Retirement Kills: Andy Rooney Dead At 92

Six weeks after he delivered his final cranky rant on 60 Minutes, journalist/writer/commentator/curmudgeon Andy Rooney has died from complications following minor surgery.

RIP.

R.I.P. Marble Rye Lady

From Gothamist:

Frances Bay, the 92-yearold actress that once fought over a marble rye with Jerry Seinfeld, has died at the age of 92. You would also recognize the character actress in her roles on Twin Peaks, Happy Gilmore, Grease, and hundreds of other productions.

RIP Phoebe Snow

Phoebe Snow, the magically gifted vocalist who gave us one of the defining songs of the 1970's - Poetry Man - has died at the age of 58. Snow died in Edison, NJ as a result of complications from a brain hemorrhage.

Rest in peace, Ms. Snow...

 

RIP Geraldine Ferraro

Geraldine Ferraro, the first female Vice Presidential candidate of a major political party, has died of cancer at the age of 75. Full story HERE.

I once happened upon Ms. Ferraro at an Upper East Side corner bodega (she lived nearby). Ferraro was purchasing flowers, and seemed extremely friendly with the store employees. And I probably wouldn't have noticed her at all (she looked like most of the white rich ladies on the UES), but her instantly recognizable voice gave her away.

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Our Superstar, Elizabeth Taylor, Is Gone

It’s a cold and gloomy day here in NYC – which matches my feelings exactly after learning of Elizabeth Taylor’s death.  In fact, I’m not ashamed of pleading “guilty” to weeping like a baby after hearing the news this morning. The loss of E.T. is definitely tear-worthy, at least in my book.

Dame Elizabeth Taylor Hilton Wilding Todd Fisher Burton Burton Warner Fortensky was – simply put - a SUPERSTAR. Furthermore, many gay men consider her OUR superstar, as she was one of the first to put her (considerable) star-power behind the cause of eradicating AIDS. Spurred on by the death of her friend Rock Hudson, Taylorbecame our champion - raising bucketloads of money and increasing awareness during the dark early days of the crisis. She eventually became one of the founders of the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) as well as her own Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, which raised over $50M in its first ten years.

1985 Newspaper Clipping (via Joe.My.God)

But my favorite (non-serious) Elizabeth Taylor moment will always be her cheesetastic 1981 appearance on General Hospital as vengeful widow Helena Cassadine. As a 14-year-old gayling General Hospitalfanatic, Taylor's arrival on the show was nothing short of FABULOUS. Here she is, as Helena, bidding a not-so-fond adieu to Port Charles (and Luke & Laura):

Rest in peace, Ms. Taylor. There will never be another like you.

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RIP Loleatta Holloway

Legendary Disco Diva Loleatta Holloway has died at the age of 64. I bet there is a SERIOUS dance party going on right now in heaven.

Here is Loleatta singing her 1977 disco classic, Runaway:

And below is The Queen's Anthem, one of my favorite club tracks of all time:

Rest in peace, Diva.

More information over at Joe.My.God.

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RIP, Jane Russell

Ernestine Jane Geraldine Russell, the Hollywood bombshell more commonly known as Jane Russell, has left us at the age of 89.

I will always remember her as Dorothy Shaw in Gentlemen Prefer Blonds. And here is, of course, my favorite scene of the movie:

And YES, I know she turned out to be a crusty conservative Republican gasbag, but my Mama taught me not to speak ill of the dead (I speak PLENTY of ill about the living, thankyouverymuch). For now, I'd just like to remember Ms. Russell as a great movie star with an extremely pretty face and even prettier boobies. Is that so wrong???...

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Gone But Not Forgotten

I didn't watch the Oscars last night, but apparently they forgot to include Corey Haim (who died last March) during the "These Are The People We Lost" montage. But those intrepid Twitterers (try saying that 3 times fast) certainly didn't forget the late Lost Boys actor.

via TDW

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Rest In Peace, Uncle Leo

Posted last night, on The Daily What:

Actor Len Lesser, best known for his role as Uncle Leo on Seinfeld, passed away today in Burbank from cancer-related pneumonia. He was 88.

Dear Residents of Heaven: Whatever you do, PLEASE don't pass by Uncle Leo on the paved-with-gold streets without saying "Hello" or you won't hear the end of it. Unless, of course, Uncle Leo happens to be shoplifting in Heaven's Bookstore. Then you can pretend you didn't see him.

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R.I.P Reginald Doucet Jr.

Tragic news out of Los Angeles. Former college football player and current fitness model Reginald Doucet Jr. was shot and killed by the LAPD on Friday:

Two officers responded to a disturbance in the 5200 block of Crescent Park about 3:30 a.m. and were confronted by the man, who was not wearing any clothes and was yelling at officers, said LAPD Cmdr. Andrew Smith.

The officers calmed the man down and talked him into putting on his boxers, but he ran away when they attempted to apprehend him. A scuffle ensued and one of the officers shot the man twice, Smith said.

The man was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead soon after.

This is so sad - I've had pictures of Reggie on my computer for a while - and now I have to use them in an obituary post.

Thanks to Mechadude for the heads-up.

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We Lost a Lady Last Night

As many of you have heard by now, legendary R&B singer Teena Marie was found dead in her home at the age of 54 last night - and I am devastated. I was at a local bar last night having drinks with two of my friends from high school when Sam called and delivered the terrible news. My phone hasn't stop ringing since.

I've blogged about my love for Lady T many times. She was one of the very few artists I would actually pay to see perform, and the ONLY one I saw "live" more than once. I am so upset that I passed up her latest NYC concert (couldn't afford a ticket) - and now I'll never get another chance to hear the "Ivory Queen of Soul" sing one of my favorite songs - Out on a Limb ...

Rest in Peace, my darling Lady T - you will be missed.

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Surely You Can't Be Serious: Leslie Nielsen Has Died

Yes, I'm serious: Actor Leslie Nielsen, 84, best known for his roles in Airplane and The Naked Gun, died Sunday of pneumonia in a hospital (it's a big building with patients) near his Fort Lauderdale home, his family said.

And please stop calling me "Shirley" ...

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Jon-Erik Hexum

Jon-Erik Hexum was a model and actor who burst onto the scene in the early 80's when cast as the male lead on  the NBC series Voyagers!  The show only lasted one season, but by 1984 Hexum was starring in another series - Cover Up - as former model turned CIA weapons expert.  During the taping of that show, Jon-Erik accidentally killed himself while playing with a gun loaded with blanks.  He was only 26 years old.

I was only 15 in 1982, but I remember thinking Jon-Erik Hexum was the most gorgeous man in the world when Voyagers! aired.  Everything about him was perfect - his eyes, his body - and this young gay boy certainly noticed.  I also remember hearing about Hexum's death - and how tragic it was and how upset it made me.

Sadly, we didn't have him around long enough to see him grow older (he would be 53 today). Jon-Erik Hexum will always be as perfectly beautiful as he was in 1984.

Goodbye Old Friend

This old, beat up hairdryer (above) was once my friend. "Chic" (pronounced - by me anyway - "Chick", not "Sheek") was given to me by Mama Bunny before I left for Penn State in 1985. Chic was once a beautiful and fashionable deep burgundy (like the hairdryer below) and was quite the powerhouse.

When I graduated from college and moved back home to Carlisle, PA - Chic made the move with me. And when I relocated to NYC I brought her along. All the while Chic performed faithfully and admirably every day. 

Over the years I've found myself with less and less hair, but Chic always gave me a quick dry after my shower. Unfortunately, as she got older, Chic became less and less dependable - on many days she would just stop before I was finished. So Mama Bunny got me a new hairdryer - our little mother-son tradition.  And people wonder why I'm gay.

Anywhore, I just couldn't let Chic go - so I put her in the bathroom cabinet and let her rest. Eventually my replacement dryer died, so I dusted off Chic and she worked again like a charm ... for about 3 weeks.

Yesterday morning as I gave my wet head a quick once-over with my beloved Chic, I thought I smelled fire. Sure enough, Miss Thang was sparking and smoking like a Rastafarian - and before I could react my beloved Chic died. Sadly - this time it was permanent. BTW - the discoloration on Chic is NOT a result of this incident - it's due to being used almost every day for 25 years.

So last night, after taking her picture and saying a little gay prayer ("First I was afraid, I was petrified. Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side...I will survive. I will survive. Hey hey ..."), I put my friend of 25 years in the recycle bin.

May the Sweet Baby Jeebus watch over her fried little burgundy soul...

"Joey, Do You Like Movies About Gladiators?"

R.I.P. Peter Graves.

Sadness: Brendan Burke Killed in Auto Accident

Joe.My.God just reported that Toronto Maple Leaf GM Brian Burke's (above right) openly gay son Brendan Burke was killed in a storm-related automobile accident in Indiana.

You may remember my post from November when the elder Burke publically and vocally supported his gay son's "coming out" in the press.  It was a heartwarming father-and-son story in a world where too many of those situations turn out horribly.

And now this.  I am just so incredibly saddened by the news.  And what's worse is the fact that some right-wing Christofacist will proclaim that Brendan was struck down by God for being a wicked Gay.

Rest in peace Brendan.  You touched so many of us by sharing your story - and you left this world a better place.  I was proud to have you on my team.