# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/41 "2011-12-01T18:55:09Z")
I find [this site](http://www.wa-wd.com/) helpful when I’m not sure of a listee’s status. ---
**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 1, 2011, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/42 "2011-12-01T19:02:01Z")
> [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > Thanks for doing this, **Baker** , and thanks to **amarone** for previous years. > > I already have a rules question.But don’t we? Last year, we allowed “challenges” for picks we thought weren’t famous enough. E.g. people who are only famous for their illness. Are we still doing that? > [@Baker](#): > > See rule 3-g above! I see the rule. My point is that rule 3-g contradicts the un-numbered rule “We have no rule about what constitutes ‘celebrity,’ because it makes our heads hurt to think about this.” My question is whether you will be allowing and arbitrating challenges (per 3-g) or whether you will be allowing everything (per the aforementioned un-numbered rule). ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/43 "2011-12-01T19:26:05Z")
If you’re only famous because you are sick, and not an artist/actor/politician/activist/business leader/whatever, then that is not acceptable. It’s the one exception, if you want to call it that, to just being a “celebrity”. If anyone challenges someone’s submission for some other reason, let’s do it by PM so as not to derail the thread. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/44 "2011-12-01T19:32:06Z")
> [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > I see the rule. My point is that rule 3-g contradicts the un-numbered rule “We have no rule about what constitutes ‘celebrity,’ because it makes our heads hurt to think about this.” My question is whether you will be allowing and arbitrating challenges (per 3-g) or whether you will be allowing everything (per the aforementioned un-numbered rule). I was going to respond with “are you a lawyer?”, but decided to check your profile first. And lo and behold… ---
**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 1, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/45 "2011-12-01T20:18:32Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > I was going to respond with “are you a lawyer?”, but decided to check your profile first. And lo and behold… Guilty as charged. If there’s one thing we tend to be good at, it’s finding problems with rules. > [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > Folks- this game humbles me. No matter how careful I am, I always make a mistake even in my entry. […] Prepare to be further humbled: your list has 14 entries. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/46 "2011-12-01T20:30:25Z")
> [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > Guilty as charged. If there’s one thing we tend to be good at, it’s finding problems with rules. I would come back at you by pointing out that the rules correctly state that we have no rules about what constitutes a celebrity. We do have rules that state what are valid “picks.” So clearly someone can be both a celebrity and an invalid pick. ---
**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 1, 2011, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/47 "2011-12-01T20:40:22Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > I would come back at you by pointing out that the rules correctly state that we have no rules about what constitutes a celebrity. We do have rules that state what are valid “picks.” So clearly someone can be both a celebrity and an invalid pick. What are you, a lawyer? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/48 "2011-12-01T21:05:57Z")
All right, I’ll play! It’s the Straight Dope All-Star\* Sports Edition of the Celebrity Death Pool! Nolan Ryan Terry Bradshaw Vin Scully Pat Summitt David Stern Gary Carter Jack McKeon Richard Simmons Terrell Owens Bob Knight Tony LaRussa Jeremy Mayfield Joe Paterno Alternates: Bela Karolyi Yogi Berra Muhammad Ali \*using the term “All-Star” very loosely… ---
**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 2, 2011, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/49 "2011-12-02T00:34:32Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > The Artist formerly known as Prince He’s back to being Prince again. I guess you mean The Artist Known As Prince Who Was Formerly Known As The Artist Formerly Known As Prince. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/50 "2011-12-02T16:25:51Z")
Stan Musial Yogi Berra Willie Mays Muhammad Ali Arnold Palmer Jack Nicklaus Gary Player Mike Ditka Ara Parseghian Mike Wallace Mary Tyler Moore Carol Burnett Bob Newhart Alternates Don Rickles Pope Benedict Mike Wallace the CBS reporter btw ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/51 "2011-12-02T17:40:17Z")
I’m going to submit a themed list – the same theme I use every year: Death-Cheating Celebrities ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/52 "2011-12-02T17:52:48Z")
Dick Clark Dick Cheney Harper Lee Fidel Castro Joe Paterno Ruth Bader Ginsberg John Paul Stevens Jacques Chirac Margaret Thatcher Sun Yung Moon Hal Holbrook Abe Vigoda Stan Musial Chuck Bednarik ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/53 "2011-12-02T18:51:22Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > The Artist formerly known as Prince > Amended list He’s Prince again. ---
**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:** [December 2, 2011, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/54 "2011-12-02T19:01:31Z")
> [@SpazCat](#): > > He’s back to being Prince again. I guess you mean The Artist Known As Prince Who Was Formerly Known As The Artist Formerly Known As Prince. 😃 > [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > He’s Prince again. > [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Amended, amended list cha cha cha!! Ringo Starr Ian Anderson Christopher D’Amboise Charlotte D’Amboise Nadya Suleman Mark Phelps Charlie Sheen Mike Tyson Roger McGuinn Bridget Bardot Mark Volman Prince David Cassidy ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/55 "2011-12-02T19:22:15Z")
Theme: Bushies/Republicans George W. Bush George H. W. Bush Barbara Bush Dick Cheney Paul Wolfowitz Colin Powell Condoleezza Rice Donald Rumsfeld John McCain Alan Greenspan Pat Robertson Nancy Reagan Henry Kissinger By Barbara Bush, I mean George W. Bush’s mom, not his daughter. ---
**Author:** ![Enuma\_Elish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5e9695/32.png) [@Enuma\_Elish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enuma_Elish)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/56 "2011-12-02T19:45:59Z")
This is a list of celebrities who have irritated me in the past year. While I do not actively wish death on them, I wouldn’t mind, for the purposes of this list, if they were culled from the herd in 2012: Albert Pujols Tony Larussa Scott Boras Al Gore Joe Paterno Brett Favre Kim Kardashian Newt Gingrich Karthik Nadar Larry King Oprah Winfrey Vladimir Putin Hamed Karzai Alternate irritators: Jerry Lewis Kim Jong-il James Garner ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/57 "2011-12-02T20:18:12Z")
Judgement call. Would Ratko Mladic count as a political prisoner? ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/58 "2011-12-02T20:37:47Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Dick Clark > Dick Cheney > Harper Lee > Fidel Castro > Joe Paterno > Ruth Bader Ginsberg > John Paul Stevens > Jacques Chirac > Margaret Thatcher > Sun Yung Moon > Hal Holbrook > Abe Vigoda > Stan Musial > Chuck Bednarik You have 14 names, so you have to eliminate one or declare one an alternate. > [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > **Mark** Phelps I assume you mean Michael Phelps, as Mark Phelps is the men’s basketball coach at Drake University. ---
**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/59 "2011-12-02T20:41:47Z")
Fidel Castro Miley Cyrus Tony Bennett Pete Doherty Joe Jackson (father of the Jacksons) Fred Phelps Hutton Gibson Nancy Reagan El Debarge Anders Behring Breivik Hugh Hefner Rep. David Wu Jerry Sandusky Alternate Preston Lacey ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679/60 "2011-12-02T21:04:13Z")
> [@Enuma\_Elish](#): > > This is a list of celebrities who have irritated me in the past year. > While I do not actively wish death on them, I wouldn’t mind, for the purposes of this list, if they were culled from the herd in 2012: > . > . > . > James Garner James “Brett Maverick”, “Jim Rockford” Garner? I’ve got to know: what did he do to tick you off, Enuma? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2012/604679.md?page=4)