Remembering Fallen Icons

There is an old saying that everything comes in threes. Most times that expression is used when it comes to celebrities passing away. However, as of recent, the ante has been raised. In the past couple of weeks, five major personalities have met their untimely demise. These were individuals who made major impacts in the entertainment industry. They have been referred to as icons, legends, or superstars, but no matter what moniker you think of them as, they were beloved throughout the world and their legacy will not be forgotten.

 When it comes to talk show sidekicks, no one even came close to Ed McMahon, who passed on June 23 at the age of 86. When thinking about Ed McMahon, two things comes to my mind; his infectious laugh every time Johnny Carson told a joke and his ever popular, “Heeeeeeere’s Johnny!” at the beginning of every show.  The one routine that always made me laugh was the Carnac the Magnificent skit. Between the comedic curses Carnac would cast on McMahon to the corny puns from the envelopes along with the audience’s reaction, you couldn’t help to either laugh or groan every time Carnac gave his answer. For thirty years, Carson and McMahon had wonderful chemistry, but it seemed McMahon always worked well with others whether it was with Dick Clark for TV Bloopers and Practical Jokes or Jerry Lewis on his yearly telethons. Entertainment Weekly called McMahon the greatest sidekick. There is no argument there.

Two days after McMahon’s passing, a three year battle with cancer came to an end for former Charlie’s Angel’s star and Cover Girl, Farrah Fawcett. She was 62. Like every other red hot American teenage boy in the 70’s, I also had the famous poster of Farrah in the red bathing suit hanging on my wall. She was the one who helped a lot of young American males go through puberty. Even as she grew older, her sexiness never diminished, and her acting abilities improved exponentially. Her role as the abused wife in The Burning Bed totally blew me away. No more was she the bubble head blonde bombshell. She became a serious actress. With talent and beauty, Farrah was a dynamo. Former Charlie’s Angel co-star, Kate Jackson said that Farrah had a big heart and showed immense courage throughout her illness. Jackson also said if there was one thing she will remember about Farrah, it would be her smile.

On the same day of Fawcett’s passing, another superstar was suddenly taken from us. He had many monikers, but he was most notably known as the King of Pop. He was Michael Jackson. Reports of his death spread like wildfire across the globe as people gathered to pay homage to the fifty year old pop sensation. A lot can be said about Michael Jackson, his life was full of extreme ups and downs, but his music bridged the racial gap even during the early part of his career, where he and his brothers performed as the Jackson Five. Like Jackson’s life, his death is shrouded in controversy and mystery; hopefully, his legacy will be remembered through his music.

Jackson’s untimely death wasn’t the last of a celebrity’s final curtain call. On Sunday, June 28, OxyClean pitchman, Billy Mays and impressionist and Las Vegas headliner, Fred Travalena also met their demise. Mays was 50, and Travalena was 66. As of recent, Streets of San Francisco star, Karl Malden, passed last Wednesday. He was 97. It just seems so uncanny how close these tragedies happened. One thing for sure, it will be a week the entertainment industry will never forget.