Why Do Celebrity Deaths Affect Us So Much?

[BettieC]

OMG......how many celebs

 

[Geekgirl69]

I was just thinking the same thing.

 

[chefcharity]

I just saw that! Thought these came in 3's - this is #4! (Ed McMann, Farrah, Micheal and now Billy - wow!) does thsi start the cycle again and there will be 2 more?

 

[heat123]

I just saw that! Thought these came in 3's - this is #4! (Ed McMann, Farrah, Micheal and now Billy - wow!) does thsi start the cycle again and there will be 2 more?

I thought the same thing!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

OMG......how many celebs

All of them, eventually.

 

[BettieC]

lol................i guess so

 

[raebates]

I'm sorry for Billy Mays' family, but I'm not sure I'd call him a celebrity or put him on par with Ed, Farrah, and Michael.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

I'm sorry for Billy Mays' family, but I'm not sure I'd call him a celebrity or put him on par with Ed, Farrah, and Michael.

Now, WILLIE Mays, that's another story.

 

[nikked]

I just saw that! Thought these came in 3's - this is #4! (Ed McMann, Farrah, Micheal and now Billy - wow!) does thsi start the cycle again and there will be 2 more?

Actually it's #5...it started with David Carradine. When you consider the whole "it comes in threes" thing, that means there one more to go.

As far as Billy Mays goes, while I agree that he was not a "star" in the normal sense of the word, he has greatly impacted all of our lives in one way or another with his products and his zeal. I have really enjoyed the Discovery show "Pitchmen" this year, and have seen a side of Billy and that industry that I never had before. His children are adorable (they were on the show a few times), and his oldest son was beginning to work in the industry as well, shooting infomercials.

I was so saddened to hear that he has passed.

 

[BettieC]

Actually it's #5...it started with David Carradine. When you consider the whole "it comes in threes" thing, that means there one more to go.

As far as Billy Mays goes, while I agree that he was not a "star" in the normal sense of the word, he has greatly impacted all of our lives in one way or another with his products and his zeal. I have really enjoyed the TLC show "Pitchmen" this year, and have seen a side of Billy and that industry that I never had before. His children are adorable (they were on the show a few times), and his oldest son was beginning to work in the industry as well, shooting infomercials.

I was so saddened to hear that he has passed.

Oh yeah I forgot about DC

 

[raebates]

Actually it's #5...it started with David Carradine. When you consider the whole "it comes in threes" thing, that means there one more to go.

As far as Billy Mays goes, while I agree that he was not a "star" in the normal sense of the word, he has greatly impacted all of our lives in one way or another with his products and his zeal. I have really enjoyed the TLC show "Pitchmen" this year, and have seen a side of Billy and that industry that I never had before. His children are adorable (they were on the show a few times), and his oldest son was beginning to work in the industry as well, shooting infomercials.

I was so saddened to hear that he has passed.

Ah, I understand now. I have an antenna, so if he did a lot on cable/satellite stations, I'm oblivious. To me he's a guy who shows up on a few commercials a month.

 

[DessertDivaFL]

My husband said he probably inhaled too much Oxi-Clean. I think it will be interesting to find out the autopsy report.

 

[chefcharity]

ya know, this is #6... the first was Bea Arthur - now she was a star!

 

[BettieC]

ya know, this is #6... the first was Bea Arthur - now she was a star!

OMGosh.....you're right!! I love her how could I forget???

 

[pclinskie]

they said he hit is head in a plane landing, no seat belt.
That young actress also hit her head skiing. OM goodness.

 

[esavvymom]

they said he hit is head in a plane landing, no seat belt.
That young actress also hit her head skiing. OM goodness.

actually, the news was reporting that it was a rough landing and they said things fell from the overhead areas- either from the compartments or from the ceiling itself from the way his interview on camera was shown.
He said he got hit in the head but that fortunately he had a 'hard head'. I wonder if it wasn't hard enough and he had a slow bleed.

Very sad. Who would have thought.....

 

[pcchefjane]

Well let's hope that this is #6 and we are done for a while... Wonder if they will pull his Oxi-Clean commercials or just let them run until they can get a new spokeperson filmed...

 

[nikked]

... I have really enjoyed the TLC show "Pitchmen" this year...

A correction..."Pitchmen" is on Discovery, not TLC...I get those two chanels mixed up sometimes. Sorry!

 

[PCMomto4]

I just read in our paper that he had heart disease and more than likely died of a heart attack, but are awaiting more test results before saying for sure. They did say he had no head trauma and had some pain meds in his system, but they were prescribed and it wasn't in excessive amounts.

 

[msunn1973]

OMG......how many celebs

Unfortunately, here's another that just passed... Fred Travalena. He was the comedian know as "the man of a thousand faces". He was very good at impersonations. I guess that would be eight now.

But I'm sure he won't be the last, seeing as how everyone has to go someday and how much media coverage there is these days.

 

[baychef]

I wish it was the Sham WOW guy, but at least I won't have to mute my tv. Love Billy Mays, but my goodness his voice was far too loud. Commercials are too loud as it is...and I know they do that on purpose. Just is a great indicator to me that it is time to mute or change the channel.

They say it was heart disease and not anything that resulted from his flight. He and Michael are the same age as me. This does make one feel uneasy!

 

[mscharf]

I just saw that! Thought these came in 3's - this is #4! (Ed McMann, Farrah, Micheal and now Billy - wow!) does thsi start the cycle again and there will be 2 more?

actually it would be 5- David Caradine also died very recently

 

[Addie4TLC]

I wish it was the Sham WOW guy, but at least I won't have to mute my tv. Love Billy Mays, but my goodness his voice was far too loud. Commercials are too loud as it is...and I know they do that on purpose. Just is a great indicator to me that it is time to mute or change the channel.

They say it was heart disease and not anything that resulted from his flight. He and Michael are the same age as me. This does make one feel uneasy!

I just turned 41 and remember always knowing Michael was 10 years older. He would have been 41 in August. I'm two years younger than Janet and 12 years younger than Latoya!

 

[BettieC]

I just turned 41 and remember always knowing Michael was 10 years older. He would have been 41 in August. I'm two years younger than Janet and 12 years younger than Latoya!

Me too.........I'll be 41 in Aug.....

 

[Addie4TLC]

We kind of hijacked, huh? Some useless trivia...

Billy's B-day was July 20, 1958. He was 50 just like MJ.
Here is a list of other 50 year olds that better be carful and keeping healthy so it's not a trend this year!

Kate Bush
Angela Bassett
Madonna
Steve Guttenberg
Tim Burton
Scott Hamilton
Jeff Foxworthy
Andrea Bocelli (noooooo!)
Shaun Cassidy
Tanya Tucker
Tim Robbins
Jamie Lee Curtis
Bebe Neuwirth

 

[cathyskitchen]

You know, people die every day. The only reason these people's deaths mean anything to us is because they were famous and we feel like we "know" them. But, like KG said, everyone dies someday. I'm just sick of all the press over all of these deaths (and the tributes playing non-stop since Thursday!!!) - it's a natural part of life.

 

[Addie4TLC]

My son is 12 and said "Didn't people hate Michael Jackson? Why all of a sudden EVERYONE loves him?"

I guess it's the fact they WERE famous and realtively young that causes an impact, puts death in our faces when we don't think we can ALL go at any time at a younger age than we're prepared for. So love more, hate less and make the best of it.

 

[baychef]

Actually, Kathy, I am glad they have been paying tribute. Yes, people die every day and yes, they were famous and that is why we know about them. For me personally, the Jackson 5's success was when I was growing up myself. It brought me back to a more innocent time in my life because these songs are not played too often any more. Also, watching the movie about the Jackson family put somethings in perspective as far as how someone can go from sleeping 3 kids in a bed to the wealth he had.

Why do we celebrate and remember anyone? Do we not still play Beethovan's music? The Beatles? Elvis?

Elvis met Pricilla when she was 14 and it was love at first sight. On their second date they may not have had "sex" but they slept in the same bed. Last I knew consentual or not...and whether the parents agreed or not...that is illegal. If you read her book, they were doing more than holding hands before they were married.

The day MJ died there was non stop reporting because as in life...there is still mystery in his death. I still could flip a channel on tv or a radio and not hear it if I was tired of it.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Here's a link to the Atlanta Journal's political/satire cartoonist. This is the Michael Jackson one - it really is rather humorous.

http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/opinion/luckovichjune09/

Flip through them and there's a good one for Billy Mays too.

 

[BettieC]

hehe that was cute Linda

 

[pcchefjane]

Just saw that actors Jan Rubes died Tuesday and actors Karl Malden, and Harv Presnell died today; also actress Molly Sugden whom I've never heard of died today! Also Choreographer Pina Bausch died Tuesday. Gale Storm died on the 27th... I remember watching her on the "Gale Storm Show" when I was little. What is up with all these celebs dying lately? I found this website and it lists all the ones who have died in 2009... http://www.dpsinfo.com/dps/2009.html#latest

 

[chefsteph07]

You know, people die every day. The only reason these people's deaths mean anything to us is because they were famous and we feel like we "know" them. But, like KG said, everyone dies someday. I'm just sick of all the press over all of these deaths (and the tributes playing non-stop since Thursday!!!) - it's a natural part of life.

For me, with Farrah and MJ passing, I feel like a part of my childhood has died as well...MJ has said in interviews that the reason he loved Peter Pan was because he never grew up...guess he's more like PP now than ever..
And now Farrah can be with the real angels...