News just in that Whitney Houston has passed away. After pictures of her having a “wild night” surfaced, the diva was reported to be dead. Extremely sad. Whitney Houston is one of the most important pop figures of our time. More news to come once it surfaces. We will keep you posted!
People.com reports that the Grammy winner was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. Saturday at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. “We received a call at 3:43 p.m. from hotel security and Beverly Hills Fire and police responded minutes later,” the story quotes Beverly Hills Police Lieutenant Mark Rosen as saying. “It’s unclear who notified hotel staff because she has quite an entourage here at the hotel. We attempted to resuscitate her, to no avail.”
Legendary blues singer Etta James, who is most famous for her rendition of “At Last,” has passed away. Etta is one of the movers and shakers of pop history and no diva is the same without her legacy. Beyonce played her in Cadillac Records (Not to Etta James’ liking) and she revolutionized her genre to another level. Sad to hear of her passing. She has passed away at the age of 73.
Emmy-winning actress Rue McClanahan has died at the age of 76. Her manager Barbara Lawrence said McClanahan died Thursday at 1 a.m. of a massive stroke. McClanahan is knows for her role as the sexually liberated Southern belle Blanche Devereaux on the popular ’80s sitcom Golden Girls.
It has been confirmed that the actor Dennis Hopper has died at the age of 74. The cause of death is reported as being from complications with prostate cancer. Hopper directed and starred in the acclaimed film Easy Rider back, and he is known for his roles in films such as Blue Velvet, Apocalypse Now and Speed. So sad.
“According to The Sun, Britney Spears is interested in having her body preserved by liquid nitrogen upon her death and be brought back to life if advancements make it possible. “Brit gets these obsessions and this is the latest,” a friend of the pop star told the British tabloid. “It started when someone told her Walt Disney had been preserved by cryogenics to be revived in the future. That was a myth but it got her researching the foundation and she became convinced it was worth a shot.” – PopDirt
Update: Ok, not sure yet but people are saying that allegedly he is in France and his car has been completely totalled and nobody is sure is he is dead, but this rumor came on a little stronger than other death rumors. There was no trace of it as of minutes ago and fake celebrity fake deaths usually take time to evolved. It’s already the #2 trending topic on twitter.
There’s a big rumor around the blogosphere and Twitter that New Moon star and general hearth-throb is dead. This is very common in the land of teeny bopper celebrities and is usually started by jealous boyfriends, because if it was true it would probably be on CNN now. Simmer down, he’s OK. (Someone forced us to post this post).
“Hollywood actress Brittany Murphy has reportedly died in Los Angeles.
Murphy, 32, went into full cardiac arrest and could not be revived, entertainment website TMZ reports.
An emergency call was made about 8am Sunday morning (3am today AEDT) from husband Simon Monjack’s home, the Los Angeles Fire Department was quoted as saying.
She was rushed to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center but pronounced dead on arrival.”
The rumor out in the blogosphere is that Will Smith has died in a car crash sometimes this morning. Yes, it garnered enough attentions that it’s all over the place right about now, the funk soul brother. You can read about it here, here and here.
Congratulations to the US for the passing of the healthcare bill that would protect everyone in the US and not just those who can afford it. It’s a great day for everyone and a commemorative one to the people who had suffered the shackles of a capitalist-driven health system. This reform was necessary and also and indication that socialism is not a bad thing after all.
Against all odds, Shiloh Pepin of Portland, Maine turned 8 years old in August 2007. She was born with Mermaid Syndrome, or Sirenomelia, one of the rarest conditions known to man. This condition means the foetus fails to develop normally below the waist, resulting in a fusion of the lower limbs. Of the few foetuses that actually make it to birth, most die within hours of leaving the womb.
Wow. Where do I start? Well, as many of you know I a big pop fan. I am a pop aficionado and I take it seriously. It’s not just a nice-song-on-the-radio for me. I truly consider myself to be a student pop music and culture. Many, along the line, have considered this to be naff and some frown upon on it as a hobby. They think that pop is irrelevant. And I couldn’t disagree more. I firmly believe that arts and culture is the only method this world can be saved. It’s not a good economy, it’s not morals and it’s not politics.
Now, having said that, the day the King of Pop passes away is not an easy thing on me. Yes, I am a big Michael Jackson fan. So much so that if someone referred to him “Jacko,” I’d have a problem with them. If anymore brings up the child molestation case I cast them as unknowing and stupid. The point is Michael Jackson wasn’t just another performer or great dancer or a troubled celebrity. Michael Jackson was the single most valuable treasure of our generation.
He wasn’t “troubled,” as Barbra Walters said a minute after he died. The people had trouble with him. He has been judged on everything that does not pertain to what he is bringing to the table. MJ laid the ground for the pop music you listen to today. Play any pop song that’s hip today and I will trace back to you the MJ element in it. He has gone too soon.
For the half a century that we had him around us. The world mistreated him. The music industry misunderstood. And people who misguided about his life. To put in simple terms: he was ahead of his time. Maybe we will understand the capacity of Michael in the art world and as a cultural figure around the world.
He has been shunned for his lack of normalcy. Well, he’s extraordinary. He’s not average. He makes music perfectly and that’s a very hard thing to do, especially consistently. When see Michael on TV or in a magazine it was breath of fresh air. He looked different and he was right up on stage and people loved him. The plastic surgery debate has gotten so out of hand that people forget who they are talking about. Only the greatest artist of our time.
For everyone that grew up on Michael and felt outcasted or different there is a special bond there. It’s like when all the so-called freaks can celebrate freakdom. That different is OK and should be celebrated. And that no one has to fit into a box to be accepted. I mean look at Michael. He’s was the reigning king of this world’s cultural sphere and his nose is falling off, or he hangs out with a chimp named Bubbles. Or he dislikes the world’s greed, hypocrisy and discrimination so he built his own fairytale of an abode and called it Neverland. He was different, that’s why he was great and everyone wanted him to change for their quest of normalcy.
“If the say why? why? Tell them that it’s human nature.”
- MJ
I grew up watching Michael, singing Michael, dancing Michael and appreciating everything he has done. i don’t know if I am angry or sad now. So, yeah Michael was a gem and I can’t have a good time knowing that he is no longer with us and that I can’t go see him on my birthday in London. His tour was called This Is It. And that was it. We get his for half a century to show is how it should go down, we treat him like shit and now he’s gone. I feel like he was stolen from us and I suddenly have an issue with everyone that ever said anything bad about him
It’s truly a sad sad day. Not just pop students like me. But for anyone with an appreciation for art. I am going to end this rant.
Now, if you’ll excuse me I am going to disappear for a little to collect myself. Meanwhile I have compiled my favorite Michael songs for all of you. Join the group and get the mix.
What a week of death it has been. First Ed McMahon, then Farrah Fawcett. She had a long battle with anal cancer. Now, Charlie’s Angels will never be the same and that haircut will always bring back memories. I remember her cameo, for a couple of episodes, on Spin City. She looked like she was about to revive her career. Here’s more on her struggle:
What a great day for the civil rights movements when a square state like Iowa legalizes gay marriage with a unanimous Supreme Court decision. Pioneering the way for the midwest and attaining this human right before states like New York and Maine. Of course it’s mainly corn crops there, but still it’s a state that will light up blue and free on charts. Hopefully, this will be a trend that runs across the united states although i think it should be a federal decision. In any case, today’s for Iowa.
