So Many Passings....

This has been an unexpectedly busy few days for celebrity deaths.

First we were told of the death of the premiere 2nd banana, Ed McMahon. As Johnny Carson's sidekick, he made it seem easy. He knew when to be quiet, when to chuckle, when to laugh, when to comment, and always how to make Johnny look good. It isn't easy for a funny man to play 2nd fiddle, but that is just what he did, and brilliantly.

At the same time, news came that the beloved, great newsman, Walter Cronkite, was gravely ill. We braced for the death of one of the icons of my generation, the Voice of Space, but it never came.

Instead we were saddened by the news of the death of Farrah Fawcett, who battled cancer to determinedly and graciously. She was an icon that transcended generations, making the Boomers want to be or be with her, and inspiring the following generation as one of Charlie's Angels. She could act, too; although Cheryl Ladd was a good Angel, it was never the same after Farrah left. She went on to prove it was no fluke on Broadway and in TV movies: "The Burning Bed" was one of those films that legitimized television films.

But then her death was overshadowed by the unexpected death of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Although he led a somewhat bizarre personal life, one thing no one will argue is that he was a brilliant musical performer. He single-handedly transformed pop, which is a feat in itself. The "Thriller" video transformed music videos forever. His first album as an adult, after being a megastar as a child, exploded onto the musical scene, proving that the transition can make people forget you ever were a child. His success paved the way not only for other black singers, but for blacks in almost every field, arguably including Barack Obama.

Just as we started to get used to the idea that MJ was gone, today we heard of the sudden death of pitchman Billy Mays, and television pioneer and early-year superstar, Gale Storm.

The death of a cultural icon is always unsettling. While we watch our loved ones grow older, or ill, and reluctantly accept death as a part of the life cycle, celebrities through film and photos seem to stay the same. We want, maybe even need, them to stay the same. So when they die, we aren't really prepared for it. This week has reminded us that life is fleeting. And, more importantly, maybe we shouldn't rely so heavily on icons for consistency: after all, they're just humans, too.

So, be at peace, Ed, Farrah, Michael, Billy and Gale.