Celebrities deaths that upset you

[jamestyler]

The death of Eddie Guerrero actually bummed me out for awhile. Funny because I was shocked over the death of Owen Hart and Chris Benoit, but not really bummed.

I was the same. The Eddie death just came as a complete surprise and when they filmed the tribute show that afternoon. the tribute video and the ten bells salute still brings a tear to the eye.

Hell, that whole week of programming got me. Especially seeing Big Show and Benoit break down when talking about him.http://trekbbs.com/editpost.php?do=editpost&p=3312832

I can't really remember the time around Hart's death, Benoit's was just... a shock.

 

[Shazam!]

No celebrity death has ever upset me. However, the first one to make me realise that celebs are basically normally people just doing a job like everyone else was Ayrton Senna.

 

[Captain Ice]

The very most upsetting to me were:

Karen Carpenter, Johnny Carson, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Those were bone crushing losses. Especially Karen and Stevie who were so young. Carson seemed like a father figure in some ways. I saw him practically nightly for so much of my life - far, far more than my own father. And he was a giant.

There recent spate of deaths including David Carradine and Michael Jackson were very hard. I have for so long enjoyed their talent and it is incredibly difficult to believe they are truely gone.

Some of those names were such a shock to me. You just never imagine that they would die, even though you know it will happen one day anyways, but we tend to look at some celebrities as immortal.

Am I the only one who finds upheaval about celebrity deaths sort of annoying? Apart from the fact that the death of every minor 70s tv actor seems to be worthy of several concurrent threads in Misc and GTV&M, I find it rather undignified and impolite to express mourning over the deaths of people you didn't personally know--with exceptions of course, but they should be that: exceptions.

Even though you don't know a person personally, you still look up to them and feel a connection. Everyone has some sort of impact, whether it's looking up to them for inspiration or them being the one who made you laugh every night. You feel like you're losing a friend that you've never met.

Amen on both points

For me, the three that have moved me the most have been Carson, Ed McMahon, and Princess Di.

 

[USS Triumphant]

None, although Douglas Adams would perhaps come closest. I find it presumptuous to mourn someone whom one doesn't personally know.

I think that we mourn people based on what they were to us. Mourning is for the living, not for the dead, because they're beyond caring. And mostly I agree with you, and when celebrities pass I may regret that no more of their music or books or acting will be forthcoming, but I wouldn't say I "mourn" - I didn't really know them.

But some of them are special, because they really have enough of themselves in their works to know them - at least a little. Douglas Adams was one such author. His works were really just his observations about the world around us, disguised as science fiction. And his non-fiction went even further in that direction, obviously.

 

[tharpdevenport]

It just seems to me the good people drop off like flies while the sucky ones live to suck another day. Comparrisons:

Shirley Walker, Basil Poledouris, Michael Kamen, Jerry Goldsmih -- dead -- the first three in their 50's. Hans Zimmer -- lives to suck anotehr day.


Phil Hartman -- far too early. Lewis Black -- still hangin' around, sucking.

Chris Farley, Mitch Headberg -- drugs can be bad for you. Any regualr on the current Comedy Central Roasts -- still here, sadly.

John Hughes -- another at a young age. Michael Bay -- still making shitty assed movies.

 

[freak]

Deforest Kelley, James Doohan, Majel Barrett Roddenberry, Bea Arthur,Carroll O'Connor and Estelle Getty. I loved all these actors/producers. It shocked me to death to hear of Majel's death, as well as Bea Arthur's sudden death. Bea was acting all the way to the end as well..last I heard she was doing something on broadway when she passed. I was just shocked as hell to hear of Majel's death..I didnt even know she was ill! Some actors, though, don't like spilling the beans about their personal life struggles and I completely respect that. I cried when Bea Arthur died mainly cause I loved her as Dorothy on the Golden Girls. She was the main one that always made me laugh..her and her hilarious mother.
For Caroll O' Connor, I was a little upset about his death as well..I think Mom was more upset than I was cause she loved him in the Heat of the Night and I loved him in All in the Family. It's sad cause all the good actors have died.

 

[Michael Chris]

I remembered a couple more John Ritter and Lorena Gale.

 

[Sagart]

Christopher Reeve's death really saddened me. I saw Superman:The Movie when I was 8 years old and he WAS Superman.

His accident was tragic but his determination to walk again was inspiring. When I heard of his death, I felt a great figure of hope had left the world. I still feel sad watching the Superman movies.

 

[trampledamage]

James Stewart's death got to me, but I think that was because it was very soon after my own Grandad had died. The one celebrity death to really upset me, and it still does, is Joe Ranft.

He was story supervisor at Pixar and the voice of Heimlich in A Bug's Life, Red in Cars and Wheezy in Toy Story 2. There's a memorial to him in the credits of Cars and it makes me choke a bit every time I see it. It's partly because after having seen him in all the documentaries you get on Pixar DVDs I did feel like I knew him a little, and also because his death was such a shock - it was just as we were finalising everything for emigrating to Canada so I hadn't been paying attention to the news, but the day after we arrived in Canada was the Oscars so we were watching that and I saw his name on the In Memoriam listing.

 

[Aurian]

Freddie Mercary, first time I cried I think.
When River Phoenix died I was devestated.
Bruce Lee and Brandon Lee. So very sad.. could not watch the movies anymore.
John Ritter makes me still be very sad..
Heath Ledger.
Diana.. cried and cried..

I also cried, but much later, for the death of Elvis. I just did not like Elvis until far after his death.

 

[Kira's Mom]

James Stewart's death got to me, but I think that was because it was very soon after my own Grandad had died. .

James Doohan died the day after my grandfather died, so that got me.

 

[Doggeh]

So far the only celeb death I recall crying over was Steve Irwin's. I used to watch The Crocodile Hunter regularly, he was definitely one of my TV idols. My mom told me what happened that morning and I was kind of in shock for the rest of the day.

I was also saddened, though not to the point of tears, by the death of Billy Mays.

 

[Kirby]

Stevie Ray Vaughan saddened me the most. I was starting my senior year in college and heard the news when I woke up. I stayed in my apartment all day and just listened to his music.

George Carlin, Johnny Carson, and Suzanne Plechette (my first celebrity crush) all saddened me as well.

 

[Aurian]

I forgot, when everyones grandma died.

Astrid Lindgren (Pippi Långstrump, anyone?). She should get the nobel prize.

 

[Cakes488]

Stevie Ray Vaughn

 

[tharpdevenport]

Oh yeah, I forgot about Billy Mays. That was a shocker. I'd much rather have seen the news say: "Sham-woo guy dies in freak informercial accident"


And for what ever reason, I would have thought Patrick McGoohan would have lived to a ripe old age.

 

[Rii]

It just seems to me the good people drop off like flies while the sucky ones live to suck another day. Comparrisons:

Shirley Walker, Basil Poledouris, Michael Kamen, Jerry Goldsmih -- dead -- the first three in their 50's. Hans Zimmer -- lives to suck anotehr day.


Phil Hartman -- far too early. Lewis Black -- still hangin' around, sucking.

Chris Farley, Mitch Headberg -- drugs can be bad for you. Any regualr on the current Comedy Central Roasts -- still here, sadly.

John Hughes -- another at a young age. Michael Bay -- still making shitty assed movies.

You're comfortable assessing the "value" of another human being based solely upon their professional work? Excuse me whilst I vomit.

 

[tharpdevenport]

It just seems to me the good people drop off like flies while the sucky ones live to suck another day. Comparrisons:

Shirley Walker, Basil Poledouris, Michael Kamen, Jerry Goldsmih -- dead -- the first three in their 50's. Hans Zimmer -- lives to suck anotehr day.


Phil Hartman -- far too early. Lewis Black -- still hangin' around, sucking.

Chris Farley, Mitch Headberg -- drugs can be bad for you. Any regualr on the current Comedy Central Roasts -- still here, sadly.

John Hughes -- another at a young age. Michael Bay -- still making shitty assed movies.

You're comfortable assessing the "value" of another human being based solely upon their professional work? Excuse me whilst I vomit.

Aim for the toilet. Try not to hit any Bay movies while there.

 

[xortex]

How bout Paul Newman. How can he die, he's a household name. I was upset when Freddie Prince killed himself. Today's NY post headline for Micheal Jackson being buried in a famous tiered mosoleum was Stacko ! You know they meant Wacko Jacko Stackoed. And Anna Nicole Smith just like Monroe. They would kill for her love.

 

[Lookingglassman]

The only one I really miss is Bernie Mac.