The Grim Rule of Three: Ed, Farrah and Michael
Were you like me on Thursday? Did you think…The grim Rule of Three? Famous deaths happening in threes?
So many people I talked to mentioned it.
When former Johnny Carson sidekick Ed McMahon passed away earlier in the week it was sad. When we heard that Farrah Fawcett’s condition had worsened, it was sad. Then sadder as we learned she had passed away. I thought then, the Rule of Three…who’s next? (I thought of the reports of Walter Cronkite’s failing health.)
So late Thursday afternoon when word spread that Michael Jackson had died at age 50, it was shocking.
The grim rule of three came true.
Thursday night ABC and NBC and CBS dedicated a good part of their primetime schedule to breaking news coverage of the deaths of the two pop culture icons.
The cable news channels went wall to wall with coverage.
Farrah’s story we were prepared for as she documented her final months in a TV special in May.
(BTW, the Barbara Walters tribute that aired Thursday about Farrah featured emotional interviews with Ryan O’Neil and Jaclyn Smith and was very touching.)
But Michael’s death…it reminded me of when Elvis died in the 70’s. Elvis dying was one of those moments that many remember where they were when they heard he had died. (I was at marching band practice in high school…yeah, I was a band nerd. But I was a drummer which was cool.) Everyone knew El vis. So it just seemed impossible that he would die at a relatively young age.
Michael Jackson, for all his peculiar habits, the self proclaimed King of Pop, ended up following the King of rock and roll in a too early death.
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I was a young lad of 16 on summer vacation in South Carolina when I heard the news that the King Of Rock-n-Roll had died….
My 15 year old son was on summer vacation with his grandparents in Wisconsin when he heard of the death of the King Of Pop….
I made that comment to our staff this morning….I will always remember where I was when MJ passed. A couple of comments regarding the passing of MJ:
His personal brand was so tarnished that I thought for a while that this was a publicity stunt.
I thought the coverage was fair….while the guy had his faults, you can’t argue that he was one great performance artist….truly.
Will his final resting place be turned into a tourist stop….just like the Elvis estate?
The rule of three comes to fruition again….very odd.
Well, since Neverland is for sale…where would you set up the Tourist shop? Gotta believe someone might try it with Neverland…
BTW, I saw Michael’s concert at Market Square in the late 80s…great show. But the best part was his Jackson 5 montage! Great stuff…crowd LOVED it!
He will remember it, to be sure.
And the odd connection with Elvis with Jackson’s marriage(?) to Lisa Marie…makes it even more bizarre.
My mom and dad were in Las Vegas on the day that Elvis died. All the dealers, pit bosses, etc had an Elvis story to tell. They all said how nice and common he was. He would play blackjack out on the casino floor right along with everybody else. And what a tipper!!
I too thought of the “3″ thing. I sent a text to my sister as soon as I heard the sad news of Farrah passing, and told her” you know deaths happen in groups of three, fist Ed McMahon, now Farrah, who’s gonna be next Patrick Swayze?” Then about three hours later when we got to our hotel and turned on the tv to see Michael Jackson passed away I was shocked. Sad week in Hollywood.
Today the pitchman guy died…another round of three coming?