# When this Celeb dies I will cry **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 27, 2003, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185 "2003-01-27T06:27:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lovelyluka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f475e1/32.png) [@lovelyluka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lovelyluka)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185/21 "2003-01-27T14:17:02Z")
Does anyone remember **Shel Silverstein**? When he died I was at the age where I pretended not to care, but really I felt as though part of my childhood had died as well. _sniff_ ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185/22 "2003-01-27T14:35:17Z")
I cried when **Divine, Gilda Radner** and **Richard Amsel** died—three of the most upsetting deaths of the 1980s. And **Lillian Gish** , because she was a friend of mine. And I’d be upset when **Anita Page** goes, as she’s also a friend. And **Zsa Zsa Gabor** —I don’t know her, but I just cannot picture a world without Gabors. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185/23 "2003-01-27T14:46:55Z")
Gotta go with Jim Henson. Seconded by Princess Diana. I leanrned about both from the internet (a VERY short time after they died) and the public outpouring was unprecidented. I recall two very big moments in my life, staying up til the middle of the night to watch Di’s wedding, and staying up til the middle of the night to watch her funeral.☹ ---
**Author:** ![TVS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b782af/32.png) [@TVS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVS)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185/24 "2003-01-27T15:00:45Z")
Hartman and Chris Farley, because both were so unexpected. I didn’t cry, but I was pretty sad. It makes me pretty sad to think that Johnny Cash only has a few years left. ☹ Tim ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185/25 "2003-01-27T15:04:36Z")
I’ll be pretty sad to see **Michael Jordan and Lance Armstrong** go because I admire them personally so much. There’s a few actors as well, **Robert Duvall, Gene Hackman and Robert DeNiro** that I’ll surely be very very sad to lose. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185/26 "2003-01-27T15:24:58Z")
**Sydney Portier Ronald Reagan** ---
**Author:** ![Reuben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/54ee81/32.png) [@Reuben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reuben)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185/27 "2003-01-27T15:35:55Z")
**Paul Simon.** His music has lifted and comforted me all through my life, right from earliest childhood. I hate the thought of a world without him in it. **Sir David Attenborough.** Best teacher, broadcaster, and naturalist ever; and the perfect gentleman to boot. **George MacDonald Fraser.** Best writer ever. ---
**Author:** ![miamouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@miamouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miamouse)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185/28 "2003-01-27T15:44:11Z")
**Mel Blanc** and **Chuck Jones**. You can add one more for **Jim Henson** ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185/29 "2003-01-27T17:26:24Z")
\*\*Bob Newhart Alex Trebek Harry Turtledove\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185/30 "2003-01-27T18:10:32Z")
I cried when the great Joe Williams died. ---
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185/31 "2003-01-27T18:47:43Z")
Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks. I’ll be sad sad sad to see him go. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185/32 "2003-01-27T18:55:18Z")
I’ve never cried over a celebrity’s death, but I was in absolute and utter shock when I heard that John Lennon was murdered. Part of me still doesn’t want to believe it. ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185/33 "2003-01-27T19:08:27Z")
Bob Newhart, Jim Henson, Phil Hartman. And I will weep for Paul Simon, Kurt Vonnegut, John Irving and Margaret Atwood. (i have a friend who spoke ill of John Candy just before he died, and she has never forgiven herself, nor spoken that ill of anyone again. I only hope the people in this thread don’t start dropping off !) ---
**Author:** ![Torgo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@Torgo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Torgo)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185/34 "2003-01-27T19:42:51Z")
When Nicholas Colasanto, who played Coach, died in 1985 the cast and crew of “Cheers” took a portrait he had of Sitting Bull hanging in his dressing room and hung it on the set, leaving it there as a memorial to him for the remainder of the series. Near the end of the final “Cheers” episode, as Sam is walking towards the back of the bar, he pauses near the Sitting Bull portrait and gingerly straightens it, a wonderful and loving gesture that still puts a lump in my throat all these years later. Not perhaps what the OP intended but it’s the closest I could come up with. ---
**Author:** ![Tanaqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Tanaqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanaqui)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185/35 "2003-01-27T19:55:59Z")
When Douglas Adams died, I was close to tears. I’ve read all his books so many times; he was an amazingly funny writer. I’ve read all the books again and again and parts can still make me laugh. I just couldn’t believe reports of his death, I refused to, even when confirmations began pouring in on various newsgroups. He was such a talented man, and he was younger than my dad when he died. It still makes me feel scared and sad, like there is something drastically wrong with the world that this could happen. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Punkyova](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@The\_Punkyova](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Punkyova)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185/36 "2003-01-27T20:13:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Reuben \* > \*\* > > **George MacDonald Fraser.** Best writer ever. \*\* I agree. I keep an eye on the obituary pages, just in case, but I will be very, very unhappy when that sad day arrives. At least he has had a good life, and told us about it! ---
**Author:** ![DarkWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee59a6/32.png) [@DarkWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkWriter)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185/37 "2003-01-27T20:17:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pepperlandgirl \* > \*\*It took me months to get over George Harrison. When Paul McCartney goes, I’ll probably need to be sedated. \*\* Same here. And it’s still difficult for me to listen to any music from the Double Fantasy album. There is NO way I can listen to “Happy Christmas/War is Over” without wanting to cry. Stephen King’s death will hit me hard. Richard Laymon’s death was very hard, because I knew him and it was so unexpected. I agree with others who mentioned Phil Hartman, Jim Henson and Princess Diana. ---
**Author:** ![LittleBabyNothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b38774/32.png) [@LittleBabyNothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LittleBabyNothing)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185/38 "2003-01-27T20:38:22Z")
I’m not sure who i’d hate to see go, but Princess Dianas funeral will always remain in my mind since it was my birthday and i wasn’t allowed to be happy. I’d be very sad to loose either Richard or Judy from the daytime tv show This Morning, I’ve become somewhat attatched to those guys ---
**Author:** ![LittleBabyNothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b38774/32.png) [@LittleBabyNothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LittleBabyNothing)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185/39 "2003-01-27T20:42:59Z")
Oh BTW, i was about 9 years old the year Diana died, just incase i sounded pathetic in that last post… ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185/40 "2003-01-27T21:01:15Z")
I’m still getting over Joe Strummer’s death. And Screamin’ Jay Hawkins hit me pretty hard. The ones I’m dreading, though probably not as much as the celebrities are, include: J. P. Donleavy Hugh Kenner Janeane Garofalo Frank Black …and some others I can’t think of right now. Several of these are pretty young, and I don’t expect them to go for a good while. But it will upset me when they do. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-this-celeb-dies-i-will-cry/151185.md?page=3)