Quote:
Originally Posted by Orgazmo
I was thinking today after seeing the huge (and continued) outpouring after his death: What celebrities still alive would receive similar (or even more) attention if they were to die today?
I think the amount of people that care about this has to do with 3 things:
1.) What he created. His movies were nearly universally loved (those that hit, at least...of course, many no one gave a shit about, but no one talks about those)
2.) His personal life. You never heard about Robin Williams being a dick in real life. In fact, quite the opposite: We're hearing about all of the USO tours he did without seeking any type of credit or any press releases.
3.) How he died. If he were 85 and died of a heart attack, it would be quite different than 63 and dying of what perhaps everyone would think would be the last thing to take him.
Of course, Michael Jackson's death a few years ago was huge news, but it wasn't like this one. I think that was more news because people were shocked by it rather than people actually caring. I realize that's a narrow view and many people did actually care, but I don't think it was as universal as Robin's.
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Good points. All of them in combination are potent, with #3 being what really puts it over the top; the loneliness and sadness of it, the shock and suddenness, and the fact that he seemed to be able to make everyone else happy but himself. I'm sure everyone he was close with wonders why he didn't reach out to them. On a grander level we're all reminded of our own mortality, and I think a tiny bit scared when we see someone bow to the pressures and sufferings of life.