R.I.P. Cranberries' Dolores O'Riordan Gone at 46

A screencap of Dolores O'Riordan in the movie Click

A new year begins and the list of entertainers that pass away begins again. Last year seemed like a bad year for those who really made an impact on the world. This year is starting out rough as well. 

With a new year at foot, the entertainer that passed away today that once touched the world in a big way was a complete shock. Dolores O'Riordan, lead singer of the Cranberries, passed away at the age of 46.

The Irish songstress was one of the prominent voices of those who grew up in the '90s. Songs such as "Zombie", "Dreams", "When You're Gone", and perhaps the Cranberries' biggest hit, "Linger", were all songs that O'Riordan's voice took to a whole new level.

Although not as great as the first concert of the same name, Woodstock '94 featured some special performances. One that could be argued as the make or break performance and perhaps the most notable of the whole event was when the Cranberries performed "Dreams". For the '90s generation, the song seemed to captured the spirit of the youth for the entire decade. Not only was their performance spot on, but the fans began to sing along so loud that O'Riordan stopped singing and let them take the lead.

Not only was she prominently known for her fronting a plantinum-selling band, but she also had a budding solo career and had even was asked to sing for the Pope.

And for the movie junkies, "Linger" not only was the featured song of the Adam Sandler movie Click, but also gave O'Riordan a chance to make a cameo in the film.

It has yet to be determine what the cause of O'Riordan's death is, but it's shame to have occurred at such a young age. She was in middle of recording a new album and had a long life still ahead of her. She suffered from back problems and was one of the few celebrities that was open about their bi-polarism. 

R.I.P.: Entertainers That Passed Away in 2017

Screencap of Tom Petty from the music video for "Don't Come Around Here No More"

As with every year, entertainers who have brought some sort of joy to your life pass away. This year was no different. In fact, there were some big names that passed away this year.

I bring you a list of the top 10 celebrity deaths that hit me the hardest. This is not to take away from those I don't mention below. For everyone, this list can be different and in a year crappy year like 2017, I could have easily made this list longer than 10 names. People like Nelsan Ellis, Chester Bennington, Mary Tyler Moore, Michael Parks, Robert Guillaume, and Malcolm Young could have made this list in any other year.

Rest in Peace to following 10 entertainers who made big impacts on me. (in no particular order)

1. Chris Cornell - This death was a big one for me. Chris Cornell was the front man for Soundgarden and eventually went on to Audioslave. Much of his music could have been the soundtrack for my high school and college years. He was behind hit songs such as "Black Hole Sun", "Blow Up the Outside World", "I Am the Highway", and much more. He was nominated for 15 Grammy Awards and had won twice, but his impact on the rock music world was substantial.

2. Fats Domino - Newer generations of music fans may not appreciate Fats Domino's impact on rock and roll, but he did sell over 65 million records before his passing this year. His hits include "Blueberry Hill", "Ain't That a Shame", and "I'm Walkin'". He was one of the premier piano players of his time and had a voice that went perfectly with the music he played. Because of his music achievements, rock and roll, blues, and R&B were forever changed.

3. Tom Petty - Tom Petty took music to another level. He not only recognized that the music was important, but during the time of MTV's music video domination, he also put out some of the best music videos of his time. His music was great for road trips and cruising the California coast. Selling over 80 million records, Petty was one of the best selling music artists of all-time. His hits include "Runnin' Down a Dream", "Refugee", and "I Won't Back Down". His music video for "Don't Come Around Here No More" is perhaps one of the best music videos ever produced.

4. Hugh Hefner - Not necessarily an entertainer himself, Hefner did contribute to igniting the sexual revolution via Playboy. He also hosted Playboy After Dark which opened the door to entertainers who may have never got a chance to make it in the mainstream. A popular joke, "I only read the magazine for its articles," was not necessarily untrue. Playboy featured interviews with political and civil rights leaders, featured short stories by legendary writers such as Hunter S. Thompson and Truman Capote, and more.

5. Jerry Lewis - Lewis was the slapstick comedian who partnered with Dean Martin to form the comedy duo of Martin & Lewis. Unfortunately, they ended up splitting up. Lewis didn't let this hurt his career as he moved on to star in movies such as The Nutty Professor, King of Comedy, and The Bellboy. Later on, he would become known for his telethons that raised money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

6. Adam West - Quite simply, Adam West was Batman for children who grew up from 1966 until the release of Tim Burton's movie. Yes, his portrayal was campy, but it was supposed to be. A Western actor before his three-year stint as the Caped Crusader, West would eventually become forever adored by comic book geeks all over the world.

7. Roger Moore - Not the best actor to portray James Bond, Moore was still a prominent enough actor to be knighted by the British Empire. His stint as 007 was longer than any other actor including Sean Connery and Pierce Bronson. He starred in Live and Let Die, For Your Eyes Only, and The Spy Who Loved Me.

8. Don Rickles - Quite possibly the biggest entertainer death this year for me besides Adam West, Rickles was one of the last surviving unofficial members of the Rat Pack. His comedy made him a favorite and close friend to Frank Sinatra. So close, that Rickles was one of the last people to see Sinatra alive. He made over 100 appearances on the Tonight Show and rounded out his career by taking on voice acting roles in movies such as Toy Story. He can easily be argued as being one of the top standup comedians of all-time.

9. Chuck Berry - Another legendary rock musician, Berry was a member of the Chess Records stable. His hits include "Johnny B. Goode", "Roll Over Beethoven", "Rock and Roll Music", and "Maybellene". His guitar skills were unmatched at the time of his peak. His music was so significant that his song "Johnny B. Goode" is the only rock song that was included in the Voyager Golden Records that were sent to space and intended to be listened to by any future intelligent life forms to listen to.

10. Powers Boothe - Gaining notoriety for playing TV Detective Phillip Marlowe, Booth went on to play Curly Bill in Tombstone, Cy Tolliver in Deadwood, and Senator Roark in the Sin City movies. Nominated for various acting roles, Boothe was both an underrated actor and a star actor during his lifetime.

R.I.P. Hugh Hefner: More than just the Founder of Playboy

Hugh Hefner has died. It seems sort of odd to write this because he was one of those people that seemed like they would live forever. In a way, he will. 

While the man himself has fallen, the legacy he left behind impacted the world in the twentieth century and even into the twenty-first century. Sure, some will condemn him for what they see as peddling smut and the man had his faults as every legend in their industry has. 

Hefner left behind a legacy that will be remembered for generations to come. His legacy is more than being the founder of one of the most famous magazines in history, although his magazine did contribute to igniting the flame of the sexual revolution. 

He fought against censorship, donating money to various organizations and causes that promoted first amendment rights.

An animal lover, Hefner donated to various causes that raised money for animal rescues. 

During the sixties, Hefner was a supporter of the Civil Rights Movement. He once stated that he never understood why people would judge others solely based on their skin color. Playboy magazine published the last written essay by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

When his Playboy Clubs opened up at locations such as New Orleans, Hefner personally fought against those who cited Jim Crow laws that attempted to prevent African-Americans from entering his clubs alongside Caucasians. 

On his TV show, Playboy's Penthouse, which aired in the late fifties to the early sixties, Hefner invited African-American entertainers to appear on his show despite the public outcry of doing so. Guests included Sammy Davis Jr., Nat King Cole, and Ella Fitzgerald. 

Hefner supported legalizing same-sex marriage, stating that it was a right of all people to marry the person they love.

He donated money to universities to better sociology, film, and humanities departments.

A student at my university who attended at the same I did, supported herself through stripping at a local club. Admittedly, not her preferential choice to raise money, but she had no support system to help her through college and her financial aid package was limited in what it paid for. She needed to pay for books, room and board, and the basic necessities that any young adult needs. When my university found out how she was supporting herself, she lost her financial aid package. Hefner, hearing about the situation as it made local news in Southern California, paid for her college and living expenses for the rest of her college career.

With Playboy, Hefner published short stories by notable authors such as Ian Fleming, Arthur C. Clarke, and Margaret Atwood. His magazine would often interview notable people such as politicians, social activists, religious leaders, journalists, and more. 

Finally, after decades of not receiving one cent from the revival of her images, Hefner helped Bettie Page secure representation to help her from dying penniless. Hefner even paid for Page's bills until she was able to land on her feet. And this wasn't the only former Playmate that he helped during their rough times.

On the surface, he will be remembered for his girlfriends, magazine, the mansion, and the smoking jacket, but he was much more than that. He was far from perfect, but overall he left a positive impact that helped propel society forward in the twentieth century, vaulting him into being a legend.

Adam West is my Batman: RIP

Screen cap from Batman movie

Before there was Ben Affleck, Christian Bale, and Michael Keaton, there was Adam West. A new generation has grown up, mentally visualizing Christian Bale as their Batman. There's also plenty of argument that Bale's Batman is a more realistic portrayal of Batman. And it's a slam dunk to argue that Kevin Conroy may be the best Batman voice actor of all-time.

That said...Adam West is my Batman.

I remember what it was like to be a Batman fan before Michael Keaton even wore cowl. I remember what it was like to be a Batman fan before the animated series became a reality and Kevin Conroy became THE voice of Batman.

I was first exposed to Batman through Super Friends, a wannabe cartoon version of the Justice League. It wasn't until I saw the reruns of  Batman '66 that Batman became more than a passing character of interest. West's portrayal of Batman solidified the Caped Crusader as one of my favorite fictional characters of all-time.

West only played Batman for three seasons and 120 episodes, along with one movie, but that was enough to mark his place in television history. Acting in many different western movies and television shows, West was new to the comic book genre when he earned the role of Bruce Wayne. West has played Doc Holiday, Wild Bill Hickock, acted alongside Paul Newman, Chuck Connors, The Three Stooges, and guested on Perry Mason, all before he became Batman. He was a working actor and had a successful career going prior to being Batman.

After playing Batman, West became known for his voice talents, acting in animated series such as Family Guy, Rugrats, The Simpsons, SpongeBob Squarepants, and more.

No matter how you view it, West had a successful career and shouldn't have had to wait as long as he did to earn that star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

With 193 screen credits to his name, I will always think of Adam West as my Batman.

Yes, he was campy.

Yes, he was cartoon-y at times.

But Adam West was my Batman and will always be.

R.I.P. Chris Cornell

Screencap of Chris Cornell seen in the music video of "Black Hole Sun" by Soundgarden

I was a fan since "Jesus Christ Pose" was released, but it wasn't until I first watched the video for "Black Hole Sun" that I considered Soundgarden one of my favorite bands. One of the four horsemen of the grunge music scene out of Seattle, Washington, Chris Cornell along with Kurt Cobain, Layne Staley, and Eddie Vedder introduced the world to a flannel-wearing music revolution that would fade out after Cobain's suicide.

Unlike Staley and Cobain, Cornell evolved from the grunge music scene. Going solo, Cornell released alternative rock hits on his own, proving that he could be a star on his own without the A-list talent that made up the rest of Soundgarden. He'd won a Grammy for "Can't Change Me", but it was his solo release, "Sunshower", that made it onto the Great Expectations soundtrack that I played over and over again. For a movie that did fairly well but not great, it was accompanied by an excellent soundtrack led by Chris Cornell and included other hit artists such as Poe, Tori Amos, Scott Weiland, Iggy Pop, Verve Pipe, and Duncan Sheik. It also included the hit "Life in Mono" by Mono, yet "Sunshower" was my favorite song on that CD.

A fan of Rage Against the Machine and saddened by their breakup, I was both nervous and excited when it was announced that Chris Cornell had joined up with them to replace Zach de la Rocha and form super group, Audioslave.

Audioslave released three albums right at the time I began working in radio. I remember getting my hands on a copy of "I am the Highway" and playing it before I ever heard another radio station play it. Though there were five singles from Audioslave's self-titled album release, it was a non-hit, "Shadow of the Sun" that I would play over and over again. I always felt like this was a hit song that missed being a hit. I did feel a sense of satisfaction when the song would make it to the soundtrack of Collateral which starred Tom Cruise and Jaime Foxx. The song was used in a pivotal scene and I couldn't think of a better moment to use in that movie.

I was glad that after two more Audioslave albums, Cornell eventually found his way back with Soundgarden. No, they wouldn't cobble up hits as famous as "Black Hole Sun" or "Blow Up the Outside World", but it was still nice to hear new music.

Cobain would always remain young in our memories as he passed away at 27. Staley also remains young for about the same reason, though a little older than Cobain when he passed. Cornell was the one that aged, yet didn't appear to physically grown old. Maybe he was part-vampire, but whatever the reason, he looked almost the same as the day he appeared in the music video for "Black Hole Sun".

Cornell may have died last night at the age of 52, but he will always remain the same rock icon that I enjoyed listening while he jammed out to Temple of the Dog, Audioslave, Soundgarden, and in his solo work.

Bettie Page's 94th Birthday; Still Hasn't Aged

One of Irving Klaw's surviving Bettie Page photos

On this date, 94 years ago, Bettie Mae Page was born in Nashville, Tennessee. Nearly a hundred years later and Bettie is still known as being the queen of pinups. This hasn't always been true though.

For many years, Bettie's photos were mainly found "underground" and through publications meant for adults only. Also, Bettie didn't start her modeling career as early as many other models did.

At 27-years-old, Bettie had a Bachelor of Arts degree, was working her way through life as a secretary, and was living in New York. Despite the Average-Jane start, Bettie wanted to be an actress. Bettie is said to have gone on multiple auditions, but is never chosen for a part on the big screen.

Instead, while walking on a Coney Island beach, a NYPD cop named Jerry Tibbs met Bettie and offered to shoot her...not with a gun, but with his camera. Tibbs was a amateur photographer on the side and a member of photography clubs that were often a cover for pornography shoots. Tibbs was also the one that suggested to Bettie that she style her hair with what would eventually become her signature look, bangs that draped over her forehead.

Eventually she met Irving and Paula Klaw and moved into modeling with BDSM themes. This is when those in mainstream media referred to Bettie as being the queen of bondage, which confused Bettie herself. She had only done this type of modeling between 1952-1957 for the Klaws.

She also went on to model in beach-style photography for fellow model Bunny Yeager. It would be Yeager who would send in photos to Hugh Hefner for Playboy. Hefner selected a photo of Bettie a made her the Playmate of the Month in a 1955 issue.

What many people don't know is that by 1957, Bettie stopped modeling. Her legendary modeling career only spanned approximately seven years.

An underground following began in the 1970's, and artist Olivia De Beradinis often used Bettie's likeness for her artwork. Bettie herself was unaware that she actually had gained mainstream fame beginning in the 1980's, about 30 years after she retired from modeling.

Bettie made it a point not to let her current image be seen in public. This probably added to the mystique of Bettie and the forever youthful images that the public knows her by. Like other celebrities who died young such as Marilyn Monroe and James Dean, Bettie would never grow old in the public's eye.

There would even be more images of Bettie out there if it weren't for Irving Klaw burning a large portion of the photos and negatives he had of her to avoid being arrested for his photoshoots he had with Bettie and other models.

Bettie did eventually appear on some off Broadway productions and on television on The Jackie Gleason Show. These opportunities came after her modeling career began with the Klaws and one has to wonder if people such as Jackie Gleason may have been aware of Bettie's risqué modeling.

During a 2003 Playboy event, Bettie allowed herself to be publically photographed for the first time in years. Eighty-years-old at that point, Bettie is bookended by Pamela Anderson and Anna Nicole Smith.

Bettie passed away in 2008.

To this day, her estate is consistently one of the top 10 earners for dead celebrities and she is known as one of the world's most famous models.

Bettie's work would go on to inspire other celebrities such as Madonna, Dita Von Teese, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Beyoncé, NCIS's Pauly Perette, and more.

Rickles' RIP

A comedy legend passed away this morning, but what most people probably don't realize is that Don Rickles was one of the last living unofficial members of the Rat Pack.

A mainstay in Las Vegas stand-up comedy for years, Rickles gained popularity performing what is known as insult comedy. He didn't care who it was that he ribbed. Rickles would poke fun at the average Joe and even the biggest of celebrities. In a Miami nightclub, he spotted Frank Sinatra and poked the future pack master of the Rat Pack. Some were scared of how Sinatra would take it, but Sinatra knew Rickles did it all in the name of laughter and didn't actually hate the people he "insulted".

From then on, Sinatra would often call on Rickles to be by his side, even asking Rickles to open up for himself and other Rat Packers in Las Vegas at the peak of their fame.

Rickles would often be seen on many classic television shows such as The Addams Family, Gilligan's Island, I Dream of Jeannie, and on one of his best friend's (Don Adams) shows, Get Smart. 

He was also a frequent guest on talk shows. Before either one hit it big, he often would appear on Larry King's late night radio show in the Miami area. The two would remain friends for life.

Another fellow unofficial member of the Rat Pack, Johnny Carson, had Rickles on his show over 100 times. At times Rickles even guest hosted the Tonight Show.

Years later, Rickles found himself excited to be cast as a pit boss in the mafia movie, Casino. He loved to rib Robert DeNiro in front of the others and even Scorsese about the amount of lines he had in the film.

A short time later, he was approached to voice Mr. Potato Head in Toy Story. At first, he was reluctant to do so, not believing himself to be kid-friendly and unsure about an acting role that he couldn't be physically seen in, but he took the part anyway. When the movie debuted and became an instant success, Rickles stated that he called John Lasseter right away, asking when the sequel would go into production.

He also performed for royalty and presidents during his lifetime. He was even "ribbed" himself by Barbara Bush who asked why he performed in the Frankie and Annette beach party movies when he had so much success.

Rickles continued to work into his 80's. He never felt the need to retire.

As for me, I loved Rickles' comedy because I knew he never was mean spirited. In some ways, I feel like I have secretly jinxed him as I literally finished reading his autobiography, Rickles' Book, last night, only hours before his death.

There's almost the desire to say that there won't be another comedian like him, but then I would be lying. He was just the godfather of his style of comedy. It would be hard to find a comedian with as much history under their belt as Rickles had, but because of him, comedians such as Ian Bagg, Dave Attell, Louis C.K., and more can do what they do today.

Famous People Who Died at 36

As I celebrate another year on this planet, I constantly find myself in some sort of mental competition with those I have outlived. Not by year, but by age. Now, as a 37-year-old, I look back at those who passed away at age 36...and who I have beaten in the game of life (no disrespect intended).

1. Marilyn Monroe - In August of 1962, this icon passed away from a drug overdose. Maybe because of the fact that we never got to see her age, this might be the reason people still see her a sexual icon. The image of her standing on the grate with her white dress being blown upward is perhaps one of the most famous in Hollywood history. Her death also sparked the interest of conspiracy lovers everywhere.

2. Bob Marley - The most famous reggae artist of all-time, Bob Marley died at age 36 in 1991. A victim of a form of skin cancer, Marley also still lives on to this day through his music and the pictures that adorn every other dorm room in America.

3. Doc Holliday - The legendary gunfighter could never be taken down, even when he participated in the Battle at OK Corral. A drinker, a gambler, a dentist, and an overall risk-taker, it was tuberculosis that ended up taking Holliday down in 1887.

4. Princess Diana - The most famous of the modern era British royalty, Princess Diana is perhaps the most famous victim of the paparazzi gone bad. After one of the most famous divorces in history, Diana went on to work for the benefit of many different charities. She could have done more good if she hadn't died in a car accident in 1997, which has also sparked many conspiracy theories.

5. Maximilien Robespierre - Beheaded at age 36 in 1794, Robespierre's role in France in the 18th century eventually led to the French Republic. He was against slavery, for controls in the price of food so the poor could afford to eat, and for a democratic republic. Against the death penalty, he still had a major role in what would end up leading to the beheading of Louis XVI.

 6. General George Armstrong Custer - Forever known for his blunder at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876, Custer rose quickly through the ranks despite graduating last his class at West Point. He fought at Gettysburg and fought off a Confederate flank, and he was there General Lee's surrender to General Grant.

From Prince to a Princess; 10 Celebrity Deaths in 2016

Screencap from Return of the Jedi of Carrie Fisher playing Princess Leia

Normally in any other year, I can identify 10 or less celebrities that passed away that had a large impact on me in some way. Whether it is in what I enjoyed watching, what opened me to new types of art, or are part of the background soundtrack of my life, the following people had some sort of impact on me without my ever meeting them once.

This year was different. It was almost as if the Grim Reaper was a sales associate at a retail store and was working his ass off to not only meet a quota, but to also exceed it. One celebrity after another passed away this year, regardless of what they were famous for. Movies, music, politics, and more. It didn't matter what they did to gain notoriety.

What's worse is that it feels like the Grim Reaper is racing to take a few more down before the year comes to a close. So I give you a top 10 list of celebs that passed away that impacted me in some way. This is not to say these celebs are the most impactful than others that passed away this year, it's just the ones that meant the most to me in some way. Your list may be very different.

1. David Bowie: Kicking off the year the wrong way, David Bowie died on January 10. The very first music video I remember while growing up was Bowie's "Lets Dance." Later on, I would receive David Bowie's Never Let Me Down album as one of my very first cassette tapes I owned. I played that tape out until it finally died on it's own. He also played made an impact on the movie industry, but it was his role as Nikola Tesla in The Prestige that I enjoyed the most. I couldn't imagine a better casting choice to play the Tesla role. To this day, some of Bowie's music still rates as some of my favorite music.

Personal Favorite Piece of Work: "Rebel, Rebel"

2. Prince: This one shocked me. He was still young and visibly never seemed to age much. A pop music legend, just as Bowie was, Prince was known for his singing, writing, image, and his eccentricities. What stood out to me the most was his ability to play the music, not just sing over it. Prince is perhaps one of the best guitar players of his generation, but this ability is not what you think of when you think of "The Purple One." He also had the ability to play various other instruments from piano to drums to even having been credited for creating his own instruments to get the right sound that he needed for a song. He also was the writing genius behind other hit songs that he didn't sing on and behind other hit bands such as Morris Day and The Time.

Personal Favorite Piece of Work: "Guitar"

3. Abe Vigoda: Known as Fish on Barney Miller, Vigoda stood out to me for his work in The Godfather as Salvatore Tessio. He just carried a mobster-like presence about him that made him believable as a possible rival to the Corleone family. Later on, though not a major role, Vigoda would appear on Late Night with Conan O'Brien as himself in various skits.

Personal Favorite Piece of Work: The Godfather as Sal Tessio

4. Alan Rickman: Only within days of Bowie dying, Rickman passed away too. Perhaps known for his roles in Die Hard and in the Harry Potter movies, Rickman is about as distinguished of an actor as one can get. One of the best voices in the entertainment industry, Rickman could hold his own against anyone. Bruce Willis or Jason Mewes...it didn't matter. Rickman played the voice of God (the Metatron) in Dogma and it didn't even feel like a stretch. During this same year, he would go on to play Alexander Dane in Galaxy Quest. Later on, Rickman would go on to be the perfect choice for Marvin the Paranoid Android in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. When he died, it was a shock because much of the world had no clue he was suffering from cancer.

Personal Favorite Piece of Work:  Dogma as the Metatron

5. Gene Wilder: Possibly best known for his role as Willy Wonka, Wilder had a charm about him that made movie fans instantly connect to him. His likeability helped him excel in his roles he played in Mel Brooks' movies. As Dr. Frederick Frankenstein in Young Frankenstein, Wilder won awards not only for his acting, but also for his writing. His ability to play off of Cloris Leachman, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Teri Garr, and Madaline Kahn was outstanding and hilarious. Many people also loved him in Blazing Saddles and The Producers.

Personal Favorite Piece of Work: Young Frankenstein as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein.

6. Jose Fernandez: As the rising star pitcher of the Miami Marlins, Fernandez not only had the talent to be an all-star for years to come, but he was one of those type of players you wanted to root for because he genuinely seemed like a good guy and looked like he enjoyed being on there one the field. He had overcome a major injury to come back in 2016 and put up Cy Young Award level numbers until his death in August. In a time where many players appear to only care about the money, Fernandez was the type of player that inspired a new generation of baseball fans to play for the love of the game instead.

7. Anton Yelchin: Still a young actor, Yelchin died when he was pinned in between his car and the security gate of his house. Even though he was only 27-years-old, he still had done enough in his career to establish that he was a talented actor. He took over the role of Chekov in the Star Trek reboot and despite not looking a whole lot like the original Chekov played by Walter Koenig, Yelchin made the role his. Chekov wasn't his only large role in an established series. Yelchin played Kyle Reese in Terminator Salvation and nailed the role. While writing my book, A Hundred Kisses, I had mentally cast Yelchin as the lead character.

Personal Favorite Piece of Work: Chekov in the Star Trek trilogy reboot

8. George Martin: Famously known as the "Fifth Beatle", Martin's producing skills elevated the Fab Four into legendary status. Martin produced over 700 records in his career and was knighted by the Queen of England for his work. Martin was one of only six producers to have number one hit albums in three different decades.

Personal Favorite Piece of Work: The music for the Cirque du Soleil show, Love, featuring music and images from the Beatles

9. Arnold Palmer: The Babe Ruth of golf, Palmer was a golfing legend, winning 62 PGA tournaments. Beyond his incredible golfing abilities and where he has affected me the most, Arnold Palmer is credited for creating the drink named after himself. Three parts tea to one part lemonade, Arnold is said to have famously asked for this drink while at the bar of the Cherry Hills Country Club in Denver, Colorado during the 1960 U.S. Open. Wanting a non-alcoholic drink, he ordered the drink that he said he would have often at his own home. A woman sitting nearby, overheard Palmer's order and told the bartender that she wanted the Palmer drink. A similar incident happened in Palm Springs and the name began to spread. To this day, I'm an Arnold Palmer drink addict.

10. Carrie Fisher: Most famously known as Princess Leia in the Star Wars series of movies, Fisher was the daughter of celebrity royalty. Her mother was Debbie Reynolds, her father was Eddie Fisher, the sister to Joely Fisher, and her stepmother for a time was Elizabeth Taylor. As Slave Leia, her gold bikini costume might be one of the most iconic movie costumes of all-time. Slave Leia's costume is perhaps the most cosplayed role in the cosplay world. What should be noted is that she had other hit roles in movies such as When Harry Met Sally, Shampoo, and The 'Burbs. She even played a small role as the nun that Jay tried to give oral to in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. It's not widely known, but she also punched up the scripts for The Wedding Singer, Sister Act, and Last Action Hero. When the news broke that she had a massive heart attack just before Christmas, it didn't seem real. She seemed too young and feels like one of those actors/actresses that almost seem immortal because of her most famous roles.

Personal Favorite Piece of Work: Marie in When Harry Met Sally

RIP Gene Wilder

Screencap from Young Frankenstein

Today, at the age of 83, Hollywood legend Gene Wilder passed away due to complications from Alzheimer's disease.

Semi-retired from acting, Gene Wilder's last official role was the voice of Elmer on the kids show, Yo Gabba Gabba! Known more for his big screen career, Wilder was the star of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory; Blazing Saddles; The Producers; See No Evil, Hear No Evil; and perhaps his best known work of all, Young Frankenstein.

Wilder had been part of that group of people that fellow legend Mel Brooks loved working with. The two had met during the early 1960's when Wilder starred in a play with Anne Bancroft, Brooks' future wife and then girlfriend. The two clicked right away and Brooks cast Wilder in his 1968 hit, The Producers. Wilder did so well that he won an Oscar for best supporting actor. Wilder and Brook would go on to win an Oscar together for penning the screenplay to Young Frankenstein.

Wilder would go on to co-star in four movies with fellow comedy legend, Richard Pryor. Their last movie together, Another You, would not only be Pryor's last movie due to his multiple sclerosis, but also Wilder's last appearance on the big screen.

He would go on to try his hand in television, starring in Something Wilder which lasted only one season. From here, Wilder would go on to star in four made-for-TV movies and then finally acting in two episodes of Will & Grace before retiring.

Wilder then would go on to write books, including his own autobiography. It was around this time that the whispers that he was suffering from Alzheimer's was floating around.

When Wilder passed today, the Hollywood world lost some of its boyish charm. In a world of action and war movies, Wilder was a bright spot, doing his best to keep the world laughing. Even if you weren't a fan of his, it was hard to deny the impact that he had in the comedy genre of movies.

With Wilder's passing, there is a little less laughter left in the world.

RIP Prince...Another Legend Passes

Screencap of Prince from his movie Purple Rain

At this point in time it does appear that God is trying to create a super band as another music legend passed away in 2016.

Prince Rogers Nelson, one of the few people who could get away with being called by only a single name (and at one time just by a symbol) mysteriously passed away in the elevator of his Minnesota home at age 57. News sources such as Fox News are reporting that he died of the flu while other sources are stating flu-like symptoms as a possible cause.

Whatever the reason, it feels almost unbefitting of such a rock legend to die by something that used to get me out of school for a day or two. People can die from complications due to the flu, but you usually think of people from third world countries or someone in their 90's.

Prince may have been known for being a singer, but he was so much more. Once, when asked how many instruments did he know how to play, he responded, "Thousands." On his first album he is credited with playing 27 different instruments. Now while some people might think this is just boasting, Prince was actually able to back this up. When people think of guitar legends they think of names like Hendrix, Van Halen, Satriani, but Prince is also on the level of these greats. He also played the bass, the piano, drums, the Linn drum, and much more.

Also not known to everyone is that Prince was one of the greatest song writers of his generation. He had released 104 singles in his life, 27 of which hit number one on the music charts. What a lot of people don't know is that he would constantly write so much music that he would give it to other artists to use. He wrote a large portion of Morris Day & the Time's music, and music for Sheila E., Sheena Easton, Vanity 6, Stevie Nicks, The Bangles, Sinead O'Connor, Chaka Kahn, Madonna, Pattie LaBelle, Tom Jones, and Alicia Keys.

For The Time he wrote "Jungle Love". For Stevie Nicks he wrote the music for "Stand Back" and she based her lyrics of his hit song "Little Red Corvette". For the Bangles he wrote "Manic Monday". Sinead O'Connor covered his "Nothing Compares 2 U". Alicia Keys recorded his song "How Come You Don't Call Anymore". For Chaka Kahn he wrote "I Feel for You". He even wrote the entire soundtrack for Tim Burton's Batman.

He was the most overall successful music artist in the 1980's, and tenth most successful in the 1990's. Overall he sold over 100 million albums in his lifetime, won 7 Grammy's, a Golden Globe, and an Academy Award. In 2004 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. "There are many kings…but there is only one Prince," said Alicia Keys when she inducted him in.

During a contract dispute with Warner Bros. Prince changed his name to the unpronounceable symbol know as Love Symbol #2 (pictured right). During this time he would be referred to as "The artist formerly known as Prince." He claimed that they took his name, trademarked it, and used it to make themselves money. Later he changed it back to Prince and would sign with Arista Records.

Anyone that lived through the '80s and/or '90s usually can name at least one song that they like even if they weren't a fan of Prince. "I Wanna Be Your Lover" was his first hit single and was released in 1979, but he had so many more. "1999", "Little Red Corvette", "When Doves Cry", "Purple Rain", "Raspberry Beret", "Kiss", "Batdance", "Partyman", "Thieves in the Temple", "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World", and more in '80s and '90s. This doesn't include songs like "Guitar" which shows off how good of a lead guitar player he was and "Musicology" which came out in the 2000's.

On February 4, 2007, Prince played the halftime show for Super Bowl XLI which many called the best halftime show ever. He performed "Let's Go Crazy", "Baby I'm a Star, "Purple Rain" and then performed cover songs of "We Will Rock You" by Queen, "All Along the Watchtower" by Bob Dylan, "Best of You" by the Foo Fighters, and "Proud Mary" by CCR. An estimated 140 million people watched the performance on TV.

He was so musically inclined that he had his whole house wired so he could record music from any room of his home whenever he felt inspired.

A lot of people didn't know that Prince was a philanthropist and supported many social awareness issues. He wrote a song called "Baltimore" after the murder of Freddie Gray and the riots that followed. He's donated millions of dollars anonymously to build libraries, help people start businesses, and save families from losing homes.

When asked why he never moved to Los Angeles or New York instead of living in Minnesota, he would cite that the state was his home and that it was where he belonged.

Another aspect of Prince's life that he was well known for was the amount of women he dated. Madonna, Carmen Electra, Apollonia, Kim Bassinger, Vanessa Marcil, Susana Hoffs, Misty Copeland, Ananda Lewis, Heidi Mark, and Marvin Gaye's daughter, Nona. His music was often centered around romance so it was no surprise that he found it easy to woo some of Hollywood's prettiest women.

With his death, it should be interesting now to see what the future holds for Prince's music. One of the oddities of his career was that he recorded so much music that he would produce albums that he would only keep for himself and lock away in a vault at his home. There's rumored to be hundreds of unreleased songs that people who helped him work on these songs said should be hits as well. He also recorded multiple music videos and made several movies that have yet to see the light of day. So with his death, the public could possibly see a flood of his work finally be released in the coming years.

Whether you're a fan of rock, R&B, pop, funk, or soul, Prince's work certainly reached you at some point. His work has inspired other music artists after him including Andre 3000, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Rihanna, and more. He even inspired the costumes of the Hamilton: The Musical.

RIP Abe Vigoda...Seriously

Screencap from The Godfather with Abe Vigoda (left) and Al Pacino

Not known for being the best looking actor in Hollywood, hard working actor Abe Vigoda, passed away today at his daughter's home at the age of 94...really. Best known for his roles in the Godfather movies and as Fish in Barney Miller, perhaps one of the longest roles he had was weather he was really dead or alive.

As far back as 1982, news sources had accidentally reported Vigoda as having passed on. People magazine was the first to do so, but he quickly debunked this by posing with a picture of the issue that declared him dead for a picture in a Variety magazine ad. On Late Night with David Letterman, they had a skit where they tried to communicate with Abe Vigoda's ghost only to have Vigoda come out on stage and call him a Pinhead. Unfortunately, this time it's for real.

Vigoda had an acting career which included film, television, and stage work, dating all the way back to 1949.

“‘The Godfather’ changed my life,” he told The New York Times in 2001. That was the role that solidified him in mainstream entertainment. As Tessio in The Godfather movie, he was the trusted mobster and friend to Don Vito Corleone, only to become a betrayer to the family after Vito's death. Tessio, interested in filling the hole left by Corleone's death, he becomes one of the many steps Michael Corleone has to step over to rise to power after he plots Michael's murder. Even though Tessio is murdered in the first movie, he makes an appearance in The Godfather Part II during flashbacks.

He moved on to sitcom fame as Detective Fish in Barney Miller. As Fish, he was nominated three times for an Emmy for best supporting actor. Constantly battling hemorrhoids, his character gained so much of a following that he was spun-off into his own short-lived series, Fish.

Afterward, he would make appearances in Santa Barbara; Murder, She Wrote; Law & Order, Wings, Touched by an Angel, and many other shows. Even at that, he stated many times that film was his first love. He would act in small roles in movies such as Joe Versus the Volcano, Good Burger (where he would mock his own premature death announcements), Jury Duty, and Sugar Hill. He would also go on to reprise his role as Tessio in The Godfather video games.

A blue collar type of actor, there aren't too many actors like Vigoda anymore.

Alan Rickman Passes Away; World Loses Legend

Screencap of Alan Rickman in Dogma

Within just four days, England, along with the rest of the world lost two major icons in the entertainment field. David Bowie passed away four days ago and the world wept. Unfortunately, without nearly as much news coverage, Alan Rickman passed away from cancer.

While the world revels in the authoritative voices of actors such as Morgan Freeman, James Earl Jones, and Malcom McDowell, one of the most overlooked was Alan Rickman's. In a statement released by Helen Mirren to Entertainment Tonight, she said, ""He was utterly distinctive, with a voice that could suggest honey or a hidden stiletto blade, and the profile of a Roman Emperor." His voice was so distinctive that director Kevin Smith cast Rickman as the Metatron (the voice of God) in Dogma.

And this is not to take away from his overall acting abilities. Rickman was a master at transforming into whatever the part required of him. He could star in romantic roles in movies like Sense and Sensibility and Love Actually. He was also able to pull off comedic roles such as in Dogma and Galaxy Quest.

 Most of all, he was able to play the perfect villain. As Hans Gruber in Die Hard, Rickman was voted the 46th best villain in cinema history in "AFI 100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains". For those who are younger, they would probably know him from his role as Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series of movies. To a lesser extent, he played the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and as Rasputin in Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny in one of his few television roles.

Not only could he act before a camera, but he was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and logged in time on the stage. He was so good that he was nominated twice for a Tony Award as a lead actor for his roles in Les Liaisons Dangereuses and Private Lives.

In his career he had been nominated for multiple awards and pulled down wins in the BAFTA Awards, the Golden Globes, the MTV Movie Awards, the People's Choice Awards, the Emmys, the Satellite Awards, and the SAG Awards. About the only major award he was never even nominated for was for the Oscars which is a travesty considering all the great roles he has played and made his own.

He was also a talented voice actor in such roles as Marvin the Paranoid Android in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and as Absolem the Caterpillar in the Alice in Wonderland movies starring Johnny Depp. The sequel Alice: Through the Looking Glass will end up being his last role as the movie is set for a May release in 2016.

With friends and family at his side, Rickman passed away quietly and the world lost another legend.

RIP David Bowie

Screencap: David Bowie as Tesla in The Prestige

In the world of music thousands of people try to add their two cents into the world, but only a rare, select few ever get the chance to really change it. These rock stars are often a combination of music talent, likeable personality, style, and charisma...David Bowie had this all and more. He was one of the few music artists that could not only transcend music genres successfully, but also dive into the acting world without appearing to be a stunt casting.

Unfortunately, the world lost Bowie on the night of January 10th, 2016. He battled cancer for 18 months according to his Twitter account, before succumbing to it with family and friends at his bedside.

Starting out his solo music fame with "Space Oddity" in 1969, he became one of the pioneers of a new sub-genre of music called Glam Rock. Introducing his alter-ego Ziggy Stardust with his release of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, the album was intended to be the soundtrack for a TV or film production of the same name, but never produced. Hits such as "Starman" and "Suffragette City" sprang from this album which Rollingstone Magazine ranked as the 35th best album of all-time.

Later on his Diamond Dogs album, he released the hit song "Rebel Rebel" which would go on to be one of the most covered songs of all-time. It was his good-bye to glam rock song. The song featured a riff that was reminiscent of songs by Rollingstones or even Iggy Pop. The song could even be cited as being a precursor to the Grunge Rock movement that would take place years later and fall under the category of early punk.

Not long after, Bowie would release "Fame" which would be the first time he broke onto the Billboard Hot 100 charts (pop music), hitting number one. Unknown to most people, he recorded this song with the help of John Lennon who received song writing credit, played guitar, and was the backing vocals to Bowie in this hit song.

In 1976, Bowie would dive into the world of acting as well, starring in The Man Who Fell to Earth with Rip Torn and Candy Clark. This would bolster his confidence in his acting abilities, leading him to star in movies throughout his career.

Before the end of the '70s, he would release other hit singles such as "Sound and Vision", "Heroes", and "John, I'm Only Dancing (Again)".

Not to be outdone, Bowie was even more successful in the '80s. He released singles that included "Ashes to Ashes" and "Fashion" before combining his efforts with Freddie Mercury of Queen for the hit song "Under Pressure", which would be one of the most significant songs of the decade and featured one of the most famous bass lines of all-time. The song regained fame after Vanilla Ice sampled from it for his hit song "Ice Ice Baby".

After "Under Pressure", Bowie collaborated with Bing Crosby to release one of the most iconic Christmas songs of all-time, "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy". To this day, it is hard to avoid this song every December. It solidified his status as one of the greatest music artists of all-time.

Less than a year later, Bowie released Let's Dance which would feature three hit singles, "Let's Dance" which would be accompanied by one of the most famous music videos ever, "China Girl", and "Modern Love". This is where he firmly planted his music in the New Wave genre with the platinum hit sensation.

In 1985, he would once again collaborate with a fellow musician, this time Mick Jagger, to release a cover of the song "Dancing in the Street". This song would chart in nearly every genre from rock to pop.

In 1986, he would star in the hit movie Labyrinth as Jareth the Goblin King. The movie would feature puppetry from the Jim Henson Workshop and would be the first major role for star actress Jennifer Connelly.

He would go on to collaborate with other music artists in the '90s as well, most famously with Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails for the single "I'm Afraid of Americans". Other collaborative works include "Hallo Spaceboy" with the Pet Shop Boys and "The Buddha of Suburbia" with Lenny Kravitz.

In the 2000's, Bowie would stay in the eyes of pop culture, appearing as himself in the movie Zoolander and winning an MTV Movie Award. He then would go onto his one of his most famous movie roles as Tesla in the Christopher Nolan movie, The Prestige which would also star Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Scarlett Johansson, and Michael Caine.

His last top ten hit was in 2013 with "Where Are We Now?".

Bowie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996, won two Grammy Awards, and was ranked the 23rd best singer of all-time by Rollingstone Magazine. In 1999, Bowie was made a Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, but turned down being knighted in 2003 by the British Empire. In total he sold an estimated 140 million record albums.

Born as David Jones, he had to change his name to avoid confusion with Davey Jones of the Monkees. Bowie is survived by his wife, actress/model Iman; his son, director Duncan Jones; and daughter Alexandria.

In Memoriam, 2015

Every year, the world loses out on a group of celebrities that succumbed to death in one form or another. It's inevitable for us all, but at least for these celebrities, they entertained us in some way while they were still alive. Over a one year period, there are too many too write about them all in one blog, so instead, I give you 10 celebrities that probably had the biggest impacts on me while they were still alive. Rest in peace...

1. Donna Douglas (8/26/32-1/1/15) 82 years old: Douglas landed appearances on shows such as The Perry Cuomo Show, The Steve Allen Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Twilight Zone, and Route 66 before landing her most famous role as Elly May Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies. She ran into being type-casted as the sexy country girl after The Beverly Hillbillies went off the air after nine seasons. Eventually she moved on to singing gospel music. Douglas would pass away from pancreatic cancer at a Baton Rouge, Louisiana hospital on New Years Day.

2. Ernie Banks (1/31/31-1/23/15) 83 years old: Known as Mr. Cub, Banks is perhaps the most famous player to play for the famed Chicago Cubs. The Hall of Famer was once quoted as saying, "We've got the setting, sunshine, fresh air, the team behind us. So let's play two!" which became one of the most iconic quotes in baseball history. He was a two-time MVP who hit over 500 homers, and had over 2,500 hits. Some argue that he might be the best shortstop of all time, but he played more games at first base. He was the very first Cubs player to have his number retired and a statue stands in front of him stands in front of Wrigley Field. Banks died from a heart attack at a Chicago area hospital.

3. Leonard Nimoy (3/26/31-2/2715) 83 years old: Known for his iconic role as Mr. Spock in the Star Trek TV shows and movies, Nimoy's role is arguably one of the most famous in sci-fi history. As Spock, he was nominated for three Emmy's before moving on to another hit show, Mission Impossible. He also made appearances on other hits such as Dragnet, Perry Mason, The Twilight Zone, Wagon Train, Bonanza, Combat!, The Outer Limits and Get Smart before locking down the role of Spock. Nimoy also tried his hand in photography, music, writing, and directing movies including two of the Star Trek movies and Three Men and a Baby. Nimoy passed away in his home from complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease due to his years of smoking.

4. Grace Lee Whitney (4/1/30-5/1/15) 85 years old: Most famous for her role as Janice Rand in the original Star Trek series and films, Whitney only appeared on eight episodes during the first season before reprising her role in the films. She made many more appearances on other popular TV shows including Mannix, Batman, Bewitched, The Outer Limits, 77 Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eye, and Gunsmoke. Whitney also was a singer who opened up at Chicago nightclubs for Billie Holiday and Buddy Rich. She died of natural causes at her home in California.

5. BB King (9/16/25-5/14/15) 89 years old: Ranked as the sixth greatest guitar player in the world by Rolling Stone, King has perhaps the greatest career of any blues artist in history. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 and is nicknamed "The King of Blues". King began his recording career in 1949 and performed up to the year of his death in 2015. During his career, BB won 15 Grammy Awards and was awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom. His song "The Thrill is Gone" is considered by many the greatest blues song ever written and performed. In the 90's, he opened up the BB King Blues Clubs of which two are still open, with two more scheduled to open up soon. His guitar is also one of the most famous in history, nicknaming the Gibson ES-355's he prefers to use "Lucille". Unfortunately, at the end of King's life, he battled diabetes and would have to perform while sitting down on a stool. He eventually passed away while sleeping from multi-infarct dementia brought on by a series of small strokes caused by atherosclerotic vascular disease as a consequence of his diabetes.

6. Yvonne Craig (5/16/37-8/17/15) 78 years old: Craig began her career as a dancer before finding herself in television and movie roles. Finding herself in small roles in the movie version of Gidget, she would go on to play the love interest in two Elvis Presley movies (It Happened at the World's Fair and Kissin' Cousins) as well as finding herself appearing in various hit TV shows such as The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Wild Wild West, and McHale's Navy. It was then when she was cast in her most famous role as Batgirl in the Batman TV show alongside Adam West and Burt Ward. Not long afterward, she would also be cast in her second most famous role in Star Trek as Marta, the green skinned Orion slave girl. Craig would go on to more appearances in hit shows such as Starsky and Hutch, Fantasy Island, The Six Million Dollar Man, Kojak, and Love, American Style. She died at her home from metastatic breast cancer that spread to her liver.

7. Yogi Berra (5/12/25-9/22/15) 90 years old: Yogi Berra is considered one of the greatest catchers in Major League Baseball history, but despite this, he is almost as well known for his quotes to the press that would be known as "Yogi-isms". Some of them include, "It ain't over till it's over,", "The future ain't what it used to be,", "Baseball is 90% mental and the other half is physical,", "I really didn't say everything I said." Berra is one of only five players in history to have won the AL MVP three times and was a first ballot hall of famer in 1972. He was also one of only seven managers in history to lead an AL and NL team to the World Series. Yogi was an 18 time all-star who had his number 8 retired by the Yankees. He also holds the record for most World Series rings with 10 as a player and 3 more as a coach. He passed away from natural causes on the 69th anniversary of his debut game with the Yankees.

8. Maureen O'Hara (8/17/20-10/24/15) 95 years old: The fire-redheaded starlet was one of the biggest names in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Perhaps most famously known for her role as Doris Walker in Miracle on 34th Street, a Christmas favorite that is aired every December on a television near you, she had also starred in other hits. She had starred in Sinbad the Sailor with Morgan Fairbanks, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, How Green Was My Valley, and The Black Swan over her career as well. Acting during the rise of color films, she was dubbed "The Queen of Technicolor". She passed away in her sleep at her Boise, Idaho home.

9. George Barris (11/20/25-11/5/15) 89 years old: Not a name that some people may recognize, but Barris was one of the masters at creating iconic cars for television and movie shows. His two most notable creations were the Batmobile from the Batman '66 television show and the Munster Koach of The Munsters. During his time working on customized automobiles, he had also designed or customized other cars such as the Clampetts's truck from Beverly Hillbillies, the General Lee from Dukes of Hazzard, KITT from Knight Rider, and the tour vehicles in Jurassic Park. At the age of 89, Barris passed away in his sleep.

10. Scott Weiland (10/27/67-12/3/15) 48 years old: Lead singer to Stone Temple Pilots and later Velvet Revolver, Weiland battled through drug addiction while establishing himself as one of the greatest rock stars of the '90s and 2000's. With the initial release of Core in 1992 with Stone Temple Pilots, the band released a ton of hits including Plush, Creep, Big Empty, Vasoline, Interstate Love Song, Big Bang Baby, Trippin' on a Hole in a Paper Heart, Lady Picture Show, Down, and Sour Girl which would be enough for a band to land in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Weiland then moved on to join members of Guns N' Roses to form Velvet Revolver and produced hits such as Slither, Fall to Pieces, and She Builds Quick Machines. Found dead on his tour bus with his current group, The Wildabouts, it was later determined that despite his claims to have recovered from previous drug and alcohol addictions, his death was caused by a lethal mixture of cocaine, ethanol, and Methylenedioxyamphetamine.