The Graffe's Celebrity Death Pool

Since we've had so many celebrities die lately, I thought we might as well start a pool for bragging rights. The rules are short and simple:

1) No choosing someone immediately after they have a 'serious accident'. If you hear that Matthew Broderick has been brought to a hospital after a serious car accident without a pulse, it doesn't count if you post him and claim victory in the pool an hour later.
2) No changing your choice after you post it. If you aren't sure, don't post it, because people will get paranoid about edits on this point.

The winner will be decided by the earliest death someone can post from a reputatble source, which means you have to pick someone who's death would be noticed in some kind of decent online publication. This goes by broad board consensus; if someone dies, we should be able to verify it. Earliest time of death wins.



I'll go first, and my pick is Carol Channing.

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Originally Posted by ClaudShatterglass

I'll go first, and my pick is Carol Channing.

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WTF, she's still alive???

Heck, I'll play and pick Dirty Dancing guy with his pancreatic cancer. Patrick Swayze.

Carol Burnett

Allan Arbus (Sydney), because I feel a M*A*S*H vibe after seeing Jamie Farr on TV today.

Abe Vigoda

Sean Connery

Amy Winehouse

Ronnie Biggs

tom hanks

Elizabeth Taylor

Gloria Stuart, the old lady from "Titanic", who turned 99 on Saturday.

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Originally Posted by Dru

Amy Winehouse

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Want to start a sub-pool on drug-related deaths? I was thinking of going with Mischa Barton, since she has major methface already, but after seeing how much weight she's lost and hearing her complain that her money is all gone I'm going to go with Courtney Love.

MacCaulay Culkin. You know there's no way he can go on living now that his true love has passed on.

Webster

Wilford Brimley

Rush Limbaugh

Patrick Swayze

Patrick Swayze was already picked, pick again. Yes, who gets in first counts too. I should have mentioned that. :p

Famous politicians count?

If so, Ted Kennedy.

A Salesman

I predict Anne Coulter's Adam's Apple grows a full body of its own and kills the host.

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Originally Posted by Apallohadas

I predict Anne Coulter's Adam's Apple grows a full body of its own and kills the host.

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:rofl:


You guys have some great picks already. I'm gunna pick Muhammad Ali.

Bob Barker.

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Originally Posted by Smyrt

Abe Vigoda

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I had originally thought about picking Fish, but then I realized he's going to make it to 300+.

Harrison Ford

/plane accident

//fighting with Callista over a ham sammitch

Can we pick a poster here thats gonna meet Jesus soon?

http://i26.tinypic.com/4ibpeq.jpg

No using this thread to express ambiguous death wishes against other posters. Or specific ones, for that matter.

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Originally Posted by Merkus

I had originally thought about picking Fish, but then I realized he's going to make it to 300+.

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Don't forget Al Davis in the 300+ years club.


I told my mother about this, she said "that's easy, clint eastwood" ... man people can sound really morbid while doing this sort of thing (quick someone pick clint eastwood).

You mean the guy that died in a train wreck in a valley back in 1890? He pretty much suicided, driving that damn train off into a ravine.

I pick Betty White.

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Originally Posted by Ronin

Don't forget Al Davis in the 300+ years club.


I told my mother about this, she said "that's easy, clint eastwood" ... man people can sound really morbid while doing this sort of thing (quick someone pick clint eastwood).

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i thought about that but i have a feeling he will be around for years to come.

Paul McCartney

Gene Simmons or Brad Pitt and hopefully someone publicly rips off Donald Trump's hairpiece.

Al Sharpton.

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Patrick Swayze was already picked, pick again. Yes, who gets in first counts too. I should have mentioned that.

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Or I should L2Read...in that case I go with Dick Clark, since he is already older than Yoda.

Johnny Gilbert(Announcer for Jeopardy, closing in on 90 now)

Miley Cyrus

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Originally Posted by 63M10B9

Miley Cyrus

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http://www.adultswim.com/video/?epis...1e5fffcec3008a

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Originally Posted by Alikat Astrae

http://www.adultswim.com/video/?epis...1e5fffcec3008a

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HAHA that was great. I really miss Adult Swim. It's been too long since I have been able to watch cable.

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Originally Posted by Ronin

Don't forget Al Davis in the 300+ years club.

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Everytime I see a pic of him I think of the Emperor from the Star Wars films.

Jack Klugman

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Originally Posted by Eremius

Jack Klugman

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Oscar Cubed?

My hero, Hugh Hefner.

How will we be able to tell if Hef croaks it? I suspect the whole "Girls Next Door" show was an elaborate reenactment of the "Weekend At Bernie's" series.

KENDRA: "I'm fairly certain he's enjoying this!"

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Originally Posted by Grendel

My hero, Hugh Hefner.

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You shut your filthy mouth, mister!

Ernest Borgnine

Phyllis Diller

and a super bonus kicker-pick: Bob Dylan

Walter Cronkite

Michael J. Fox.

predicting that one makes me very sad.

Dick Clark

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Gene Simmons or Brad Pitt and hopefully someone publicly rips off Donald Trump's hairpiece.

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Ernest Borgnine

Phyllis Diller

and a super bonus kicker-pick: Bob Dylan

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One pick and one only! It gets too easy if you rattle off a bunch of names.

jimmy carter

Robert McNamara


CNN Breaking News is much better then me at this game...

Denis Leary

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Originally Posted by jaly

Robert McNamara


CNN Breaking News is much better then me at this game...

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Man what a gutsy dude he was. He kept his home phone number listed through the Viet Nam War and would argue with anti-war folks who called him. I will always respect the courage of his convictions even if he was wrong.

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Originally Posted by Laedria

Dick Clark

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I think he's already gone, but just stubbornly refuses to admit it.

It was so difficult watching him on the last New Year's show.

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Originally Posted by Grendel

Man what a gutsy dude he is. He kept his home phone number listed through the Viet Nam War and would argue with anti-war folks who called him. I will always respect the courage of his convictions even if he was wrong.

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People say the same thing about Hitler. Nothing to admire about people that are that wrong about something.

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Originally Posted by ClaudShatterglass

One pick and one only! It gets too easy if you rattle off a bunch of names.

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Ok fine, but if my other guy dies I'm not just gonna stand by and pretend like I didn't pick him.

Pitt in a homicide shooting involving Angelina and his "boyfriend."

Surprised no one has picked this one yet.

Keith Richards

Check that. I'm going to erase all my previous picks and go ahead and select William Shattner. I like the guy, but I think he looks like he could die.

Burt Renolds

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Originally Posted by KelanNaal

Surprised no one has picked this one yet.

Keith Richards

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You know a slayer who could take him out?

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Originally Posted by Merkus

You know a slayer who could take him out?

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:rofl:

I refuse to post someone's name here...just can't do it, but here is an interesting site, in case someone is having trouble thinking of someone...

http://www.stiffs.com/09leaders.cfm

Oh come on Daph. You know you have just that right one in mind. Just let it go for the world to see. Stop resisting your natural urges!111111111111

I'd hate to be right so I really can't post a guess :(


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oh wait, Dick Cheney. I think he'll die! (he also shares a first name with the person I was thinking of picking originally)

I'm suprised no one picked Danny Devito.. with his recent morning binges.

Still going with Denis Leary, though. Mostly because we haven't heard much from him recently (besides ice age 3.. which could surely be a sign of dementia).

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Originally Posted by Daxil Solshok

Check that. I'm going to erase all my previous picks and go ahead and select William Shattner. I like the guy, but I think he looks like he could die.

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It's only right then that I add Leonard Nimoy.

David Letterman. His hearts bound to give up sooner or later...

I'll hate to see him go, but I'm 700 pages into a Warren Buffett biography and the only thing the guy's eaten so far is hamburgers, fries, and steak.

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Originally Posted by Majicou

Still going with Denis Leary, though. Mostly because we haven't heard much from him recently (besides ice age 3.. which could surely be a sign of dementia).

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Or his ongoing FX series Rescue Me?

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Originally Posted by Eremius

Or his ongoing FX series Rescue Me?

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I'm sorry. That show died to me when they did the five minute "web-isodes" on Hulu.

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Originally Posted by Majicou

I'm sorry. That show died to me when they did the five minute "web-isodes" on Hulu.

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Fair enough :rofl:

And the Winner is, PPatty...

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Originally Posted by PPatty

Walter Cronkite

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http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/07/17/wal...ead/index.html

Is it sad that soon as I saw the breaking news I ran to my PC to check this thread?

^^Seconded

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Originally Posted by Ronin

Is it sad that soon as I saw the breaking news I ran to my PC to check this thread?

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I guess it would be hard to claim that I did not.

Well that was quick. We might have to do a second round.

Ppatty's gonna have this on his conscience.

What conscience? I thought Ppatty was a bot ... bots have no feelings! :grinno:

But hey, what stock would you buy, Ppatty? Haha!

Ppatty is either ppsychic or just crunched the numbers bot-style.

Helps to work in a business where part of the job involves keeping track of ailing celebrities. Cronkite's family has been warning for the past several weeks that he's in bad condition.

On a semi-related note, I am genuinely sad to see him go. He was a good pro.

Nobody got this one.

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Originally Posted by Taco Bell Chihuahua, Gidget, dies at 15

July 23, 2009

Gidget the Chihuahua, whose Taco Bell commercials made her a star, has died. She was 15.

The owner of Studio Animal Services in Castaic says Gidget suffered a massive stroke late Tuesday at her trainer's home in Santa Clarita and had to be euthanized.

Gidget was the sassy mascot in Taco Bell commercials from 1997 to 2000. While other dogs had bit parts, it was her bug-eyed, big-eared face that was seen pronouncing "Yo quiero Taco Bell," Spanish for "I want Taco Bell," in a male voice dubbed by Argentine actor Carlos Alazraqui. A few years later, Alazraqui landed the role for which he is best known: Deputy James Garcia on Comedy Central's "Reno 911!"

The Taco Bell ads provoked some criticism from activists who said they used Mexican stereotypes.

Gidget also had a role in the movie "Legally Blonde 2," but others associated with the ad campaign weren't so lucky. Earlier this year, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the creators of the Chihuahua character hadn't been properly compensated for their work, and Taco Bell was ordered to pay $42 million.

Gidget's trainer, Sue Chipperton, in an interview earlier this year with the People Pets website, described the diminutive dog as a consummate professional on the set. But, she said, Gidget had been the victim of typecasting, which limited her career choices (or, rather, Chipperton's choices on her behalf).

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:rip:

Aww, the memories....
http://media.ebaumsworld.com/picture...p/tacobell.gif

In my e-mail today, I just got an updated spreadsheet of a Dead Pool that four of us in college started back in September 1992. The idea is that first one to get all 25 wins, but actually two of us mistakenly picked people who were already dead, so it's really first one to 24. The list was just updated with Lena Horne and Ernie Harwell (one of my picks). Clearly, I'm terrible at this -- almost 18 years later and I still have 6 people alive on my draft picks:

Raisa Gorbachev - RIP
John Lee Hooker - RIP
BB King
The Queen Mother - RIP
Scott Muni - RIP
Wolfman Jack - RIP
Nelson Mandela
Jack Paar - RIP
Will Eisner - RIP
Joe Schuster - OOPS, was already dead
Jake LaMotta
Walter Cronkite - RIP
Benny Carter - RIP
Harry Helmsley - RIP
Kim-Il-Sung - RIP
Jonathan Winters
Erik Honekker - RIP
Sid Caesar
Ozzy Osborne
Harry Caray - RIP
Ernie Harwell - RIP
Clark Terry
Pope John Paul II - RIP
Fredrick Pohl - RIP
Ray Bradbury

Nelson Mandela and Jonathan Winters tell you, "I'm not dead yet!"

Eight people then. I'm even worse than I thought.

Your incompetence has the power to grant life!

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Originally Posted by PPatty

Eight people then. I'm even worse than I thought.

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When did Fredrick Pohl die?

Really, Harry Caray, REALLY?! He was a walking talking stroke. I was watching Cubs games and keeping an eye open and hope out that he would be singing the seventh inning stretch and stroke out on live TV.

A 1, 2, 3 strikes you're out....aahhh, Stoney halp....splat.

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Originally Posted by jaly

When did Fredrick Pohl die?

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Hm. I guess he's not dead. For some reason, our death pool commissioner listed him as dead. Oh well. Guess I'm even worse at this than already acknowledged.

So, who's next?

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Originally Posted by Ronin

So, who's next?

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To be declared dead or brought back to life?

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Originally Posted by jaly

To be declared dead or brought back to life?

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With PPatty there's a 50/50 shot ;)

Congrats to Gloria Stuart, my pick in the pool, who today turned 100 years old. And curse your longevity!

100 years? Geez, you got screwed by the odds there ~

:p

Bet no one had Bob Probert dieing

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=5356462

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ESPN.com news services
Former NHL enforcer Bob Probert died after collapsing in a boat in Ontario on Monday, police told The Windsor Star. He was 45.

[+] Enlarge
Rick Stewart /Getty Images
Bob Probert finished his career with 163 goals, 384 points and 3,300 penalty minutes -- fourth in NHL history -- in 935 games.
OPP spokeswoman Shawna Coulter told the paper that emergency crews performed CPR on Probert on the shore of Lake St. Clair in Windsor, Ontario, before transporting him to Windsor Regional Hospital.

While playing for the Detroit Red Wings from 1985-86 to 1993-94, Probert was charged several times with driving under the influence. He also was caught trying to carry cocaine from Canada into the United States, and served a prison term.

He was placed on inactive status for the 1994-95 season after he was involved in a motorcycle accident and tests showed alcohol and cocaine in his system.

Probert retired in November 2003 after 17 seasons with the Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks. He finished his career with 163 goals, 384 points and 3,300 penalty minutes -- fourth in NHL history -- in 935 games.

Probert's family has called a 6 p.m. news conference at the hospital.

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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Ilene Woods, Voice Of Disney's Cinderella, Dies At 81

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The LA Times reported Ilene Woods, voice of Disney's Cinderella, died last week at age 81. Woods was 18 when Walt asked her to voice Cinderella She was born Jacquelyn Ruth Woods on May 5, 1929, in Portsmouth, N.H. When asked in a 2006 interview for Starlog magazine what the best thing was about having been "Cinderella," she replied: "Oh, I love the idea that after I'm gone, children will still be hearing my voice." As was her request, no funeral will be held.

Ilene Woods: May 5, 1929 – July 1, 2010

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was already posted

A little late!

Next pick: Seve Ballesteros

No one picked him but Harmon Killebrew passed away o and some rapper,M-Bone, was killed in a drive by.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=6559023

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MINNEAPOLIS -- Harmon Killebrew, the Minnesota Twins slugger known for his tape-measure home runs, has died at his home in Scottsdale, Ariz., after battling esophageal cancer. He was 74.

The team said Killebrew died peacefully Tuesday morning with his wife, Nita, and their family at his side.

He had announced in December that he had been diagnosed with cancer. Last week, Killebrew announced that doctors had deemed his cancer incurable and he would no longer fight the "awful disease."

Power, Kindness Forever Remembered

Harmon Killebrew gave Minnesotans a ballplayer -- and a person -- that they were proud of during a Hall of Fame career, writes Jim Caple. Story

Killebrew hit 573 home runs during his 22-year career, 11th-most in major league history. His eight seasons with 40 or more homers still is tied for second in league history to Babe Ruth.

"No individual has ever meant more to the Minnesota Twins organization and millions of fans across Twins territory than Harmon Killebrew," Twins president Dave St. Peter said. He said Killebrew's legacy "will be the class, dignity and humility he demonstrated each and every day as a Hall of Fame-quality husband, father, friend, teammate and man. The Twins extend heartfelt sympathies and prayers to the Killebrew family at this difficult time."

Former teammate Tony Oliva said Tuesday the Twins flew him out to Arizona on Saturday so he could spend time with Killebrew.

"It's very hard, we knew each other about 50 years," Oliva told ESPN on Tuesday after learning of Killebrew's death. "I saw him Saturday and he looked very good, even though he was very sick. He was smiling and making jokes."

Pitcher Tommy John told ESPN that Killebrew was "one of the nicest, most compassionate guys I ever met in baseball." He said Killebrew hit five home runs against him, "and the most he had off anybody was six."

"He never showed you up, no flaps down or anything, just that little number 3 -- like Babe Ruth -- trotting like he hit 'em before and he would hit 'em again."

Killebrew broke in with the Washington Senators in 1954 as an 18-year-old. He spent most of his first five seasons in the minors, then hit 42 homers in his first full season in 1959.

The Senators moved to Minnesota in 1961, and Killebrew hit 190 homers in his first four seasons there, including 49 in 1964.

The 11-time All-Star was the American League's Most Valuable Player in 1969 after hitting 49 home runs with 140 RBIs and 145 walks, all team records that stand to this day.

"I found out early in life that I could hit a baseball farther than most players and that's what I tried to do," Killebrew said.

[+] Enlarge
Malcolm Emmons/US Presswire
Harmon Killebrew hit 573 career home runs and was the 1969 AL MVP after hitting 49 homers with 140 RBIs and 145 walks -- all Twins records that still stand.
Behind their soft-spoken slugger nicknamed "The Killer," the Twins reached the World Series for the first time in 1965 and back-to-back AL Championship Series in 1969 and 1970.

Former Twins owner Calvin Griffith used to call Killebrew the backbone of the franchise. "He kept us in business," Griffith said.

The man whose silhouette inspired Major League Baseball's official logo was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1984, the first Twin to be enshrined. Killebrew's No. 3 jersey was retired in 1975. Killebrew's easygoing demeanor contrasted starkly with his nickname and standing as one of baseball's most feared hitters.

"I didn't have evil intentions," Killebrew said on his website. "But I guess I did have power."

Harmon Clayton Killebrew was born June 29, 1936, in the Idaho farm town of Payette. He was an all-state quarterback in high school, but it was his power with a baseball bat in his hands that got Killebrew noticed by Washington Senators scout Ossie Bluege.

On Killebrew's website, Bluege recounts the story of how he signed the 17-year-old to a $30,000 contract in 1953.

"I waited for the rain to stop in Payette, Idaho and then he hit one a mile over the left field fence," Bluege said. "I stepped it off the next morning and measured it at 435 feet. That convinced me."

Killebrew didn't just hit balls over the fence, he turned at-bats into longest-drive contests. He never worried much about his short game, preferring instead to swing for the fences, and wound up with a career .256 average.

"I didn't think much about batting average when I was playing," Killebrew said.

Killebrew Dominated the 1960s
From 1960-69, there was arguably no better power hitter in the majors than Harmon Killebrew.

Killebrew's stats, 1960-69
MLB Rank
HR 393 1st
BB 970 1st
RBIs 1,013 2nd
XBH 593 4th
powered by
On June 3, 1967, Killebrew belted the longest home run in Met Stadium history, a shot that reached the second deck of the bleachers in the old park, some 500 feet from home plate.

"He hit line drives that put the opposition in jeopardy," Bluege once said. "And I don't mean the infielders. I mean the outfielders."

Killebrew finished his career with one season in Kansas City in 1975.

Jane Forbes Clark, chairwoman of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, said Killebrew personified Hall of Fame excellence and was simply one of the greatest hitters of all time.

"Since joining the Hall of Fame family in 1984, Harmon was a beacon of light among his fellow Hall of Famers, always smiling, always enjoying every moment that life delivered to his doorstep," she said. "We have so many fond memories of this wonderful baseball hero, and we will miss him enormously."

Killebrew and Nita had nine children.

In retirement, he became a successful businessman in insurance, financial planning and car sales. He also traveled the country with baseball memorabilia shows and returned to the Twin Cities regularly, delighting in conversations with fans and reunions with teammates.

"I never thought anything would compare to being elected into the Hall of Fame, but being able to interact with fans once my playing days were over has been just as gratifying," Killebrew said.

Information from ESPN's Willie Weinbaum and The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Next pick: George McGovern