Neil Armstrong, 1930-2012

I know I've said this before, but I was obsessed with space travel as a kid.  Some of my earliest heroes where the men and women who got to do the one thing I wanted most in the world, go into space and look down at the Earth.  The main reason for that childhood obsession, Neil Armstrong and his heroic walk on the moon.  I can't even imagine the courage it would take to walk out of that spacecraft and take the first step a human ever made on the moon.  Every opportunity I had, I would read about Neil Armstrong and his role in the mission.

As I aged, my desire to go to space faded, but my admiration of the first man to walk on the moon never faded.  Every time I see a news story that covers a new development in space exploration, I think of those earlier men and women who made it all possible.  With his passing, I lost a hero and the world lost a courageous man who dared to be the first.

Phyllis Diller, 1917-2012

As a kid, I always had Phyllis Diller and Lady Elaine Fairchilde confused in my head.  I know one is a outrageous stand up comedian and actress, the other a puppet living in The Neighborhood of Make-Believe, but they looked so much alike.  I'm not quite sure I really thought of how that would have worked, but I was convinced they were the same person.  Needless to say the both scared, and fascinated me.

So I would like to thank Phyllis Diller for the hours of fear tinged laughter that she provided for me.  She was one of a kind, and I must admit, that I'm going to miss the hell out of her.

By the way, one of my favorite Phyllis Diller moments can be found by watching this video.

Sally Ride, 1951-2012

When I was in the 4th and 5th grades I was obsessed with space and space exploration.  My heroes where the men and women who put their lives at risk and did what I could only dream of doing.  Astronauts like Buzz Aldrin, John Glenn, and Sally Ride where who I wanted to be like when I grew up.

I wanted more than anything to go to space camp those years, but we never had the money for it.  Instead I put puzzles together of the milky way, read every book I could get my hands on, and dreamt that one day I would get to follow in those footsteps.  That day never happened, but that never slowed my interest or passion for the subject.

Millions of other kids have shared that dream, a lot of them in my generation, because of Sally Ride.  She gave all of us, especially young girls, the inspiration to dream big.  She is one of my personal heroes and for that inspiration, she will always have my gratitude.

She will be rememberd for what she did, but her legacy will live on in the millions of young people who got into the sciences because of the example she gave us to follow.

Andy Griffith, 1926-2012

I wasn't born when The Andy Griffith show was first on the air, and I was way too young to appreciate it when it seemed to be on a channel at least once a day.  I would watch it occasionally, but if I was going to watch an older show in reruns, this wouldn't have been my first pick.  I preferred Perry Mason, The Green Hornet, The Lone Ranger, The Big Valley, or Gilligan's Island.  It wasn't until I was much older that I was able to get into The Andy Griffith Show.  As an adult, I found the show to be a wonderful example of what made TV great back in the day.  It wasn't filled with sex scenes, explosions, or car chases.  It was a simple show about a family and the town they lived in.  It was a show full of wonderful actors who obviously enjoyed what they were doing.

But it was Matlock that made me fall in love with Andy Griffith.  I've always been a huge mystery fan, even as a kid, so if a sleuthing show was on, I watched it.  I always knew that if I was falsely accused of murder I would want Matlock as co counsel with Perry Mason, and Jessica Fletcher leading the investigation team.  I can't begin to tell you how many hours of enjoyment Matlock and Andy Griffith brought me, but I can tell you that know that he has passed, those hours will be cherished even more.

Ray Bradbury, 1920-2012

Growing up I was a huge fan of shows like The Twilight Zone, Tales From the Darkside, Freddy's Nightmares, and Alfred Hitchcock Presents.  Thankfully back then, we got to grow up on reruns of shows that aired years before.  I adored these shows because each week, they presented a story that was so out there, they couldn't be believed.  Some were funny, but most were suspenseful to down right frightening.  One of those shows that I absolutely adored was The Ray Bradbury Theater.  This was one of those shows that had me hooked from the very start.  It was written and hosted by the author, a man who even as a kid, I understood to be a genius.

Now as I was growing up, that show was my main reference point for the works of Ray Bradbury.  I knew about Fahrenheit 451 or Dandelion Wine, but that wasn't the type of book I was reading back then.  I actually didn't read Fahrenheit 451 until I was in college, and I can say it was one of those books that changed my life.  It made me really look at what I value and what I was willing to do to protect those values when they come under attack.  I'm still not sure what answers I can give you to those, hopefully I will never need to.  I'm praying that such a world would never come to exist.  But he got me to think about something outside of myself.  It's a rare feat that I wish more authors were capable of producing.  Well at least be able to entertain and make you think at the same time.

Ray Bradbury's genius will be missed and knowing that the worlds and characters that were still swimming in his head, are now lost forever.  I just hope that those who he has inspired will keep him alive by reading his books, watching the TV shows he was involved with, and by allowing his work to inspire and cause a conversation.

R.I.P Kathryn Jootsen and Richard Dawson

It's not often that the world of TV looses two of it's cherished members, less than 24 hours apart.  Hence the reason why I'm posting something about both of these individuals at the same time.

Kathryn Jootsen, 1939-2012, didn't start her acting career until she was 42.  She was working as a psychiatric nurse when the acting bug bit her, she threw caution to the wind, and had a wonderfully successful career.  Most of you will know her from her work on The West Wing, which as political as I am, I never watched.  And the rest of you will know her from Desperate Housewives.  In my mind though, she will always be Genevieve Holt.  The twisted director of the Lowell Home For Children who tortured her young charges on Buffy: The Vampire Slayer.  Kathryn Jootsen lost her battle to lung cancer, just 20 days after her character on Desperate Housewives lost the same battle.

Richard Dawson, 1932-2012, was an English comedian and actor who didn't come to fame until he starred in Hogan's Heroes, which had to be one of the oddest ideas for a sitcom, ever.  It wasn't until I started watching game shows, especially Family Feud, that I really paid attention to Richard Dawson.  Between his kissing all the female contestants and his ability to not get his ass kicked by the men, he was amazing.  When I started watching reruns of Match Game as an adult, my admiration grew even more.  Richard Dawson lost his battle with esophageal cancer.

Donna Summer, 1948-2012

Now I'm too young to have been a fan of Donna Summer's as a kid since she was at the height of her career when I was just wee lad.  It wasn't until I got to be a bit older, college, that I really got into disco music.  And you can't be a fan of disco, without being a fan of Donna Summer.  Now I wasn't one of those that got upset with her over the supposed comments she made about gay people and AIDS.  It happened during the 80s and her haters tried to bring it back up in the 90s, but I really didn't care.  She denied ever saying it, and I have to give her the benefit of the doubt.  Despite the controversy, all I cared about was the music.  It's what she will be remembered for.  It was sad to learn she sucummbed to cancer early this morning.  I hope she is in a better place and is at peace.

Dick Clark, 1929-2012

I think I can honestly say that I never thought of American culture without Dick Clark being there.  Whether he was on American Bandstand, $24,000 Pyramid, TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes, The American Music Awards, or Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve; he has been in our living rooms since 1952.  

I remember watching American Bandstand as a kid and wanting nothing more than to be there, dancing and having a great time.  The show ended before I ever got old enough to wake that dream come true, but that show lived on in my heart for years after.  Now with Youtube, I get to relive some of those dreams all over again.

Dick Clark is one of those pop culture icons that will never completely disappear from the American psyche, nor should he.  He helped shape the musical taste for generations of Americans and has earned not only our respect but our love as well.  He will be missed.

Whitney Houston, 1963-2012

No matter how many times the death of a celebrity takes me by surprise or makes me remember a particular song or movie that moved me, I'm never prepared for something quite like the death of Whitney Houston.  

I was at work tonight when I first heard the news.  One of my employees said he heard it on the radio, and I refused to believe him at first.  For some bizarre reason I thought he was joking, though why you would joke about something like that is beyond me.  I had to leave the store and go to one of the restaurants in the mall because they always have CNN on.  I stood there for about 5 minutes in a little bit of shock.  It's not because I personally knew her or even felt as if I did.  Instead it felt as if part of my childhood and young adult life has suddenly disappeared.

I can't remember a time in my life when I didn't listen to her.  She had one of those voices that moved me, even when I was too young to really understand the words.  I stayed with her through the 80s and 90s, hoping and praying that she would get away from a destructive marriage to Bobby Brown.  I cheered when she finally left him, and prayed for a big comeback.  Though she never regained the status she once had, she never faded in talent or strength of mind.  I loved her new music as much as I did her older hits.

She is a talent and human being who will be missed by millions.  I pray for her friends and family.  I for one will be one of those who will miss her new music that will never be created, but I will take comfort in all that she has done before.

Amy Winehouse, 1983-2011

I'll be the first one to admit, that despite how talented Amy Winehouse was, I was turned off of her by her erratic behavior.  The first time I heard her sing "Back to Black", I was blown away by the voice.  It had that soulful roughness that I love so much.  She took me back to an era long gone and a style that I wish more singers would embody.  Unfortunately she embodied all the bad aspects of that style as well.

Addiction to drugs and alcohol, along with eating disorders kept threatening to derail a once promising career.  The more chaotic her life got, the more it got in the way of the music.  While I still loved listening to her, I stopped paying attention to the rest of her.  Now that she has passed away, I wish someone would have payed more attention to her.  Had stopped her from going down a road that has claimed more than it's fair share of promising talent.

As I sit here listening to her sing, I'm hoping that she will finally find the peace she never seemed to know in life.

Betty Ford, 1918-2011

I am saddened by the news that Betty Ford, the former first lady of the United States and wife of President Gerald Ford, passed away at the age of 93.  Mrs. Ford was a women to be admired and not only for rising to the occasion when her husband became president, but for the issues she drew attention to as well.

While they were still in the White House, Mrs. Ford had to deal breast cancer.  Her bravery in the face of such an ordeal, was one that the entire country looked to and respected.  Because of the way she handled such a private issue, in such a public manner, Mrs. Ford gave inspiration to millions of women to start taking the issue seriously.

An addiction to painkillers and alcohol forced Mrs. Ford into the public spotlight once again years after the couple left the White House.  Once again she rose to the occasion and ended up inspiring an untold amount of people that they weren't alone and they too, could beat the addiction.

Mrs. Ford is someone who's voice and presence will be sorely missed.

Geraldine Ferraro, 1935-2001

We lost a true political pioneer yesterday to multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer.  Geraldine Ferraro was a respected prosecutor when she decided to run for congress in 1978.  She quickly made a name for herself by championing legislation to bring equality in the workplace for women.

In 1984 she was chosen by Walter Mondale to be his Vice Presidential nominee.  She became the first woman to ever be on a major political party ticket, in this case the Democrat party.  Her nomination energized the campaign but they ended up losing to the incumbent president at the time.

The excitement lasted far beyond the campaign.  Her candidacy gave women a living example of what can be achieved in the political sphere.  It was a trailblazing that has benefited many.  The careers of Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, and countless others owe just a tiny bit of their success to Geraldine Ferraro and what she accomplished.

Elizabeth Taylor, 1932-2011

 

I fell in love with Elizabeth Taylor the first time I saw the movie Cleopatra.  I was in 5th grade and the movie came on TV.  Why we watched it, I don't remember.  I think it was one of my moms favorite movies and for whatever reason I watched it with her.  All I remember was how beautiful she was and how cool the naval battle was.  I've been a sucker for that movie ever since.

Once I was in college I saw Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and I fell in love with her all over again.  This time it was for her amazing ability to bring a character to life and make her audience forget the actress.  She was brilliant in that movie and just about everything else I have ever seen her in, including The Flintstones movie.  If you have never seen Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? watch this clip and you will understand what made me respect her so much.

What I really respect her for though is her activism on behalf of HIV/AIDS awareness and research.  When most of this country was running away out of fear, she was one of the few outspoken public figures trying to give a voice to those who were being stricken down by the disease.  She helped to found amfAR,  the American Foundation for AIDS Research and started her own foundation.  She testified against the ban of allowing HIV/AIDS positive people from even entering the United States and she never stopped speaking out on a cause she felt so passionately about.

She was a brilliant actress and an even stronger voice for those who were deprived of one.  She will be missed by millions, and I am one of them.

R.I.P Teena Marie

I just came home and found out that one of the most talented singer, songwriters in R&B passed away in her sleep today.  She was only 54 years old and she will leave a lasting legacy that will influence generations of R&B artists to come.

My favorite song of hers was "Lovergirl" so I thought I would share the video with everyone.

Elizabeth Edwards, 1949-2010

I just wanted to take a quick second to say farewell to one of the classiest, smartest women to ever grace a political stage.  While she never held office herself she was the heart and brains behind both presidential runs that her estranged husband, John Edwards, ran.

She was  a strong resilient woman who, dead on, dealt with some of life's toughest problems.  Her and John's oldest child died in a Jeep accident when he lost control.  The day Kerry conceded the presidential race she announced she had just been diagnosed with breast cancer.  She spent the next few years fighting it and just when she found out she was going to have to deal with again, she found out her husband fathered a child with another woman.

Throughout it all she maintained her dignity and strength.  She is one of those people I admired for her determination and intelligence and I can only hope to live up to her example of how to face adversity.

She lost her battle to breast cancer today and the world is a emptier without her.

Goodbye, Goldengirl

The lovely Rue McClanahan passed away as a result of a stroke early today.  Most of us know her as Blanche Devereaux, the saucy man crazed scene stealer from The Golden Girls. 

As Blanche, Rue gave off such a air of confidence and style that you couldn't help but fall in love with her.  She was loud and so much fun to watch every week.  She is the main reason I can't turn the show off when I catch it syndication as I'm channel surfing.

Rue was a staunch animal rights activist and was one of the first celebrities to become a spokesperson for PETA.

Whether in her personal life or professional, Rue was a true star who shall be missed by us all.

Lena Horne, 1917-2010

I was saddened to read about the death of one of my favorite performers.  Lean Horne, for me, personified beauty and grace under any condition.  The fact that she had a beautiful voice and was a captivating actress, didn't hurt.  Even during the Red Scare of the 1950s that left her blacklisted in Hollywood, she kept her head held high and came out on top.  She will be missed by the millions of her fans, of which I'm honored to say I'm one of.

Dixie Carter, 1939-2010

I would like to take a quick second and say goodbye to Dixie Carter, the fabulous actress who played Julia Sugarbaker on Desinging Women for 7 wonderful years.

She passed away today and while I never agreed with her politics, I always appreciated her style, grace, and acting ability.  She was a phenomenal actress with an incredible voice to go along with it.

I would like to thank her for the hours of enjoyment she has given me throughout my life.  She will be missed. 

One Of My Childhood Heroes Passed Away Today

I was saddened to learn when I got home today that one of my favorite television heroes passes away today.  Fess Parker, who plaed Davy Crockett in numerous Disney movies and Daniel Boone for the NBC series of the same name, passed away today at the age of  85.

You may also remember him as the dad in Old Yeller or the cult classic, Them! about rampaging ants, which I actually have on my DVR right now.

He brought me hours of entertainment and adventure and I'm thankful to him for it.

Corey Haim and Zelda Rubinstein, Remembered

My favorite Corey Haim movie has to be The Lost Boys, which is still one of the best vampire movies ever made.  The pairing of him and Corey Feldman was perfection .  Whenever they appeared together, you knew the movie would be good.  With his tragic death today I'm not sure I will ever be able to watch The Lost Boys again, without paying a little tribute to this talented actor.

The other person I wanted to say a quick word about was Zelda Rubinstein, who passed away in January of this year.  Most of us know her as Tangina from Poltergeist, which she was great in by the way.  My favorite movie of her's though was Teen Witch, as the teacher to a young girl coming into her powers.  She gave me hours of entertainment as a kid and I thank her for it.