Depends how you look at it. Tribute to Freddy Mercury also.

Death comes to everyone.

True, although you must admit there have been more than a few since the start of the year, though.  

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@5129frederick wrote:

True, although you must admit there have been more than a few since the start of the year, though.  

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Yes, I admit that, but what about all the unsung heroes from a normal backround never in the media. These celebraties that have passed away gain tribute after tribute, they are no different to anyone else. Death happens, it isn't a surprise.

That doesnt mean though I don't offer my condolences.

It's very seldom do you actually get to know the "real" person.  Like Bob Monkhouse, it's a face with his continuous wit and plastic smile.  The only people who really knew them were members of their own family.  He could have been a crusty old bugger in real life.  The biggest phoney of them all was Hughie Green.  Sweet as pie in front of the television cameras but the air turned blue if things went wrong offscreen.  Although Canadian, his accent was affectuated for viewers at home.  My late father put him firmly in his place when he refused to let him fly up to Manchester because his plane sprung an oil leak.  Like the royals, they're just normal people playing to an audience.   

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@5129frederick wrote:

It's very seldom do you actually get to know the "real" person.  Like Bob Monkhouse, it's a face with his continuous wit and plastic smile.  The only people who really knew them were members of their own family.  He could have been a crusty old bugger in real life.  The biggest phoney of them all was Hughie Green.  Sweet as pie in front of the television cameras but the air turned blue if things went wrong offscreen.  Although Canadian, his accent was affectuated for viewers at home.  My late father put him firmly in his place when he refused to let him fly up to Manchester because his plane sprung an oil leak.  Like the royals, they're just normal people playing to an audience.   

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Agreed.

Look at Tommy Cooper, and how loved and followed he was, and the news when he passed. I won't state what I learn't about him because I didn't know him personally and the chap isn't alive to defend himself now, but I can report that my grandmother knew of a side of him that would not have been desired by most decent folk.

He had a weird, out of this world sense of humour which went over a lot of people's heads but there was one thing you could say about him - with his trademark Fez and his over the top arm actions his humour was as clean as a whistle.  He was a one-off.  You can't say that about modern comedians.  There's absolutely no reason to pepper the language with expletives.

One of his quips was how he rescued a man being swept away in a fast flowing current.  He said "How did you come to fall in the water?"

"I didn't!  I came to fish!"  was the sharp retort.  The old one's are the best ones.