Not a big celeb guy but I think the ones that hit you are the ones you grow up listening to. That's why guys like Cawood Ledford and Nuxhall make an impact when they die.

Layne Staley, George Carlin... To an extent, Brandon Lee... Mostly because of the aura surrounding his death.

The death of a celebrity has never "hit home" with me. Too many others dying in this world to get all bent out of shape over some coddled, over-paid, entertainer's death. Especially the suicides, ODs and other behaviors that cause an early death. I'll save my grief for those I know and love and for the little ones that leave far too early.

 

I think that this is a little unfair, HHSDad. I would agree that some "celebrities" are what you say - coddled, over-paid, the cause of their own death and unworthy of our admiration.

 

However, some are respected because of how they grew up or the path that they took. Sometimes we can see similarities between our lives and that of the person we admire. I don't think our love (or grief) is finite. In giving of those things to others, it doesn't mean I have less to give to those that I personally know or for anyone else for that matter.

Edited July 7, 200818 yr by True blue (and gold)

I think that this is a little unfair, HHSDad. I would agree that some "celebrities" are what you say - coddled, over-paid, the cause of their own death and unworthy of our admiration.

 

However, some are respected because of how they grew up or the path that they took. Sometimes we can see similarities between our lives and that of the person we admire. I don't think our love (or grief) is finite. In giving of those things to others, doesn't mean I have less to give to those that I personally know or for anyone else for that matter.

Trust me when I say this, the death of any one of my BGP friends (even you TBG ) would hit me harder than any celebrity could possibly ever. I have too many other "normal" people in my life to admire and look up to, than to worry about somebody I've never met and don't know anything about other than what I've seen on TV or read in a magazine.

Trust me when I say this, the death of any one of my BGP friends (even you TBG ) would hit me harder than any celebrity could possibly ever. I have too many other "normal" people in my life to admire and look up to, than to worry about somebody I've never met and don't know anything about other than what I've seen on TV or read in a magazine.

 

:lol: Thanks.

 

Let me use Dale Earnhardt as my example...as he is the one "celebrity" that I feel this way about (and don't expect to feel about any other). This man came from meager beginnings to create his own successful company, along with being the premeire figure in a hugely popular sport. Every week, he was in my living room. I watched him overcome adversity on the track and in his life. I admired his character and persona. He earned his keep every week at almost 200 mph. I connected with him on so many levels. Sadly, I watched the wreck that took his life. I sat at the TV and watched the announcement that told that he had been killed. I tell you seriously...I cried as hard that day as I did at any point in my life. And I was one of thousands who did.

 

My point is...this man meant something very important to me in my life and when he died I felt a tremendous loss in my life. Grieving over his loss hit me very hard. I didn't even expect it until it happened. Truly, I still get choked up over it sometimes.

The death of a celebrity has never "hit home" with me. Too many others dying in this world to get all bent out of shape over some coddled, over-paid, entertainer's death. Especially the suicides, ODs and other behaviors that cause an early death. I'll save my grief for those I know and love and for the little ones that leave far too early.

 

I feel the same way especially with the bolded statement you made.

For me it was probably River Phoenix. We were the same age and I had watched him grow up onscreen at the same time I was growing up. Also, being 23 and finishing up college I was at a point in my life where I was still pretty wild as far as partying goes. I hadn't gotten into drugs or anything but they were starting to become a little bit more visible at parties and stuff as we got real jobs and started making more money. Seeing how he died really was a wake up call that I wasn't indestructable after all and that my actions had consequences worse than a hangover.

I can see what you all were saying...but what if you saw your favorite president got shot or something like that. I mean if I was alive and a big JFK fan when he got shot I would have been bothered by it and I am sure many others would have as well.

Bear Bryant.

 

I remember exactly where I was when I got the news that Bear Bryant had passed.....I was in the car on my way back to college. For some reason, its a very vivid memory. John Wayne was also a big one for me. Im adding one more...John Belushi.

Terry Kath, guitarist for Chicago.

 

I was a teen in '78 and I had every Chicago album to that point. I was totally stunned by his death and they have never been the same kind of band since then.

The death of "Mr. Wildcat" Bill Keightley.

I can see what you all were saying...but what if you saw your favorite president got shot or something like that. I mean if I was alive and a big JFK fan when he got shot I would have been bothered by it and I am sure many others would have as well.

 

I was in the first grade when JFK was shot and was very bothered by it. I remember we were told in class and sent home early. There was a sense of normalcy that was shattered. It seemed for days on end there was nothing on TV but the shooting & funeral. I was watching TV when Jack Ruby shot Oswald and had never seen anything like it. It was for me a sad and scary time.

In my childhood, I remember when the space shuttle blew up. I can't remember her name, but there was a female teacher on board so our whole elementary school was watching the launch when it happened.

Her name was Christa McAuliffe. This incident affected me as much as any event I've seen. I remember that as if it happened 5 minutes ago. It doesn't help that it was shown again, just a few weeks ago, on Discovery's special "When We Left Earth". Still get choked up just thinking about it.

 

I can't watch anything associated with 9/11. Period.

 

I know of no "Celebrity" that I have ever grieved over.

The death of "Mr. Wildcat" Bill Keightley.

 

:thumb:

Really no celebrity. 9/11 was absolutely terrible. The space shuttle with teacher Christa McAuliffe on board also stands out. I was too young to remember JFK.