Take me Away from All This Death

My friend Kelly Fobert, with whom I used to dance aboard Princess Cruises many years ago used to repeat two quotes frequently:

"Lies make Baby Jesus cry" - the Flanders children from The Simpsons

and

"Take me away from all this death" Wynona Ryder's Mina Murray in 1992's DRACULA

Since I'm sick and feeling like death. What better topic to occupy these pages than to offer the pool of projected celebrity deaths for the New Year? (each year to the glee of some and dismay of others I cull predicitons from friends and then send out announcements/updates on various "passings/transitions" to the group.

Here are the picks for this year.

2008 Projected Celebrity Deaths
Albert Finney
Amy Winehouse
Andy Griffith
Anita Page
Anna Nicole Smith – resurrected only to die again, like Jesus
Annette Funicello
Ariel Sharon
Art Linkletter
Barbara Bush
Bea Arthur
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
Bob Barker
Bob Newhart
Brittany Spears
Brittany Spears
Cassandra Peterson (Elvira)
Chuck Norris
Dick Cheney
Dick Clark
Dick Van Dyke
Dick Van Patten
Don Rickles
Edward Albee
Eli Wallach
Elizzabeth Taylor
Ernest Borginie
Fidel Castro
Gore Vidal
Hal Holbrook
Harvey Korman
Horation Sanz
Jeff Conaway
Jennifer Jones
Jessica Simpson
Karl Malden
Kate Moss
Kathleen Turner
Keith Richards
Kirk Douglas
Larry King
Laura Bush
Linda Ellerbee
Lizz Taylor
Luise Rainer
Margaret Thatcher
Mary Kate Olsen
Mel Brooks
Michael Jackson
Miep Gies
Owen Wilson
Paris Hilton
Paul Sorvino
Pete Doherty
Peter O’Toole
Piper Laurie
Queen Elizzabeth
Ray Bradbury
Richard Branson
Richard Simmons
Ruby Dee
Sid Caesar
Steve Coogan
Sydney Lumet
Tiger Woods
Tommy LaSorta
Zsa Zsa Gabor

Last year the group accurately predicted the passing of the following:

Anna Nicole Smith
Brooke Astor
Kitty Carlisle Hart
Kurt Vonnegut
Tammy Faye Messner