Celebrity Dead Pool

Blake Edwards

2011-01-03T11:44:00.001+11:00

A couple of weeks ago Blake Edwards, one of the great directors of Old Hollywood, died at the age of 88.

Edwards directed an impressive list of classic comedies, including The Pink Panther films and Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

They’re so good, we’re willing to forgive him for that awful Bruce Willis post-Moonlighting vehicle Blind Date.

His other impressive achievement was marrying the delectable Julie Andrews in 1969 and staying married to her for 41 years. Respect.

In terms of our Dead Pool, Mr Edwards’ sad passing was presciently predicted by Kate, awarding her 12 points and placing her in the lead.

And that’s actually it for the year. Congratulations Kate!

Yearly wrap-up to follow. And thanks for playing.

Dead Pool Super Happy Bumper Catch Up Edition!

2010-06-13T09:56:00.001+10:00

The Celebrity Dead Pool has been sadly neglected over the last three months, but this hasn’t stopped our celebrity friends dropping off the perch at a rate of knots.

So here’s a quick catch-up.

On the 14th of February we lost, at the age of 89, Welsh novelist Dick Francis. This was a man who managed to turn his interest in horse racing into a lucrative horse-race-based-crime-novel career.

Seriously. How many people can claim that?

On March 10, 1980s screen darling and 2000s reality TV dropout Corey Haim tragically died at the age of 38.

On March 14, we bid a fond farewell to actor Peter Graves at the age of 83. Graves was star of the original classic Mission: Impossible series and the utterer (in the just-as-classic Airplane!) of that immortal line: “Do you like gladiator movies?”

March 15 saw the death of Australian children’s book author Patricia Wrightson at the age of 88. Her legacy includes the much-loved novel The Nargun and the Stars which, along with the subsequent TV series, was instrumental in introducing a whole generation of Australian kids to indigenous legends and creepy horror stories.

On March 24 we lost actor Robert Culp at the age of 79. Culp remains one of the first and easily one of the best wisecracking badass TV sidekicks we’ve ever had.

Whether it was opposite a crappy superhero in The Greatest American Hero or a crappy comedian in I, Spy, he always managed to bring the funny. (Although not so much in that episode of The Outer Limits. That was just weird).

The 8th of April saw the death of artist, singer, musician, manager, designer and shameless self-promoter Malcolm McLaren at the age of 64.

What more can we say that hasn’t been said? Maybe Yellow Planetary Digital Reversion. But seriously, that’s about it.

On April 10 actress Dixie Carter, star of the iconic 1980s series Designing Women died at the age of 70. There is no truth whatsoever to the rumour that her coffin had to be widened to accommodate her shoulder pads.

And I’m ashamed of myself for starting it.

The 19th of April saw the death-by-assassination-with-a-piece-of-exercise-bike of notorious Australian criminal Carl Williams.

He was … um … notorious but … I’m sure … much loved by his family and the members of his gang … who are all very good looking and … nice to their mothers and … hug puppies at every opportunity.

On May 2 we farewelled actress Lynn Redgrave. A brilliantly versatile actress, Redgrave was just as comfortable on the Broadway stage as she was playing the foul-mouthed Trudy in TV’s Rude Awakening. The world of entertainment is poorer for her passing.

May 16 saw the death of heavy metal legend Ronnie James Dio at the age of 67. Despite his prolific musical output, his main legacies appear to be the “Devil Horns” hand signal and the vocals on Roger Glover’s classic Butterfly Ball video. Still. That’s very cool.

On May 22 Martin Gardner, a founding member of CSICOP and one of the founders of the modern Skeptic movement, passed away at the very respectable age of 95.

As a math nerd, I’ve followed Martin Gardner’s work for years. Through numerous books and his regular “Mathematical Games” column in Scientific American, Gardner managed to make a connection between mathematics and storytelling that few have managed to repeat.

On May 28 we bid a fond farewell to child star and the world’s most famous security guard Gary Coleman.

Expect reruns of The Gary Coleman Show on a poor-taste cable network near you.

And finally, on May 29 the world lost the great Dennis Hopper at the somewhat surprising (for anyone who knew him) age of 74. As a tribute, may I suggest a movie marathon of Easy Rider, Blue Velvet and My Science Project. Classics one and all.

And with that, we’re all caught up.

The scores have yet to move from their previous position, so Tom is still leading the pack on 9 points.

Thanks for checking in. And stay tuned for further updates.

Alexander McQueen

2010-02-13T12:25:00.001+11:00

The world of fashion has lost one of its most interesting and creative voices.

Fashion designer Alexander McQueen has died at the age of 40.

Feted by the fashion industry and crowned British Designer Of The Year a record four times, his reputation was nevertheless as the incorrigible bad boy of fashion.

He claimed to have once sewn the words “I am a cunt” into the sleeve of a jacket meant for the Prince of Wales. True story or not, he’s still a legend.

McQueen was found dead in his London apartment, of a suspected suicide, just nine days after the death of his mother.

Alexander McQueen, we salute you.

JD Salinger

2010-01-29T10:57:00.001+11:00

Reclusive author J.D. Salinger (writer of The Catcher in the Rye and … some other books, apparently) has died at the age of 91.

Apart from his seminal study of disaffected youth, Salinger was most famous for studiously avoiding the limelight. His last publication was the novella Hapworth 16, 1924 in 1965, and his last media interview was in 1980.

The Catcher in the Rye will long be remembered, though. It continues to sell a quarter-million copies a year.

And with that we are also off to a roaring start for the 2010 Dead Pool, with 9 points awarded to Tom. Congratulations!

Jean (not Gene) Simmons

2010-01-24T20:30:00.001+11:00

Gorgeous British actress Jean Simmons (not to be confused with KISS frontman Gene Simmons) has passed away at the age of 80.

Jean was a legend of stage and screen, best known for her performances in Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet, the Kirk Douglas classic Spartacus and as Rear Admiral Norah Satie in one episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Simmons’ beauty and tumultuous private life made her a regular focus of tabloid gossip, but there is no truth to the rumour that she had a cow’s tongue grafted onto her own.

Celebrity Dead Pool 2010 Nominations

2010-01-18T00:10:00.001+11:00

Welcome friends, to a slightly belated Celebrity Dead Pool 2010.

Despite the late start to the year (can I claim that I’m still using the Julian Calendar rather than the Gregorian?) we’re cranked up and ready to go, with 16 entrants and 116 unique celebrity names to watch.

The tips run the gamut from the very young to the very old, so it’ll be a terrific race and it’s anyone’s game and any number of other sporting clichés you can think of.

Anyway, here’s everyone’s tips. Good luck!

Abby David Attenborough Christian Bale Bob Barker Susan Boyle Pete Doherty Lindsay Lohan Nelson Mandela Katie Price Burt Reynolds Tila Tequila	Andrew Richard Branson Jimmy Carter Dick Cheney Macaulay Culkin The 14th Dalai Lama Delta Goodrem Paris Hilton Nelson Mandela Margaret Thatcher Jan Ullrich
Anna King Bhumibol Adulyadej David Attenborough Richie Benaud John Goodman Mikhail Gorbachev Nelson Mandela John McCain Robert Mugabe Arnold Schwarzenegger Charlie Sheen	Benn Carol Burnett Joan Collins Schapelle Corby Dawn French Barry Humphries Joseph Jackson Elton John Mickey Rooney Eric Sykes Ian Turpie
Dave Kirk Douglas Queen Elizabeth II Stephen Hawking Kim Jong-Il Jack Klugman Kate Moss Cliff Richard OJ Simpson Owen Wilson Amy Winehouse	Eliza Muhammad Ali Fidel Castro Zsa Zsa Gabor Hazel Hawke Chloe Lattanzi Lindsay Lohan Courtney Love Liza Minelli Bert Newton Keith Richards
Greg Christina Amphlett Julie Andrews Miley Cyrus Blanche D'Alpuget Judi Dench Hazel Hawke Elton John Solomon Lew Liza Minelli Jessica Origliasso	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 Bill Cosby Blake Edwards David Hasselhoff Hugh Hefner Kim Jong-Il Courtney Love Nancy Reagan Margaret Thatcher Gene Wilder Owen Wilson	Laura Mohamed Al-Fayed Emma Bunton Mick Mars Sam Newman Bert Newton Mary-Kate Olsen Mickey Rooney Diana Ross Paul Shaffer Thom Yorke
Rob George H. W. Bush Sean Connery Doris Day Queen Elizabeth II John Laws Bert Newton Keith Richards William Shatner Elizabeth Taylor Betty White	Sarah Bryce Courtenay Lindsay Fox Bob Hawke Nathan Hudson Di Morrissey Mary-Kate Olsen Michael Parkinson Margaret Thatcher Gene Wilder Terry Wogan
Shannon Barbara Bush Schapelle Corby Annette Funicello Zsa Zsa Gabor Kim Jong-Il Lindsay Lohan Conrad Murray Keith RIchards Elizabeth Taylor Tila Tequila	Tom Buzz Aldrin Stephen Hawking Kim Jong-il Henry Kissinger Tom Lehrer Harry Markowitz Rupert Murdoch JD Salinger Ravi Shankar Franco Zeffirelli
Trevor Fidel Castro Peter Falk David Hasselhoff Larry King Courtney Love Nelson Mandela Burt Reynolds Margaret Thatcher Betty White Amy Winehouse	Ty Fidel Castro Kirk Douglas Clive Dunn Delta Goodrem Phil Jamieson Kim Jong-il Liza Minelli Barack Obama Elizabeth Taylor Lil’ Wayne

Celebrity Dead Pool 2010

2010-01-07T22:18:00.001+11:00

It’s that time of year again.

Well, it’s actually well and truly past that time, but there you are.

Time waits for no man.

And neither does Celebrity Dead Pool 2010!

Because of my dreadful tardiness we’ll begin the competition a little late this year, on the completely arbitrary date I’ve chosen of Sunday 17 January.

That gives you ghouls a whole ten days to put together your nomination lists and email them to me at ilikeportello@gmail.com.

Scoring and rules are more or less the same as last year but really, it’s not rocket science.

Write a list of 10 celebrities you think are not long for this world and send it on in.

Of course, if you’re the sort of person who’s into details you can read all the fine print below.

And if you’re looking for some inspiration, check out some of last year’s nominations.

Get tipping, people … and good luck!

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The Rules

1. All nominated celebrities must be human and must be alive as at 12am on 17 January 2010.

2. If you make a nomination and the person dies before 12am on 17 January 2010, you may substitute another name. You will have 1 day's grace, and the substitution must happen before 12am on 18 January 2010.

3. Nominated persons must be famous or infamous in their own right, not (for example) because they're sick, or because they're very old, or because they're hideously and tragically deformed, or because they're about to undergo an extraordinary, ground-breaking and very risky operation.

4. For a death to be valid, it must be reported by at least one major mainstream media outlet. Examples include AP, AAP, Reuters, a major national or metropolitan newspaper or a major national or metropolitan TV network. Your blog doesn't count.

5. The death of a local celebrity will only be valid if their death is reported by a national media outlet, or by a major media outlet in another city.

6. If a nominated person is on death row or known to have a terminal illness at the start of the game, no points will be awarded if they die of the expected cause. Similarly, if a nominated person is being held hostage at the start of the game, no points will be awarded if they are killed by their captors or in a rescue attempt. Points will be awarded only if such a nominated person dies from another unrelated cause.

7. Each nomination list may have at most 10 names.

8. Any attempts to influence the result via homicidal acts (direct or indirect) will result in immediate disqualification.

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Scoring

1. The score awarded for a correctly predicted death will be equal to 100 minus Age at Date of Death.

2. A person's "age" will be defined as their Age Last Birthday. This figure is incremented at the instant of 12am on the date of the person's birthday. This means that if a person dies on their birthday, their age is taken as the age they had just become that day.

3. If a person is over the age of 100 at their date of death, the score will be zero.

4. In the event of dispute about a person's precise age, the issue will be investigated by the moderator (me) and a decision made based on the best available evidence. The moderator's decision is final and no correspondence will be entered in to.

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And that’s it for 2009!

2010-01-07T20:46:00.001+11:00

Congratulations Ty!

Your morbid prescience has won you two Village Gold Class tickets and all the internets you can eat.

So, what’s next?

The observant among you may have noticed that it’s now 2010.

You also may be asking yourselves whether we’ll be running another dead pool competition for 2010.

And the answer is yes. Yes we will.

Details very soon.

Just Time For A Quick Last Minute Score Check

2009-12-31T18:55:00.001+11:00

With the rest of our celebrities resiliently holding out, we’re heading into the home straight with a neck-and-neck race.

Ty	64
Benn	64
Eliza	50
Rob	50
Russell	50
Debbie	6

And with about 24 hours to go until the end of 2009 everywhere in the world, we’re staring down the barrel of a tied game.

Quickly recapping, you may recall that Ty’s very impressive score of 64 came from tipping the tragic deaths of Michael Jackson (aged 50) and the great Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell (aged 86).

Benn’s equally impressive score of 64 came from tipping Michael Jackson and the equally great Bea Arthur (also aged 86).

However …

Ms Arthur was just a few days shy of her 87th birthday when she passed away at the age of 86 and 346 days, while Mr Tingwell was a sprightly 86 and 131 days.

Based upon Mr Tingwell’s relative youth and my somewhat arbitrary reasoning, we will (in the event of no further scoring in the next 24 hours) be declaring Ty the winner.

Stay tuned!

Who would? Edward Woodward would.

2009-11-20T20:03:00.001+11:00

Very late on this one, and quite frankly … Mr. Woodward deserves better.

Yes, the great Edward Woodward has died at the age of 79.

Rising to prominence as the iconic Callan and cementing his position as Breaker Morant and The Equalizer, Woodward was a class act all the way.

Woodward went all out to make television the respectable dramatic medium it now is (back when most movie actors wouldn’t deign to appear on the box) and brought his intense trademark gravity into every role he played.

And let’s never forget the old joke:

Why does Edward Woodward have so many ‘D’s in his name?

Because if he didn’t, he’d be Ewar Woowar.

And we couldn’t have that. Edward Woodward, rest in peace.

The Legendary Don Lane

2009-10-22T23:11:00.001+11:00

Don Lane, the lanky American who dominated Australian TV in the 1970s and 80s has died at the age of 75.

As host of the long-running Don Lane Show, Don brought a little bit of American-style variety to Australian television screens.

Lane also brought a fair share of controversy, getting arrested for marijuana possession in 1968 and getting kicked out of the 1982 Logie Awards for throwing a punch at Ernie Sigley.

But who can honestly say they’ve never wanted to do that?

And here’s that infamous footage of Lane cracking it with the Amazing^TM James Randi when he dared to suggest that Doris Stokes and Uri Geller may not actually possess all those amazing paranormal powers they claim.

Despite (or maybe because of) all this Lane managed to win numerous Logies (including the 1977 Gold) back when the award actually meant something.

He was one of a kind, a genuine legend and has well and truly earned his place in Australian television history.

Rodger Doxsey R.I.P

2009-10-21T12:41:00.001+11:00

Astronomer Rodger Doxsey, former head of mission operations at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, has died at the age of 62.

Doxsey was best known for his work on the Hubble Space Telescope, that amazing piece of technology which has given us extraordinary images like this:

Doxsey was instrumental in keeping the Hubble Space Telescope running from its very earliest days. His work has allowed us to take pictures of our universe with a resolution and depth never seen before.

Doxsey was also a scientist in the classical mode. He combined a visionary sense of big-picture science with a minute knowledge of the mechanics that made it work.

Rest in peace, Rodger. Your legacy will live on.

Basava Premanand

2009-10-13T22:28:00.001+11:00

I'm a little late reporting this one. Legendary Indian rationalist and skeptic Basava Premanand has passed away at the age of 78.

Using his skills as an amateur magician, Premanand made a career out of exposing the charlatans and "God men" who plagued the Indian culture.

In the face of death threats he showed their supposed miracles were simple sleight-of-hand tricks, and by founding the Indian CSICOP movement and publishing the Indian Sceptic magazine brought skepticism into a country that desperately needed it.

Such was Premanand's notoriety that he feared rumours of a deathbed conversion might abound after his death. As a result, he took steps to prevent such a thing by writing this statement:

I, B. Premanand s/o late Sri Basava Prabhu, 80 years of age resident Chettipalayam Road, Podanur, sound of mind though suffering from physical complications caused by metastases in many organs caused by carcinoma of the stomach herein solemnly wish to place on record the following:

1. I have been closely associated with the rationalist movement from 1975 onwards and have been a rationalist of full conviction since then and continue to be so.

2. It is common for the purveyors of superstitions and such anti rational forces to start spreading rumors about rationalists turning to god and other supernatural forces at the end of their lives and becoming devotees of gods and god men of various types.

3. It is also claimed that at times of crises that we staunch rationalists through the major part of our lives, turn to spiritualism and religion.

4. I wish to clarify that as on today the twentieth of September 2009 I remain a staunch rationalist and wish to place on record the following:

a. I continue to be a rationalist of full conviction.

b. I do not believe in any supernatural power. All the powers that we encounter are in the realm of nature and nothing exists beyond that.

c. I do not believe in the existence of the soul or rebirth.

d. I have not turned to any religion, god or any sort of spiritual pursuits.

e. When I pass away I shall be leaving only my body which is to be donated to a medical college and no spirit or soul to cause problems for the living.

I want to convey to all that the struggle against the exploitation by god men and so called supernatural forces is a long and hard one but the ultimate victory will be ours.

My very survival has been a challenge to astrologers and their so called “science” of astrology, as they had all predicted that I would die soon after birth and refused to cast a horoscope for me.

I wish to convey to my colleagues of the rationalist movement to continue the work that I have been doing with renewed vigor and that will be the best of tributes for me.

Abhirami Hospital
Podanur (B. Premanand)
Witnessed by: Dr. Maya Prabhu and Suneera

Basava Premanand, we salute you.

Stephen Gately

2009-10-12T21:27:00.001+11:00

Irish pop singer Stephen Gately has died at the age of 33.

As well as being greatly respected as a performer, Gately was considered a hero of gay rights. Unlike many closeted colleagues, he managed to be both a boy band star and openly gay.

And in typical UK tabloid fashion, this has apparently earned Gately the right to have the sordid elements of his story splashed far and wide.

However, his sad passing appears to be a tragically simple case of a tragically avoidable death.

Lucy In The Sky

2009-09-30T21:44:00.001+10:00

Lucy Vodden, once upon a time Miss Lucy O’Donnell, has passed away at the age of 46.

Way back in 1967, the 4-year-old Lucy was the subject of a drawing by a 4-year-old Julian Lennon. The picture was to become the inspiration for the classic Beatles tune “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”.

It was revealed in 2007 that Vodden was the eponymous Lucy, and it was also revealed at the time that she was suffering from the autoimmune disease lupus.

Ms. Vodden passed away on September 22, after suffering a severe infection.

A Farewell to Henry Gibson

2009-09-18T22:46:00.001+10:00

On the 14th, as the world stood stunned by the death of Patrick Swayze, another worthy yet less-celebrated celebrity also sadly shuffled off the mortal coil.

James Bateman, a.k.a. Henry Gibson, has passed away just one week before his 74th birthday.

Gaining popularity in the 70s on Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In and a cult following in the 80s as leader of the Illinois Nazis in The Blues Brothers, Gibson went on to create many memorable characters, most recently the eccentric Judge Clark Brown in Boston Legal.

Drama nerds may be inclined to wonder if Gibson’s chosen moniker was a reference to playwright Henrik Ibsen. And yes, it was.

And an entirely appropriate name it was, too. While mainly known for comedy, Gibson always managed to bring a dramatic gravity to even the lightest of roles, grounding the story and greatly improving everything he was in.

The world of television just got ever so slightly less interesting.

To Patrick Swayze, Thanks for Everything

2009-09-15T12:40:00.001+10:00

After a long battle with pancreatic cancer, Patrick Swayze has died at the age of 57.

Whether as a romantic lead, an action hero, a drag queen or a sleazy evangelist (remember Donnie Darko? He was ace in that) Swayze has always been a compelling presence onscreen. We and Hollywood are all the poorer for his passing.

It was first announced way back in March 2008 that Swayze had been diagnosed with cancer, and at that time the prognosis looked to be very short. The fact that he lasted another 18 months is a testament to his strength and the support of this family.

Of course it took about five seconds for tasteless jokes to start popping up on Twitter and, without trying to speak ill of the recently deceased, my favourites were these:

Ghost 2 is now in production ... and "nobody puts baby in a coffin."

Too soon, people. Too soon.

Now you’ll need to ask the other Leyland brother

2009-09-14T19:16:00.001+10:00

Mike Leyland, one half of the legendary Leyland brothers, has passed away at the age of 68.

From 1976 until 1984, Mike (right) and his brother Mal were co-hosts of the iconic travel documentary show Ask The Leyland Brothers. They would travel around Australia in response to viewer questions, and shot the whole thing on Super 8. You just don’t see TV like that anymore.

And who could forget that amazing theme? If by some miracle you have, please remind yourself here.

You’ll have it stuck in your head for days, I promise.

Farewell, Mike. It was a pleasure travelling with you.

Vale Ray Barrett

2009-09-08T22:27:00.001+10:00

Veteran Australian actor Ray Barrett has died at the age of 82.

Internationally known as “that guy who was in that movie … you know …”, Barrett was an inspiration to a generation of Australian actors.

And he appeared in Doctor Who, way back before it was cool.

Respect.

Dead Pool 2009 – August Update

2009-09-08T20:16:00.000+10:00

Once again I’m very late with the monthly update and once again I have no excuses. I throw myself upon the mercy of the internet.

On the 6th we bid a very fond farewell to cinema legend John Hughes. Passing away aged just 59, Hughes brought us the legendary Ferris Bueller and showed us just how pretty Molly Ringwald could look in pink (reasonably pretty, it turns out).

And of course Home Alone. But we forgive him for that last one.

On the 13th music technology pioneer Les Paul passed away at the very respectable age of 94. He leaves behind a huge legacy including multitrack recording, the famous Gibson guitar and well-earned 6 points for Debbie who had the foresight to tip him.

The 15th saw the death of nuclear physicist Louis Rosen, the “father” of the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center and one of pioneers of particle accelerator technology. That’s the second time I’ve used the word “pioneer”. Think I can go for three?

On the 21st we lost Edward Goldsmith, a professional hippy and founder of the British Green party. An environmentalist long before it was fashionable we have Goldsmith to thank for the idea of the self-sustaining biosphere and therefore (in a sense) the movie Biodome. But we choose not to hold that against him.

Also on the 21st Dean Turner, bass player of Geelong rock band Magic Dirt, died of a rare form of tissue cancer at the age of 37.

The 25th saw the death of Senator Edward ‘Ted’ Kennedy. Unlike his older brothers John and Robert, Ted managed to avoid assassination. Opinions are divided as to whether he achieved much else. Hmmm. Too soon?

Finally, on the 28th we farewelled Adam Goldstein, a.k.a DJ AM, at the age of 36. While the official cause of death was an overdose of pain medication, speculation is rife that it was suicide. We eagerly wait the numerous albums he apparently had in the can prior to his death à la 2Pac and Michael Jackson.

And that’s it for August. As mention, 6 points are awarded to Debbie for the prescient tip of the late, great Les Paul.

The scoreboard looks like this …

Ty	64
Benn	64
Eliza	50
Rob	50
Russell	50
Debbie	6

… and we’ll see you all next month!

Dead Pool 2009 – July Update

2009-08-05T23:19:00.000+10:00

My most humble apologies for the very tardy update.

I have no excuses to offer except for the fact that I’ve just had Foxtel installed (that’s cable TV for our American friends) and hence found other ways to spend my time.

But enough with the smug confessions and on with the dead pool update.

The month started with a tragic double act on the 1st, with the deaths of actors Mollie “Mrs Slocombe” Sugden and Karl “Lieutenant Mike Stone” Malden.

On the 3rd US author and journalist John Keel died at the age of 79. A noted UFOlogist and author of The Mothman Prophecies, Keel managed to turn an unfortunate case of clinical paranoia into a lucrative writing career.

The 17th saw the death of legendary newsreader Walter Cronkite. His mellifluous voice had him cited as the “most trusted man in America”, which makes me think John Howard might have been more trusted if he didn’t sound like such a whiny little shit. Or maybe not.

On the 18th Henry Allingham, just elevated to the position of world’s oldest man last month, passed away at the age of 113. I don’t want to jinx anyone but Walter Breuning, aged 112, takes his place. Good luck, Walter.

On the 19th famed Irish author Frank McCourt passed away at the age of 78. Author of Angela’s Ashes and 'Tis, McCourt turned his impoverished upbringing into a lucrative writing career. Take note, Keel.

The 21st saw the tragic death of actor Les Lye, best known for playing all the adult characters on classic Canadian kid’s show You Can’t Do That On Television.

On the 22nd cartoonist John Ryan, creator of the legendary Captain Pugwash passed away at the age of 88. Sadly those rumours about saucy double-entendres hidden in the character names (Master Bates, Seaman Staines and Roger the Cabin Boy) were nothing but urban legend. Dammit.

And finally on the 25th we farewelled Harry Patch, one of the last four surviving World War I veterans and the last to have actually fought in the trenches. Patch was 111.

And that wraps it up for July.

There’s been no further movement on the scoreboard so, as last month, it looks this:

Ty	64
Benn	64
Eliza	50
Rob	50
Russell	50

Dead Pool 2009 – June Update

2009-07-01T22:58:00.000+10:00

We’re halfway through the year and it’s been an absolutely bumper month. We’ve had celebrities and other notables tragically dropping off the perch left right and centre.

With no time to mess around let’s get straight into it, starting with one late-reported death from May.

On the 31st of that month we bid a final ta-ra to entertainer Danny La Rue, a pioneer of the drag scene and one of the men responsible for bringing the whole men-dressing-as-ladies thing out of the underground and into the mainstream.

On the 2nd of June fantasy author David Eddings passed away at the age of 77. I’d probably have something more interesting to say about him if I’d read any of his books. I haven’t. But I’m sure they’re tops.

On the 3rd we lost Australia’s last surviving veteran of World War I, John Campbell Ross at the very respectable age of 110.

Also on the 3rd we bid a fond farewell to actor, notorious bad-boy and all-round legend David Carradine at the age of 72. If you’re gonna go, there are worse ways than with some random hooker in a sleazy Thailand hotel room. Just sayin’. Rest in Peace, Grasshopper.

On the 12th we witnessed the spooky death of Johanna Ganthaler who, having just survived the ill-fated Air France Flight 447 on June 1 by missing the flight, was killed in a car crash in Austria.

Seriously, it’s a story worthy of a film. Oh wait. It’s been done.

The 15th saw the daylight assassination of Des ‘Tuppence’ Moran, patriarch and last surviving member of the Moran crime family.

On the 17th John Houghtaling, inventor of Magic Fingers Vibrating Bed, a fixture of mid-priced hotel rooms last refurbished in the 1960s, died a very wealthy man at the age of 92. There is no truth to the rumour that his fortune was all in quarters, nor that he vibrated for fifteen minutes after he died. It’s all scurrilous and very silly gossip.

On the 19th Tomoji Tanabe, up until his final moments the world’s oldest living man, died of heart failure at the age of 113. Henry Allingham of the UK, also 113, takes his place as the oldest living man in the world. But not the oldest living person. There’s like ten chicks ahead of him.

(I wonder if all these supercentenarians know each other? They should start a facebook group. If I were suddenly made the oldest man in the world by the death of the previous incumbent I know I’d want immediate notification).

The 21st saw the tragic death of actress Lorena Gale, best known for her role as the wise priestess Elosha on Battlestar Galactica. (<battlestargeekout> Although one might question the wisdom of plying the President of the Colonies with hallucinogens. </battlestargeekout> Still … Lorena Gale … awesome lady.)

On the 23rd American TV announcer Ed McMahon passed away at the age of 86. A fixture of Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show, Ed’s famous catchphrase “Here’s Johnny!” was usurped by an axe-wielding Jack Nicholson in 1980’s The Shining. That’s got nothing to do with his death. It’s just kind of interesting.

Finally, as previously mentioned (and covered by one or two other sources) the 25th saw the deaths of both Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett.

So it’s been a helluva month.

We’ve also seen some significant movement on the dead pool scoreboard, with no fewer than five people tipping the tragic passing of Michael Jackson.

As Mr. Jackson was 50 at the time of his death we award 50 points each to Benn, Eliza, Rob, Russell and Ty. Sadly Farrah Fawcett’s death does not result in any points, as she passed away from the illness she was suffering at the beginning of the year.

And with that, our scoreboard looks like this:

Ty	64
Benn	64
Eliza	50
Rob	50
Russell	50

Tune in again next month.

I hope for the sake of our remaining beloved celebrities that it’s a quiet one.

Michael, Farrah and (not) Jeff

2009-06-26T19:45:00.000+10:00

The King of Pop is dead. Long live . . . who?

Pop music lives on, but without an obvious successor to the Pop crown. That Timberlake fella’s just a bit too normal and balanced.

Jackson will be remembered for a few good albums, but mostly for the chimpanzee, the oxygen tent, “Wacko Jacko”, the bizarre behaviour, the accusations, aspersions and gossip.

It’s hard to feel anything but pity for this man who remained a boy in so many ways. And it’s very hard to shake the sense that he’d been dying before our eyes for the last two decades.

In a perfect world Jackson’s life would be a stark warning about the dangers of growing up in the celebrity spotlight.

Unfortunately, his lasting impression will probably be a vague whiff of salacious scandal and a dodgy telemovie starring Jaden Smith as Young Michael and Marilyn Manson as the adult.

Media coverage of Jackson is beyond comprehensive right now, far overshadowing the other tragic celebrity death of the moment, Farrah Fawcett.

Farrah’s battle with cancer (detailed in not one, but two recent documentaries) has been big news for years now, but she’s hardly getting a look in.

One is reminded of Jimmy Stewart’s death in 1997 which rendered the death of legendary actor Robert Mitchum all but forgotten.

We haven’t forgotten you, Farrah.

Then, just to throw a bit of bizarrity into the day someone somewhere took the idea that “things happen in threes” as an instruction, and announced that Jeff Goldblum had plummeted to his death from a cliff while filming in New Zealand.

This got as far as being officially announced on Australia’s Today show before being revealed as a hoax and denied by a bemused and very-much-alive Jeff Goldblum.

Richard Wilkins, you’re an idiot.

What a day. It won’t quite live in infamy, but we won’t see its like again for a while. Hopefully.

Dead Pool 2009 – May Update

2009-06-01T20:37:00.000+10:00

Welcome once again to the macabre world of Dead Pool 2009.

Mwahaha…ha…*cough*…ha…

Let’s kick off first with a late-reported death from April.

On April 30, amateur astronomer Venetia Phair passed away at the age of 90. Phair was brought to prominence in 1930 aged just 11, when she named the newly-discovered planet Pluto. Phair was remembered again recently when Pluto was demoted from a planet to a dwarf planet. Shame about that.

Still, Walt Disney pinched the name for Mickey's dog a few years later. And that’s still cool. Right?

On May 4 comedy legend Dom DeLuise died of kidney failure aged 76. Best known for his roles in just about all of Mel Brooks’ movies, I still remember him for the opening scene of The Muppet Movie, where he played the sleazy agent who convinces Kermit to go to Hollywood.

So we have Dom to thank for the Muppets. Well, why not? Let’s go with that.

On the 15th, as previously mentioned legendary Australian actor Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell passed away at the age of 86.

On the 18th US rapper Roderick Anthony Burton II (aka “Dolla” … twice as good as 50 Cent etc etc) was shot and killed in Beverley Hills. Of course if the precedent set by 2Pac is anything to go by, this means a glowing career of successful albums, Grammy awards and unverified sightings in Hollywood nightclubs.

On the 21st we farewelled actress Joan Alexander, best known for her role as Lois Lane in the radio serial The Adventures of Superman in the 1940s. Tragically taken in her prime at the age of 94 this is clear evidence that the curse of Superman strikes again!

And finally, on the 31st the world lost Millvina Dean, the last survivor of the Titanic disaster in 1912.

Of course, it’ll be some years before we farewell the last survivor of the Titanic disaster of 1997.

The current score for this year’s pool still stands at a draw, with Benn and Ty sharing the lead on 14 points.

Stay tuned for further updates.

Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell

2009-05-17T10:58:00.000+10:00

The great Australian actor Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell has passed away at the age of 86.

One of Australia’s hardest working and most respected actors, Bud was loved by generations of Australians.

Bud brought a touch of class to everything he did, whether it was the Australian war movies of the 1940s, the Hammer horror films of the 1960s, or the ‘Charlie the Wonder Dog’ segment of the D-Generation’s The Late Show.

He will be sadly missed.

In the wake of Bud’s sad death we solemnly and respectfully award 14 points to Ty, who is now running equal first with Benn in this year’s competition.

Dead Pool 2009 – April Update

2009-05-02T09:55:00.000+10:00

Welcome back to the 2009 dead pool.

Our first score for the year has been realised, with the tragic passing of the legendary Bea Arthur scoring Benn an estimable 14 points.

In other celebrity mortality news, the 7th saw the death of game designer Dave Arneson. Along with Gary Gygax who sadly passed away just over a year ago, Arneson was the co-creator of Dungeons and Dragons.

On the 19th science fiction author J.G. Ballard passed away at the age of 78. Although best known for the film adaptations of his novels Crash and Empire of the Sun (neither of which can be reasonably labelled sci-fi) Ballard was hugely influential on the genre as he explored themes of ecological catastrophe, dystopian futures and the cult of celebrity.

Finally, on the 28th we farewelled Australian businessman and philanthropist Richard Pratt at the age of 74. Pratt made his fortune by illegally inflating prices in the Australian cardboard box industry as part of a cartel, but depending on who you ask he was either a criminal who should have been jailed or a great guy because he gave some of that money to charity. I’ll let my readers decided for themselves on that one.

And that wraps it up for April

Once again, congratulations to Benn who is now leading with a score of 14, and we’ll see you again next month.

Bea Arthur

2009-04-26T11:24:00.000+10:00

The legendary comedienne and actress Bea Arthur has passed away at the age of 86.

Stealing our hearts as Maude in the 70s and acerbic Golden Girl Dorothy in the 80s, she will be sadly missed.

Let’s remember her with one of my favourites . . . a duet with Rock Hudson and a lovely ode to recreational drugs.

RIP Bea.

And Benn, 14 points for you.

Dead Pool 2009 - March Update

2009-04-05T14:56:00.000+10:00

March turned out to be a reasonably quiet month, although there were a few celebrity deaths all the more tragic for their unexpectedness.

On the 18th actress Natasha Richardson died at the age of 45 following a skiing accident in Canada. Daughter of the legendary Vanessa Redgrave and granddaughter of Sir Michael Redgrave, Richardson was the product of great acting stock but still a respected star of stage and screen in her own right.

On the 22nd reality TV star Jade Goody died of cervical cancer at the age of 27. After becoming famous as a UK Big Brother housemate in 2002, Goody turned what could have (and arguably should have) been fleeting notoriety into a lucrative career, and had the cameras rolling right up to the moment of her death. Expect a somewhat macabre documentary to be released very soon.

Finally, the 29th saw the death of US actor Andy Hallett at the age of 33. Best known as the singing demon Lorne in the TV series Angel, Hallett suffered heart failure as a result of cardiomyopathy contracted soon after finishing his stint on Angel.

A tragic month it was, but the score for our contestants is still nil-all.

Stay tuned for next month’s update.

Dead Pool 2009 – February Update

2009-03-01T22:43:00.000+11:00

We’re now two months into 2009 and while we’re yet to see any movement in the scoreboard, it’s been another interesting month.

On the 3rd American graphic designer Ben Blank passed away at the age of 87. You know when a newsreader has a graphic over their shoulder representing the story? Yeah. Well this guy invented that. Seriously.

And while we’re talking obscure technological references on the 4th Mark Shepherd, chairman of Texas Instruments, passed away at the age of 86. (Note that he should not be confused with Mark Sheppard, the actor who played Badger on Firefly and Romo Lampkin on Battlestar Galactica. As far as I’m aware he’s fine).

The 7th, which has since been dubbed Black Saturday, saw the worst Australian bushfires in living memory. The fires claimed the lives of over 200 people, including actor Reg Evans at 80 and and legendary newsreader Brian Naylor at 78.

Also on the 7th we farewelled scientist Jack Cover, inventor of the Taser. There’s probably a joke in there, but it would probably be in poor taste. So I won’t.

The 16th saw the death of of Dorothy Bridges, wife of the late Lloyd and mother of actors Beau and Jeff.

On the 20th we had not one, but two famous animal deaths, with Australian racehorse Fine Cotton (of the infamous Fine Cotton Scandal) shuffled off to the glue factory at 31, and former First Cat Socks Clinton sent off to greet the great Ceiling Cat at the age of 19.

The 20th also saw the death of Irish author Christopher Nolan. Again, he should not to be confused with the UK-born director of The Dark Knight, who is also probably fine. As far as I know.

And finally on the 25th we farewelled science fiction author Philip José Farmer at the age of 91. Farmer was a writer with a prolific output and a man who knew better than to let the niceties of grammar and sentence structure get in the way of telling a rip-snorting story.

And that wraps it up for February. Keep watching those obituary columns and stay tuned for next month’s update.

Dead Pool 2009 – January Update

2009-02-02T22:08:00.000+11:00

We’re just one month into the new year and while we’re yet to see any score in the pool, we’ve already seen some serious mortality.

The year started on a tragic note, with the announcement on the 2nd that Jett Travolta, the son of sometime actor and noted Scientologist John, had died at the tender age of 16.

On the 6th John Scott Martin, the world’s longest-serving Dalek operator (rolling around in one of those things from 1965 to 1988) passed away at the age of 83.

Also on the 6th, Apple boss Steve Jobs declined to deliver the Macworld keynote address, throwing the rumour mill into overdrive and prompting this very tasteless (albeit very funny) cartoon on xkcd.

(And that mill continues to turn, with the announcement on the 15th that Mr. Jobs will be taking extended sick leave until June. Hmmm.)

The 13th and 14th saw an unfortunate classic actor double-bill, with the respective deaths of The Prisoner Patrick McGoohan at age 80, and Fantasy Island (and occasional Star Trek) star Ricardo Montalbán at age 88.

On the 16th we farewelled Sir John Mortimer, creator of the modern legal drama with his classic grumpy barrister Rumpole of the Bailey.

On the 25th Kim Manners, director of many, many episodes of modern classic The X-Files and modern classic wannabe Supernatural, passed away at 58.

Finally, on the 27th we farewelled American author John Updike, a man who tragically lived to see his classic novel The Witches of Eastwick go from a great book to a passable film to a dodgy stage musical.

And that wraps it up for January. Stay tuned for further updates.

Welcome to Celebrity Dead Pool 2009

2009-01-01T18:31:00.000+11:00

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

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

2009-01-01T17:52:00.000+11:00

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.

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.

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.

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!

One week to go

2008-12-24T09:49:00.000+11:00

Christmas is just around the corner, which means there’s only one week left to get your entries in for the

2009 Celebrity Dead Pool !

Entries are flooding in already, you can read all the rules here and email me with your nominations at ilikeportello@gmail.com.

Don’t delay!

Get Ready for Celebrity Dead Pool 2009!

2008-12-10T22:43:00.000+11:00

With just three weeks remaining of 2008, we're on the downhill run for the 2008 Celebrity Dead Pool, which means . . .

It's time to start thinking about who's going to be dropping off the perch in 2009 !

We've had a some surprising celebrity deaths this year, and you can bet your last dog-eared copy of Who magazine that 2009 will be no exception.

The only question is . . . can YOU pick a winner?

Just like the 2008 Celebrity Dead Pool, the game is very simple.

Simply nominate a list of 10 celebrities you believe are not long for this world, and submit them to me before 12am on 1 January 2009.

You can email your nominations to me at ilikeportello@gmail.com.

And that's it! From then on it's just a ghoulish waiting game.

Entry is free and the prize once again will be a double pass to Village Cinema Gold Class.

And finally there are, of course, some rules.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Scoring

1. The score awarded for a correctly predicted death will be equal to 100 minus Age at Date of Death.

3. If a person is over the age of 100 at their date of death, the score will be zero.

-----------------------------------------------------------

The Rules

1. All nominated persons must be human and must be alive as at 12am on 1 January 2009.

2. If you make a nomination and the person dies before 12am on 1 January 2009, you may substitute another name. You have 1 day's grace, and the substitution must happen before 12am on 2 January 2009.

5. The death of a local celebrity will only be valid if their death is reported by a national media outlet, or by a major media outlet in another city.

7. Each nomination list may have at most 10 names.

8. No name may appear on a nomination list more than once. You may, however, submit more than one list.

9. Any attempts to influence the result via homicidal acts will result in immediate disqualification.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Get your nominations in before 1 January, and good luck!

Dead Pool November Update

2008-12-04T22:16:00.000+11:00

November was a pretty slow month for celebrity deaths.

On the 4th prolific paperback producer Michael Crichton passed away at the age of 66. His legacies include the science fiction classic Westworld, the story of an amusement park where things go horribly wrong. And science fiction classic Jurassic Park, the story of an amusement park where things go . . . wait a minute.

On the 9th Jayden Federline (aka Britney Baby II) was admitted to hospital suffering a “bad reaction” to “something” he “ingested”. Uh-huh. It turned out he was fine. Sorry, Shannon.

On the 10th legendary mathematician Kiyoshi Itō died of respiratory failure at the age of 93. This guy has a whole branch of calculus named after him which enables analysis of complicated stochastic processes like Brownian motion. This is incredibly useful in financial mathematics, but most importantly it’s one of the main components of Douglas Adams' Infinite Improbability Drive.

The 12th saw the death of Mitch Mitchell, original drummer of The Jimi Hendrix Experience. As a kind of anti-tribute to Spinal Tap and their disposable drummers, he was the last to go.

Finally, on the 29th we farewelled Jørn Utzon, the Danish architect who won an award for ~~Norway~~ the Sydney Opera House. There is no truth to the rumour that his funeral will be delayed because of cost overruns and poor planning.

Well, that’s it for November and the scores remain as they were last month:

Spoon 17 Kate 16

There’s only one month to go for the 2008 competition, and unless something big happens it looks like it might be Spoon’s year.

But it is the silly season, so it’s not over yet.

Dead Pool October Update

2008-11-09T13:14:00.000+11:00

Please accept my most humble apologies for the inexcusable delay in dead pool reporting.

After the excitement of the last two months, October has failed to set the scoreboard in motion again, but we have had some notable (and tragically surprising) deaths.

On the 2nd actor Rob Guest, star of Melbourne's current production of Wicked and stage veteran of Phantom, Les Miserables etc. etc. died unexpectedly at the age of 58. What was most fascinating was that in all of the media coverage of his death (and there was a lot) no-one mentioned Man O Man.

On the 4th, Australian Idol Season 1 finalist Levi Kereama committed suicide at the age of 27.

On the 15th Nancy Reagan was hospitalised for the second time this year, after breaking her pelvis in a fall. Again, she left the hospital two days later. She's tough, that one.

The 19th saw the death of Hal Kant, an entertainment lawyer who pioneered the retention of publishing rights by musicians and other artists. This paved the way for musicians to maintain control of their work, and effectively stick it to those evil record companies. Respect.

Finally on the 25th Gerard Damiano, director of 1972 arthouse cinema classic Deep Throat, passed away at the age of 80.

He suffered a stroke. Presumably not the first, but certainly the last. Thank you. I'll be here all week. Please try the fish and don't forget to tip your waitress.

The scores remain as they were last month:
Spoon 17
Kate 16

Thanks for your patience, and please stay tuned for next month's update.

Dead Pool September Update

2008-10-01T18:30:00.000+10:00

The competition's heating up.

The 1st of the month was a veritable celebrity catastrophe, with no less than three notable personages dropping off the perch.

There was Australian actor Michael Pate, the first man, in a 1953 television production of Casino Royale, to play the iconic Felix Leiter.

Then there was Don LaFontaine, a man whose name you may not know but whose voice you certainly do. This was the guy famous for his narration of film trailers, particularly the way he would say "In A World . . ."

Still on the 1st, we bid farewell to television gardening presenter Kevin Heinz. I remember as a youngster turning on the TV to see Sow What, and getting annoyed because it meant The Goodies wasn't on. Cheerio, Kevin.

On the 6th silent movie star Anita Page, the last living attendee of the original 1929 Academy Awards ceremony, died peacefully in her sleep at the age of 98.

On the 15th musician Richard Wright, one of the founding members of Pink Floyd, passed away at the age of 65.

Finally, on the 26th the world lost Paul Newman; legendary actor, director, humanitarian and racing car driver. The outpouring of emotion that accompanied news of his death was huge . . . not least amongst our dead pool entrants, as a prescient tip meant that first-place holder Kate was usurped by Spoon.

The leaderboard now stands thus:

Spoon 17
Kate 16

But there's three months to go, and a lot of precarious names among the nominations. So anything could happen.

Paul Newman

2008-09-28T13:34:00.000+10:00

Screen legend Paul Newman has passed away at the age of 83, following a long battle with cancer.

This drastically changes the leaderboard for the 2008 dead pool, with Spoon taking the lead on 17 points.

It's a close-run thing, however, with Kate coming second on 16 points.

There's still three months to go, so anything could yet happen.

Dead Pool August Update

2008-08-31T19:11:00.000+10:00

With four months to go until the end of the year, August has been characterised by some celebrity deaths that might best be described as . . . unexpected.

On the 9th comedian Bernie Mac passed away at the age of 50, which prompted an outpouring of tributes from everyone he'd apparently ever met.

Then on the 10th musician and sometime voice-actor Isaac Hayes passed away at the age of 65. 'Shaft' to his older fans and 'Chef' to his younger fans, this prompted yet another outpouring of tributes.

On the 17th Dave Freeman, author of 100 things to do before you die, died after a fall at his home. And apparently he hadn't done all 100 of the things. Awkward.

The 27th saw the tragic death of All Saints actor Mark Priestley, who committed suicide by jumping from the window of his high-rise hotel room in Sydney's CBD.

And finally, on the 28th tech news website Bloomberg published the obituary of Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple Inc.

He wasn't actually dead, and the document was quickly withdrawn. But it was up for long enough to get copied and re-published elsewhere and it's now available all over the web for all the world to see. Have a read.

And that's it for another month. The rankings haven't changed, with Kate still leading on 16 points.

Dead Pool July Update

2008-08-01T22:13:00.000+10:00

It's been a relatively quiet month in the celebrity mortality stakes, but we have nevertheless seen our first score for the year.

On the 3rd Larry Harmon, otherwise known as Bozo the Clown (the original one), passed away at the age of 83.

The 4th saw the death of controversial conservative US politician Jesse Helms. Apparently quite a few liberal-minded Americans saw his death as an excellent reason to set off some celebratory fireworks.

On the 7th Democratic congressman Clem McSpadden passed away at the age of 82. No particular reason to mention him, except that he wins for having the funniest name this month.

He was closely followed by Canadian ice hockey player Peanuts O'Flaherty, who passed away on the 16th at the ripe old age of 90.

On the 12th the world farewelled Olive Riley of Broken Hill. At 108, Olive was the world's oldest blogger.

And finally, Kate is now the proud owner of sixteen points having successfully tipped the legendary Estelle Getty, who sadly passed away on the 22nd at the age of 84.

Estelle Getty

2008-07-23T08:09:00.000+10:00

Actress Estelle Getty has passed away at the age of 84.

Condolences to her family.

And 16 points for Kate.

Dead Pool June Update

2008-06-30T19:00:00.000+10:00

We're halfway through the year now and on the downhill run to the finish line.

With the scores still nil-all, it's anyone's (or possibly even no-one's) game.

The month began in a big way, with the death at 71 of legendary designer Yves Saint-Laurent on the 1st, and legendary bluesman Bo Diddley on the 2nd at age 79.

The 8th saw the death of actor Robert J. Anderson, who played the young George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life. He was also, of course, briefly immortalised in Tom Black and the Caesars' legendary video Tahoe . . . timecode 2:09 for those playing at home.

On the 10th it was reported that Paul Newman had been diagnosed with lung cancer, causing him to drop out of directing a stage version of Of Mice and Men.

On the 15th Stan Winston, Academy-award-winning special effects genius behind the Terminator films, Predator and AI: Artificial Intelligence. His swansong was the truly excellent Iron Man, so he definitely went out on a high note.

The 17th saw the death of actress and dancer Cyd Charisse, after a heart attack the day before. She was 86.

On the 18th Fidel Castro appeared on an official video, again putting to rest rumours that he kicked it two years ago. Many remain unconvinced.

On the 21st puppeteer Kermit Love, longtime associate of Jim Henson and designer of both Big Bird and Mr. Snuffleupagus passed away at the age of 91. Astonishingly, his name is just a coincidence.

On the 22nd Jane McGrath, wife of cricketer Glenn McGrath, passed away after complications from cancer surgery. She was 42.

Finally, and also on the 22nd, legendary comedian George Carlin died of heart failure at the age of 71. He will be sadly missed, but his influence on the world of comedy, and his seven words, will live forever.

Dead Pool May Update

2008-06-01T13:33:00.000+10:00

Celebrity deaths were thin on the ground in May, although there were a few lost souls for whom their work is more famous than their name.

On the 5th Irv Robbins, co-founder of the Baskin-Robbins ice cream chain, passed away at the age of 90. His partner Burt "Butch" Baskin had died in 1967 aged 54.

On the 8th Murray Jarvik, co-inventor of the nicotine patch passed away. Irony requires that he died of emphysema or something.

But no, it was congenital heart failure. So no comedy gold there then.

On the 10th Jessica Jacobs, the 17-year-old star of The Saddle Club was tragically killed when she was hit by a train.

On the 15th we farewelled artist Will Elder, a long-time contributor to Mad Magazine and creator of one of the best self-portraits I've ever seen:

On the 24th comedian Dick Martin, star of iconic comedy show Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In died at the age of 86.

Also on the 24th young British actor Rob Knox, who will appear as Marcus Belby in the forthcoming Harry Potter and Half-Blood Prince, was killed in a street brawl in London.

The 25th saw the death of J.R. Simplot, founder of the company that provides more than half of the potatoes for McDonald's French Fries. He died at the age of 99 an incredibly rich bastard.

Finally, on the 26th we lost actor and director Sydney Pollack at the age of 73. Pollack was the director of classic films Tootsie and Out of Africa. And he was great in Eyes Wide Shut. Remember that? 'Course you do.

And that's it for May. No points yet for our entrants, but we continue to hope.

Dead Pool April Update

2008-04-30T20:33:00.000+10:00

Another scoreless month, although we've had at least one that could be described as a gimme.

On the 5th we farewelled acting great Charlton Heston at the age of 84. From biblical epics in the 1950s to some dodgy disaster movies in the 1970s, Heston was always memorable, even in the most forgettable films.

He'll be missed by both cinephiles and redneck gun nuts alike. And there aren't many people you can say that about.

On the 8th the Hon. John Button passed away, also at 84. Button was purportedly the 'best prime minister Australia never had'.

On the 13th theoretical physicist John Archibald Wheeler, the man who coined both the terms 'black hole' and 'wormhole', passed away at the age of 96. We therefore have Mr Wheeler to thank for the film The Black Hole, the classic Red Dwarf episode "White Hole", and that cool wormhole effect in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

And apparently he wrote some books and stuff.

The 24th saw the death of Tristram Cary, a pioneer of electronic music, but not the composer of the original Doctor Who theme, as was reported in some newspapers.

On the 26th, Fairfax journalist Pamela Bone passed away after a long illness. Ms Bone was an outspoken and fearless commentator, which won her both a legion of fans and a phalanx of detractors. Not sure which side won in the end, although the beautiful obit in The Age suggests that she did.

And finally, Swiss scientist Albert Hofmann passed away on the 29th. He was famous (infamous?) for synthesising the first batch of lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD.

May winged monkeys with the face of Camilla Parker Bowles carry him to his rest.

And he was 102, so even if anyone had picked him, there were no points in it.

And that's it for another month. Is it wrong to hope we see some scores soon?

Dead Pool March Update

2008-03-31T19:15:00.000+11:00

It's been an interesting month, but all of our pool entrants are still yet to score.

The month began on the 2nd with the death at age 82 of Paul Raymond, respected publisher of gems of the British literary establishment, Razzle and Men Only.

On the 4th as previously reported, the world farewelled E. Gary Gygax, co-creator of the role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons and widely considered the godfather of modern gaming.

On the 5th we heard the sad news that actor Patrick Swayze had been diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer, and has approximately five weeks to live. The outpouring of emotion following this announcement was huge, and our hearts go out to Patrick and his family.

Also on the 5th was the death of computer science professor Joseph Weizenbaum, creator of the classic computer game ELIZA in 1966. ELIZA was a text-based game in which the computer acted as psychologist, responding to keywords entered by the user. Infuriating, but fun and very addictive, ELIZA prompted a lot of early discussion about the potential applications and the potential dangers of Artificial Intelligence.

On the 16th, US actor Ivan Dixon passed away at the age of 70. Ivan was best known for playing Sergeant "Kinch" Kinchloe (the black guy) in classic 1960s TV show Hogan's Heroes.

On the 18th, award-winning director Anthony Minghella, famed for The English Patient and The Talented Mr Ripley, died at the age of 54 after complications from throat cancer surgery.

The 19th saw the death of British science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke. I've already said quite a lot about this. And I'm still quite upset.

Finally, on the 25th we farewelled a man who has brought so much happiness to so much of the world. You may not know his name, but he has helped you through hangovers, he has been with you on those early morning drives, and his legacy will remain for many a year.

Herb Peterson, inventor of the Bacon and Egg McMuffin, has passed away at the age of 89.

Rest in peace, man. Rest In Peace.

Arthur C. Clarke

2008-03-19T17:43:00.001+11:00

March is turning out to be a rough month for the nerds.

On the 4th we lost Gary Gygax, a giant of the gaming and fantasy world, and today Arthur C. Clarke, renowned writer, scientist, futurist, humanist and visionary passed away at his home in Sri Lanka.

I'm not going to attempt to offer a detailed obituary for Clarke. Most of it is well known, and anything else I know of his life is just what's on Wikipedia. I don't have much to add to that.

All I do want to say is how much this man's vision and work has touched my life.

As a child I loved his television show Mysterious World. It opened up my curiosity for science. It showed me that asking questions was the way to knowledge, and that even the strangest of phenomena could be studied and understood and explained.

As a teenager I read and loved his novels and short stories. His writing combined the very best of storytelling with his extraordinary visions of the future. These visions were at once optimistic and cautionary. He knew that mankind could achieve great things but also had the potential, if compassion were missing, to wreak havoc on itself and its world.

This compassion was the key to his storytelling genius. In every single one of Clarke's stories, he never lost sight of the need to make it about people. Technology and its impacts were only ever important to the extent that they affected people.

Clarke's philosophies, both scientific and storytelling, were perfectly crystallised in 2001: A Space Odyssey. The film's theme of man's evolution, from Neanderthal to star child, is mesmerising and deeply moving. The film shows us that man can reach for the stars, and that great things await him when he gets there.

At the age of 90, I guess Clarke's passing is not totally unexpected.

There will be shock and sadness as the news is announced, but I think this is because people like Clarke just seem like they could live forever.

His work and his name certainly will.

Vale Gary Gygax

2008-03-06T12:22:00.001+11:00

Nerds the world over are mourning the death on Tuesday of E. Gary Gygax, the co-creator of Dungeons and Dragons and the father of the modern role-playing game.

While I was into some role-playing games as a kid, I wasn't hugely into D&D. The fantasy genre always left me a little cold, and D&D was always a bit too Tolkein for my liking.

Some fantasy-buff friends of mine would spend days at a time building D&D characters, creating scenarios and drawing ridiculously detailed maps of mountain paths and dungeons. I'd sit and watch for a while, play the odd game with them, but soon get bored and go read some Asimov or Lovecraft.

Even in the role-playing world it was always the horror and science fiction genres for me, with games like Chill, The Call of Cthulhu and Paranoia.

But still, I appreciate that D&D is where it all began.

Almost from inception, D&D managed to engender moral panic in some of the less imaginative sections of society. I remember hearing a lot about this when I was at school in the early 1980s, with D&D being blamed for everything from the rise in teen suicide to the impending apocalypse.

Of course, this only served to increase its exposure and popularity. Boggle just didn't get that sort of press.

D&D's influence on popular culture in general and gaming in particular cannot be denied. Its notion of immersive and freeform gameplay has influenced a new generation of computer games, with World of Warcraft and Second Life just two of the most obvious examples.

But even this isn't really new. These recent MMORPGs are just the latest in a long line that started way back with text-based adventure games on the very earliest home personal computers. D&D's genesis in the mid-70s coincided with the introduction of the first PCs, and those text-based adventure games were simple attempts to recreate the atmosphere of a D&D round-table.

The tabletop game still exists of course, although its popularity has taken a hit from the ubiquity and quality of the gaming console. But in any high school or university you'll still be able to find, huddled away in some dark corner, a group of nerds quietly rolling their dice and going on their heroic quests.

Gygax really started something special with D&D. It continues to this day and Gygax will be remembered for as long as nerds continue to gather together, fuelled by too much pizza and coke, to lay waste to the armies of orcs and demons in their imaginations.

And when the battles are done, there'll be more than a few mugs of virtual mead raised in Gary's honour tonight.

Dead Pool February Update

2008-02-29T19:14:00.000+11:00

Another month has passed, and no-one is yet to score in the competition. Here we are, one-sixth of the way through the year and all those nominated are still hanging on.

But over in the realms of the un-nominated, we've seen a few well-known souls drop off the perch this month.

On the 2nd actor Barry Morse passed away. He was best known for playing Lt. Phillip Gerard in the 1960s TV show The Fugitive, a role later made famous by Tommy Lee Jones in the 1993 movie (albeit with the name changed to Marshall Samuel Gerard).

On the 5th Maharishi Yogi, the father of transcendental meditation and spiritual adviser to The Beatles, died at the ripe old age of 91.

This was the very same day that the Beatles song Across the Universe (supposedly influenced by John Lennon's interest in transcendental meditation) was beamed into space to celebrate NASA's 50th anniversary.

Spooky.

Two days later Ray Martin's career, which had been on life support for some time, finally gave up the ghost with his sacking from Channel Nine.
And not a moment too soon.

The 10th brought the death of US actor Roy Scheider, famous for the line "You're gonna need a bigger boat" in Jaws, and for playing Heywood Floyd in 2010: The Year We Make Contact, the not-too-bad sequel to Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey.

On the 13th Smoky Dawson, Australian Musician/Radio Star/Armchair Salesman/Legend died at the age of 94 after a short illness.

On the 19th it was announced that Fidel Castro had resigned as President of Cuba. This, of course, does nothing to address the conspiracy theory that he actually croaked a full 18 months ago.

Then at the Oscars ceremony on the 24th Brad Renfro (whose death last month shocked the entertainment world, until Heath Ledger's death a week later rendered it instantaneously forgotten) was mysteriously and controversially omitted from the Oscars "In Memoriam" montage.

No good reason was given by the Academy, apart from some lame excuses about "not being able to fit everybody in". One can only assume his death, from an overdose of heroin and morphine, was considered too sordid.

At the same ceremony, Owen Wilson looked healthy and well presenting the Oscar for Best Short Film. This maybe puts predictions of an untimely death for the actor into the long-odds category. But then again, maybe it doesn't.

Our interest was piqued on the 18th when Nancy Reagan was admitted to hospital with a suspected broken hip. But she was released two days later. Close, but no cigar.

And finally, the 19th brought the sad death at age 100 of Emily Perry, the British actress famed for her role as Madge Allsop, Dame Edna's long-suffering bridesmaid. May she rest in peace. She certainly deserves it after all that.

And that's it for February, folks. Another month down and ten more to go.

Our eyes are scanning the magazines for that magic headline. Our ears are attuned to the sound of the death knell. Our minds, which could be otherwise productively occupied, are constantly considering the implications of the tiniest events.

As soon as anything happens, we'll let you know.

Dead Pool January Update

2008-01-31T21:38:00.000+11:00

We're one month into 2008 and already there's been a huge amount of activity in the area of celebrity mortality. Unfortunately none of it has translated into points for any of our entrants.

The month started with Britney having a very public meltdown and custody crisis. It's all gone a bit quiet now, but earlier today (Melbourne time) celebrity blogger Perez Hilton reported on another media gathering at her house, and the rumour that she'd attempted suicide. We'll be watching this one closely.

On the 11th we saw the passing of Sir Edmund Hillary, conqueror of Everest, philanthropist and all-round nice guy. Then on the 15th the world lost Brad Renfro, a young and talented actor taken way before his time.

The 17th was a tragic day for classic TV, with the passing of both Suzanne Pleshette (of The Bob Newhart Show and Will & Grace) and Allan Melvin (otherwise known as Sam the Butcher from The Brady Bunch).

On the 22nd, we were shocked by the announcement that Heath Ledger had been found dead in Mary-Kate Olsen's SoHo apartment.

On the 27th, Indonesion dictator Suharto died after suffering renal failure, and it's just been announced in the last few hours that British TV personality Jeremy Beadle has died, aged 59.

Scores in the dead pool are still nil-all. But the year is young.

Dead Pool 2008 Nominations

2008-01-01T20:56:00.000+11:00

Thank to everyone who has entered the 2008 Dead Pool.

We've got a huge variety in the nominations . . . big-scoring outside chances rub shoulders with low-scoring safe bets.

It should make for an interesting year.

The nomination lists are below for your ghoulish pleasure.

Amanda
Tom Cruise
Queen Elizabeth II
Paris Hilton
Barry Humphries
Elton John
Bert Newton
Nicole Richie
Ian Thorpe
Donald Trump
Amy Winehouse

Eliza
Muhammad Ali
Fidel Castro
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Michael Jackson
Jenna Jameson
Osama Bin Laden
Courtney Love
Liza Minelli
Keith Richards
Amy Winehouse

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
Pamela Anderson
Fidel Castro
Doris Day
Andy Dick
Farrah Fawcett
Estelle Getty
Rudolph Giuliani
Michael Jackson
Margaret Thatcher
Steven Tyler

Kylie
Pamela Anderson
Fidel Castro
Clint Eastwood
Queen Elizabeth II
Hugh Hefner
Osama Bin Laden
Liza Minelli
Keith Richards
Britney Spears
Amy Winehouse

Shannon
Fidel Castro
Ben Cousins
Jayden James Federline
Sean Preston Federline
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Jerry Lewis
Nelson Mandela
Pervez Musharraf
Ariel Sharon
Margaret Thatcher

Spoon
Tony Bennett
Queen Elizabeth II
Michael J. Fox
Paris Hilton
Michael Jackson
John Laws
Paul Newman
William Shatner
Elizabeth Taylor
Owen Wilson

Five days to go . . .

2007-12-26T21:30:00.000+11:00

Only five days remain to get your nominations in for the 2008 Celebrity Dead Pool!

Here's your chance to ponder the eternal questions of life and death. Tell the universe whose time you think is up, who may be likely (sadly) to go before they deserve, and who you just flat out don't like anymore.

There's no entry fee to play and a double pass to Village Cinema Gold Class for the winner. Rules and scoring details are here.

All nominations must be received no later than 31 December 2007 (that's Melbourne time, kids) so email your entries to me at mattsdeadpool@gmail.com.

And thanks to my lovely wife for the awesome sidebar banner. Isn't she talented?

Dead Pool Update - Email Address

2007-12-23T18:35:00.000+11:00

Greetings, players.

A few people have expressed concern about posting their nominations before anyone else . . . and showing their hand, as it were.

It's felt that waiting until the last minute will provide an unfair advantage over those with the courage to get their nominations in early.

This is a very valid concern and to alleviate this, I've created an email account for your use.

If you'd rather not advertise your nominations before the game begins, then please email them to mattsdeadpool@gmail.com.

I will collect and collate all the nominations, and post them once the game has begun.

Dead Pool Update

2007-12-23T16:13:00.000+11:00

A couple of quick updates on the Dead Pool.

First, the keen-eyed among you will have noticed the link on the right-hand sidebar. Clicking on this will pull up all posts relating to the Dead Pool, allowing you quick and easy access to all the relevant info.

Second, the mysterious unnamed prize has been decided. The winner of the 2008 Dead Pool will be awarded with a double pass to Village Cinema Gold Class. This will be an Australian pass, and therefore useful only to Australian entrants.

If you're playing internationally, then . . . we'll work something out.

Good luck !

Celebrity Dead Pool 2008

2007-12-22T14:42:00.000+11:00

Welcome friends, to the macabre world of The Celebrity Dead Pool 2008.

The rules are very simple.

You nominate a list of up to 10 celebrities that you think will shuffle off this mortal coil between 12am on 1 January 2008 and 12am on 1 January 2009.

Points are awarded for each correct guess, and the highest score at the end of the year will win a prize.

That's it. It's very simple.

Please enter your list in the comments section of this post.

I will post updates as events unfold throughout the year.

The scoring method and rules are below.

Let's get to it.

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Scoring

1. The score awarded for a correctly predicted death will be determined by the formula 100 minus Age at Date of Death.

2. A person's "age" will be defined as their Age Last Birthday. This figure is incremented at the instant of 12am on the date of the person's birthday. This means that if a person dies on their birthday, their age is taken as the age they had just become that day.

3. If a person is over the age of 100 at their date of death, the score will be zero.

4. In the event of dispute about a person's precise age, the issue will be investigated by the moderator (which is me) and a decision made based on the best available evidence. The moderator's decision is final and no correspondence will be entered in to.

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The Rules

1. All nominated persons must be human and must be alive as of 12am on 1 January 2008.

2. If you make a nomination and the person dies before 12am on 1 January 2008, you may substitute another name. You have 1 day's grace, and the substitution must happen before 12am on 2 January 2008.

3. Nominated persons must be famous or infamous in their own right, not (for example) because they're sick, or because they're very old, or because they're hideously and tragically deformed, or because they're about to undergo an extraordinary, ground-breaking and very risky operation.

4. For a death to be valid, it must be reported by at least one major mainstream media outlet. Examples include AP, AAP, Reuters, a major national or metropolitan newspaper or a major national or metropolitan TV network. Your blog doesn't count.

5. The death of a local celebrity will only be valid if their death is reported by a national media outlet, or by a major media outlet in another city.

6. If a nominated person is on death row at the start of the game, no points will be awarded if they are executed. Similarly, if a nominated person is being held hostage at the start of the game, no points will be awarded if they are killed by their captors or in a rescue attempt. Points will be awarded only if the nominated person dies from another cause.

7. Each nomination list may have at most 10 names.

8. No name may appear on a nomination list more than once. You may, however, submit more than one list.

9. Any attempts to influence the result via murderous acts will result in immediate disqualification.