What celebrity's death upset you the most?

[LTR]

With all this Reagan death talk going on, thought it would be a good opportunity to see who's death upset or shocked you the most.

I'd have to say John Lennon. That was one of the most shocking events in my lifetime.

[Joanne98]

1. Princess Di

I cried for a week.;(

[Killarney]

45. Ditto

[Paradise]

2. Wellstone. :( nt

[SudieJD]

60. Wellstone

Never forget the day his plane went down here
Sudie in MN

[cheezus]

106. sigh. That was a sad day

I could barely drag myself through classes. I wondered at the time about it being a "plane crash", but I pushed it out of my mind.


...but they still can't explain how the feds got there before they could have

[calimary]

130. I remember feeling utterly horrified. Then "Dumbledore" died, too.

Richard Harris died right around then. It was just before the 2002 elections. I remember thinking - Wellstone and Dumbledore (the kindly wizard and headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the "Harry Potter" saga) - a VERY bad omen. Professor Dumbledore in the story was the only real security that the orphaned Harry Potter could count on, as he tried to steer clear of the evil wizard who was out to kill him. When Harris, the actor who played Dumbledore, died, in almost the same breath as Wellstone's plane crashed, it was REALLY devastating. I feared that Wellstone had been sort of "OUR Dumbledore," there to protect us from a republi-CON takeover by the Senate, and he'd been moving up in the polls just before the election. His senate seat had been targeted, and it had been a real tough battle before he began pulling ahead. And then his plane went down. And Dumbledore died. And I knew it was a bad omen, that the next week or two would NOT be good. I remember being very fearful for the election, even while Walter Mondale had stepped in. It was just a REALLY bad feeling. And no Dumbledore to protect us from the evil trying to take over. My fears were realized. It was an AWFUL time. And as we all saw, to our horror, we wound up, MOST certainly, UNPROTECTED from that evil. I'll never forget that. And right before Halloween, too. That was just ICKY.

[redqueen]

120. Wellstone

Anyone going to Camp Wellstone?

[chemp]

3. There were two

John Lennon, of course. I was 15 yrs old and my Mother wouldn't let me drop everything and go to the memorial!

The second was Frank Zappa. The only time I cried in front of a girlfriend.

One died the day before my birthday, the other the day after.

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. Welcome to DU. Sorry your birthday seemed to get targeted

by the cosmos as a sad day like that. :(

---------------------
An open letter to John Kerry and the DNC:
http://www.geocities.com/greenpartyvoter/OpenLetter.htm

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. John Lennon, Princess Di, Elvis, Jon-Erik Hexum, Kevin Smith, Brandon Lee

All of them had me very blue for a long time. (Lennon actually the least at the time that it happened cause I didn't really understand who he was. So I got sad about that one later on in life.)

Editing to add Wellstone, though I don't think of him as a celeb.

---------------------
An open letter to John Kerry and the DNC:
http://www.geocities.com/greenpartyvoter/OpenLetter.htm

[Philostopher]

34. Interesting -- I wonder how many others recognize

Jon-Erik Hexum's name. That was really a bizarre one, I remember when that happened. Truly bizarre celebrity accident.

For me, oddly enough, it was Michael Hedges -- a really amazing, possibly revolutionary guitarist whose car crashed and killed him. What a talent. I'd just seen him play a month or so before he died.

Zappa, Bill Hicks, John Lennon, of course ... Wellstone -- they all were shocking and upsetting, dispiriting in some ways. I guess the fact I'd seen Hedges play recently was the key that made it so upsetting with him.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

Hedges was such a shocker

He was an amazing musician. I saw him live in '92 and he did a version of the Stone's "Gimme Shelter". He owns that song as far as I'm concerned.

[NewJeffCT]

143. I remember Hexum

From that show where they traveled through time... I've always loved time travel stories (though, the one I rented the other day - Timeline - was so-so)

[EOTE]

85. Kevin Smith is dead?

Clerks and Chasing Amy Kevin Smith? Or is there some other Kevin Smith I don't know of.

[Mixxster]

136. "Kevin Smith is dead?"

GreenPartyVoter is probably referring to the New Zealand actor who played Ares, God of War on Hercules and Xena.

[Book Lover]

169. Yes, he died in an accident

on a movie set perhaps two years ago now...

[maveric]

184. Kevin Smith the director of "Dogma" fame?

He was on a current cable show the other night.

[Book Lover]

192. Oh! No - Kevin Smith of "Xena" fame.

I think this is why the Screen Actors Guild won't (or perhaps did nto used to) let two actors use the same name.

[catzies]

116. Kevin Smith?!?!

Huh? Who? Not the Silent Bob Kevin Smith, or I woulda remembered that.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

177. He just had a movie out this year.

Dude, do you live under a rock!?
Duckie

[oregonjen]

5. I might get flamed but....

John Denver. I am a huge fan to this day.

[GreenPartyVoter]

7. Oh yeah! Denver, and also Jim Henson.

[jobycom]

9. I'll second both of those-- Denver and Henson. nt.

[oregonjen]

11. Jaques Cousteau, George Burns, Princess Di and John Denver

all died in the same year.

[Maeve]

25. Jim Henson--like losing a favorite uncle eom

[LWolf]

Me, too.

I've been a fan since my long ago childhood. And my then-husband, a private pilot and airframe/powerplant mechanic, was then looking into building his own kit plane.

In addition to John Denver:

Lennon

RFK; I was just a kid, but I remember the tv reports and the waves of grief from the adults around me.

[wicket]

76. John Denver

I love John Denver, and was very upset when he died.

[Tom_Foolery]

145. John Denver's death sent me into a funk for days. n/t

[Bertha Venation]

147. it might interest you to know

he was a distant cousin to me. I never knew him.

[PAMod]

157. Yea, Denver's death got to me too.

I really enjoyed his later music, though it bombed commercially.

[jobycom]

8. Princess Di, Conway Twitty, Paul Wellstone

[GreenPartyVoter]

12. Well if we bring up Twitty, what about the man in black?

Never mind, he just showed up below. :)

---------------------
An open letter to John Kerry and the DNC:
http://www.geocities.com/greenpartyvoter/OpenLetter.htm

[buddhamama]

10. Paul Wellstone

Johnny Cash,Carl Sagan and Jerry Garcia.

[keithyboy]

13. RFK and MLK.

I hate when they kill people trying to do good.

[notadmblnd]

14. Sam Kinisons

not sure on the spelling.

[Commendatori]

65. Kinison here, too.

That guy made me laugh hard enough to pass out once.

[notadmblnd]

97. minister turned comedian

he was the one person that could make me cry laughing.

[never_get_over_it]

15. Paul Wellston, John Kennedy Jr and Princess Diana

eom

[1gobluedem]

53. Same here

Also John Ritter but not to the same extent.

[Lindacooks]

100. Yes, those three, definitely

eom

[Elbowroom]

16. JON LENNON

10 YEARS AFTER.......STILL GOES ON FOR ME

[the Kelly Gang]

17. Peter Allen..he was such a fun entertainer

[Estel]

18. Jimi Hendrix, Duane Allman and Stevie Ray Vaughn...

with Stevie Ray I really felt slammed because early reports said Eric Clapton had died, too

[phaed]

19. Dating myself here

Hendrix, Joplin, Morrison in that order until 1998 when I lost my own son. From that point on no celebrity is worth getting worked up over as there is no other pain comparable to the lose of one's child.

[GreenPartyVoter]

29. Welcome to DU, and I am SO sorry

about the loss of your son. It is every parent's nightmare, and as a Mom I just can't fathom how people move on after that.

:hug:

~Jen

[Bettie]

35. Sorry about your son

You are right, nothing compares to the loss of a child.

We lost our daughter in 1998.

[Norquist Nemesis]

62. So very sorry about your son.

As a mother of two, I can only imagine the deep anguish and sadness. (((HUGS))).

I'm still very protective of my two even though they'll turn 17 and 20 years old this year...and though they sometimes (often) drive me straight over the wall, I know I'm very blessed to have two independent thinking, caring, and good children.

Welcome to DU, BTW. :hi

[calimary]

112. Oh, MAN! Nothing compares.

It IS a parent's worst nightmare. My condolences. I can completely understand your viewpoint.

Celebrity-wise, my vote goes to JOHN LENNON. I was struck by Hendrix, Joplin, Morrison, and Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones. And much later, GEORGE HARRISON.

But John's murder really got to me. Frankly, sometimes I think I am STILL getting over it.

But you're absolutely correct. ALL of that pales next to the death of one's child. AWFUL.

[DoYouEverWonder]

20. Warren Zevon

Jerry Garcia and John Lennon.

[Bat Boy]

165. His was a classy departure.

If anyone hasn't heard Zevon's last cd, give it a listen. There are a couple of songs on there that send chills...

[TexasBushwhacker]

170. He did live long enough

to finish that last CD and to see his grandchildren born. He died just weeks later.

[LincolnMcGrath]

21. Kurt Cobain

John Lennon

[swag]

22. Keith Moon

I was such a big Who fan.

[tinanator]

50. dammit thats my choice!

OK. Ill share. Biggest loss to rock music EVER.

[Hammie]

163. Beat me to it.

:toast:

[ET Awful]

23. Jerry Garcia n/t

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

173. shhhhhh - let's keep it a secret...it'll be better for us!

I promise.....:)

[Burma Jones]

24. John Lennon, John Belushi, Bob Marley, Jerry Garcia

and Elvis Presley's death was quite the surprise too.

Jerry Garcia's death was not a surprise, but signaled the end of my long strange trip of many many Dead shows.

[BlueJazz]

26. John Coltrane, Stan Getz, Paul Desmond

...but they still live.

[Forkboy]

187. They sure do!

Thier music will be around for a long long time!

[sendero]

27. John Lennon...

... cut down in the prime of his life by a fool.

[bluestateguy]

28. Wellstone. John Ritter

John Ritter was the first actor whose name I knew. Watching 3's Company as a boy I was in peals of laughter, and I couldn't even understand all the sexual innuendo.

[GreenPartyVoter]

30. Yeah, John Ritter's really shocked me since he is my parent's age.

Got me worrying about my folks, to be sure.

[Pithlet]

195. John Ritter bothered me

My son had just started watching Clifford, The Big Red Dog, and Ritter did the voice for Clifford. :(

[AngryAmish]

31. Johnny Cash

He was older and his death was not a suprise, but, c'mon, he was Johnny Cash.

[in_cog_ni_to]

32. Paul Wellstone, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix

Paul Simon, JFK, RFK, and MLK. John Candy was sad too. :cry:

[calimary]

135. Aw shoot! John Candy! We LOVED him.

He lived in the neighborhood. A sweet, sweet guy. All the good things anybody ever said about him were true. His death was not unexpected, considering how overweight he was, but even so! I was so bummed out that day. My husband freaked, because at that time, he was also extremely overweight. He thought - if John Candy can go this soon, I've gotta do something, FAST! So he had stomach surgery. John Candy probably saved his life. My husband was obese enough that he'd probably have been dead, by now, too - if he hadn't been motivated to do something decisive. John Candy was a truly sweet, lovely soul.

[in_cog_ni_to]

152. One could sense how kindhearted he was.

He seemed so genuine. I was SO sad the day he died. :( It was way too soon and probably could have been prevented had he lost some weight....that's what made it so sad....it didn't have to be. Very sad. I'm glad he motivated your hubby though! Sometimes...that's what it takes, huh?

[NoPasaran]

33. John Lennon

It was such a shock to hear he'd been shot.

[booksenkatz]

36. JFK, Jr.

*

[faithfulcitizen]

129. Me too...cried for days :( n/t

[exploited]

37. Kurt Cobain

The guy seemingly had it all (including a shotgun) but he decided he couldn't live with himself.

His act silently mocked the lifelong struggle that every average person faces in trying to live a meaningful existance.

[livinginphotographs]

87. I second that.

And though I'm too young to "remember," Ian Curtis's death would probably have evoked a pretty similar reaction out of me.

I was 14 when Cobain killed himself, and a HUGE Nirvana fan, and that was just really fucked up watching it break on MTV News.

Also throwing in John Candy and Jim Henson.

[soleft]

38. Not a celebrity, but Eric Clapton's son - destroyed me

For years I couldn't even listen to that song.

[wicket]

79. I still can't

:( I end up sobbing when I hear it.

[Arugula Latte]

102. When that happened

I, like everyone else, thought it was very, very sad. But since then I became a parent twice over, and when I think about that, my blood runs cold. The impact of an incident like that is multiplied over and over if you have kids of your own.

[calimary]

138. Truly.

It was a body blow. Especially if you've got a little guy of your own. That was LOTS of hurt.

[GreenPartyVoter]

110. I still think about that every so often... and I can't bear it.

My little guys aren't much older than his was at the time it happened.

[soleft]

125. My son was about the same age at the time, and I live in NY

So it was all over the papers, a few months later my son had a fibral seizure and was hospitalized for a few days, the two events really had an impact on me. I can't imagine what it must be like to have been the housekeeper who was supposed to have been watching him when it happened.

[outinforce]

39. Marx. Randall. Ball.

Groucho Marx

Tony Randall.

Lucille Ball

[arwalden]

54. Lucille Ball, Bette Davis, Princess Diana

40. John Lennon & Joe Strummer

Really upsetting

Followed by, but not quite as upsetting-- Bob Marley & Peter Tosh.

[salin]

41. Wellstone and Thurogood Marshall

one startling, one less (due to age) - but both left me with a sense of loss for the country. While Coleman is awful - the insult to the legacy of Marshall, by being replaced by Thomas (who I just read again continues to sleep through most (all?) supreme court cases) - still infuriates me and makes me profoundly sad.

[lastliberalintexas]

77. Glad I'm not alone

At least Brennan was replaced by Souter...

[sybylla]

42. Elvis

What can I say? I was only 15.

I have been shocked, appalled, dumbfounded by the deaths of many of this world's greats, including some mentioned here. But by the time of their passing, I was already jaded about death, its causes and the insanity of those who seek to use it as a means to an end.

I don't find death in its many forms shocking. What shocks me most is the fickle reaction of the world to it. We use death now in a way we never used to. Using death to give oneself a leg up was a line that was never openly crossed. Using an occasion of death (9/11) to sell the grieving a gilt casket (Patriot Act, et al) used to be looked down upon. What shocks me is how as a society we've lost all respect for death and few seem to notice.

[FlaGranny]

83. I was not shocked too much by

Elvis' death. It was the strangest thing. I heard a song of his on the radio while driving home from work one day, and the thought popped into my head, thus: "Elvis is not going to live to be an old man." One week later he was dead.

Isaac Asimov's death affected me a lot - I loved that man. He was quirky, brilliant, and warm, and even a little bit "cute."

[calimary]

139. Asimov. Carl Sagan. And Pablo Picasso.

I remember thinking about Picasso what I later thought about John Lennon - the loss of a century.

[ForrestGump]

180. Elvis for me, too

I was too young (not born, actually) for "where were you when JFK was shot?" but I still vividly recall when we lost Elvis. I'd only discovered him, via his movies on TV, a year before, and didn't know much of anything about him (hadn't even heard most of his #1 hits, including perennials like "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Hound Dog"), but it shook me beyond belief. I remember a TV news person crying, too. Still gets to me when I see certain of his performances and when I see footage of the line of Cadillacs in his funeral procession and the huge crowds and police lines there that August.

No other famous person's death has affected me in quite the same way. John Lennon was perhaps #2 on my list of upsetness, even though by then (just over three years after Elvis' death) I appreciated the Beatles' music a lot more than I did before. I was also sad that his "Double Fantasy" work was perhaps my favorite, overall, of his solo career and that he truly was cut down at a time of great potential. Wouldn't have been any less a loss otherwise, but the excitement he had and manifested with his return the studio just makes the loss that much keener.

Lots of others who I was saddened to see go, including a lot elsewhere on this list: John Denver, John Ritter, Jacques Cousteau, George Harrison, Andy Kaufman, Gregory Peck, Brnadon Lee, and many others. Retroactive sense of loss, too, for people like Bruce Lee and Marilyn Monroe.

[nickinSTL]

43. Princess Diana

I didn't know who Lennon was at the time he died (I was 7)

John Ritter shocked me.

But Diana's death was a shock and the first death that ever really hit me hard emotionally. (I haven't had a lot of death among friends or family...grandfathers were both gone by the time I was 6, and since then, only 1 aunt by marriage, who I didn't know very well)

[Qanisqineq]

171. ditto... Princess Di

[dad]

44. -

It really surprised me, but Stevie Ray Vaughan's death bummed me out for several days. I didn't think I cared so much about the guy. His was the first live show I ever saw in concert - always was a big fan.

[TexasBushwhacker]

66. I miss Stevie too

It was so sad, because he'd finally conquered his demons and was making the best music of his life. He truly revived the interest in the blues and many older artists, like Buddy Guy, enjoyed a "shot in the arm" to their careers because of Stevie. It was a cryin' shame.

[amish_enforcer]

46. Phil Hartman

That guy was a great comedian and actor and seemed very down to earth...way too early and horrible way for him to go.

[GreenPartyVoter]

48. Chris Farley, too.

[donhakman]

91. good ol Phil, his wife was a pill

[ellie]

47. Kurt Cobain

It was very upsetting.

[Vickers]

49. Me, too.

:(

[quinnox]

51. Gene Siskel

I know it is a bit odd but I really liked him and watched Siskel and Ebert faithfully to see the reviews.

Second would probably be Princess Di because it was so unexpected.

[TexasBushwhacker]

63. I miss Gene!

His death just broke my heart. Even when he didn't like a film, his reviews were never cruel or mean. He didn't seem to be full of himself like some critics are. He truly loved films and you could tell. He was a great critic and a great man.

[Snellius]

92. He was one of those you don't know how much you miss til they're gone

I never thought much about Gene Siskel, and the way he looked at films not just as a critic but as a human being, until he unexpectedly passed away.

[TexasBushwhacker]

52. Lennon, Princess Di, Cobain, JFK Jr.,

and the list goes on. There are many celebrities deaths that make me go "awww", but when they're old and they've lived a full life, it's not all that surprising. Paul Newman will be 80 next year and after seeing him on Letterman this year, I think he may live to be 100, but whenever he goes, it will be a sad day for me. He's a great actor and a great philanthropist.

The others, Lennon, Princess Di, Cobain, JFK Jr., are ones that I can remember where I was when I heard they'd died. It was just so shocking. I was especially saddened by Cobain's suicide, because I just don't think he ever got the proper treatment for his depression and his addictions.

[noonwitch]

55. John Lennon-it was so unexpected

Plus, the man who wrote "Imagine" and "Give Peace a Chance" being gunned down by a psycho was just too tragic of an irony.

[Cheswick2.0]

56. Wellstone, Ritter and I have to admit Princess Diana.....Mr Rogers

Paul Wellstone because I felt he was marked or being too liberal and courageous about it. Ritter because he just seemed like such a good soul and DI because she was such a huge presence in the world and had suffered so much unhappiness.

PS.. Mr Rogers, what a loving and spiritual man and what a treasure to children of several generations. The secret to his appeal with kids what the gentleness love, understanding and acceptance he modeled for them. Kids felt he was someone safe and that he cared for them.

[russian33]

57. Princess Di, JFK Jr., Aaliyah

[Samurai_Writer]

58. Dr. Seuss!

I cried for days while I reread all my old Dr. Seuss books. *sniffs*

RIP, good Doctor.

[ronnykmarshall]

59. Lucille Ball, Princess Diana, John Lennon

and my beloved Florence Ballard of the Supremes.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

61. John Lennon

who devoted his life to peace. I was a child when RFK and MLK were killed, but was old enough to be horrified by the loss of these compassionate and charismatic leaders to assassinations.
Also saddened by Jim Henson's death. MKJ

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

64. Anwar Sadat

One of the visionaries for peace in the Middle East, assassinated on my birthday. MKJ

[dryan]

67. Dr. King and Princess Di

I was scheduled to sing in a concer the night that Dr. King was killed. We couldn't cancel it since the place in Tampa was sold out. At the end we sang "We Shall Overcome" in his honor and I don't think there was a dry eye in the place including mine.

Princess Diana's death was tragic because she was so lovely and was trying to make a life for herself. I think what the Royal Family did to her was shocking and petty.

[Norquist Nemesis]

68. Lennon here as well.

I, too, was very young with JFK, RFK, and MLK. So young, in fact, with JFK's funeral that for years I thought it was Lincol's funeral (apparently to the continuous references by the media to similarities in the ceremonies, I'm guessing).

Lennon had such an enormous impact on our culture through his words and deeds. He inspired an entire generation. Sadly, today's youth barely knows who John Lennon is. I was in Washington DC recently and the Hard Rock Cafe near the Ford Theatre has a big statue of Lennon perched above the stairs leading down to the restrooms. We asked the kids (aged 13-16) on the trip with us who that was. NONE of them knew. Nor did they know who the Beatles were. :( :( :( (We gave them an education. LOL!!!)

on edit: Welcome to DU! :hi

[RebelOne]

69. Elvis, of course.

[RandomKoolzip]

70. John Lennon and Frank Zappa.

Lennon, because his death was one of my earliest memories, and as a child I worshipped him.

Zappa, because he was my hero, and he died the week after my own father died. It was a bad month.

[kcwayne]

71. Jimi Hendrix

[OKNancy]

72. Gregory Hines

recently

[TexasBushwhacker]

88. That was such a shock

They said he told very few people that he was ill because he really truly thought he would beat it, right up until the very end. So sad.

[OKNancy]

99. Although my avatar

is the pointe shoe, my real forte is tap. He was a real inspiration to me.

[TexasBushwhacker]

167. Gregory was THE MAN

when it came to tap. BTW, did you know that Christopher Walken started out in musical theater? At 6', he's taller than most dancers and he said he was usually stuck in the back with Tommy Tune.

[Blue_Roses]

73. Definitely JFKjr., Princess Di and John Ritter

n/t

[cmf]

74. JFK Jr., Princess Di, Mr. Rogers

Mr. Rogers wasn't shocking like the other two, but it was more like the death of my childhood.

[wtmusic]

80. Mr. Rogers was cool

He was wholesome without being "scary wholesome".

[GreenPartyVoter]

84. Mr. Rogers and Captain Kangaroo. Felt a real pang over both of them.

[jmowreader]

75. Jim Henson and Frank Zappa

On edit: Also Dale Earnhardt.

[Kazak]

78. Frank Zappa/Mary Hansen

I'm still crushed over those...

:cry:

[wicket]

81. Stevie Ray Vaughn

His death was crushing. He had finally cleaned up and gotten back on track, and then it was all over :(

[in_cog_ni_to]

153. I didn't know Stevie Ray Vaughn died! Damn!

Loved that guy! I have a few of his CD's, but haven't listened to them for a while. Maybe I will do that...just to honor him. ;)

[Stuckinthebush]

82. Mr. Rogers

There was a decent, powerful, human being. I still get a little teary thinking about Fred.

[m-jean03]

104. Same here.

I cried like a baby when I found out he died -- totally shocked myself by doing so, I should add! He was a wonderful person who touched many lives and hearts.

RIP, Mister Rogers.

[Paranoid_Portlander]

86. Mozart

I don't care if it happened more than 200 years ago. I'm still upset over it. All that sublime music suddenly cut off at age 36. Think what he could have accomplished.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

90. In that same vein, how about Buddy Holly

I always felt if he lived, he would have been making amazing music into his 70's or 80's. MKJ

[liberalitch]

89. Phil Hartman, John Lennon, Jackie O

JFK Jr. really sucked too

[donhakman]

94. Assasination is worse than murder

Phil went after the Tobbacco industry and made lite of JC but I do not believe he was assasinated...

Unlike Lennon, RFK,MLK,JFK...

[funkybutt]

96. yeah..think his wife was just nutz

very sad one indeed

[bearfan454]

93. Walter Payton

[funkybutt]

95. Kurt Cobain

wasn't around for alot of those other deaths

[Bluzmann57]

98. Paul Wellstone and SRV

Mr. Wellstone for all the good work he did, not only for Minnesotans, but for America as well, and Stevie Ray Vaughan because he cleaned up his act, was content and doing what he loved to do. And I was there for Stevie's last jam. Little did anyone know...

[progressivebydesign]

101. John Lennon. N/T

[Corgigal]

103. JFK Jr

The Dem party lost a possibly rising leader in that young man. He had the beauty of his mom. He didn't even live longer then his dad.
He would have been senator in NY anytime he chose to run.

[LosinIt]

105. Agreed, and now to hear about his choice in a wife

He could have had virtually any woman he wanted. If the scuttlebutt is true, the one he chose didn't love him back. Sad.

[Corgigal]

111. thought about that

some men like a woman who gives them a hard time. They like the thrill of the chase. Well that poor guy sure as hell got that.

[stavka]

107. Phil Hartman by far.....

[stavka]

108. ...and then Joe Strummer

[gpandas]

109. lounge topic

[Raskolnik]

113. Johnny Cash!

Every time I heard a Johnny Cash song on NPR for the last few years, my heart would sink as I wondered if this was the story on his death. When my alarm clock woke me up on the morning of his death with "Ring of Fire", I knew that it wasn't going to be a happy story. It wasn't.

There won't be another like him. Ever.

[VOX]

179. Cash's last song," The Man Comes Around," is spooky yet uplifting...

Cash pulled out all the doomsday stops for his final original song, and it's a corker. Who else but The Man in Black could pen a line as poetic and as dark as "the whirlwind is in the thorn tree?"

The Man Comes Around

Introduction (Spoken)
And I heard as it were the noise of thunder
One of the four beasts saying come and see and I saw
And behold a white horse

Song
There's a man going around taking names
And he decides who to free and who to blame
Every body won't be treated quite the same
There will be a golden ladder reaching down
When the man comes around

The hairs on your arm will stand up
At the terror in each sip and each sup
Will you partake of that last offered cup
Or disappear into the potter's ground
When the man comes around

CHORUS
Hear the trumpets hear the pipers one hundred million angels singing
Multitudes are marching to a big kettledrum
Voices calling and voices crying
Some are born and some are dying
Its alpha and omega's kingdom come
And the whirlwind is in the thorn tree
The virgins are all trimming their wicks
The whirlwind is in the thorn tree
It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks
Till Armageddon no shalam no shalom

Then the father hen will call his chickens home
The wise man will bow down before the throne
And at his feet they will cast the golden crowns
When the man comes around

Whoever is unjust let him be unjust still
Whoever is righteous let him be righteous still
Whoever is filthy let him be filthy still
Listen to the words long written down
When the man comes around

CHORUS
Hear the trumpets hear the pipers one hundred million angels singing
Multitudes are marching to a big kettledrum
Voices calling and voices crying
Some are born and some are dying
Its alpha and omegas kingdom come
And the whirlwind is in the thorn tree
The virgins are all trimming their wicks
The whirlwind is in the thorn tree
It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks
In measured hundred weight and penny pound
When the man comes around

Close (Spoken)
And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts
And I looked and behold, a pale horse
And it's name it said on him was Death
And Hell followed with him.

[calimary]

114. John Lennon and George Harrison.

I answered earlier, but wanted to make sure people saw George's name on the reply list, too.

[catzies]

118. George's death devastated me.

I mourned for months.

[TLDHOME99]

115. No need for greed or hunger....a brotherhood of man--John Lennon

Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

I was living in NYC at the time -- on the way to work the morning after, not a dry eye on the train.

[Delano]

117. Kennedy.

Because our form of government was stolen from us, irreparably, I fear.

I can't think of any celebs whose death upset me personally, since I don't know them personally.

I will miss seeing Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau...

As for John Lennon, I was only 11 or 12 when he was killed, so it didn't faze me at the time, but it seems that his death did turn him into something bigger than he was before. I love his music, but in a way, it's nice that his legacy is preserved and we don't have to see him age and deteriorate, or start to produce watered-down commercial pap like Sting does now.

I know that's a pretty selfish way of looking at it, but hey - I never kneew the guy personally. The extent of our relationship is musician-listener.

I'll be kinda sad when the original "Star Trek" cast starts dying off. Oh yeah, DeForrest Kelley's already gone. I noticed that Leonard Nimoy looks the same now as he did 20 years ago in the new priceline commercials, but Shatner is more bloated and sick-looking than ever...

[calimary]

144. We've actually lost two "Star Trek" people: Dr. McCoy and Sarek of Vulcan

and I, too, dread the day when the biggies - like Shatner and Nimoy - make the jump to lightspeed.

EXCUSE ME: THREE. The Great Bird himself. Gene Roddenberry. The visionary. His death was a huge jolt. It just wasn't supposed to happen to him. At all.

[veganwitch]

119. Mister Rogers

and i remember when jim henson died too. i was very very sad.

[Minstrel Boy]

121. Mr DressUp

Canadian children's television icon. Grew up watching him. Really sweet guy, too. Kind of an idealized Dad, for me and probably hundreds of thousands across several generations. Died just a few days after 9/11, as if that wasn't bad enough.



Also, Pierre Trudeau. His death really touched me, surprisingly so.

I never voted for him, but I realized quickly once he'd left office how good we'd had it.

[TexasSissy]

122. I was sad when Richard Crenna passed away last year.

Luke! Luke!

[GumboYaYa]

123. Miles Davis,

I had seen him play just a few weeks before he died. He was so full of life that day, it shocked me when he died so soon afterwards.

Also, Elvis was big for me. I still remeber hearing the news Elvis had died. I was seven years old and was returning from a vacation in Florida. We heard the news on the car radio. It is one of the most vivid memories I have from my childhood. Ironically, my first really vivid memory from childhood is seeing Nixon get on the helicopter to leave the White House. It's funny what sticks with you as you age.

[devilgrrl]

124. Raul Julia - Frank Zappa - George Harrison

nt

[TexasBushwhacker]

168. Raul!!!!

OMG, I was so upset when he passed away. He was doing such great work. Those eyes, that wonderful voice ....

[VolcanoJen]

126. Jerry Garcia, John Lennon, Kurt Cobain, Princess Di.

:-(

[gpandas]

127. why won't this stupid belongs in the lounge thread die?

on edit added thread

[indigobusiness]

134. Diagram that sentence...

even after editing...and win a prize.

[gpandas]

160. belongs in the lounge is a modifier, and should

have been hyphenated, i guess. good eye, though

[Shredr]

128. River Phoenix

I was there that night and saw all the commotion but only learned later that it was River Phoenix.
It was a sobering experience. Literally.

[indigobusiness]

131. Sid Vicious

Princess Di was gut wrenching...and I was in such denial when John Lennon was murdered, it took a long time to get through to me. But I felt the world become considerably less substantial when he passed.

John's death was the earth-shaker.

[jmags]

132. Walter Payton

[Lydia Leftcoast]

133. In the entertainment industry:

Janis Joplin, Phil Hartman, John Lennon, Audrey Hepburn

The first time I remember being affected by the death of public figures was in 1961, when the entire U.S. figure skating team was killed in a plane crash on their way to attend the World Championships in Europe. I was ten years old and had just recently watched the Nationals on TV, so I felt very sad to think that the people who had lost the Nationals and not made the World team were the lucky ones. :-(

[laruemtt]

137. John Lennon.

then John Denver.

[Lestat]

140. Paul Wellstone and Princess Diana.

:cry:

[itsnoteasybeingreen]

141. Garcia and Shannon Hoon N/T

[TrogL]

142. Churchill, JFK, RFK, MLK

OK, so I'm old

[Bertha Venation]

146. Lucille Ball.

I remember it like it was yesterday. Anyone ever hear of Kent Shockneck? He was the news guy on duty at L.A.'s NBC affiliate. It was in the morning. He came on with that carved-from-cream-cheese hair to break the bad news.

I sobbed.

[nini]

148. John Ritter shocked me

around my age and it just blew me away.


Also, Princess Diana.. that one was very sad.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

178. Losing John Ritter was like losing a favorite relative.

He'd always been there, and I didn't realize how much I loved him until he was gone. John Ritter was the best. I know there's a special place in heaven for people who make others happy.

And kleeb said "John Lennon. When I found out how he'd died, I thought it was shocking and tragic." He can't post. His computer is messed up.

Duckie

[Guy_Montag]

149. Would I be a freak if I said

I've never been upset by a celeb dying. I get upset when one of my family dies, & I'm lucky enough to say that I've never had a friend die, but I imagine that would bother me too.

But someone I've never met dying? Sorry folks doesn't bother me - wonderful people die every day you it's just you've heard of them. If you mourned each & every one you would never live your own life.

[gpandas]

161. another realist? n/t

[last_texas_dem]

166. I tend to agree with you

I don't consider myself a hardhearted person at all; in general, I'm very sympathetic towards others and very emotionally connected to the people I know, the people I am truly concerned with. For some reason hearing about celebrities dying has never touched me that much; maybe I have just never formulated such an intense emotional bond with someone I never really knew. I've never cried over any celebrity death; I didn't even cry over September 11th or other such similar tragedies... I guess I just didn't relate to such events on the level that I would be affected that much.

I'm pretty young so haven't lived through the deaths of a lot of famous people, but if I had to list any, there are two. George Harrison made me feel down a little because I love his music, with and without the Beatles, and he seemed like a nice person. And Paul Wellstone's death totally shocked me, because it was so out of the blue and because he seemed like such a genuinely good person as well.

[VOX]

150. John Belushi...

His death was his final overindulgence.

I liked Belushi, and of course, thought he was very funny.

For some reason, his death really threw me -- I'm at a loss to explain it adequately, but I was really off the mark for several days after it occurred.

[Mr Creosote]

151. Frank Zappa

I still miss him. Also John Lennon. Malcolm Marshall (of whom none of you will have heard). James Hunt was a shock because he was the first of my boyhood heroes to go.

[Bat Boy]

164. Amen to that....

Frank would be having so much fun right now.

[amandae]

154. Kurt Cobain, John Ritter, Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau

All people I would have liked to meet someday .... I know Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau were older and lived full lives, but I was still upset when they died. I'm a huge "Odd Couple" fan and loved watching them together (and apart) in any movie they did (no matter how silly or bad).

[livetohike]

155. Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Jim Croce

and wondering which rock star would be next. Sad.

[johnnie]

156. Lennon was the most upsetting

Just getting back to the scene. He stood so much for peace and all, and being 16 I was looking forward to being of age when he was out doing his thing. I was shocked to hear he was assassinated. Rock stars didn't get killed in my 16 yr old mind.

[PAMod]

158. JFK, Jr.

What a waste. He could have been anything he wanted to be.

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

159. John Lennon

I remember thinking who would want to shoot him? I was absolutely horrified that morning when I heard the news. I'm still bewildered by that act. Senseless, totally, totally senseless.

[richmwill]

162. Freddie Mercury

I'll admit, I cried. I'm a HUGE Queen fan, so that hit me hard.

[geniph]

172. Several have made me cry, but the one no one has mentioned

was just a few months ago - Atticus Finch himself, Gregory Peck. I bawled like a baby.

The others that actually made me cry - Lennon, SRV, Cobain, Zappa, Garcia, Wellstone - have all already been mentioned.

[VOX]

175. True. Greg Peck took a bit of America with him when he departed...

He ras rugged, courteous, all-inclusive, open, and self-effacing. Peck embodied the best traits that anyone could aspire to have.

[muriel_volestrangler]

174. Douglas Adams

Totally unexpected, and one of the few celebrities I actually admired.

[Skittles]

176. Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

very sad ends

[SmileyBoy]

181. Kurt Cobain.

I wouldn't be so upset about it if he died today, but I was an angst-ridden 12 year-old who adored Nirvana at that time.

[rumguy]

182. Johnny Cash

[Gothic Sponge]

183. Frank Zappa and John Lennon

I was too young when Lennon died, but i still think it was a BIG loss.

[kodi]

185. john lennon's. it was childhood's end for a generation.

after that, jerry garcia.

the most devestating though was robert f kennedy's.

[Lorien]

186. Jim Henson

He was negotiating the sale of the Muppets to Disney in a conference room not 20 feet from my desk, so I saw him every day for a few weeks. We always nodded when we passed each other in the hallway or parking lot, but we never really had a conversation. I kept putting it off. Then he was gone for four days and one morning a secretary said he died. I just couldn't believe it! He looked just fine four days before-tired, but fine. I cried all the way home that afternoon; it felt like part of my childhood died with him. :-(

[andino]

188. Mr Rodgers. I still can't watch with my son without

getting a pit in my stomach. He was such a good man.

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

189. George Harrison

:(

[Fleshdancer]

190. I guess River Phoenix because of how young he was

it really freaked me out when it happened because he wasn't that much older than me when it happened.

[fudge stripe cookays]

191. Jeff Buckley

His voice was so ethereal and beautiful; it moved me so much. I wore my copy of "Grace" out I played it so much.

I found out he died in the grocery store flipping through a People magazine. My mom was with me. I'd just suffered a miscarriage a few days before, so she'd come up to help me out.

The minute I flipped the page and saw the article, I let out this jagged half-scream in the middle of the grocery store and began crying (I was already a hormonal mess). Mom didn't know what the hell was wrong with me, and was really embarrassed.

I cried for what seemed like hours.

In 1994, I got to see him at the 21st Amendment in downtown Dallas, and I was so glad I'd gone. I had a major test the next day, but I was not going to miss him. In retrospect, it was a wise decision. I did ok on the test anyway.

[NightTrain]

193. In recent years, it was Curtis Mayfield's death.

In high school, it was John Lennon's and later Marvin Gaye's. Both men were killed suddenly when I was just beginning to discover their wonderful music. :(

[thebaghwan]

194. John Lennon, RFK, Ken Kesey and Gilbert Roland

n/t

[Exultant Democracy]

196. Roald Dahl

I still get misty to this day thinking about it. I remember clinging to my third grade teacher Mr. Overbeck crying my eyes out, In all I spent about three straight days crying.

When I have my own children I will read them Roald Dahl books just like my mother read them to me.

Thank you Mr. Dahl.

[justjones]

197. Marvin Gaye, Princess Di, Aaliyah, Lisa "Left-eye" Lopes, Eazy-E, Tupac...

...and of course, Biggie Smalls.

[Leprechan29]

198. Paul (McCartney) had to be the kicker

He did die right?

(/end sarcasm and late night attempt at wittiness)