Sad News this Christmas: George Michael dead at 53

[hjmick]

Just breaking, no details yet.


http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38432862

[hjmick]

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38432862

[jimnyc]

And on Christmas Day. How sad. I liked ONE song by Wham when I was like 13 years old. Nothing else again after that.

Was there something wrong with him? They say he "died peacefully" at home, as if it were expected.

[Drummond]

And on Christmas Day. How sad. I liked ONE song by Wham when I was like 13 years old. Nothing else again after that.

Was there something wrong with him? They say he "died peacefully" at home, as if it were expected.

Reports have varied on our media. First, no details. Then, a report saying he'd died, and there were 'no suspicious circumstances' involved. Following that, a report from his agent (this just a couple of hours later) to say he died from heart failure.

As I type, that's been amended to 'SUSPECTED' heart failure (LBC News)

I seem to recall that at one time he was heavily into drug usage ? Maybe that weakened his heart, making him prone to an early death.

It'll be interesting to see if they have to perform a post mortem examination (I'd imagine they would). If so ... this makes the previous statements premature ones .. suggesting a known precondition ?

Time will tell, of course.

I can't speak for the American perception of this -- but over here, we've been struck by the great number of celebrity deaths there've been in 2016 ... far more than is normal in a year. I say 'the American perception', because some of them have been British, so maybe it'll seem more apparent to us than to you.

George Michael is the latest. Other celebrities known to us would be ...

Alan Rickman (film actor)
David Bowie (singer / performer)
Ronnie Corbett (comedian)
Rick Parfitt (guitarist)
Paul Daniels (magician / comedian)
Sir Terry Wogan (radio and TV presenter)
Jimmy Young (radio host)
Victoria Wood (comedienne)
Frank Kelly (actor: 'Father Ted')
Douglas Wilmer (actor: best known for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes)
Tom Allin (cricketer)
Sian Blake (soap actress - 'EastEnders')

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-36108133

[KarlMarx]

By a just a coincidence, yesterdany, my son and I were listening to a Christmas song on Pandora that he recorded in the 80's. He wanted to know who the singer was.. I told him that he was famous in the 80's but over the past few years, the only time you seemed to hear of him was when he had run ins with the law over drug use or public indecency.

Considering the drug use he had over the past few years, I have to wonder if it was that. Perhaps he smoked?

Just the same, it's a shame he had to die so young.

[Abbey Marie]

Not to be crude, but was he the one caught having sex in a public park men's room? Or was that Boy George?

And Drummond, we feel the same here about all the deaths. Particularly it seems like so many are dying from heart failure. Or maybe I am just sensitive to that now...

[Gunny]

Not to be crude, but was he the one caught having sex in a public park men's room? Or was that Boy George?

And Drummond, we feel the same here about all the deaths. Particularly it seems like so many are dying from heart failure. Or maybe I am just sensitive to that now...

I was going to let someone else say it first, Abs. :)

While you may be sensitive to the heart thing now, the fact is, these celebs like coke. It can kill you the first time you try it. It's been the drug of choice since the 80s.

But who knows? Dude was gay or bi or whatever. So there's no telling.

[Noir]

Nice to see lots of stories circulating about his chrarity and giving - writing of strangers debts etc, hopefully that kinda thing goes on a lot more than we hear.

[jimnyc]

Nice to see lots of stories circulating about his chrarity and giving - writing of strangers debts etc, hopefully that kinda thing goes on a lot more than we hear.

I didn't even know about it until reading a story this morning, that apparently he was VERY generous with some charities. And he nor they ever bragged about them. His lifestyle was a little weird for me, but he was a good man from all that I know.

[Gunny]

Nice to see lots of stories circulating about his chrarity and giving - writing of strangers debts etc, hopefully that kinda thing goes on a lot more than we hear.

Clue: He has been irrelevant since the 80s. He had 2 good songs I am aware of. He's not American so we don't keep up with what he does in his off time. I didn't even remember he existed.

Speculating on his lifestyle choices is no different than you denigrating us for our lifestyle choices (as in we eat meat like normal people). I honestly rarely participate in RIP threads. Pickings as far as posts go are slim over the holidays. When you don't have a life, like me, you have to get creative. I honestly could care less about the dude.

[Black Diamond]

Nice to see lots of stories circulating about his chrarity and giving - writing of strangers debts etc, hopefully that kinda thing goes on a lot more than we hear.

No one gives a rats ass about his charity. Only about his sex life and his drug use.

[Noir]

No one gives a rats ass about his charity. Only about his sex life and his drug use.

Put me in the 'gives a rats ass about his charity' group (:

[Gunny]

No one gives a rats ass about his charity. Only about his sex life and his drug use.

THAT made me laugh. No sh*t. You would think living in the papparazi capitol of the universe, that was a given. What the crap do we know about George Michael? Oh yeah. He had a hit song as a member of Wham around 84.

[jimnyc]

He brings me back to the 80's and when I first started getting into music, and high school! Lotsa memories!! Do I "care" about him? Not really, but still sad to see another go. And I was a little happier when I read about his charity giving. Nice to know some folks like that exist, that give and don't want notoriety about it. :)

[Gunny]

He brings me back to the 80's and when I first started getting into music, and high school! Lotsa memories!! Do I "care" about him? Not really, but still sad to see another go. And I was a little happier when I read about his charity giving. Nice to know some folks like that exist, that give and don't want notoriety about it. :)

High school in the 80s? THAT explains a few things. :slap:

I honestly know nothing about the guy except for those songs when I was already a Cpl and you were in high school. And I would have to qualify "charity" by which ones. We all have our differences. I wish Alyssa Milano would lose her voice. The ASPCA is a bureaucracy to tival the US Govt. Most of their money goes to them. As an example.

[Drummond]

Not to be crude, but was he the one caught having sex in a public park men's room? Or was that Boy George?

And Drummond, we feel the same here about all the deaths. Particularly it seems like so many are dying from heart failure. Or maybe I am just sensitive to that now...

Yep. It was him, not Boy George ...

Another one to add to my list, just reported -- another British actress, well known & recognised here -- Liz Smith. She may not be known to you on your side of the Pond. [Which reminds me, Caroline Aherne (comedienne / actress) needs to be added to my list ...]

She (Liz) had a good innings, though .. I think I saw in the report that she was 95 years old.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2481582/liz-smith-dead-the-royle-family-star-dies-aged-95-family-confirm/

Here are examples of Caroline Aherne's act ... when she played the spoof chat show character of 'Mrs Merton' ...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj-9lSEBBm0


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78r3Sr2jTIk