Musings in Search of a Muse

People look at me funny when I mention the Death Trifecta -- the amazing coincidence (or is it) that celebrities die in threes -- but I'm not crazy. Look at this from The University News: "In an astonishing Hollywood death trifecta this week, three legendary comic personalities passed away this week. Billy Wilder, Milton Berle and Dudley Moore died within days of each other, and left the world of television and film a great hole in modern entertainment." And consider these other sources: A conversation at Metafilter; Penda's extensive list; and CityPaper online has a commentary. There are more, too. Just do a Google search on "death trifecta" (with the quotes) and tons of hits show up. Well, 81/3 pages worth really.

Of course, what got me thinking about it again was the passing of Julia Child, chef and television personality, at age 91 years. I have to admit, though, that I don't know if we are in the midst of a trifecta at the moment or if this starts a new one. Musician Rick James recently passed and then after him was actress Fay Wray, all within a couple weeks.

There must be a following for this as I keep coming across so-called "Dead Pools" where people make a game out of which celebrity will die next or in some complex combination of dates and names. Much like in the Clint Eastwood movie with a similar name. The one at DeathList seems to be the most interesting, but even the Howard Stern show follows the game. Maybe not, though. I also learned he's not on the air right now. Shows you how much I listened to him.

Maybe that's a kind of death? Would that count? And does it really matter? Someone somewhere has had to have studied why people keep death trifectas and dead pools. I couldn't follow along that closely, but I have to admit a certain fascination and I enjoy the conversation booster that it becomes in small groups.

Enough of that. I'm off to watch the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics. Peace & Prayers!