BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » When a beloved celebrity dies

Ivy · January 15, 2016 12:03 pm

Of course I understand that, if you really liked someone you'd like to be prepared. But you are never. Like Tony Visconti said in his Bowie statement, he knew about it for a year but wasn't prepared at all when it really happened.
I just read that sentence "I didn't know he was ill" too often these past days so I got a bit irritated. It's just my private shitstorm against the negative sites of social media and that everyone is "on" all the time and it suggests nothing is really secret anymore. And therefore the fact that they were famous means that of course every private stuff has to be known.

I'm sure a lot of people don't mean anything by saying that. Like you said just a sentence of shock.

I liked both a lot. I mean Alan is simply a wonderful actor and I liked his unagitated attitude and David Bowie, well he was David F***ing Bowie. He really meant so much, in my opinion not even so much for his music or the films he did, but what he has started in case of sexuality (even if he called himself a closet heterosexual later) and appearance and that there is nothing that's not allowed. Just do what you like and don't care what other people think and invent yourself over and over again. It really must have been shocking at that time (late 1960s and early 1970's) and it's so normal for us now. So the sadness I see (and read) in other people who grew up with him goes so deep. He was a trailblazer.

It really was a weird week.

Mattlocked · January 15, 2016 12:16 pm

Ivy wrote:
I just read that sentence "I didn't know he was ill" too often these past days so I got a bit irritated. It's just my private shitstorm against the negative sites of social media and that everyone is "on" all the time and it suggests nothing is really secret anymore. And therefore the fact that they were famous means that of course every private stuff has to be known.

I'm sure a lot of people don't mean anything by saying that. Like you said just a sentence of shock.

I also don't think it is meant that "negative way" you've mentioned. It's not meant like "Hey, we weren't informed, although we have a right to being informed, we are the fans!!"
It is the shock.
You also say things like that when "suddenly" some private person, which you've known for a pretty long time, dies, don't you? "Oh, what??? I had no idea she/he was that ill!"

Normal reaction, not always a social media thing.

Vhanja · January 15, 2016 12:21 pm

Yes, when I say "I didn't even know he was ill" about celebrities, it's because I'm used to media letting us know. Not that we are to have close-ups and reality-peek into their struggles and daily life because of it, but that I'm used to there being an announcement when a celeb is terminally ill.

Of course, that doesn't mean I think we are owed such an announcement. It's their lives, and they have the right to to with it as they see fit. They don't owe us anything.

Harriet · January 15, 2016 12:53 pm

I think saying "I didn't know he/she was ill" is more or less just a way to figure out what happened when being confronted with such a sudden incident.
It's like thinking aloud, trying to grasp the incomprehensible. A normal human reaction to find out: How could that happen, how could I not know about it?

Mattlocked · January 15, 2016 12:58 pm

I agree, Harriet.

And some people even seem to expect that someone must have known something.
Those who know how much Alan means to me keep asking "Did YOU know??"

Ivy · January 15, 2016 1:02 pm

Vhanja wrote:
Yes, when I say "I didn't even know he was ill" about celebrities, it's because I'm used to media letting us know.

But that's exactly what I meant, Vhanja. Everyone is so used to it.
I read that sentence by people who rarely know who those two are. Those reality TV fans who have "celebrities" as role models that don't really do anything. And there is a twitter posts after every fart they did.

@Mattlocked: I think it's a different with people that I know personally, because that "oh I didn't know"makes more sense, because they also don't have to tell anyone of course, but that a celebrity is not an acquaintance or friend.
By the way, if I were David Bowies or Alan Rickmans neighbour I probably would have said "didn't know he was ill" in the meaning that "he didn't looked ill, I saw him regularly"

Everyone has a different perception of things and feelings towards them. And that it's also just a bit my sadness that makes me so sensitive.

In general It's never my intention to offend or criticize someone here, if I have a problem with anything I try to clear that up by pm or block/ignore that person.
-------------------------------------------------

Amanda retweeted a wonderful quote

tonnaree · January 15, 2016 1:17 pm

On a lighter note, I swear this story is true! It's too weird not to be.

In 2000 my best friend, Kim, and I took a nice little trip to the UK. On the last day of the tour we woke up in our London hotel room and Kim turned to me and said "I had the strangest dream. I dreamed I married Alan Rickman! And he was dressed in his costume from Robin Hood!" We laughed. We were both fans of Rickman but it wasn't like either of us had fangirl crushes. At least not yet.

Our main plan for the day was to tour the New Globe Theater so we headed for the tube. After we got on the tube we discovered that the station you would normally get off on for the Globe was closed and we would have to get off one stop earlier and walk a few blocks. Not a big deal but you could say it put our day on a slightly different path.

As we were walking we ran across this lovely open air market and decided to look around. We are browsing when suddenly I hear Kim desperately whispering my name. "Tonya"! "Tonya!" "Quietly look to your right." So I did. And almost *thudded.* There, in all his glory stood Alan Rickman himself. To say we were stunned was the world's biggest understatement.

He was already chatting with another fan so we approached politely. I don't even really remember what words were said, I just remember that voice, live in my ears. He was calm and charming and very gracious. I had been carrying around my journal on the trip so I ask him if he would sign a page and of course he did.

So, Kim dreams about him, an unexpected tube stop closing changes our direction and we get distracted by the market. All these little things added up to a wonderful memory.

As we were walking away from Mr. Rickman, Kim turned to me and said "I am so glad you were with me and so glad you got his autograph, because no one would've believed me!"

Vhanja · January 15, 2016 1:23 pm

Wow, that must've been absolutely awesome!

Harriet · January 15, 2016 1:27 pm

Even if Alan Rickman was not a fan's neighbour or personal friend, he could still grow close to her heart.
I believe that is what matters here

Ivy · January 15, 2016 1:30 pm

I love Daniel Radcliffes statement

tonnaree · January 15, 2016 1:34 pm

It's been proven that the emotional attachments we form with our favorite actors, singers and writers are just as valid as any other and that they can inspire us in many good ways.

Mattlocked · January 15, 2016 1:52 pm

tonnaree wrote:
On a lighter note, I swear this story is true! It's too weird not to be.

In 2000 my best friend, Kim, and I took a nice little trip to the UK. On the last day of the tour we woke up in our London hotel room and Kim turned to me and said "I had the strangest dream. I dreamed I married Alan Rickman! And he was dressed in his costume from Robin Hood!" We laughed. We were both fans of Rickman but it wasn't like either of us had fangirl crushes. At least not yet.

Our main plan for the day was to tour the New Globe Theater so we headed for the tube. After we got on the tube we discovered that the station you would normally get off on for the Globe was closed and we would have to get off one stop earlier and walk a few blocks. Not a big deal but you could say it put our day on a slightly different path.

As we were walking we ran across this lovely open air market and decided to look around. We are browsing when suddenly I hear Kim desperately whispering my name. "Tonya"! "Tonya!" "Quietly look to your right." So I did. And almost *thudded.* There, in all his glory stood Alan Rickman himself. To say we were stunned was the world's biggest understatement.

He was already chatting with another fan so we approached politely. I don't even really remember what words were said, I just remember that voice, live in my ears. He was calm and charming and very gracious. I had been carrying around my journal on the trip so I ask him if he would sign a page and of course he did.

So, Kim dreams about him, an unexpected tube stop closing changes our direction and we get distracted by the market. All these little things added up to a wonderful memory.

As we were walking away from Mr. Rickman, Kim turned to me and said "I am so glad you were with me and so glad you got his autograph, because no one would've believed me!"

What a lovely story, thank you for sharing!

Mattlocked · January 15, 2016 1:54 pm

Harriet wrote:
Even if Alan Rickman was not a fan's neighbour or personal friend, he could still grow close to her heart.
I believe that is what matters here

Right.
Until yesterday I had no idea how close.

.

mrshouse · January 15, 2016 2:31 pm

@tonnaree, I absolutely love that story full of those weird coincides. Thank you for sharing it with us.
@Mattlocked, love your new avatar and signature.

Yitzock · January 15, 2016 3:13 pm

That's a great story, tonnaree! Thanks for sharing that with us. I can understand why that would be unforgettable and lovely. And that's great you got an autograph, too.

tonnaree · January 15, 2016 4:53 pm

It was pretty amazing. *giggle* At the time I was desperately in love with a different celebrity and I told Kim "Tonight would you please dream about David Duchovny"?!?!?!?

Also, for ever after our encounter, Kim referred to Alan Rickman as her husband.

Russell · January 15, 2016 6:52 pm

Awww… how sweet. I would love to have a memory like that! And I too found myself re-watching all three of those videos you guys happened to post… I don't think I'd seen the epic tea one… wow! And the friend who posted it, I immediately shared back with her the 'Dust' one, remembering it from talking about strange artistic shorts of favorite actors we discussed once on here, and she was blown away. (I just realize my phrasing there was both amusing and unfortunate… ha). He was so fascinating!

(also, gently, if you tried [video] link [/video] and it still didn't work for you, just wanted to relate that when I was wrestling with it to work once, I somehow noticed changing the https to http (so it's not "secure") made it work!)

Mattlocked · January 15, 2016 9:21 pm

Hopefully Ivy won't hate me, but I stumbled over another article tonight....

So apparently it was pancreatic cancer. And it was quite quick. That is... good, right?
And he watched a musical in New York in December. That is... also good, right?
And he "kept an upbeat demeanour", Which is also... good?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3400946/Alan-Rickman-died-pancreatic-cancer-say-sources.html

Yitzock · January 15, 2016 9:32 pm

If this is true, hopefully it means he did not got through too much unbearable suffering.
I hope he enjoyed Hamilton, I've heard it's very good.

Vhanja · January 15, 2016 10:17 pm

Patrick Swayze also died of pancreatic cancer, which for him took 1,5 years.

I have to say, I've never been particularly fond of the media writing about "he/she lost the battle...". As if there was a battle - as if the victim has anything they can do themselves to fight it, and as if they "lose" because they are too weak to win.

It doesn't sit right with me. You can't fight a disease. You can get treatment, and either you survive or you don't. It says nothing about the qualities of a person if he survives or dies form cancer, it has nothing to do with "winning" or "losing" a battle.