Celebrities capture the public’s imagination. We live their lives vicariously through the publicity they receive. We celebrate their birthdays, marriages, and children. We get upset by their accidents, illnesses, and divorces. And we mourn when they die. Compared to previous years, fewer incredibly famous celebrities died in 2012 but a few were still memorable or shocking. Unless Sean Connery or Bill Clinton dies before the end of the year, the following are the 10 most shocking celebrity deaths of 2012.
10. Mike Wallace – Fear not Steelers fans. It wasn’t the popular Pittsburgh wide receiver that died. It was the popular host of 60 Minutes who passed in April 2012 . Despite the fact that the man was 93 and hadn’t hosted 60 Minutes for four years, he just seemed like someone who would live forever. America had been getting its news from him for almost four decades, and despite the fact that he kept getting older, he never seemed to slow down. The death of this news icon, despite his age, was surprising to those who had grown old with him.
9. Jerry Nelson – There are some actors who, due to the work they do, never seem to age. Jerry Nelson was one of those actors. As the voice of The Count on PBS’s Sesame Street, the man seemed immortal. He may have aged behind the curtain, but his character and his voice never did. His death was one felt by anyone who had ever loved The Count as a child.
8. Sherman Hemsley – Sherman Hemsley was one of the last remaining icons of a very different time in television. Alongside Carroll O’Connor and Jackie Gleason, he played an irritable, but lovable head of household that was impossible to forget. George Jefferson was a truly iconic character that helped the Jeffersons to break new ground in television. His death in July came something of a shock because he wasn’t all that old and because it basically spelled the end of the 70s greats.
7. Jovan Belcher – Of all the stories that football fans expected to see on December 1, 2012, the murder suicide of a Kansas City Chief and his girlfriend was not even on the list. According to descriptions of the incident, not only did Belcher kill his girlfriend, but he did it at a Chiefs’ practice facility in front of two of his coaches. The event would have been shocking even if it had happened on a Wednesday, but the fact that it happened on a Saturday, when the Chiefs had to play a football game only a day later, made it the headline of the week and raised the question whether the game should have been cancelled.
6. Dick Clark – Beloved host of American Bandstand and multiple pageants and game shows over the year, Dick Clark was probably best known by the American public as the man who hosted ABC’s New Year’s Eve celebration for 40 years. Even after a stroke made him miss the 2005 celebration, he returned the next year and seemed to be prepared to host New Year’s into the next century. A heart attack in April changed that. Loved and known by all, his death will be remembered most especially on December 31.
5. Michael Clarke Duncan – Famous for his award winning role as John Coffey in The Green Mile, Michael Clarke Duncan was only 54 when he had a sudden heart attack in July and died in September. He certainly wasn’t a young man, but he certainly died too young. His powerful booming voice and huge frame made his performances truly memorable. His death is a sad blow to the movie industry.
4. Davy Jones – For some, the death of Davy Jones was as crushing as the death of Paul McCartney would be. The Monkees were essentially a Beatles knock off band, but while the fans were fewer, many were nearly as devoted. Davy Jones was the face of the Monkees and the guy women fell in love with. The Monkees disbanded decades ago, but the band members have made attempts to have a reunion for years. Sadly, with the death of Davy Jones, no full reunion will ever be possible. Sadly, Mike Nesmith had agreed to rejoin his former band for a reunion tour shortly before Davy’s death.
3. Whitney Houston – One of the world’s best-selling singers ever, Whitney Houston, died in February of 2012. Only 48 years old, her death is sadly another celebrity death that highlights the dangers of cocaine use. Shockingly, she drowned in a tub due to the effects of drug use. She may not have quite the name recognition of Madonna or Lady Gaga, but she was one of the premier female singers of her time and will be forever remembered for her hit single, “I Will Always Love You.
2. Neil Armstrong – Few men will ever be as famous as the first human be to ever set foot on the moon. He wasn’t a young man by any stretch of the imagination, but he was a living legend and it is always shocking to see one die. In a time when NASA has decommissioned all space shuttles and there is serious doubt that Americans will ever again step on the moon, it is a chilling reminder of how much the world has changed since that historic day back in 1969.
1. J. Christopher Stevens – Most people wouldn’t think of an American ambassador as a celebrity. And, he wasn’t, until the day he died. On September 11, U.S. embassies around the world were attacked and protested in response to the online video Innocence of Muslims. News of the attack brought the Middle East to the forefront of the news despite major domestic concerns like the upcoming election. His death made the violence of multiple civil wars in the Middle East and the degree to which the U.S. was scorned in those countries a stark reality. It also sparked a domestic political firestorm and calls for an investigation into how the situation should have been handled. Repercussions from this event were felt during the Presidential election and continue to be felt going into 2013.
