Friday Off Topic Celeb Passing

My list in categories (because it's Friday and gloomy outside)

1. For what they brought to the table...Harold Ramis, Robin Williams, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Farley, Phil Hartman, Bernie Mac & John Candy.

2. For what they meant to me growing up...Christopher Reeve, Johnny Carson, Walter Matthau, Jack Lemmon & Burgess Meredith (have to list them together as the Grumpy Old Men movies are still watched several times a year in my house).

3. For just the sad circumstances of their deaths/too young...Heath Ledger, Paul Walker, Brittany Murphy.

4. Sports...Stuart Scott, Earnhardt (I was a big fan at the time), Reggie White, Randy Savage & Seve Ballesteros (his deterioration over time was brutal to see).

Now let's all get a beer and cheer up dammit it is Friday after all!!
 
I don't get too affected by celeb deaths but one that I thought was really sad from this year was Harris wittles. Far too young and had so much potential. Drug addiction seems so preventable but then again most people, including me, don't know the struggle.
 
Celebrity deaths generally don't bother me that much. I feel shocked when I first read it, but don't really think about it much further.

I'm with this guy.

I'll read it and go "that sucks" but after that it doesn't really affect me.
 
I think I have become a little jaded to this. :sad:

Growing up in the '60's and 70's with all of the assassinations and rock stars dropping because of drugs and stuff will do that to you.
 
Walter Payton. I think he missed one game in his entire career due to injury and then cancer gets him far too young. I thought he was too tough for that.

John Bulishi. That was the first famous person that I remember had a profound effect on me. I still remember where I was when I heard the news.

Also, the Space Shuttle in '86, I think. I still remember seeing that blow up. I will never get that image out of my mind.
 
I'm not sure he would make my list, but I don't think I've seen Michael Jackson listed.
 
John Lennon and I can't even think of a clear-cut second choice.

I was/am a huge Beatles fan and he was finally coming back into the public eye after his 5 year hiatus.

My 2 best friends from ISU in the late 70's - we all got deep into Beatles at the time together while the rest of the world was disco boogieing.

I had just graduated in November, (he was killed 12/8/80) and was home trying to find a job. Listening to music on my headphones and my brother knocked on the door of my bedroom to tell me John Lennon had been shot. I soon learned he was dead. Turned on the local radio station and one of the first songs they played was. "Anytime at All", (All you gotta do is call, and I'll be there.) Lost it.
 
George Harrison. Being a huge Beatles fan this one got to me. Died two weeks after 9/11 happened. I was in college at ISU when this occurred. My folks had me and my siblings listening to the Beatles while we were growing up. Took the day off to listen to Beatles/George's stuff all day.

As for this week: some big losses. RIP David Bowie and Alan Rickman. Both Brit's right? Tough week for the UK.
Snape should have one last say though:

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Walter Payton was a hard one for me. I was 10 when the Bears won the '85 Super Bowl and was a huge Payton fan. I think I still have the 'Super Bowl Shuffle' record around somewhere.

I also remember when Dale Earnhardt was killed in Daytona. My dad was a huge Dale Sr. fan and he took that one really hard.

Me too with Dale Sr. Total shock on that for me.
 
I agree with others that I'm pretty numb to most celebrities passing but I would have to answer Christopher Reeve. As a member of generation x, this was the superman that I grew up with. His paralysis and later death was a tragedy. Made me sick to see superman go out like that.

Sam Kinison would be second on my list.
 
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I absolutely love Kurt Vonnegut. I always wanted to meet him, so it sucked when that chance was gone.

I second Vonnegut. He had enough a****iography woven throughout his work, felt like he was a wise older relative.

I wasn't quite a Beatles fanatic yet when Lennon died, so it wasn't major impact -- even so, it seemed surreal, and still does.
 
Jerry garcia is one that will will always stick with me. As mentioned above, the Challenger explosion was memorable as I remember sitting in my 1st grade class watching and then visited Florida for the first time a week after it happened and have some photos of pieces of it being brought in on ships. Recently Yogi Berra's passing hit me in the feels. Of course coach Orr and J-Walt will always have a special place in my heart as they pretty much introduced me to ISU basketball.

Also Han Solo, never thought the man would go.