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There’s No Such Thing as Dying With Dignity!
Just a fairly short one tonight. Inspired by a chat with a friend, I thought I would share a few tit-bits on the subject of a famous funeral that endured a couple of mishaps and all things awkward, that did not discriminate on the basis of class or fame. When Winston Churchill died in January 1965 after suffering a stroke some days before, he was given one of the biggest state funerals ever known, particularly for a “commoner”. The ceremony involved somber journeys on a gun carriage through the streets of London to the service at St Paul’s Cathedral, followed by another procession to the Thames where the bearer party…
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Don Rickles- The King of the Insult
Born May 8, 1926, Don Rickles grew into one of the country’s most famous comedians. Famous for his acidic wit, he went on from his humble Jackson Heights New York beginnings to playing the top stages both domestically and internationally. After graduating from high school, Rickles enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served on the USS Cyrene in World War II. He said later in an 2015 interview with the New York times, he was the class comedian of the ship. When he returned home after being honorably discharged in 1946, Rickles studied and graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Out of desperation at not getting dramatic work,…
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Mary Tyler Moore
The New York Times said she “incarnated the modern woman on TV”. That is about the best summary I can come up with for this legendary woman. I can remember as a small child watching my parents watch her antics on the Mary Tyler Moore Show (yes, I am that old) and loving her wit and her grace, without really knowing exactly what that meant. She was born on December 29, 1936 in Brooklyn, New York and was the eldest of three children. The family moved to Los Angeles when Mary was eight where she studied acting and dancing. She got her start in commercials because of her “lovely legs”…
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Tilikum the orca
The tragic death of Seaworld trainer Dawn Brancheau after an attack from an orca she was performing with is well known. Today, the orca involved in the attack has also died. Tilikum the orca was captured near Iceland in November 1983 and his age was estimated at about 2 years old. After being held at Hafnarfjörður Marine Zoo for a year, he was transferred to Sealand of the Pacific in British Columbia and trained for shows. During training Tilikum suffered stomach ulcers and attacks from the other dominant orcas there. While there, Tilikum was also linked to another death as he and two other whales did not allow a trainer…
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Carrie Fisher
This year has taken a lot out of us as a culture. Many of our most beloved icons have been taken from us, the face of the world is changing drastically, and more and more we are faced with truths that are difficult to accept. It seems almost trivial to say that the death of one person represents the culmination of the whole year to me, but that is my burden to bear and my truth to share, and your choice if you wish to keep reading. My guess is if you do, you might feel the same way, or at least are able to understand where I am coming…
