a sure bet. Although 200 would have been better. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679.md?page=12)