BCAlum2000

There's a lot of hate for Amy Winehouse. Honestly, I don't wish for her to die because she's not a truly evil individual. She has seriously mental and health issues, but beneath the mess, lies an artist with some speck of talent. She also really has not harmed anybody other than herself (and that fan she punched). At the same time though, I do think she's a lost cause, and like many people out there, we don't think she'll live for long if she keeps up this degnerative lifestyle.

f**k! Why can't Fidel Castro drop dead of a heart attack? He's an old seenile brutal dictator whose time has past and needs to leave his life and join his buddies Saddam Hussein and Jerry Falwell. But for those who think I'm being tasteless or whatever, hell, even Presidential candidate John McCain agrees with me: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/...ng-castro-dies/

God you are a colossal prick. So you were 8, so you know more than anyone else in the world. Prick. Er... my Gran died at 3. So I beat you by 5 years you little twat f****r of losing someone I loved. And it was someone I genuially loved, not a beardy twat with a puppet's arse on his hand. Prick. I hope you have found a job so we don't have to put up with this sh*t posting anymore. Prick. and are you presuming that we are all the same age as you & that no-one else famous would have died in our lives bar Henson? Most of the UK didn't even care. God you are a prick. A colossal one. Why don't you die & cause shockwaves across your prick First of, I'm terribly sorry for the loss of your grandmother. Second, I should have said "many" instead of "most" 7 or 8 year olds. I probably blew things out of proportion. Third, yes, Jim Henson was very popular in America, and he was beloved by many young children. Fourth, I neither said nor inferred that I knew more than anyone else in the world when I was 8. When I was 7 or 8, one thing I can say is that A LOT of youngsters my age were aware of Jim Henson's death, and many of us were STUNNED by his death. I didn't know about it anymore than many 7 or 8 year olds at the time. Like i said, for many of us at that age (or younger) who did not lose a relative, this is likely the first time we probably felt like death hit us close to home. Yes, there are 7 or 8 year olds who already lost a relative or a loved one, but for those who didn't (and that is probably many 7 or 8 year olds), this is the "first time" where the concept of death really materialized for us. Many 7 or 8 year olds were hit a bit hard because at the very least, Jim Henson was the first time that we really experienced a famous celebrity's death. Or at least a celebrity we cared about. Fifth, I know Jim Henson was a lot more famous in the US than the UK, hence I mentioned the "states." Sixth, yes, I'm doing fine and I appreciate your concern about my job status. Being unemployed for 2-3 months sucks, but it was a nice vacation and a nice escape from the rat race. And besides, the economy in the US sucks so a good number of people in their mid-20s have lost their jobs and have resorted to moving back with their parents. At least the people in their mid-20s have that luxury of falling back to their parents, whereas people in their 40s have to worry about their finances, mortgages, children, etc. Seventh, what the heck is the prick-o-meter? I really did not mean to come across as a prick. Naive, yes. Arrogant, admittedly. But never a prick.

I thought Jim Henson created the Muppets. For what it's worth, those in the know reckon he died of AIDS. Jim Henson didn't die of AIDS; he died of an organ failure in 1990. I know this because I was 7 or 8 years old when Jim Henson died and his death made shockwaves across America. This is probably the first time most people 7 or 8 years old actually experienced death of somebody they loved. Jim Henson was a beloved figure to most children in the states and when he died, this is probably the first time that the concept of death entered into our impressionable young minds. BTW, Richard Hunt, one of the main puppeteers on The Muppet Show, died of AIDS a year or two later after Jim Henson's death.

HOLY %$@! Arguably the best stand up comedian of our era is gone!!!!

I've completely given up on Amy Winehouse. At this moment, I'm really sick and tired of her antics. I will not have any sympathy for her if she dies. She's done this to herself, and it's about time for her to go. She's on my deathlist for 2009. That's for sure. Hell, I'm rooting for Paul Newman to survive, and he's 83 years old! But I can't say the same for Winehouse.

I say "Why lie?" Here is one of the latest articles which this A.E. Hotcher claims to be misquoted by the media. Some political figures (Probably Than Shwe.. Umaru Yar’Adua... Yasuo Fukuda) are all names who tried to conceal their health struggles, but that's politics. From the reactions in some of the articles, I'm being given the impression (He had surgery, he is now recovering) sort of vibe. I don't think it's impossible that he has cancer but having it be terminal is an example of how tabloids overreact. The answer to "why lie" is that celebrities don't like their personal struggles to be aired publicly (a perfectly understandable reaction). There is far too much evidence here to deny that Paul Newman has a very serious type of cancer (lung cancer is probably it). If we were sitting in a bar I would ask how much you want to bet. As I said in a previous post, "sad last days" stories are one of the things that tabloids often get right. I've had Paul Newman as a strong candidate for my deathlist of 2009, even 2008. But at this juncture, if Paul Newman doesn't want to be bothered right now, re: any potential illnesses, let him be. He's a wonderful act who's always been low-key and private. With that said, as much as I'm rooting for him to recover (if he's indeed sick), at his advanced age (83) and the way he has looked, I don't have much hope for him. Yes, BC, I'll "let him be". I won't go to his house or call him on the phone, OK? Regarding whether I want him to recover, although it's been said, the idea of this sort of thing (death pools, death leagues) is to correctly predict who's going to die, not wish for it. One of my first picks in the Death League was Mother Teresa. I admired her as one of the best people in the world and certainly didn't want her to die, but as she was old and sick, I selected her as a terrific candidate. Fair enough deadsox. I enjoy participating in these death pools though there are times I wish that I wouldn't be picking names of celebs I actually like (Newman, Patrick Swayze, etc.). Though frankly, the celebrities that i am rooting to die (Fidel Castro, Billy Graham), aren't exactly knocking on death's door.

I say "Why lie?" Here is one of the latest articles which this A.E. Hotcher claims to be misquoted by the media. Some political figures (Probably Than Shwe.. Umaru Yar’Adua... Yasuo Fukuda) are all names who tried to conceal their health struggles, but that's politics. From the reactions in some of the articles, I'm being given the impression (He had surgery, he is now recovering) sort of vibe. I don't think it's impossible that he has cancer but having it be terminal is an example of how tabloids overreact. The answer to "why lie" is that celebrities don't like their personal struggles to be aired publicly (a perfectly understandable reaction). There is far too much evidence here to deny that Paul Newman has a very serious type of cancer (lung cancer is probably it). If we were sitting in a bar I would ask how much you want to bet. As I said in a previous post, "sad last days" stories are one of the things that tabloids often get right. I've had Paul Newman as a strong candidate for my deathlist of 2009, even 2008. But at this juncture, if Paul Newman doesn't want to be bothered right now, re: any potential illnesses, let him be. He's a wonderful act who's always been low-key and private. With that said, as much as I'm rooting for him to recover (if he's indeed sick), at his advanced age (83) and the way he has looked, I don't have much hope for him.

For a moment there, I thought you were referring to Emily Blunt, the actress. I was thinking, "Wait a minute, if Emily Blun the actress was diagnosed with terminal cancer, it would be huge news, especially since she is very young and semi-famous in Hollywood." Then it turns out to be a totally unrelated Emily Blunt (this one appears to be some university student).

I nominate Amy Winehouse as the candidate most likely to die of OD within a year or so. I'm actually still shocked that she's still alive. Then again, I actually had Britney Spears on my personal death list in 2008. I seriously thought that she would either kill herself this year or die of an accidental drug overdose (ala Heath Ledger and Anna Nicole Smith). But Britney appears to be on the rebound and her odds of dying are less and less each day (I had her pegged as close as 10:1 at one point that she would die, now it's 75:1).

lol You actually fell for a fake story about him being killed in a plane crash. No offense, but I thought it was so obvious it was a hoax. Okay, I admit I fell for these before.... I read an article that claims that Alberto Gonzales was going to be indicted for lying to Congress about the firing of the US Attorneys. Then the article admitted it was a hoax. Anyway, back to Paul Newman. Newman's rep claims that Newman does NOT have "terminal lung cancer." But that's all he denied. Paul Newman might still be ill with something else. I've seen recent photos of him and he looks terrible. He was one of the most handsome men back in the 60s -- he definitely looks like he's out of it. Paul Newman is a great actor and I hate to see him die, but I just have a bad feeling about this. He's definitely on my death list for 2009 if he survives this year.

Hollywood legend Paul Newman is reportedly battling lung cancer. http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/47440/...as-lung-cancer- It doesn't appear to look very good for Newman. If Paul Newman dies in 2008, it will already be a brutal year for Hollywood. Heath Ledger, Roy Scheider, Anthony Minghella, Charlton Heston, and Sydney Pollack....

Hollywood legend Paul Newman is reportedly battling lung cancer. http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/47440/...as-lung-cancer- It doesn't appear to look very good for Newman.

Jim McKay, a prominent sports announcer, has died at the age of 86. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=3430672 He's best known for hosting the popular ABC show "Wide World of Sports" and covering many Olympic events. McKay is definitely one of the biggest names in sports broadcasting (probably not well known in Britian, but definitely a big timer in the US). This make SEVEN in a row. Seven celebrities I've heard of have passed away in the span of two weeks (I seriously think that's a personal record of mine.)

Mel Ferrer was an awesome actor, I will definitely miss him. I enjoyed his work in several B-movie cult classics like The Visitor, Eaten Alive, and Nightmare City. Another great B-movie cult actor passes away. Hope Mel and John Phillip Law are kicking arse in Heaven.

What momentum..... Yes, I agree though, I think that we'll get into July before another hit. I also feel fairly confident that we should be able to amass 14/15 hits this year. January 2008 started off on a slow note during the first half of the month, but during the second half, January was hit with a deluge of deaths (Bobby Fischer, Heath Ledger, Brad Renfro, Suzanne Pleshette, Suharto, etc.) Feburary 2008 was a verrrrrrry slow month (Roy Scheider was the only really famous person to die that month) March 2008 started off with a slight bang (the passing of Jeff Healey and Gary Gygax) but by mid-March, things were really picking up (the deaths of Anthony Minghella, Arthur C. Clarke, Richard Widmark, Paul Scofield, etc.) April 2008 was notable only because Charlton Heston died. Otherwise, a fairly slow month. May 2008 started off interesting (the suicide of the DC Madam) but it looked like May was gonna be another slow month (think of this way, you know that things are really lame when the most famous person to have died in the first few weeks of May was John Phillip Law). By late May 2008 to now (June 3, 2008), things picked up with a bang. Dick Martin, Sydney Pollack, Harvey Korman, Yves Saint Laurent, and Bo Diddley. So whither June 2008? My hunch is that it's gonna be another slow month. A few celebrities will tease us by going to the hospital on the basis of some "mild but serious" medical condition, but they will be a-OK (good for them, not so much for us). But otherwise, despite a few "scares," I don't anticipate that many, if any, famous deaths this month (other than Bo Diddley). We shall see.... **Disclaimer: whom I consider "famous" is strictly my opinion only. Being that I am in my mid-20s only, a lot of people whom older folks would consider "famous" are fairly unknown to me (e.g. Edmund Hillary, Albert Hoffman, Francis Pym, etc.). I also realize that I am a US citizen and most of you are British, so again, my opinions of who's "famous" will differ slightly or greatly from you guys. Also, because I am a huge entertainment buff, I take the deaths of actors and musicians more seriously than other people (e.g. scientists, businesspeople, etc.) unless that person is very significant and well known in his field.

Within the span of under two weeks, there have been five celebrities I have heard of who have died. Dick Martin, Sydney Pollack, Harvey Korman, Yves Saint Laurent, and Bo Diddley. Impressive. But then again, it always seems to be the trend nowadays. Literally weeks go by with no famous people dead, then within a week or two, a deluge of famous folks die. So my hunch is that there will be a long dry spell before the next truly famous person dies (my prediction is that that will occur sometime in early to mid July).

For whatever reason, it is always a Hollywood tradition to have celebrities in the entertainment business die in threes... Usually weeks go by without having a celebrity die, then in the span of a week or two, three celebrities die in a row. Let's examine: Christopher Bowman, Brad Renfro and Heath Ledger in January Allan Melvin, Lois Nettleton, and Suzanne Pleshette in January also Anthony Minghella, Arthur C. Clarke, and Paul Scofield (and Richard Widmark too) in March Dick Martin, Sydney Pollack, and Harvey Korman in May Charlton Heston and Roy Scheider both bucked the trend. Heston was the only real celebrity to die in April while Scheider was the only real celeb to die in February. Celebrity deaths have slowed a bit since Heston's death so it was inevitable that things would pick up a bit...

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hxBvjVQ...IrmEIwD90VJOK00 Wow ... Dick Martin, Sydney Pollack, and Harvey Korman all in the span of one week (along with two prominent television music composers). Tough week for Hollywood....

Film and TV composer Earle Hagen has died at the age of 88. Mr. Hagen was well known for composing some of the most memorable TV show themes including the themes to The Andy Griffith Show and I Spy. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/...0,3376917.story This follows the infamous Hollywood trend of celebrities dying in threes... First comedian Dick Martin, then film director, producer, and actor Sydney Pollack, and now film and TV composer Earle Hagen.

I have a very bad hunch about Paul Newman. I actually think that he will die within the next 2 months or so. Hollywood has been hit pretty hard this year. Hollywood has already lost Heath Ledger, Roy Scheider, Anthony Minghella, Charlton Heston, and Sydney Pollack. If Paul Newman dies, it will truly be a dark year for Hollywood (it already is).

Sydney was a great director and a wonderful actor. Hollywood has lost a great talent. With that said, his death wasn't exactly unexpected and most of us have predicted he would died within the foreseeable future. I guess that future was yesterday. Also, maybe it's me, but I'm rather surprised by the lack of extensive media coverage over Pollack's death. There was maybe a 5 second blurb on CNN at best. The dude who invented french fries (whatever his name was) got more media coverage than Sydney Pollack.

I'd have to disagree with ya, there. Yes, he has weakened a bit, but his spirit is strong and the more each day passes, the more I'm convinced he can beat cancer. If he does overcome this, it would truly be one of the most inspirational stories of this year. We're rooting for you, Patrick.

Quit teasing us, Castro. Who cares if he's very weak? Maybe when he finally bites the dust, I'll wake up and give a damn.

Very tragic news to report. Award winning TV makeup artist Diane Chenery-Wickens, who was missing since January of this year, has been found dead. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/196...identified.html