Death is inevitable. We're all going to go through it. It's never easy. There is a thing about when certain famous people die though. Singers, actors, writers... it can be heartbreaking.... more than the demise of a family member. Artists help define us. When they go... a piece of us, a piece of our past and present goes with them. And it can be life altering.
Redditor u/Ritzaficionado needed for all of us to share... What famous persons death affected you most and why?
It's all too random...
GiphyAnton Yelchin, the guy who played Chekov in the new Star Trek movies. Why? Because I liked that guy, he seemed like he had a good career ahead of him and one day he was out in his driveway and his car unexpectedly rolled down his driveway pinning him against a wall. He died. He died, standing there, at 27 years old, with the whole world ahead of him, pinned by his own car, in the middle of the day. Not being rich, or happy, or liked could save him. Life is completely scary and anything could happen. It reminded me I need to appreciate what and who I have and try to not be such a complainer about everything. stylophonics
This one hurts!
Alan Rickman was probably the first celebrity death I mourned. While other deaths have shocked or saddened me, Rickman's was just...different, somehow. Llamageddon24
Who?
GiphyTerry Pratchett. He was my favorite author, now there are no new books. Reading about his descent into Alzheimer's was heartbreaking, especially after seeing my grandfather go through a similar situation. DocZoidfarb
We Will Rock You!
Man, Freddie Mercury died a month after my dad. I was 15 and lost both my heroes. To think I'd never hear that voice again except on CD just shattered me. spartanwa
The Rainbow Connection...
Jim Henson. I understand that the Muppets are still around, but it's not the same, though I do appreciate their efforts.ravenmakah
Uncle Buck!!!
GiphyJohn Candy. To me he was one of the kindest, most genuine, funniest performers out there. It's been more than 2 decades and I still miss seeing him in film & TV. ListenToTheStooges
Three's Company after....
My Dad loved John Ritter. The day he died my Dad was in his hospital bed waiting for a open heart surgery. The fact that Ritter died of a heart problem scared me so I didn't tell him. Fortunately my Dad survived the operation and he's still kicking at 85. sonia72quebec
You Gotta have Faith...
George Michael. He died way too early and he struggled with depression and demons and still was able to achieve a superb career from it. That actually inspires me.
So serious....
GiphyHeath Ledger was tough. He was in his prime and I was excited for him to take on new roles. DC827
10 Things I Hate About You is one of my favorite films of all time. I get angry when someone calls it a 'teen movie.'cryptomicro
Best of the best...
Phillip Seymour Hoffman. He was so unbelievably talented, and young, and I had no idea he had a drug problem, so it was doubly shocking news. CreampuffOfLove
Back to Black...
We won't see another Amy Winehouse. She left us with two great albums and scores of live recordings. When she was on, there was nothing like her. She was functioning on a very high musical level and people will be listening to her stuff from now on out. mjs4x6
Say no to drugs!
GiphyIt's going to sound dumb, but Anna Nicole Smith. Yes she was a drug-addled floozy who sold herself to the highest bidder, but I always felt sorry for her. She was young and beautiful and everyone used her and abused her for fame and money. She was at her lowest point in life and they kept the cameras rolling the whole time.
I think she just wanted to be loved and to get away from the poverty she grew up in. She may have gone about it the wrong way, and that was all on her, but she was young and uneducated. I bet she felt like she had to do whatever the producers said in order to survive. AnnieB512
Mr. President...
I saw John F. Kennedy as he drove past my house when I was a little girl and remember feeling excited about his presidency. His assassination was devastating to me even as a child. The country was riveted to the TV. It was real life drama and was all anyone talked about. beyondtheridge
Nirvana!!!
Kurt Cobain, I was really into Nirvana back in the day. ripgressor1974
Tough one for me. I was all in on Grunge (still love it) and our Squadron in the Air Force made a flight patch called "Smells like teen spirit" with a tiger cub (our squadron mascot) on a leash tied to a teen girl. Not good form and we had to get rid of them, but illustrates Nirvana's impact at that time.
A year after his suicide, my wife and I got free tix to Seattle. We saw old concert promos for Nirvana ($5!) at the Central and just wished we had been in Seattle in the late 80s early 90s to experience that energy. We went to his house where he ended his life and it was really emotional to see the place you saw on TV where he did the deed. In hind site, we shouldn't have gone, but felt compelled to do so.
3 years ago at Burning Man, my wife pointed out a small note in the temple that said something like "Dear Kurt, we know you never intended to become the face of angst. We miss you dearly and love you very much. Love Mom, Dad, Courtney and Frances Bean." Not sure which one of them actually wrote it, but moving none the less. THE-Prominent-Beaver
The Happy Ones...
GiphyWith Robin Williams I see myself as him. If you know me in person I'm a happy positive person who is always smiling and laughing. I truly enjoy making other people laugh and having good conversations. I hate seeing other people suffer because I know what it's like and I want to help them. I probably enjoy making others laugh because it masks myself who is hurting inside. On the inside I'm an emotional wreck. I hate talking about my problems to others because it sucks the good energy in the room. I don't have insurance to seek professional help but I'm working on it to get back on track.illplatano
England's Rose...
Princess Diana was so shocking to me because she was like a fairy tale princess.
What will be worse for me when it happens is when the Queen passes. My boss already knows that if it's announced while I'm at work, I'll be leaving for the rest of the day. ReadontheCrapper
Sounds of youth...Sounds of youth...
Chris Cornell, followed by Chester Bennington [who killed himself due to Cornell's death]. I'm 30 years old, and over the years when people have died, famous people, I've been concerned bit not upset. When Cornell died, it really hit me hard.
His music helped me through a lot of dark times in my teenage years, from Soundgarden/Temple of the Dog/Audioslave and his solo stuff. His voice/music/lyrics really connect with me on a personal level and he still is to this day my favorite artist of all time.
When he died, I was shocked beyond all belief. Even now I can't fully understand it. When Chester killed himself due to a deep depression which in itself was brought on by Cornell's death, I was hit again. Bennington was another teenage influence and the Meteora album is still something I listen to, to this very day.
Chris and Chester, I miss you both as a fan and as somebody you both helped get through their own darker times, in the past and more recently as well. DonKiddic
The Voice.
GiphyChristina Grimme. She was incredibly talented. I started watching her YouTube channel years ago and was so excited when she got a chance to sing on The Voice (USA). Although she didn't win, she was incredibly talented. I got so see her open for Selena Gomez and she was honestly so energetic and fun to watch live. I cried all night when I heard she got shot and murdered at one of her own shows. It was a random act of violence and she didn't deserve it. It was also in the midst of a big gun control debate and literally no one cared that someone easily obtained a weapon and open fired at a concert. Everyone just said "that sucks" and moved on. I was heartbroken for weeks. Hope her family found some peace in the last year or so since it happened. mecohen3264
Do you hear the music?
Avicii also affected me because I follow the EDM music industry very closely and am a DJ myself. I understand how people can fall into addiction in this industry because it is extremely stressful and competitive. Like I mentioned earlier I hate watching people suffer and his death also affected me because Avicii was my same age. illplatano
The Princess...
GiphyCarrie Fisher because she was my girl. Princess Leia was like my idol since I was a little girl. imradmad
Carrie Fisher was the first celebrity death I've ever actually shed a tear over. Star Wars has been a huge part of my life since I was a little kid. What boy hasn't had a crush on the Princess? That was a really rough one. During the lead-up press to The Last Jedi, hearing Mark Hamill talk about Carrie was overwhelming. I miss her. Other celebrities I've felt sad over, sure, but when Carrie died it was the first time I've ever felt grief over a celebrity. LeanMeanWeenMachine
"Non-American people, what’s a thing that you don’t understand about America?"
You Mean, People DON'T File Their Own Taxes Elsewhere?!?!
"Does every worker have to file their own taxes or am I just confused?"- ThePencil67
"Why they make you calculate your own taxes, if they know what you owe."- redder2023
Flagrant Commercialism...
"So, why do you buy politicians' merchandise? "
"Shirts, caps, banners, stickers, etc."
"They're public servants, not rockstars."
"Also, usually the more boring they are, the better."- akashyy
Conor Mckenna Influencer GIF by FoilArmsandHogGiphyWork/Life Balance
"Scottish person here but the work/always available for work culture."
"Minimal vacation time, minimal maternity/paternity leave and the fact you can pretty much just be let go."
"It makes me sad to think about it!"
"But I do love that you guys cram so much into your time off - you guys love a road trip!"- Frosty_Dragonfly_682
Definitely Something To Consider...
"What is up with Homeowner Associations?"
"Why would you pay to let a nosy neighbor dictate what you can and can not do on your own property?"
"I understand living in an apartment block and paying maintenance fees etc, but in a suburban home?"- Skoodledoo
There Are Some Good Observations
"The amount of National Parks!"
"My dream came true in 2017 to make an RV trip southwest off USA."
"Yosemite blew my mind away."- Independent-Ad9787
national parks GIF by Visit The USAGiphyHAHAHA
"How you can say the word 'mirror' without the use of any vowels."
"Mrrrrrr."- Otto1968
I Ordered A Small!
"Why everything is just SO damn supersized."
"My first time in America I went to get ice coffee from Dunkin Donuts, I ordered a large and my friend is like, 'are you sure you want large'?"
"Yeah no biggie, in the UK a large is not overwhelming I feel so I was expecting the same kinda thing."
"Oh my god it was like a god damn bucket of coffee."
"I think maybe a small would have been equivalent to a UK large, lesson swiftly learnt."
Some People Are Lucky To Just Have One Roommate...
"How you have to share a room with some complete rando when you go to college."- ChoppingOnionsForYou
Roommates Move In GIF by James Madison UniversityGiphySome People Just Can't Stop Talking
"The culture of just talking to people, strangers you don't know and just up and start a conversation with them or join a conversation."
"I'm British, and we go through great lengths to not talk to people, let alone open up and pour our hearts out to a random person."- MrGlayden
In Other Words: Severs Deserve to Be Paid More!
"The tipping culture is so foreign to me, I would be so scared to make a mistake or not tipping enough if I ever go to America because it's not something which is common here in Denmark."- Cupsuu
The Commercials, Maybe?
"I’m American but I’ve worked with a lot of people who aren’t."
"The one thing they always wonder is why Americans are so obsessed with the NFL."
"They think it’s a boring sport."
"They explained 'you wait for 30 seconds, they hike the ball, you get about 5-10 seconds of action, then you wait another 30 seconds, another 5-10 seconds of action, then commercial break'."- yougotthesilver12
Kansas City Chiefs Football GIF by Fighting Illini AthleticsGiphySchool Is No Place To Have Fun!
"My mom is from Moscow during the Soviet Era, and she is confused why there is no teacher-student hierarchy."
'She thinks it's weird when teachers participate in school plays or speak to students informally."
"She also DOES NOT GET pajama day."
"To her, it's just the weirdest thing in the world."
"In Russia, there is an important distinction between 'clothes for home' and 'clothes for outside'."
"They have a concept of 'home clothes', like your cozy or ugly clothes, that you are supposed to change into after school or work."
"At bedtime, you change out of your 'home clothes' into pajamas."
"As a result, pajamas, for both adults and children, are considered extra-extra private in Russia."
"My mom perceives pajama day as something extreme like wearing only undergarments to school."
"That's how private pajamas are considered to be in Russia!"- racheltolmach2022
A Debate Which Will Likely Never End
"MM/DD/YYYY"- SuvenPan
animation domination calendar GIF by gifnewsGiphyLiving in America comes with a number of advantages and a number of detriments.
Speaking personally though, had I known I wouldn't have to file my own taxes in Australia, I would have expatriated long ago...
"What made you realize that something you always did wasn't normal?"
Undiagnosed Medical Condition
"'You know that high pitch sound everyone always hears? Wait... you don't?'"
"Apparently, I have tinnitus."- FarAmphibian4236
Hard To Imagine It Never Occurred To Them...
"When I was very young I thought it was normal to have blood on the toilet paper after pooping."
"Turns out it was hemorrhoids, apparently I have always had them."
"Yay!"- SuperevenDuper
And, Exhale...
"My mom is a yawn-yeller."
"When she yawns, you can hear it from anywhere in the house."
"One time my sister had a friend over, and we were in the basement'."
"My mom yawned upstairs, and my sister's friend asked 'was that a coyote?'"- ViolaWPeyton
sam winchester yawn GIFGiphySweet Or Disturbing?
"When I first started dating my now husband, ever time we kissed he made a 'muah' kiss sound with his voice."
"Like he literally said 'muah' every time we kissed."
"I asked him why and he said he thought everyone did that because his mom did it growing up."- thti87
Unusual, But Pretty Cool...
"As a kid I would read a street sign as we drove past and I would then make as many possible words out of the letters in that sign."
"Stop, top, tops, sop, pot, pots, to, so, post, etc."
"I told my sister one day that I couldn't come up with any more words to make with some sign and she made fun of me the rest of the way home."
'I quit after that. I'm still a pretty mean Boggle player though."- Limited_turkey
Whatever Helps You Sleep...
"Pre Bedtime cereal, I had a sleepover when I was a kid and was confused when we skipped bedtime cereal."- Mre64
Old Man Reaction GIF by LaffGiphyThere Are Worse Offenses
"I thought eating cereal without milk was normal until I went to summer camp and everyone stared at me like I killed the camp counselor."- spoilerdudegetrekt
It's Only Polite
"For me it was something I never did. In my twenties, I realized you're meant to make eye-contact when talking to people (I was feral)."- wys15wyg
Who Hasn't At Least Once...
"I got stopped by a cop once because I was talking to myself."
'I literally thought everyone just mumbled out their thoughts out loud."- azuresegugio
Talk Talking To Yourself GIF by The ChallengeGiphyUnlikely Source of Inspiration
'I'm an artist."
"I got asked one time why I draw hands looking 'like that' with all the fingers bent backwards.'
So I held up my hand in the same position as the one I just drew and it looked the same.'
"And that's how I found out I had EDS."- koinadian
The Bradys Can Certainly Relate
'Grew up in a house where seven people all shared one bathroom."
"Thought it was normal to get in the shower without waiting for the water to warm up."
"Everyone go fast before the water gets cold."
"Always wanted to try and be one of the first in line for the shower."- littleflower0929
Gesundheit!
"I was diagnosed with Arnold Chiari Malformation, which I like to say means my brain is too big."
"My wife says I have a misshapen skull...whatever...the bottom line is that my brain stem is excessively squeezed where it exits the skull through the hole on the bottom."
"I have a very minor case, but it causes randomly occurring neurologic issues."
"Upon learning of this diagnosis, my wife was reading up on the symptoms...many of which I knew were abnormalities."
"I was worried I had ALS because that is neurological."
"After reading a bit, she says, 'Do you have problems sneezing?'"
"I say, 'No, I sneeze all the time'."
"I mean, about every 4th or 5th sneeze, my vision goes white and I get dizzy and lose my balance, but I catch myself before I fall'."
"Sometimes I feel like I'm going to pass out, but I never have'."
"The look on her face was one of pure shock - wide eyes and mouth open'."
"Then I said, 'Now that I say that out loud, that probably isn't normal, is it?'"
"She responded with an emphatic, 'No it's not normal!'"
"It was normal for me because it has been that way for my entire life, so I never thought to mention it.."
"And no one had ever asked me what it felt like when I sneezed."
"And why would they?"
"Everybody sneezes, so everybody knows what it feels like."- TroubledWaterBridge
snow white and the seven dwarfs sneezing GIF by DisneyGiphyHeartbreaking
"The first time I was staying at a friends house when I was in middle school I kept waiting for his parents to start fighting."
"His dad came home, food wasn't done yet, I was waiting for that fight."
'The Youngest brother didn't do his chores."
"I kept waiting for the screaming to start, I had braced myself for it, and it never happened."
"That's when I started realizing that parents aren't supposed to fight every night and drag their kids into it."
"Every day I got off the bus and would have to mentally brace myself before walking through the front door."
"Hoping my mom wouldn't find some random reason to shout at me for 3 hours."
"FYI I'm pretty good now."
"Moved out immediately when I was 18 and lived with a different friend."
"It's been 10ish years now."- Wesley_Otsdarva
If the worst thing you might be doing is getting on someone else's nerves, it doesn't really matter whether or not what you're doing is "normal."
But if you're worried something might not be normal about your health, probably best to call your doctor immediately.
Redditor Shadowclook21 wanted to hear about the times we've seen people waste money on nonsense, so they asked:
"What is the dumbest thing you've seen someone spend their money on?"
I get we all like nice things, but we have to be smart with our coins.
Wake Up!
Good Morning Time GIF by Berk's Beans CoffeeGiphy"An alarm clock coffee machine. It was me."
ineedanusername_
When on FB
"My wife is in a lot of mom groups on Facebook. The amount of people who beg for help for their poor babies who won’t get any Christmas/birthday gifts who also show off brand new giant tattoos is amazing. She shows me every time she finds one of these people and it happens all the time. Usually multiple recent photos of them out drinking and partying as well."
"So yeah, there’s a lot of people out there who blow big money in tattoos and partying instead of setting aside a little bit of money for their kids."
clocks212
Scratched
"Knew a girl who would spend all her money on scratchers and drugs. She would constantly go on about how when she finally won big she was going to move and get clean.... He grandmother gave her a 20 - 30k inheritance. Nothing changed except how many scratchers she would buy. I saw her buy out whole rolls occasionally. She wised up with the last few thousand and put some advance rent on an apartment (was in a motel) and fixed her car. But that money was gone in less than 2 months."
Sub_pup
60 Bucks
"PSA: Accidental subscriptions. Remember, kids, if you sign up for a free trial, be prepared to cancel that s**t the second they allow you. Otherwise, they'll start charging automatically."
xisiko1120
Kaboom
Im Ready Independence Day GIFGiphy"My neighbors once spent all their money on a private firework show, then had to hide their cars from the repo man for months. No longer neighbors."
redheadedstepchild54
Neighbors are always going to neighbor.
Classics
sia diplo GIF by LSDGiphy"I bought a cassette tape two weeks ago. I don't even have a way to play cassettes but I still bought it."
sibipi3040
They're Everywhere
"My Mum has spent $1000s on crystals and stones. She continues to, and gives them as gifts, I have no idea wtf to do with them so I put them in my plants pots then she gets upset for some reason. Send help please."
Necessary_Oil_9779
"Get her a rock tumbler and have her tumble her own and try to identify them. Cheaper in the long run. Makes for a more interesting hobby too, if she gets into it. It will get her out of the house and into nature. Crystals are everywhere, they literally litter the earth. A lot of ordinary-looking rocks turn out quite beautiful once they've been tumbled."
TerrifyinglyAlive
Just a Waste
"I dated a guy who would still use his debit card even when his account was over drafted because he didn’t realize he was charged overdraft fees for every transaction. I had to explain to him his single snickers bar or bag of chips or whatever from the vending machine was now costing him an extra $35. And he did this multiple times every single shift he worked."
beaniequeeny
5 More Minutes
"Gambling machines. I work in a bar room. People will play these machines for 12+ hours and never win. Then they Win $700 the next night and think they’re on top... it’s insane. They look like zombies sitting there in a trance. Once had to unplug the machine on a patron who would not leave for closing. Kept saying '5 more minutes.'"
BrianFrom97
OnlyCrap
"I worked with a guy who'd spend 200-300 bucks a week on OnlyFans. He'd brag about it, I guess he thought of he'd spent enough he might get lucky or something."
TheRealJokar
Why do some people spend with such abandon? It makes no sense to me, but it's not my money.
Have you ever witnessed someone blow a load of cash on something crazy? Let us know in the comments below.