Yesterday I walked over to one of my favorite mini-restaurants, Snack Dragon, to buy a couple of carne asada tacos. The topic of Michael Jackson’s and Farrah Fawcett’s deaths were already on the lips of the two ladies eating rice and beans. We all started talking about it. Suddenly, one of the women said, “And then Liza Minnelli, too! I can’t believe it!”
“Liza Minnelli?!” I replied, mouth agape.
“Yeah – you didn’t know about that? They just announced she died today, too.”
“Holy shit,” I said, “the drag queen mascara is going to be running in the streets of Chelsea this gay pride.” We all talked about June 25th, and the deaths of so many amazing people on one day.
I had earlier broken the news about Jackson to my mother. She was floored. When I returned home with tacos in hand, I called her immediately and said, “And did you hear about Liza Minnelli?!”
Of course, Liza Minnelli is alive and well. It was only after I told my mother–”This is starting to feel like a terrorist attack!“–that I looked for information on Google about Minnelli and found nothing.
It turns out that the celebrity death rumor mill was in full swing yesterday, as pranksters preyed on the shock and raw grief of unassuming people. The New York Daily News reported that Harrison Ford and Jeff Goldblum death rumors were circulating:
The rumors of Goldblum and Ford’s untimely deaths turned out to be false, and were in fact well-known Internet pranks that once made similar claims of Tom Hanks and Tom Cruise.
“Reports that Jeff Goldblum has passed away are completely untrue,” said the actor’s publicist in a statement Thursday night. “He is fine and in Los Angeles.”
According to Snopes.com, these stories are automatically generated with fake scenarios via prank websites. Users simply plug in any name – which in this case were Goldblum and Ford.
For Goldblum, it was suggested he fell to his death while filming a movie in New Zealand. Ford supposedly disappeared while on a boat in the French Riviera.
This kind of prank first appeared online in 2006, and targeted Hanks. Cruise was similarly reported “dead” in 2008.
It’s amazing how the Internet is reshaping our society in such a way that things like pulling pranks in the wake of tragic deaths are now completely common. It’s true: nothing is sacred anymore. We all better learn to live in that kind of world.
Michael Jackson Wikipedia article
This image on Wikipedia was dedicated to editor Realist2, who has worked hard at creating high quality articles on the entire Jackson family. Click on the image to see where it is used on Wikipedia.
The Michael Jackson Wikipedia article is one of the better biography articles on Wikipedia, and it is directly-related to the efforts of editor Realist2. On June 25th, 1.4 million people hit it.
I have no doubt that Michael Jackson knew that this editor was keeping the article as close to the core Wikipedia policy of “Neutral Point of View” as possible. Realist2 is an example of the amazing work that happens on that site. He took an interest in popular culture and turned himself into a scribe of popular culture. That’s pretty cool.
Realist has worked on the articles about all of the Jacksons, and they owe him a debt of gratitude. We all do. I dedicated the image of a Michael Jackson impersonator at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival celebration of the 25th anniversary of Thriller in Realist’s honor. Also pictured are cast members of the television program Step It Up and Dance!, who put on a show at the festival with the original choreographer of the Thriller video.
With its dedication, Realist2 was inducted into the Wikimedia Hall of the Greats, along with other people who have greatly improved the quality and scope of Wikipedia and its sister projects.
Wikipedia photos to be deleted
NYC Wedding March – September 26, 2010
Joaquin Phoenix is a poser
Flushing Meadow Corona Park skate park
East Village Park and Williamsburg Bridge photos
100 People I Photographed for the Creative Commons
Pakistan flood devastation statistics
Cordoba House / Ground Zero mosque protest photos
The void in my blogging (and some photos)
Rihanna video with Eminem about Chris Brown?
But did you hear about OJ?
The advertising guy died this week too…for real. Actually, he died on Sunday, so I guess it would technically be a different week.
http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2009/6/28/490127.html?title=TV+pitchman+Billy+Mays+has+died
michael jackson is a very very talented person to the point that he rose as a pop icon. he would live forever in our history books and memories.
Billy Mays.
Twitter: davidshankbone
says:
I have to be honest: I had no idea who this guy was.
Michael Jackson’s death is a huge loss to the world and to his family. I, for one, am devastated. It seems he led a very lonely and sad life and I never believed any of the rumors about him in regards to molesting boys. I think he was trying to recreate the childhood he never had with his own father, who was a terrible person. The man would sit at rehearsals with a belt clearly visible to Michael — a threat that if Michael did not do well he knew what would happen when he got home. And he was only 6 years old!!! It is a true miracle he did not OD at a young age. His plastic surgeries were done so he would never look like his father. He adored his three children. He suffered many injuries (broken leg and severely injured back from falls) during performances and one Pepsi commercial when his hair caught fire and severely burned his scalp. Unfortunately, this all led to drug abuse to cope with his physical and emotional pain. The world has lost an enormous talent. His family has lost a loving son, father and brother. I have no idea how his three children will ever cope with the rumors now circulating about their parentage. Too many great stars die too young. Think about Elvis, who died even younger. I have no answer for any of this. Heather Ledger, River Phoenix and Hank Williams all died of complications from drug overdoses. Hollywood and its life style is killing so many of our most talented. It will not surprise me if Britney Spears, Lindsey Lohan, Joaquin Phoenix or either of the Olsen sisters end up going down the same road. Wake up young Hollywood and look at Michael Jackson. Think to yourselves — I NEVER WANT TO GO DOWN THAT ROAD!
there would be no other King of Pop like Michael Jackson. he would always be the King.
Michael Jackson would still be remembered as the only King of Pop. We would surely miss him.
The death of Michael Jackson was a huge shock for myself and my family, although looking back it was maybe not so surprising. The criminal charges brought upon him had a massive impact on his health. Once he began to depend on prescription medicines to just get by, that was the time when there came to be no way back, in my humble opinion.