The Hoff – roll me over

Philip Parris “Phil” Lynott (20 August 1949 – 4 January 1986) was an Irish musician who first came to prominence as a founding member, principal songwriter, and frontman of the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy.

As leader of the band, Lynott’s vocals and bass guitar were a key element in the commercial success of thirteen albums, in addition to a string of hit songs, notably “Whiskey in the Jar” and “The Boys are Back in Town”. Lynott also embarked upon a solo career, published two books of poetry,[1] and after Thin Lizzy disbanded, he assembled and fronted the band Grand Slam, of which he was the leader until it folded in 1984. In the period before his demise he had major UK success with Gary Moore with the song ‘Out in The Fields’, followed by a minor hit ‘Nineteen’.

Lynott died on 4 January 1986 at the age of 36.

Sir James Wilson Vincent “Jimmy” Savile OBE, KCSG (31 October 1926 – 29 October 2011) was an English disc jockey, television presenter and media personality, best known for his BBC television show Jim’ll Fix It, and for being the first and last presenter of the long-running BBC chart show Top of the Pops. He was also known for his philanthropy and support of various charities and fundraising efforts. He died aged 84 on 29 October 2011 after suffering from pneumonia.

Savile was born in Leeds, the youngest of seven children, including Mary, Marjory, Vincent, John, Joan, and Christina Savile, born to Agnes Monica (Kelly) and Vincent Joseph Marie Savile, a bookmaker’s clerk and insurance agent. He was a Bevin Boy, conscripted during World War II to work as a coal miner. Having started playing records in dance halls in the early 1940s, Savile claimed to be the first ever DJ; according to his autobiography, the first person to use two turntables and a microphone, which he did at the Grand Records Ball at the Guardbridge Hotel in 1947.Savile is widely acknowledged as being one of the first in England and the world to use twin turntables for continuous play of music, thus pioneering the concept of DJing as we know it today.

A man accused of bestiality tried to talk the hind leg off a judge in Zimbabwe.
Sunday Moyo said he had picked up a prostitute, but that the woman had turned into a donkey halfway through intercourse.

Image via Wikipedia

The 28-year-old was found performing a sex act on the donkey, which was tied to a tree by its neck and lying on the ground. He was in the privacy of his back garden when a routine patrol saw the incident.
The court erupted into laughter when Moyo offered the twist in the tale as a defence. His account took another surreal turn when the defendant then claimed that because he thought he was a donkey he wasn’t actually committing a crime.
Moyo, from the township of Mandava told the court:

“Your worship, I only came to know that I was being intimate with a donkey when I got arrested.”
“I had hired a prostitute and paid US$20 for the service at Down Town nightclub, and I don’t know how she then became a donkey.”
“I think I am also a donkey. I do not know what happened when I left the bar, but I am seriously in love with the donkey.”
The man is to be examined by government psychiatrists.

A DWARF porn star who was Gordon Ramsay’s double has been found dead in the most bizarre of circumstances, according to UK tabloid The Sunday Sport.

Percy Foster’s 107 centimetre (3’6″) body was discovered in a badger’s den in Wales.

The report says the 35-year-old was found, “deep in an underground chamber by Ministry of Agriculture experts ahead of a planned badger-gassing program.”

Investigators have not ruled out the possibility of suicide, according to the report.

In a recent interview Foster spoke of his excitement about his growing career as Ramsay’s double.

“Porn lookalikes get more money than normal actors. Dwarf lookalikes are as rare as hen’s teeth and so can command top dollar.

“I’ve already ordered a new BMW and a diamond-encrusted Soda Stream,” he said

I’m not just talking about Amy Winehouse here. There’s Jade Goody Rock Hudson, Michael Jackson and many many more.

Even poor old kermit the frog (yes I do realise he’s not real) got a doing with the outbreak of swine flu.

And why do we even weep and wail at these celebs demise when most of us don’t even know them. Could it just be something to do with the fact that they are famous?

Is it that some people may have been born into a bad situation and these celebs have inspired them in some way?

What I personally believe (and your input would be greatly appreciated on this one) is that the “celebrity” world, invites the ordinary person into their lives.
They normally have some talent or skill, i.e acting/singing/music (Jade Goody the exception) that we are a fan of, but then we become a fan of the person.We follow their lives I guess.
They thrust themselves into public view and scrutiny, they basically have an affair with the public eye.
We invest our time and attention in these celebs, some we become fond of, others we hate.

Why do we mourn them?

Because we have formed some kind of a human connection over the years resulting in something almost like a one sided friendship, an admiration so to speak.

We cry for them because for example, the likes of Michael Jackson …… he represents the times, the generation, a certain era of our lives and it is out of respect and general humanity I guess.

Just because we do not know someone, does not mean we cannot feel something for them.
If that’s the case, then I’m pretty sure Christianity would be fucked by now.

But is both ridicule and heartbreak a reasonable and valid reaction. If the celebrity in question is the butt of jokes when they are alive, is it fair that they will be the butt when they die. Jade Goody and Michael Jackson were figures of ridicule to much of the general public and very public figures, it doesn’t stop when they pass on. People treat it as if it’s almost a part of their legacy to some of us.

If Mike John down the road was to shuffle off this mortal toil it would be valid to suggest that none of us would think of making a wise crack at him but when celebs die they’re the butt of our jokes. They were criticised and scrutinised in life and seems also in death.

For instance I got this text message this-morning ‘George Best and Alex Higgins can’t believe their luck that Heavens getting a Winehouse’

I was raised not to speak ill of the dead a concept it seems is alien to many.

This video was created as an official response to the Newsweek article calling Grand Rapids a “dying city.” We disagreed strongly, and wanted to create a video that encompasses the passion and energy we all feel is growing exponentially, in this great city. We felt Don McLean’s “American Pie,” a song about death, was in the end, triumphant and filled to the brim with life and hope.” – Rob Bliss, Director & Executive Producer

The Grand Rapids LipDub Video was filmed May 22nd, with 5,000 people, and involved a major shutdown of downtown Grand Rapids, which was filled with marching bands, parades, weddings, motorcades, bridges on fire, and helicopter take offs. It is the largest and longest LipDub video, to date.