For my 895th post, I came across this little thread, which I think sort of faded away, as I think the DL is 28 years old (29 in November).
I see this was a thread for sharing earliest memories of celebrity death and the most shocking. I guess the first I recall with any clarity was Elvis Presley, given that up until then I had only seen him pre-jump/fat suit times and I remember being shocked at the coverage which showed a guy I had never seen and also at the possibility you could actually die on the pan. As though going to the loo gave you some exemption from dying! Was nothing sacred anymore?
The most shocking still in my lifetime was John Lennon. After that, assassinations I regarded against the benchmark of that incident, and I guess nothing has come that close. I guess regardless of Lennon's faults, what he generally said to the world was the antithesis of his death. I don't even think Diana was in the same league, although probably in reality it was more akin.
Apologies for actually dredging up an old thread, but I guess there are loads of folks here now who might want to contribute their earliest memories, etc.