BANTER WITH BEN AND LISA: Tribute to Whitney Houston

The world was shocked today when music icon Whitney Houston died today at 48. Listen in as Lisa Timmons and I as well as Matt Whitfield from Yahoo! discuss this surprising turn of events. We talk about our favorite Whitney memories, theorize on how this will affect the Grammys, and wax nostalgic about the singer’s …

TCM Out-Memoriams The Academy’s In Memoriam Sequence

Every year, one of the morbid traditions of the Oscars is trying to guess who will make the Academy’s In Memoriam montage (and furthermore, who will receive the biggest amount of applause and the money-spot at the end). In recent years, the Academy has taken heat for leaving people such as Brad Renfro, Farrah Fawcett, …

DEAD CELEBRITIES: Bubba Smith Edition

Sad news from the world of football / Police Academy. Former NFL star and actor Bubba Smith has died at the age of 66. No word yet on the cause of death, but the Los Angeles coroner’s office has reported that “there is no indication of anything other than natural death.” Sad emoticon. For more …

DEAD CELEBRITIES: Macho Man Randy Savage Edition

Sad news from the world of wrestling. Macho Man Randy Savage died this morning after having suffered a heart attack behind the wheel. The wrestler — one of the most popular in the 1980s, perhaps second only to Hulk Hogan — was 58. To read more details of this untimely death and to begin your …

DEAD CELEBRITIES: Elizabeth Taylor Edition

After several weeks in the hospital, screen legend Elizabeth Taylor died today at the age of 79. The actress had battled many medical ailments over the past ten years and finally succumbed to congestive heart failure Wednesday morning. I wouldn’t say that I had a “thing” for Elizabeth Taylor, but she’ll always have a special …

DEAD CELEBRITIES: Paul The Octopus Edition

Sad news from the world of soccer. Our favorite clairvoyant cephalopod Paul the Octopus has died. The eight-legged critter gained international fame after accurately predicting the outcome of Germany’s seven 2010 World Cup matches, thus joining the esteemed pantheon of Teutonic animal superstars ruled by Knüt the polar bear. Sadly, Paul was not long for …

DEAD CELEBRITIES: Rue McClanahan Edition

They always happen in threes. First Gary Coleman, then Dennis Hopper, and now our third fateful death of the week: Rue McClanahan, who is best known for playing Blanche on The Golden Girls. The actress was 76. This is a rather sad turn of events, especially now that The Golden Girls has received a new …

DEAD CELEBRITIES: Gary Coleman Edition

The run of bad luck with the former stars of Diff’rent Strokes continued today with the death of Gary Coleman. The former child actor suffered an intercranial hemorrhage in Utah and never recovered. He was 42. And so another pivotal sitcom star of my youth passes away. Sadness. For more information, click here.

DEAD CELEBRITIES: Corey Haim Edition

Just days after several ’80s teen icons were resurrected at the Oscars, one of that era’s most famous teen idols has died. Corey Haim passed away at 38 today after struggling for years with addiction and drug abuse. Sad news indeed. Is it bad that my first instinct is to wonder if he’ll make it …