Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Catching Up

Okay, so I have been out of the "blog-loop" since Sunday, except for occasional peeks to see what was going on (and to keep my Google Reader from imploding!)

My thoughts on the recent "Celebrity Apocalypse":

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

David Carradine:

Photobucket

Okay, so arguably, Carradine is the recent death that kicked off this boom-boom-boom month of deaths. Carradine was someone I recall from childhood, mainly due to my mother's fondness for him and his role as Kwai Chang Caine on "Kung Fu" and "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues". To me, his best role was in the "Kill Bill" films.

But his weirdest role, and the one I will always think of now, was in "Sonny Boy", a small budget wack-a-doodle of a film from 1989 in which he played Pearl, who was either a man in drag living as the wife of another man, or just a strange, homely, lonely woman. So bizarre, I don't know what I could say to describe it other than "odd".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ed McMahon:

Ed

Didn't really watch him as Carson's sidekick much, I knew him more from "TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes" with Dick Clark, and also from "Star Search".

He seemed like a good enough emcee. And he seemed like a nice enough guy, from what I saw of his TV-persona. Glad he is done suffering now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Farrah Fawcett:

Farrah

Out of the Angels, I was always a "Sabrina Duncan"/Kate Jackson fan. But who didn't know Farrah? She was more than just an actress, she became sort of the symbol of the 70s beauty. She was adored by millions of boys (and men) and copied by millions of girls (and women).

I was one who bought into the weird side of her, due to her appearance on Letterman a few years back. But the recent special that aired prior to her death showed a different side of Farrah. She was a woman who was battling a deadly disease with courage and a sense of humor. I am sad she is gone, but glad she is no longer suffering, as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michael Jackson:

Jackson

Wow. Even though he had been out of the major spotlight for so long, he was such an icon that he would always be one of the "big ones". In the 80s, was there ANY celebrity bigger than Michael Jackson?

I feel bad his life went so, so far off-track towards the end, and then I have to wonder how much was damage he did to himself and how much was the end-effect of the strange path his life had been on? But, as I was shown with Farrah, maybe we will just never know the really true life of Michael Jackson.

I have been able to listen to a lot of his music over the past few days, due to the radio tributes. When he was good, he was very, very good. Sad that it all fell apart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Billy Mays:

Mays

Not much for me to say about this. Sad he died so relatively young and full of life. I feel bad for his family. He seemed like an energetic and fun guy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gale Storm:

Gale Storm

Not really too familiar with this older actress, I remember her more from a role on a episode of "Murder, She Wrote". I watch plenty of TCM, so I am sure I will come across more of her movies, and I am looking forward to it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fred Travalena:

Travalena

Not too familiar with Travalena, but he was a face I remember seeing here and there over the years, and usually always involving a laugh. I guess I probably heard him more in many of the voice-overs he did in TV and cartoons, including The Jetsons, The Smurfs and Scooby-Doo.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, my thoughts, not that they matter much. I think Dolly Parton summed it all up pretty well when she did this little piece about Jackson's death:



Don't believe in people "resting in peace", since I don't think you are "resting" (or anything else) after death. A fellow blogger came up with a different acronym: L.I.M. - which stands for "Live In Memory". I like that better!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

14 comments:

  1. David Carradine was in "Death Race 2000"! An old film I actually like.

    Michael never really had much cultural levity with me, I like his song: "Beat It" but that's about it.

    When I saw that image from "Murder, She Wrote" I thought that you were telling me that 'Angela Lansbury' had died till I read the entry, I was on the verge of crying! I adore Angela Lansbury and Murder, She Wrote. Sad about Gale though, I think I remember that episode.

    Since you don't believe in "RIP", do I assume you aren't religious (much like myself)?

    Dolly Parton's so cute, she's such a great person.

    - Zac

    ReplyDelete
  2. Still, no one mentions that Ed McMahon was a war hero!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hell, I remember when Sammy Davis, Jr. and Jim Henson died on the same day waaaay back when.

    I imagine the FF/MJ thing will have the same effect on the generation coming up.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I agree that Dolly is a class act and has always been. One of the reasons that I am souring on Miley Cirus (who I used to like alot)because she could have included 'Aunt Dolly' in the movie like she was in the TV show. Not that Dolly needs it, she was really good to Billy Ray when he was coming up.

    ReplyDelete
  5. fitting words from Dolly. like the notion of L.I.M.

    welcome back.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wings, looks like you pretty much covered them all. Unfortunately, there are still 6 months to go. The George Carlin loss was bad enough. Silver Fox had a couple others up that you probably won't know( way before our time ).

    And "L.I.M." kinda goes with "L.W.N.F."-Lest We Not Forget; I like it. Nice.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Aww that was sad. I don't remember a few of these but Kung Fu was compulsory viewing in our house. I always thought it odd that they cast an American . .his death resonated that of Michael Hutchence the InXS singer . .weird . .Then poor old Michael. I mean the man was bizarre but just wait until the shit hits the fan now that he's gone! Gotta say, that Dolly, well lifted and all, seems like a pretty decent old gal! This was a rather nice memorial without any recriminatioins. Well done. And yeh, I'm over the resting thing. Fertilize the veggie patch works for me.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Very nice tributes - I like the L.I.M. - hopefully it'll catch on.

    ReplyDelete
  9. you have nice tastes in Angels. Kate Jackson was my favorite too.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I really enjoy your blog and hope that you continue to keep it fresh with content and new material.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Zac: I am an atheist. And I will also be sad the day we lose Ms. Lansbury!

    Otin: Sorry about that, didn't even think to mention it. :(

    Jeff: Yeah, I guess they will.

    Cal: Ah, Dolly don't need Miley, that's for sure!

    Brian: Thanks!

    Subtorp: I like that, too. :)

    Baino: Too funny! :)

    Ravyn: Thanks, I hope so, too!

    wiec?: Great minds and all that? ;)

    movie scary: Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wings, don't know if you were a fan but Karl Malden is the latest to leave us, at 97 :( Remember him? Too, I feel the same for Angela, nnnnooo!KNOCK WOOD! QUICK!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Subtorp: Yeah, Karl Malden, too. He was 97, but still, it's the timing! I mean, 97 years and he chooses this week? hahahaha

    So far today we are celeb death free!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wings, in the latest report.....just kidding. Keep knockin' on wood!

    ReplyDelete