Points! And lots of them! Let’s begin with awarding Dave 53 points for correctly guessing  that Cleo Laine would die this year. Then on to the big one, with the passing of Ozzy Osbourne, I can award 74 points to Emma, Lee A, Archie, Debbie, Martin, Laura, Iwan, Lee U, and Vic. Well done everyone! 

Look Who You Could Have Had:

• Charles Augins, 81, American choreographer (Red Dwarf, Labyrinth, Five Guys Named Moe) and dancer. 
• Tom Troupe, 97, American actor (Kelly’s Heroes, My Own Private Idaho, The Devil’s Brigade). 
• Malcolm-Jamal Warner, 54, American actor (The Cosby Show, Malcolm & Eddie, The Resident) and musician, drowned. 
• Eamon Downes, 56, British DJ (Liquid), brain tumour. 
• Joey Jones, 70, Welsh footballer (Wrexham, Liverpool, national team). 
• Ozzy Osbourne, 76, English musician (Black Sabbath), songwriter (“Paranoid“), and television personality (The Osbournes). 
• Tony Peers, 78, British actor (Emmerdale, Coronation Street, L.A. Without a Map). 
• Hulk Hogan, 71, American professional wrestler (WWF, WCW) and actor (Suburban Commando), cardiac arrest. 
• Dame Cleo Laine, 97, English jazz singer.

In Other News

Erik Menendez has been diagnosed with a “serious medical condition”, his lawyer has told the Flying Monkeys. The news comes weeks before he and his brother, Lyle, are set to appear at a parole hearing after spending decades in prison for the murders of their parents. The lawyer did not provide further details about the medical condition. The Flying Monkeys reckon that Menendez has a kidney issue, although this has not been publicly confirmed. Menendez was taken from a San Diego prison, in which he has been held for years, to an outside medical facility on Friday. The California state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation told the Flying Monkeys that Menendez was in a “fair condition”, but that it could not give further details. The brothers, who have been behind bars for 35 years, were resentenced in May to 50 years to life in prison for the killings of Kitty and José Menendez, in 1989. They were previously serving life without the possibility of parole. But earlier this year, a Los Angeles judge determined Erik, 54, and Lyle, 57, did not pose an “unreasonable risk” if they were released. The judge added that the brothers had “done enough” while in prison to merit a change of sentence. The pair’s new sentence made them eligible for parole consideration due to their young ages when their crimes were committed. The brothers’ lawyer Mark Geragos called for Erik Menendez’s release, making reference to his client’s health. “I just think he should be parole furloughed, I think is the proper term, and he could be medically furloughed in advance of the hearing so that he can work with the parole attorney and get up to speed and be ready and do it and give it his best shot,” Mr Geragos said. “I think that it’s the only fair and equitable thing to do.” They have claimed the murders were in self-defence. Prosecutors contended that the brothers were spoilt young men who killed their parents for financial gain.  

A Texan father who uprooted his family to Russia in a bid to escape ‘woke America’ has reportedly been sent to the front lines of the brutal war in Ukraine to fight for Putin. Derek Huffman, 46, moved with his wife DeAnna, their three daughters and the family husky to the small town of Istra, near Moscow, earlier this year after claiming the US had become overrun by ‘woke ideology’. The family took advantage of a Kremlin-backed visa programme aimed at attracting Westerners who reject liberal ideals – something Mr Huffman called ‘a fresh start in a country that respects family values’. But the American expat’s dream of a quieter life in Russia has taken a dramatic turn. Initially promised a non-combat role in the Russian military – first as a welder, then a war correspondent – Mr Huffman now finds himself alarmingly close to the battlefield, according to his wife. DeAnna Huffman said her husband felt he was being ‘thrown to the wolves’ given that he had only received a limited amount of training, and that it was in Russian.  She added that her husband, who only had minimal instruction before being deployed, is ‘leaning on faith’ to survive, as the family awaits news in fear. The last message they received from him came on Father’s Day in June. In a video clip, Mr Huffman appears in full camouflage, speaking directly to his children. Since then, there’s been silence. The family insists he is ‘doing fine’, but a now-deleted link on their YouTube channel directed followers to a Telegram group titled Save that Little Girls where an emotional photo of DeAnna and her daughters crying in the street was posted alongside a plea – ‘We are asking the United States government to save this family.’ The Huffmans’ controversial decision to flee America came after growing frustration with progressive teachings in schools. After a move from Arizona to Texas, Mr Huffman said he was horrified when his daughter Sophia was expected to discuss lesbian relationships at school – a moment he called the ‘final straw’.  

Billy Joel has opened up about his health following the revelation that he’s been diagnosed with a brain related condition. The 76 year old singer-songwriter provided an update during a recent podcast appearance, where he discussed one of the symptoms he’s currently experiencing. Earlier this year, Billy revealed he had been diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus. According to the NHS, it’s considered ‘uncommon’ and typically impacts people over the age of 60 and symptoms can include issues with mobility and signs of dementia. Billy has given an update on his health in a newly released podcast episode. Appearing as a guest on the latest instalment of the Club Random podcast, Billy told host Bill Maher that he’s feeling “fine”. He said: “I learned so much about you. First of all, your health. I mean, all your fans want to know … you had something. Did we fix it?” Addressing the question, Billy stated: “It’s not fixed, it’s still being worked on.” After the host remarked that he “looks good” and “sounds good,” Billy responded about his condition: “I feel fine. My balance sucks – it’s like being on a boat.” Billy said that his condition, normal pressure hydrocephalus, was once known as “water on the brain.” When asked what causes it, he said: “Nobody knows. They don’t know.” He added: “I thought it must be from drinking.” Billy then revealed that he doesn’t drink “anymore,” adding: “But I used to, like a fish.” He continued: “I feel good. They keep referring to what I have as a brain disorder, so it sounds a lot worse than what I’m feeling, y’know.”

On This Day

• 1890 – Vincent van Gogh shoots himself and dies two days later.
• 1940 – The animated short A Wild Hare is released, introducing the character of Bugs Bunny.
• 2002 – A Sukhoi Su-27 fighter crashes during an air show at Lviv, Ukraine killing 77 and injuring more than 500 others, making it the deadliest air show disaster in history.

Deaths

• 1984 – James Mason, English actor (born 1909).
• 2003 – Bob Hope, English-American actor, comedian, television personality (born 1903).
• 2012 – Geoffrey Hughes, English actor (born 1944).

Last Week’s Birthdays

Taylor Schilling (41), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (55), Donnie Yen (62), Jason Statham (58), Sandra Bullock (61), Helen Mirren (80), Kate Beckinsale (52), Kevin Spacey (66), Nana Visitor (68), Eve Myles (47), Mick Jagger (82), Matt LeBlanc (58), Elisabeth Moss (43), Anna Paquin (43), Jennifer Lopez (56), Summer Glau (44), Danny Dyer (48), Lynda Carter (74), Woody Harrelson (64), Daniel Radcliffe (36), Kathryn Hahn (52), Ronny Cox (87), Willem Dafoe (70), Terence Stamp (87), Selena Gomez (33), Rhys Ifans (58), Danny Glover (79), Bonnie Langford (61), and Josh Hartnett (47).

Alas no points this week, but plenty to read, in fact I had to drop a few interesting stories as this newsletter was getting a bit too long. 

Look Who You Could Have Had:

• Sarah Coyle, 108, Irish centenarian, oldest living person in Ireland. 
• Judy Loe, 78, English actress (Singles, Space Island One, Casualty), cancer. 
• Connie Francis, 87, American pop singer (“Pretty Little Baby“, “My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own“). 
• Fauja Singh, 114, Indian-British marathon runner and longevity claimant, traffic collision.
• Bradley John Murdoch, 67, Australian convicted murderer (Peter Falconio), throat cancer.
• Felix Baumgartner, 56, Austrian skydiver and extreme sportsman (Red Bull Stratos), paragliding crash. 
• Alan Bergman, 99, American songwriter (“The Way We Were“, “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers“). 
• Wyn Davies, 83, Welsh footballer (Newcastle United, Bolton Wanderers, national team). 

In Other News

A once popular adult star has reportedly gone mysteriously missing after taking a ‘wrong’ life path, it has been claimed. Faye Reagan, real name Jillian Faye Henning, has been declared missing by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Missing Persons Detail since 7th May. A missing persons bulletin filed by the authorities asked for the public’s assistance in locating the 36-year-old, who once dominated the adult scene after joining the industry at the age of 19. The missing persons report says Faye is 5ft6, weighs 115lbs and has red/brown hair – a memorable characteristic from her past career. She also has brown eyes. It also says that she was last spotted wearing a black top, green sweatpants and carrying a dark coloured backpack. The report states that she was seen at 3800 block of East Charleston, Las Vegas, Nevada. In a bid to locate the woman, the report asks hospitals to check their registries for the missing person and “notify police immediately.” A screenshot of the report is currently being circulated on Reddit forums, with fans expressing their concerns and well-wishes for the star. Fans were shocked when she left the career abruptly, and are now equally as shocked to learn the star has gone missing. Some claim that Faye turned to an unsavoury lifestyle after her adult star fame, with some alleging that she had been spotted looking “dishevelled” in Las Vegas. In the missing persons poster, Faye appears to be looking unkempt – which seems to be in a mug shot-style photograph, further feeding the concerns about her lifestyle. The stunning risqué actress, memorable for her natural ginger locks and freckles, became a huge star when she started her career in her late teens. She shot to fame after shooting five sex scenes in just one day for a hardcore film titled ‘The Gauntlet 3′. The actress would be later nominated for fifteen AVN Awards. 

General Hospital legend Tristan Rogers revealed he is  battling cancer. On Thursday, the veteran actor’s friend and publicist, Anthony Turk, announced the news in a press release. ‘Beloved Emmy-winning actor Tristan Rogers, best known for his role as Robert Scorpio on the daytime drama, General Hospital, is sharing with fans that he has been diagnosed with cancer,’ Turk began. He continued: ‘While he remains hopeful and is working closely with his medical team on a treatment plan, this is a challenging time for Tristan and his family.’ The star’s rep kindly requested ‘privacy and understanding’ as Rogers and his family face ‘the emotional and physical burdens that come with this diagnosis. They are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support and love from their friends and family. Tristan sends his love to his fans and wants them to know how much he appreciates their loyalty and encouragement over the years,’ Turk concluded. ‘This support means more to him now than ever.’ Rogers is best known to daytime audiences as international spy-turned-Port Charles D.A. Robert Scorpio on General Hospital. He has portrayed the character since 1980, and most recently, reprised his role on the series last year.  

Jaws star Richard Dreyfuss dropped out of SharkCon over the weekend after being diagnosed with bronchitis. The actor, 77, shared the news in a clip, filmed from a hospital bed, which was posted by the event’s official Instagram account. Richard, who portrayed Matt Hopper in Jaws fifty years ago, was due to speak at the two-day annual event that took place at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall Grounds this weekend. However, he said he wasn’t able to attend it because of his diagnosis. He said in his video, “Hello fellow cons. I am very, very sorry to tell you that I’ve been diagnosed with, viral, er…What is it?” His wife, Svetlana Erokhin, then answered off-camera, “Bronchitis.” Richard, covered by a Jaws blanket, added, “I’ve been told by my doctors I cannot fly and I would have to fly five hours to get there. “I’m terribly sorry because I had planned to be there and I had been looking forward to it, but I am unable to do so.” He added, “I don’t want to get anyone else sick and I don’t want to get sicker myself.” He continued, “I feel terrible about not showing up and I feel worse about exposing you to this apparently very viral illness. But there will be other times and I will make it my business to show up.” Richard added, “I want you all to feel very sorry for me, and very sorry for yourselves. I’m in a lot of pain and that has to come first, my health. I feel very good about having the time and enough health.” His wife added, “And such great fans!” Richard agreed, saying, “And such great fans.”  

An American Idol executive and her husband have been found murdered inside their $5 million Los Angeles mansion. Robin Kaye, an award-winning music supervisor for the hit show, and Thomas Deluca, both 70, were discovered brutally shot to death at their home in Encino on Monday around 2.33pm. Officers were called to the six-bedroom home for a ‘welfare check,’ but when they entered, they discovered Kaye and Deluca both shot in the head. Authorities witnessed blood at the front entrance of the couple’s home before breaking through a window to enter the property, a source told the flying monkeys. Their sudden deaths are being investigated as a double homicide. The motive is unknown, police said. Police were previously called to their home on Thursday after a suspect was allegedly trying to break in, the outlet reported. According to neighbours, a person, who may have been armed, was spotted hopping a fence on the tree-lined street in the ritzy California neighbourhood. Police officers were called to the home to conduct a welfare check after neighbours and family had not heard from them in four days.

A man has died after being pulled into an MRI machine in New York while wearing a heavy metal necklace. The 61-year-old, who has not been named, was pulled by the machine’s strong magnetic force after he entered a room at the Nassau Open MRI clinic while a scan was under way, Nassau County Police said. It is unknown why the man entered the room or if he was a patient at the clinic. Police added that the accident on Wednesday afternoon “resulted in a medical episode” and left the man in a critical condition in hospital. He was later pronounced dead. MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The machines use strong magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed images of the inside of the body. Due to the magnetic fields, “very powerful forces” are exerted on objects made of iron, some steels, and other magnetic materials, the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering says. It says the forces are “strong enough to fling a wheelchair across the room”.

On This Day

• 1944 – Adolf Hitler survives an assassination attempt led by German Army Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg.
• 1969 – Apollo 11’s crew successfully makes the first human landing on the Moon in the Sea of Tranquility. Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first humans to walk on the Moon six and a half hours later.
• 1982 – The Provisional IRA detonates two bombs in Hyde Park and Regent’s Park in central London, killing eight soldiers, wounding forty-seven people, and leading to the deaths of seven horses.

Deaths

• 1973 – Bruce Lee, American actor and martial artist (born 1940).
• 2005 – James Doohan, Canadian-American actor (born 1920). 
• 2011 – Lucian Freud, German-English painter and illustrator (born 1922).
• 2017 – Chester Bennington, American singer (born 1976).

Last Week’s Birthdays

John Francis Daley (40), Sandra Oh (54), Gisele Bündchen (45), Benedict Cumberbatch (49), Jared Padalecki (43), Ramin Djawadi (51), Priyanka Chopra Jonas (43), Vin Diesel (58), Kristen Bell (45), Eric Winter (49), Brett Goldstein (45), David Hasselhoff (73), Alex Winter (60), Will Ferrell (58), Corey Feldman (54), Phoebe Cates (62), Travis Fimmel (46), Diane Kruger (49), Forest Whitaker (64), Brigitte Nielsen (62), Jesse Ventura (74), Phoebe Waller-Bridge (40), Jackie Earle Haley (64), Kyle Gass (65), and David Mitchell (51).

I think the word we all need today is claggy. But the stifling heat will not stop the rollercoaster that is the Dead Pool. This week we can award some points! With the death of Norman Tebbit I can deal out 56 points to Shân, well done her! 

Look Who You Could Have Had:

• Wayne Dobson, 68, English magician, complications from multiple sclerosis. 
• Norman Tebbit, Baron Tebbit, 94, British politician, secretary of state for employment (1981–1983), and MP (1970–1992). 
• James Carter Cathcart, 71, American voice actor (Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, Sonic X), throat cancer. 
• Ian Blair, Baron Blair of Boughton, 72, British police officer and life peer, Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. 
• David Gergen, 83, American political commentator and advisor, complications from Lewy body dementia. 
• Donald Rose, 110, British supercentenarian and World War II veteran, oldest man in the United Kingdom. 

In Other News

Grange Hill star Lee MacDonald has put all his energy into campaigning after experiencing two terrifying cancer scares in 18 months. The Zammo McGuire actor had his first cancer scare last year after a “little black spot” appeared on his eye, which he initially brushed off as a mole. He was more ‘annoyed’ by it due to its close proximity to his eye but, after it started ‘weeping’, his wife encouraged him to see a doctor, which still didn’t cause Lee to worry. “Cancer didn’t even cross my mind going into the doctor’s. I went there purely because it was annoying me, and it was there, and I wanted to get rid of it,” he recalled of the doctor’s visit as he explained how he thought it would turn out to be a harmless mole or pimple. “So I thought, a bit of cream and it’ll go.” However, his world soon turned upside down when the doctor told him the black spot looked like cancer. Lee returned to the doctor’s for another biopsy and learned the spot wasn’t cancerous, despite the doctor’s initial fears. Although it was the positive news he wanted to hear, he gained a new perspective on his health as he teamed up with O2’s campaign in partnership with The British Skin Foundation to highlight the importance of sun safety. Earlier this month, Lee found a rash on his face that he first assumed was from shaving. “Because I was shaving every other day and it would bleed, I just thought it’s a rash where I’m shaving on it, I’m just aggravating it, so it’s never going to clear up.” Lee stopped shaving around it to see if the problem would stop persisting, but nothing changed. He quickly booked an appointment with the doctor for a check-up and learned it was actually keratosis, a rash with pre-cancerous cells. When he was told of the diagnosis, his first thought was: “Oh, not again.” The EastEnders star will soon be getting the rash burnt off, which will ‘hopefully get rid of it’. “So hopefully, you know, it will get rid of it. But again, quite scary. So that’s two scares in 18 months.”   

Jeff Lynne has been forced to cancel his planned BFT Hyde Park concert this weekend after falling ill. The team working with the 77-year-old music star had previously revealed he was suffering from ill health. A statement issued on Saturday confirmed the news, announcing: “Jeff Lynne is heartbroken to report that he will not be able to perform at tomorrow’s BST Hyde Park show. “Jeff has been battling a systemic infection and is currently in the care of a team of doctors who have advised him that performing is simply not possible at this time nor will he be able to reschedule. The legacy of the band and his longtime fans are foremost in Jeff’s mind today — and while he is so sorry that he cannot perform, he knows that he must focus on his health and rehabilitation at this time.” The news comes after the band cancelled their Thursday night performance at Manchester’s Co-Op Live due to “illness”. A fan who was at the ELO gig a day before the cancelled explained to the Flying Monkeys: “At the start of the set he came on and couldn’t play the guitar because he has injured his hand. He sounded shaky to begin with but his singing and energy picked up and was great until the last 10 minutes of the show.” A chair was brought onto the stage and he had to sit down to sing the last few songs, he appeared to be unsteady on his feet at the end and was helped off the stage by staff. “He really wasn’t well, it was obvious to fans at the gig he wasn’t himself and it is sad to see.” Jeff had previously battled with a broken hand whilst performing with the group on his farewell concert.  

Jessie J has received the “all clear” from her doctor after undergoing surgery following her breast cancer diagnosis. Jessie J, whose real name is Jessica Cornish, was relieved to hear the news. At the time, she recorded a video of herself to capture her reaction — and then she shared that video with her fans. “A video I took of myself after I got the all clear. When a friend asked ‘How do you feel?’ this explained it better than words,” Jessie J, 37, captioned an Instagram video. Fans could see the singer have a huge weight lifted off her chest as she took a deep breath. “I pray that anyone going through something hard and scary with their health, including everyone around them who are mentally effected and loves them gets to experience this feeling,” she added. 

On This Day

• 1985 – The Live Aid benefit concert takes place in London and Philadelphia, as well as other venues such as Moscow and Sydney.
• 1990 – Lenin Peak disaster: a 6.4-magnitude earthquake in Afghanistan triggers an avalanche on Lenin Peak, killing 43 climbers in the deadliest mountaineering disaster in history.
• 2016 – Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron resigns, leaving a fucking egotistical mess that we’re still trying to work out. 
• 2024 – Donald Trump is injured in an assassination attempt while speaking at an election campaign rally, destroying the belief that Americans can shoot straight.

Deaths

• 2020 – Grant Imahara, American engineer, roboticist, and television host (born 1970).
• 2024 – Shannen Doherty, American actress (born 1971). 
• 2024 – Richard Simmons, American fitness personality and public figure (born 1948).

Last Week’s Birthdays

Harrison Ford (83), Ken Jeong (56), Patrick Stewart (85), Melissa O’Neil (37), Michelle Rodriguez (47), Cheryl Ladd (74), Bill Cosby (88), Tamsin Greig (59), Stephen Lang (73),  Craig Charles (61), Chiwetel Ejiofor (48), Wyatt Russell (39), Fiona Shaw (67), Peter Serafinowicz (53), Sofía Vergara (53), Tom Hanks (69), Pamela Adlon (59), Jimmy Smits (70), Scott Grimes (54), Courtney Love (61), Richard Wilson (89), David Corenswet (32), Kevin Bacon (67), Anjelica Huston (74), Maya Hawke (27), Jaden Smith (27), Pauline Quirke (66), Jack Whitehall (37), and Ringo Starr (85).

With the death of Sandy Gall, I can award myself 53 points!! Go me!  

Look Who You Could Have Had:

• Sandy Gall, 97, Scottish journalist and television presenter. 
• Kenneth Colley, 87, English actor (Star Wars, Monty Python’s Life of Brian, Firefox), complications from COVID-19 and pneumonia. 
• Gerald Harper, 96, English actor (Hadleigh, Adam Adamant Lives!, A Night to Remember). 
• Julian McMahon, 56, Australian actor (Nip/Tuck, Fantastic Four, Home and Away), cancer. 
• Diogo Jota, 28, Portuguese footballer (Wolverhampton Wanderers, Liverpool, national team), traffic collision. 
• Michael Madsen, 67, American actor (Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill: Volume 2, Donnie Brasco), cardiac arrest. 
• Mark Snow, 78, American film and television composer (The X-Files, Smallville, Blue Bloods).  
• Peter Russell-Clarke, 89, Australian chef and television personality (Come and Get It), complications from a stroke.

In Other News

The Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, turned 90 today after a week of celebrations. Thousands of worshippers from around the world have travelled to Dharamshala, the small Indian town in the foothills of the Himalayas where the Dalai Lama lives, to mark the occasion. This includes long-time follower and Hollywood star Richard Gere, who is set to speak during the celebrations for the Nobel laureate, who is regarded as one of the world’s most influential religious leaders and worshipped by millions of Tibetan Buddhists as the living manifestation of Chenrezig, the Buddhist god of compassion. On Saturday, the Dalai Lama said he hoped to live for decades more, until the age of 130, so listing him for the next 39 years is probably going to be a late of time. Tenzin Gyatso, who became the 14th reincarnation of the Dalai Lama in 1940, fled his native Tibet in 1959 following a failed uprising against Chinese rule and took shelter in India, along with hundreds of thousands of Tibetans. According to Tibetan tradition, Dalai Lamas are “reincarnated” after they die. China annexed Tibet in 1950 and the current Dalai Lama lives in exile in India, making succession a highly contentious issue. Beijing rejected the statement, saying his successor would be from inside China and must be approved by the government.  

Rock star David Roach has been left devastated after being diagnosed with a “very aggressive” form of cancer. The Junkyard rocker, who has fronted American heavy metal band Junkyard since 1987, shared a photo on Instagram from his hospital bed, flashing a peace sign with one hand and a defiant middle finger with the other, as fans rallied around him. David, who has led vocals for the heavy metal band, fell ill with what he thought was just a “fever and cough”, but was rushed to the ER, where doctors gave him the shock diagnosis. He is now battling squamous cell carcinoma affecting his head, neck, and throat, a fast-spreading cancer that has forced his fiancée Jennifer to give up her job to care for him full-time. The band has launched a GoFundMe to help cover medical costs, and Jennifer shared an emotional message with fans on Instagram. “We wish we could respond to each of you, but honestly, there are no words right now. We’re still struggling to process the news we received on Tuesday.” she wrote. At the time of publication, nearly $28,000 had already been raised. Country singer Nicholas Mich even hosted a Benefit Live Stream Concert to help support the fund.  

Former James Bond actor George Lazenby has been diagnosed with early dementia, his ex-wife has revealed. Pam Shriver, has spoken candidly about supporting the former 007 actor as he navigates life with dementia. Lazenby, now 85, made history as the shortest-tenured Bond, appearing only once in the 1969 film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, after taking over the iconic role from Sean Connery. Despite his brief time as 007, the Australian actor remains a beloved figure among Bond fans. Shriver, a former US tennis star, met Lazenby in 2000 at Wimbledon when she was 37. The pair married, had three children – Kait, Sam, and George – and later divorced in 2008. However, Shriver has remained a close presence in Lazenby’s life. In an interview with The Flying Monkeys, Shriver revealed that Lazenby is in the “early stages of dementia,” but stressed that his personality still shines through. “He has dementia, but he is still very much himself,” she shared. “A softer version of himself, perhaps – and this is the key.” Lazenby had been living in a sheltered housing facility in Pacific Palisades until earlier this year, when wildfires ripped through the Los Angeles area and forced an evacuation. Following the incident, Lazenby was relocated to an assisted living facility in Santa Monica, where he continues to receive care. “We go for walks together, chatting about the kids and all the little anxieties which anyone with an older relative will recognise,” Shriver said. “His dementia affects his short-term memory but he tells stories about his younger days.” Shriver also shared that the pair had discussed legal matters years ago and agreed she would hold “power of attorney” should he ever lose mental capacity.

On This Day

• 1885 – Louis Pasteur successfully tests his vaccine against rabies on Joseph Meister, a boy who was bitten by a rabid dog.
• 1942 – Anne Frank and her family go into hiding in the “Secret Annexe” above her father’s office in an Amsterdam warehouse.
• 1944 – The Hartford circus fire, one of America’s worst fire disasters, kills approximately 168 people and injures over 700.
• 1947 – The AK-47 goes into production in the Soviet Union.
• 1988 – The Piper Alpha drilling platform in the North Sea is destroyed by explosions and fires. One hundred sixty-seven oil workers are killed, making it the world’s worst offshore oil disaster in terms of direct loss of life.

Deaths

• 1932 – Kenneth Grahame, Scottish-English author (born 1859).
• 1960 – Aneurin Bevan, Welsh politician, Secretary of State for Health (born 1897).
• 1971 – Louis Armstrong, American singer and trumpet player (born 1901).
• 1998 – Roy Rogers, American cowboy, actor, and singer (born 1911).
• 2020 – Charlie Daniels, American singer-songwriter, and fiddle-player (born 1936).
• 2020 – Ennio Morricone, Italian composer, orchestrator, conductor (born 1928).
• 2022 – James Caan, American actor (born 1940).

Last Week’s Birthdays

Sylvester Stallone (79), Eva Green (45), Kevin Hart (46), Geoffrey Rush (74), Jennifer Saunders (67), Burt Ward (80), Neil Morrissey (63), Post Malone (30), Tom Cruise (63), Patrick Wilson (52), Kurtwood Smith (82), Yeardley Smith (61), Bolo Yeung (79), Margot Robbie (35), Lindsay Lohan (39), Larry David (78), Jerry Hall (69), Liv Tyler (48), Pamela Anderson (58), Dan Aykroyd (73), Debbie Harry (80), Vincent D’Onofrio (66), Katherine Ryan (42), and Mike Tyson (59).

Some vaguely familiar faces this week but no points to award. Apologies, but this newsletter sort of  ran away with me, some interesting stories just kept cropping up. 

Look Who You Could Have Had:

• Joe Marinelli, 68, American actor (Santa Barbara, The Morning Show, General Hospital), stomach cancer. 
• Mick Ralphs, 81, English guitarist (Mott the Hoople, Bad Company) and songwriter (“Feel Like Makin’ Love“), complications from a stroke. 
• Richard Gerald Jordan, 79, American convicted murderer, execution by lethal injection. 
• Rick Hurst, 79, American actor (The Dukes of Hazzard, Steel Magnolias, Earth Girls Are Easy). 
• Lalo Schifrin, 93, Argentine-born American film and television composer (Mission: Impossible, Dirty Harry, Rush Hour), complications from pneumonia. 
• Takahiro Shiraishi, 34, Japanese convicted serial killer, execution by hanging. 
• Wayne Larkins, 71, English cricketer (Northamptonshire, national team).

In Other News

TV presenter Dermot Murnaghan has revealed he has been diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer. The former ITV, BBC and Sky News journalist, 67, said he was “responding positively” to treatment and was “feeling well”. “I’m fortunate to have a simply outstanding medical team looking after me, who I can’t thank enough – they are administering the best possible care with expertise, compassion and sensitivity,” he wrote on Twitter. Murnaghan presented the main news programmes on ITV and the BBC before spending 16 years as one of Sky’s lead anchors, and has also hosted BBC Two quiz show Eggheads. His post started: “Some personal news……I’ve been diagnosed with Stage IV advanced prostate cancer.” He continued: “I’m responding positively to their excellent treatment, and feeling well. I’m blessed to be fortified by the monumental love and support of my wife, family and close friends. Needless to say my message to all men over 50, in high risk groups, or displaying symptoms, is get yourself tested and campaign for routine prostate screening by the NHS. Early detection is crucial. And be aware, this disease can sometimes progress rapidly without obvious symptoms.” He added that he is hoping to take part in a charity bike ride organised by Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy, who also has prostate cancer, in Glasgow in September.  

Singer-songwriter Jessie J has announced that her cancer has not “all gone” after a previous post about her experience was “misunderstood”. She shared an update on her journey this week following her recent surgery. Jessie, 37, announced three weeks ago that she had been diagnosed with “early” breast cancer. She shared that she was preparing to have surgery and earlier this week she revealed that the procedure had gone ahead. She wrote on Monday: “I am home now, to rest and wait for my results.” Following the surgery, it was reported yesterday that Jessie had said that her “cancer is all gone” in an update on Instagram. She’s however now said it was a “positive affirmation” and highlighted that she used a fingers crossed emoji. Addressing the update having made headlines, she wrote in a post this evening: “You have misunderstood my post. I posted a list of pros and cons of having breast cancer surgery. The first pro I put was … The cancer has all gone [fingers crossed emoji].” She clarified: “This was a positive affirmation NOT a fact. I don’t have my results yet. I added the emoji in thinking people would understand and clearly a lot didn’t.” Jessie added: “A weird situation. My fault for not being clearer.” She went on to share her hope that the statement comes true, writing: “But for now I do not have my results after surgery which was only 6 nights ago. I pray it will be true soon but the journey of cancer isn’t that simple unfortunately.”  

With Glastonbury-goers descending on Somerset’s Worthy Farm this weekend, no doubt some mesmerising chaos at the fabled festival is about to ensue. But underneath the hedonism and glitter lies a darker side to the world-renowned event. Since its inaugural days in the 70’s, the capacity has stretched from a humble 1,500, with 210,000 revellers now setting up camp at Glasto each year. But accommodating the population of a large town for almost a week has seen Glastonbury experience its share of tragedies and mishaps over the years. 

The 1994 Glastonbury line-up saw The Levellers and Rage Against The Machine headline, but away from the stages, a terrifying incident unfolded. On the Saturday night, a gunman started firing indiscriminately into the unsuspecting crowd. Five people with shot, and at around 10pm, police were called as the emergency situation evolved. The man was discovered to be wielding an automatic pistol, and began to shoot fans who had innocently attended the festival to enjoy the music. Two women and three men all sustained gunshot wounds before being rushed to hospital for treatment. Thankfully, the victims, aged between 18 and 44 only suffered minor injuries and recovered fully. 

Over the years, multiple bodies have been recovered at the festival, with the most recent deaths being discovered in 2023. One was a a medical incident in which a man in his 40’s was found fead on the old railway line. The body was that of radio DJ Jason Winder, 48, who died in the early hours of Sunday at the 2023 festival. Avon & Somerset Police said he’d suffered a ‘medical incident’ on the old railway line footpath shortly before 4am and died at the scene. 

Christopher Shale, a senior Conservative, was discovered dead in a toilet at Glastonbury on the Sunday morning of the 2011 event. An aide and friend of David Cameron, Shale, 56, was found hours after describing the Tories as “graceless, voracious, crass, always on the take” in a leaked strategy document. Despite the unfortunate timing, an inquest found that the MP, who had no drink or drugs in his system, died from natural causes. Pathologist Dr Basil Purdue told the inquest at Wells town hall that the asthmatic’s weight had put “an excessive workload” on his heart. 

In 2016, a heartbreaking incident saw a 27-year-old Bristol juggler, who taught young children circus skills, kill himself in a devastating incident. Ashton Launcherley, who was diagnosed with schizo-affective disorder, set fire to himself on the Glastonbury site, the Monday before the festival was due to start. The inquest heard how Launcherley, who had been detained in mental health hospitals and previously sectioned, had been plagued by voices who spoke in strange accents. He was found crouching in the lotus position in a ditch, doused himself in petrol and deliberately set himself on fire. 

A whistleblower has warned more deaths are to come, after the senior manager slammed the festival for their approach to security. Speaking to the Flying Monkeys, the ex-manager said: “Worst-case scenario, people are going to die, I think they’re going to have some massive issues this year.”

On This Day

• 1864 – At least 99 people, mostly German and Polish immigrants, are killed in Canada’s worst railway disaster after a train fails to stop for an open drawbridge and plunges into the Rivière Richelieu near St-Hilaire, Quebec.
• 1971 – Prior to re-entry (following a record-setting stay aboard the Soviet Union
• ‘s Salyut 1 space station), the crew capsule of the Soyuz 11 spacecraft depressurizes, killing the three cosmonauts on board. Georgy Dobrovolsky, Vladislav Volkov and Viktor Patsayev are the first humans to die in space.
• 1995 – The Sampoong Department Store collapses in the Seocho District of Seoul, South Korea, killing 502 and injuring 937.
• 2007 – Apple releases its first mobile phone, the iPhone.

Deaths

• 1933 – Roscoe Arbuckle, American actor, director, and screenwriter (born 1887).
• 1967  – Jayne Mansfield, American actress (born 1933).
• 1995 – Lana Turner, American actress (born 1921).
• 2003 – Katharine Hepburn, American actress (born 1907).
• 2023 – Alan Arkin, American actor (born 1934).

The Twitter Killer

For the first time in three years, Japan has carried out a capital punishment sentence by hanging a man known as the “Twitter killer.” Takahiro Shiraishi, 34, was hanged to death on Friday, at Tokyo Detention House. He was convicted and sentenced to death for killing and dismembering nine people in his apartment in 2020.

Takahiro Shiraishi’s was found guilty of sexually assaulting and robbing eight of his female victims aged between 15 and 26 in 2017. He lured them to his apartment near Zama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Tokyo using a Twitter handle that roughly translates to “hangman.” The victims were all suicidal and Shiraishi had falsely promised them that he would die with them, posting things like “Won’t you die with me?” The sole male victim was the boyfriend of one of the women.

Shiraishi would dump the mutilated bodies of the women in garbage disposals and other places around Zama. In October 2017, police searched his house to investigate the disappearance of a 23-year-old woman who had expressed suicidal thoughts on social media. The woman’s brother who accessed her social media, led the police to Shiraishi’s apartment where they found cooler boxes and containers in with body parts. Some were stashed in boxes filled with cat litter, which he used to hide evidence.

He had admitted in court that he killed them for sexual gratification. His defence council had filed an appeal with the Tokyo High Court but Shiraishi withdrew it himself which finalised his sentence.

Before he moved to Zama, Shiraishi used to work as a scout that lured women into sex work at clubs.

One of the victim’s father told NHK, a Japanese media agency, that the execution changed nothing and that it would have been better for Shiraishi to have lived so that he could reflect on his crimes.

The execution was ordered by Japan’s Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki who said that he ordered it after “careful consideration.” In a press conference, the minister said that “the case caused the extremely serious outcomes and dealt a major shock wave and unease to the society.” he also said that “it is not appropriate to abolish the death penalty while these violent crimes are still being committed.”

In a government poll conducted every five years, 80 per cent of Japanese citizens showed support for capital punishment. The last time capital punishment was used in Japan was in 2022, to execute a man who went on a stabbing spree and killed seven people after crashing a truck in a district in Tokyo.

Last Meals

Richard Jordan, Mississippi’s longest-serving death-row inmate, requested chicken tenders, fries, strawberry ice cream and a root beer float for his last meal ahead of his execution on Wednesday.

Marc McClure, regional superintendent for the Mississippi Department of Corrections, announced the meal choice during a 2 p.m. press conference at the Mississippi State Penitentiary’s visitor centre in Parchman. He was joined by MDOC Commissioner Burl Cain.

McClure said Jordan ate his final meal at 4 p.m. 

Jordan was sentenced to death in 1977 for the 1976 kidnapping and murder of Edwina Marter, a Gulfport bank executive’s wife. He’d lived on death row for 48 years, making him the state’s longest-serving death row prisoner. 

When asked what kind of inmate Jordan had been during his decades on death row, McClure said only that he has never been a “problematic inmate.”

Last Week’s Birthdays

Gary Busey (81), Amanda Donohoe (63), Mel Brooks (99), John Cusack (59), Kathy Bates (77), Felicia Day (46), Alice Krige (71), Elon Musk (54), J.J. Abrams (59), Tobey Maguire (50), Emma D’Arcy (33), Meera Syal (64), Aubrey Plaza (41), Nick Offerman (55), Ariana Grande (32), Ricky Gervais (64), Sheridan Smith (44), Erin Moriarty (31), Iain Glen (64), Peter Weller (78), Nancy Allen (75), Rosie Jones (35), Joel Edgerton (51), Frances McDormand (68), Melissa Rauch (45), Selma Blair (53), Joss Whedon (61), and Bryan Brown (78).