R.I.P. Phyllis Diller

Phyllis Diller, 95, has gone on to the big Comedy Club in the sky.

Rest In Peace

So sad.

Rest In Peace, JoePa

The first celebrity I ever saw is gone. Rest in peace, Coach.

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RIP Phoebe Snow

Phoebe Snow, the magically gifted vocalist who gave us one of the defining songs of the 1970's - Poetry Man - has died at the age of 58. Snow died in Edison, NJ as a result of complications from a brain hemorrhage.

Rest in peace, Ms. Snow...

 

RIP Geraldine Ferraro

Geraldine Ferraro, the first female Vice Presidential candidate of a major political party, has died of cancer at the age of 75. Full story HERE.

I once happened upon Ms. Ferraro at an Upper East Side corner bodega (she lived nearby). Ferraro was purchasing flowers, and seemed extremely friendly with the store employees. And I probably wouldn't have noticed her at all (she looked like most of the white rich ladies on the UES), but her instantly recognizable voice gave her away.

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Our Superstar, Elizabeth Taylor, Is Gone

It’s a cold and gloomy day here in NYC – which matches my feelings exactly after learning of Elizabeth Taylor’s death.  In fact, I’m not ashamed of pleading “guilty” to weeping like a baby after hearing the news this morning. The loss of E.T. is definitely tear-worthy, at least in my book.

Dame Elizabeth Taylor Hilton Wilding Todd Fisher Burton Burton Warner Fortensky was – simply put - a SUPERSTAR. Furthermore, many gay men consider her OUR superstar, as she was one of the first to put her (considerable) star-power behind the cause of eradicating AIDS. Spurred on by the death of her friend Rock Hudson, Taylor became our champion - raising bucketloads of money and increasing awareness during the dark early days of the crisis. She eventually became one of the founders of the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) as well as her own Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, which raised over $50M in its first ten years.

1985 Newspaper Clipping (via Joe.My.God)

But my favorite (non-serious) Elizabeth Taylor moment will always be her cheesetastic 1981 appearance on General Hospital as vengeful widow Helena Cassadine. As a 14-year-old gayling General Hospital fanatic, Taylor's arrival on the show was nothing short of FABULOUS. Here she is, as Helena, bidding a not-so-fond adieu to Port Charles (and Luke & Laura):

Rest in peace, Ms. Taylor. There will never be another like you.

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RIP, Jane Russell

Ernestine Jane Geraldine Russell, the Hollywood bombshell more commonly known as Jane Russell, has left us at the age of 89.

I will always remember her as Dorothy Shaw in Gentlemen Prefer Blonds. And here is, of course, my favorite scene of the movie:

And YES, I know she turned out to be a crusty conservative Republican gasbag, but my Mama taught me not to speak ill of the dead (I speak PLENTY of ill about the living, thankyouverymuch). For now, I'd just like to remember Ms. Russell as a great movie star with an extremely pretty face and even prettier boobies. Is that so wrong???...

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R.I.P Reginald Doucet Jr.

Tragic news out of Los Angeles. Former college football player and current fitness model Reginald Doucet Jr. was shot and killed by the LAPD on Friday:

Two officers responded to a disturbance in the 5200 block of Crescent Park about 3:30 a.m. and were confronted by the man, who was not wearing any clothes and was yelling at officers, said LAPD Cmdr. Andrew Smith.

The officers calmed the man down and talked him into putting on his boxers, but he ran away when they attempted to apprehend him. A scuffle ensued and one of the officers shot the man twice, Smith said.

The man was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead soon after.

This is so sad - I've had pictures of Reggie on my computer for a while - and now I have to use them in an obituary post.

Thanks to Mechadude for the heads-up.

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Surely You Can't Be Serious: Leslie Nielsen Has Died

Yes, I'm serious: Actor Leslie Nielsen, 84, best known for his roles in Airplane and The Naked Gun, died Sunday of pneumonia in a hospital (it's a big building with patients) near his Fort Lauderdale home, his family said.

And please stop calling me "Shirley" ...

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Jumping G. Horsefat! Bullwinkle Creator Dies

From AP:

Pioneering TV cartoon artist Alexander Anderson Jr., who created Rocky the flying squirrel and Bullwinkle the moose, has died after battling Alzheimer's disease . He was 90.

Anderson teamed up with his childhood friend and former University of California, Berkeley, fraternity brother Jay Ward to make low-budget TV cartoons.

Their creations also included Crusader Rabbit and his pal Rags the Tiger and Dudley Do-Right (below) of the Mounties.

R.I.P Patricia Neal

Oscar and Tony award winning actress Patricia Neal has died at the age of 84.  She is perhaps best known for her Oscar award-winning performance opposite Paul Newman in Hud (below), but Neal also won a Tony award for Another Part of the Forest - which was presented to her during the FIRST Tony Awards in 1946.

Personally, I will remember Patricia Neal for her unmistakable voice.  You see, years ago I worked at a small Italian restaurant on the East Side (taking delivery orders), and Ms. Neal would call for pizza every now and again.  Her phone calls would always begin with her stating in that deep-but-ladylike voice - "This is Patricia Neal.  I would like a pizza delivered, please".  And yes, I always got the "Gay Diva Tingles" every time she called.  Us gays LOVE our Divas - especially ones who aren't afraid of a little pepperoni on their pizza.

I Just Couldn't Resist...

R.I.P. Gary Coleman.

Source

Julia Sugarbaker Is Decorating In Heaven Now

Actress Dixie Carter - best known for playing Julia Sugarbaker on Designing Women - has died at the age of 70.  As of right now there are no other details.  This is so sad.

In tribute, I present to you Julia's most famous rant - "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia"...

"Joey, Do You Like Movies About Gladiators?"

R.I.P. Peter Graves.

Sadness: Brendan Burke Killed in Auto Accident

Joe.My.God just reported that Toronto Maple Leaf GM Brian Burke's (above right) openly gay son Brendan Burke was killed in a storm-related automobile accident in Indiana.

You may remember my post from November when the elder Burke publically and vocally supported his gay son's "coming out" in the press.  It was a heartwarming father-and-son story in a world where too many of those situations turn out horribly.

And now this.  I am just so incredibly saddened by the news.  And what's worse is the fact that some right-wing Christofacist will proclaim that Brendan was struck down by God for being a wicked Gay.

Rest in peace Brendan.  You touched so many of us by sharing your story - and you left this world a better place.  I was proud to have you on my team.

"Uh Oh SpaghettiOs!"

This is why I'm an avid reader of Dlisted.Com - because Michael K reports on the breaking news that others don't (or won't).  For instance, I lost a piece of my childhood when Donald Goerke (above), the inventor of SpaghettiOs, died on Sunday.  Did CNN cover this story?  I dont think so... but Dlisted DID.

Personally, my favorite "flavor" of SpaghettiO's was the kind with Sliced Franks.  Although I wasn't smart enough as a child to think of making cute faces with them...

I was always too busy stuffing my chubby cheeks to bother making art with my food.

RIP, Mr. SpaghettiOs Inventor...

Joe.My.God Discusses Shady Oral Roberts

My blog hero/inspiration Joe.My.God announced evangelist and "faith healer" Oral Robert's death yesterday with this headline:

"World's Most Successful Scam Artist Dies"

Here is a snippet:

In addition to claiming that God spoke directly to him every day, this multimillionaire scam artist also performed faked healings for hundreds of thousands of deluded saps who promptly handed over their meager life savings.

Joe wraps it up the post with this gem:

Oral Roberts will be laid to rest in a platinum coffin lined with gold and encrusted with precious gems as his multimillionaire heirs reverently light thousand-dollar bills in his memory. Praise His Name!

Read the entire post HERE. I had always heard of Oral Roberts (who names their kid "Oral", btw?!?) - but I never really knew his shady history. Interesting.

Breaking: Walter Cronkite Dies

The most trusted man in America, Walter Cronkite, DIED TODAY at the age of 92. "And that's the way it is"...

Farewell "Uncle Walter".

BREAKING: Billy Mays Dead!!

What is going on?!? Billy Mays was found dead in his home today. Read the story HERE.

RIP: Octavia Saint Laurent

I know the death of Farrah Fawcett (UPDATE: and now Michael Jackson) is the big news today, but as a fan of the documentary Paris Is Burning, I was saddened to learn that Octavia Saint Laurent passed away last month after a long battle with cancer. You may remember Octavia as the gorgeous transgendered gal who longed to be like supermodel Paulina Porizkova...

I'm not sure if any of the main subjects of Paris Is Burning are still living ... we've lost Angie Extravaganza, Dorian Corey, Pepper LaBeija, Willie Ninja, and now Octavia. So sad.

You can bet there is a FIERCE ball going on in heaven now, and Octavia is earning "Tens across the board!" from the heavenly judges. Octavia, you earned your "Legendary" status in the ballroom ... may you now rest in peace.