Celebrity Death Thread 2011

[Mertron]

this is all the car's fault

stupid fucking insensitive cars

[Psychosis]

Morality.. Such a weak thing to debate when it doesn't really exist, kinda like Ryan.. In all due respect he's Dunn for now.

R.I.P.

[Eurell]

Spoiler: show

There is a problem with it, in fact: glossing over the reality of the situation. As mentioned earlier, under the guise of humanism, individuals are praising someone while neglecting to mention that they were responsible not only for their own death, but for that of another person -- in short, they killed someone else, not simply themselves. (If you have not read more updated stories, it has been confirmed that he had an incredibly high alcohol level -- the autopsy didn't take long, evidently.) If he survived, but his friend had not, and the justice system were fair, he would be facing jail time for his actions -- not an endless parade of love and praise.

This should be mentioned, recognized, and emphasized, because an outpouring of admiration that deliberately ignores the damning details provides no example for others to learn from. Out of the desire to be "politically correct," an important point is consciously being avoided. That is why these sorts of things continue to happen, and are accepted as normal. It would be an ideal time, therefore, for family and friends to come out against drunk driving; his death could, in fact, produce a useful after-effect for society if it was used as an example. Will this happen in the future? One can only hope.

Meanwhile, by painting it as a tragedy (when it was deliberate, and likely one of thousands of times when he'd driven drunkenly), a disservice is done. Likewise, by saying something completely out of focus -- namely, "if someone dies doing something stupid and reckless it negates anything positive they ever did" -- you're proving the impotence of the counterargument; the subject is not whether he was involved in anything that made people laugh or not while alive, but rather, whether he should be lauded after dying a completely irresponsible death (via means that also endangered others, and literally killed someone else, at that).

He should not be. His death was of his own making. He was careless, disregarded the importance of human life on a regular basis, and died while taking another life with him. That does not deserve respect, as it in of itself was a disrespectful act -- one that easily could have resulted in the deaths of any of those people willfully ignoring why it happened.

It's a pitiable but earned demise, and -- especially considering their celebrity status -- should be made a point of at every opportunity. If such showcasing makes a single person change their mind about drinking and driving, that is a more valuable after-effect than any amount of disposable, inauthentic, "going through the motions" affection shared via Twitter, Facebook, or any other medium will ever be.

Ebert used his fame for the right reasons, understanding that a large amount of people would read his statement and understand exactly what he meant. That's infinitely more important than non-relatives crying over an individual who could have very well been responsible for multiple deaths, and who was already liable for one.

While I normally agree with just about everything you say, Im seeing a few problems with this.

Many of us who feel bad about his death are not ignoring the facts. We realize and have stated that, yes he's an idiot. Yes he's a murderer (although his friend is retarded for getting in the car and knew damn well what could have happened). But as Qal said, that doesn't change the fact that people are going to mourn, and miss him for the things that he did in life.

Also, just because it was 100% his own fault, does not mean its not a tragedy. And the subject is not whether or not he should be lauded after dying a completely irresponsible death. The subject is celebrity deaths. Some people are going to miss him, some people aren't. People are obviously going to disagree about his death (even if it wasnt a car accident, Jackass was a love it or hate it kinda thing), but I dont think anyone that hates him for drunk driving is an idiot, just like I don't think that anyone that mourns his death is an idiot.

Ebert on the other hand, I feel is an idiot. His comment was just completely inappropriate and I don't see how it's going to change anyones opinion and drinking and driving. I don't even think his comment was incorrect in its message, I just think it seemed like being a dick just to be a dick.

[Rhinox]

While I normally agree with just about everything you say, Im seeing a few problems with this.

Many of us who feel bad about his death are not ignoring the facts. We realize and have stated that, yes he's an idiot. Yes he's a murderer (although his friend is retarded for getting in the car and knew damn well what could have happened). But as Qal said, that doesn't change the fact that people are going to mourn, and miss him for the things that he did in life.

Also, just because it was 100% his own fault, does not mean its not a tragedy. And the subject is not whether or not he should be lauded after dying a completely irresponsible death. The subject is celebrity deaths. Some people are going to miss him, some people aren't. People are obviously going to disagree about his death (even if it wasnt a car accident, Jackass was a love it or hate it kinda thing), but I dont think anyone that hates him for drunk driving is an idiot, just like I don't think that anyone that mourns his death is an idiot.

Ebert on the other hand, I feel is an idiot. His comment was just completely inappropriate and I don't see how it's going to change anyones opinion and drinking and driving. I don't even think his comment was incorrect in its message, I just think it seemed like being a dick just to be a dick.

A doctor on his way to submit the cure for aids swerving off the road and car exploding killing him and burning the cure is a tragedy.

A soldier on his way home from being a POW for 15 years to see his daughter for the first time dying in the airplane crash just minutes from the airport is a tragedy.

A father donating his kidney for his critically ill daughter dying due to an infection caused by sepsis during the transplant procedure infecting all the organs and making them ineligible to the save the life of his daughter and she dies as well is a tragedy.

Some asshole drinking and driving killing his friend and himself in the process is NOT a tragedy.

[Eurell]

Him being an asshole does not stop it from being a tragedy if people are still sad about it.

[Eticket]

Really? Now we're arguing about definitions?

This whole thing is subjective.

I look at it as something to celebrate now that the BA level info is out. A drunk driver managed to kill himself and someone stupid enough to let him drive... and they didn't hurt anyone else in the process. That's a win in my book.

[Eticket]

In other news, RIP Nick Charles.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=6703751

[Eticket]

Hall of Fame TE John Mackey

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-mackey-obit

[Rhinox]

Betty Ford.

[Militant]

Looks like we dodged a bullet here;

http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07...e-and-kicking/

[Kirin]

http://www.playbill.com/news/article...een-Dies-at-87

Roberts Blossom dead at 87. (The Home Alone guy who shoveled snow). Had completely forgotton he was in Slaughterhouse Five and The Great Gatsby.

[Akiyama]

Amy Winehouse found dead in her London Flat. She was 27.

Didn't see that one coming at all. Nope.

[sruon]

Amy Winehouse found dead in her London Flat. She was 27.

Didn't see that one coming at all. Nope.

good riddance

[Metta]

good riddance

Abit harsh, did seem like she was going that way for a long time though.

[Conrad]

If only she had gone to rehab.

[Insanecyclone]

Who?

[Kumbai]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14262237

[Guitarman]

^lulz.

also, and nothing of value was lost. really waiting to hear charlie sheen next.

[tyven]

http://twitter.com/#!/Jesus_M_Christ...09131894050816

[Insanecyclone]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14262237

Never heard of her until now(seriously). Looks like a stupid bitch and died of OD? Damn.