Thursday, January 1, 2009

Welcome to Celebrity Dead Pool 2009

As the title suggests, it’s time for Celebrity Dead Pool 2009.

Thanks to all those who have entered. It’s shaping up to be an interesting year, with 18 entries and 126 unique nominees.

Like last year, posts on the Dead Pool can be quickly accessed using the link on the right-hand sidebar. I’ve also added a link for quick reference to the rules and to last year’s competition.

And so without further ado, here are the 2009 nominations:

Amanda

Clint Eastwood
Queen Elizabeth II
Hugh Hefner
Paul Hogan
Barry Humphries
Lindsay Lohan
Diego Maradona
Katie Price
O.J. Simpson
Amy Winehouse

Benn

Bea Arthur
Mercedes Corby
Derryn Hinch
Joseph Jackson
La Toya Jackson
Michael Jackson
Magic Johnson
Mickey Rooney
Eric Sykes
Carl Williams

Cath

Muhammad Ali
Richard Attenborough
Ernest Borgnine
Fidel Castro
Joan Collins
Kirk Douglas
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Jerry Lewis
Lindsay Lohan
Dick Van Dyke

Debbie

Muhammad Ali
Tony Bennett
Fidel Castro
Kirk Douglas
Peaches Geldof
Larry Hagman
Les Paul
Lou Richards
JD Salinger
Margaret Thatcher

Eliza

Muhammad Ali
Fidel Castro
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Hazel Hawke
Michael Jackson
Courtney Love
Liza Minelli
Bert Newton
Keith Richards
Amy Winehouse

Emmy

John Cleese
Zac Efron
Katie Holmes
Joseph Jackson
Chloe Lattanzi
Joanna Lumley
Natalie Portman
John So
Allegra Versace
John Wood

Greg

Christina Amphlett
Julie Andrews
Miley Cyrus
Blanche D'Alpuget
Judi Dench
Hazel Hawke
Elton John
Solomon Lew
Liza Minelli
Jessica Origliasso

Jarrod

Richie Benaud
Gary Coleman
Phyllis Diller
Kirk Douglas
Zsa Zsa Gabor
John Goodman
Charles Manson
John McCain
Nancy Reagan
Elizabeth Taylor

Jill

Akihito, Emperor of Japan
Ernest Borgnine
Kirk Douglas
Angela Lansbury
Liza Minelli
Peter O'Toole
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Nancy Reagan
Britney Spears
Gough Whitlam

Kate

Natalie Cole
Jeff Conaway
Paul Gascoigne
Corey Haim
Robert Mugabe
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Joaquin Phoenix
Nancy Reagan
Elizabeth Taylor
Allegra Versace

Kylie

Pamela Anderson
Osama Bin Laden
Fidel Castro
Pete Doherty
Queen Elizabeth II
Hugh Hefner
Curtis Jackson
Nancy Reagan
Keith Richards
Amy Winehouse

Paul

Antonio Banderas
Johnny Depp
Harrison Ford
Rachel Griffiths
Katie Holmes
John Howard
Bill Hunter
Dannii Minogue
Geoffrey Rush
Elizabeth Taylor

Rob

George H. W. Bush
Doris Day
Clint Eastwood
Queen Elizabeth II
Michael Jackson
John Laws
Barack Obama
Mary-Kate Olsen
Keith Richards
Elizabeth Taylor

Russell

Pamela Anderson
Fidel Castro
Doris Day
Farrah Fawcett
Rudolph Giuliani
Michael Jackson
Margaret Thatcher
Steven Tyler
Gough Whitlam
Margaret Whitlam

Sarah

Bryce Courtenay
Lindsay Fox
Bob Hawke
Nathan Hudson
Di Morrissey
Mary-Kate Olsen
Michael Parkinson
Margaret Thatcher
Gene Wilder
Terry Wogan

Shannon

Zelman Cowen
Blake Fielder-Civil
Annette Funicello
Mikhail Gorbachev
Val Jellay
Kim Jong-Il
Bert Newton
Jackie Stallone
Elizabeth Taylor
Gough Whitlam

Toby

Lily Allen
Richie Benaud
George W. Bush
Cher
Dawn French
Natalie Imbruglia
Stevie Nicks
Keith Richards
John Symond
Amy Winehouse

Ty

Ronnie Biggs
Fidel Castro
Kirk Douglas
Clive Dunn
Michael Jackson
Shia LaBeouf
Marilyn Manson
Joaquin Phoenix
Elizabeth Taylor
Charles 'Bud' Tingwell

2008 Celebrity Dead Pool Wrap-Up

Well, that’s it for 2008.

It only remains to see what happened in December, announce the 2008 winners and then roll on in to 2009.

So first things first.

Forrest J. Ackerman On December 4th Forrest J. Ackerman, magazine editor, writer, collector and science fiction super-nerd passed away at the age of 92. A friend of the sci-fi fan community since long before it was cool (wait . . . is it cool yet?) he will be sadly missed.

On the 8th TV director Bob Spiers died at the age of 63. Spiers was known for his work on just about every famous British sitcom you can think of: Dad’s Army, Fawlty Towers, The Goodies, French and Saunders, Bottom and Absolutely Fabulous. He also directed Spice World, but we’ll let that one slide.

Bettie Page On the 11th the world lost the iconic Bettie Page at the age of 85. Page was a pioneer of fetish and BDSM modelling back when it all seemed so charmingly innocent, or at least that’s the way they make it look in the movies. It probably wasn’t. Still, it inspired her to become a Baptist missionary so . . . I’m not sure where I’m going with this. I’ll stop there.

On the 18th Majel Barrett, the wife of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry passed away at the age of 76. Majel appeared in every incarnation of Star Trek, most notably as Lwaxana Troi in Deep Space Nine and as the voice of the onboard computer in each series.

On the 24th Nobel laureate and outspoken playwright Harold Pinter passed away at the age of 78. Known as much for his political views as for his plays, Pinter’s particular brand of scathing commentary on world politics will be deeply missed.

Eartha Kitt And finally on the 25th Eartha Kitt, comedienne, singer, actress, gay icon and everyone’s favourite catwoman passed away at the age of 81. If only Halle Berry had paid a little more attention.

And thus ends the 2008 Celebrity Dead Pool, with the final scores standing as follows:

Spoon (a.k.a Rob) 17
Kate 16

With no second prizes, Rob wins the day and the double pass to Village Cinema Gold Class.

Congratulations!