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Dead Pool 18th May 2025

I’ll forgive you if you have no idea who any of our celebs are this week, but apparently these people are famous!  

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

Veteran broadcaster James Whale has given a frank health update on his 74th birthday following treatment for stage four kidney cancer. The broadcaster and talk show host has been a popular voice on radio and TV for five decades and currently presents a weekly nighttime talk show on talkRADIO. He was awarded an MBE for his services to broadcasting and to charity in the 2024 New Year Honours List. Whale revealed in February 2020 that his kidney cancer had since spread to his spine, brain and lungs. In 2024 he expressed doubt as to whether he would still be alive by the end of the year. Speaking recently to the Flying Monkeys, Whale offered a candid update on his health. Asked how he was doing, he replied: “I’m feeling ok. As people know I’m not about to die, but well, you never know do you. I have had all my treatment so I’m giving you the lowdown on it. If I make it to Christmas I will be exceptionally lucky. Sometimes I think it will be easier just to have a heart attack and go.” Speaking earlier this month on 2nd May, Whale, along with his Talk co-host Ash Gould, updated listeners on his situation, indicating that he hoped to continue working for a few months more. He said: “I’m at the end of my cancer journey. There is no treatment I can have anymore. I’m hoping to go on for another few months, but as soon as I can’t do the show anymore, I won’t.” Whale added: “I can’t tell you how grateful I am to Talk to actually let me on the air and sit next to Ash, which is a real pain in the butt, but I’ve been doing it for 25 years!” Whale was first diagnosed with cancer in 2000, and had to have one of his kidneys removed. In 2018, his first wife, Melinda Maxted, died after being diagnosed with lung cancer; in August 2020, Whale revealed cancer had returned in his kidney, spine, brain and lungs. The radio DJ’s past experience with cancer led him to form the James Whale Kidney Fund in 2006, which merged with Kidney Cancer UK in 2015.  

Sir Chris Hoy is appreciating life “more than ever” after being diagnosed with terminal cancer last year and says he has entered “a bit of a stability period” in his treatment. The 49-year-old, a six-time Olympic cycling gold medallist, said in February 2024 that he was undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. In October, he announced his diagnosis was terminal after the primary cancer spread to his bones, with doctors giving him between two and four years to live. Speaking to the Flying Monkeys, Hoy issued a positive update on his health: “I’m doing well. It feels like I’ve entered a bit of a stability stage at the moment and I’m feeling good. Most importantly, cancer’s not the first thing I think about when I go to bed at night. I think we’ve got into a rhythm now where it’s part of our life and we manage that and crack on. I feel good. I’m on constant medication, constant treatment, but it’s not interfering too much with my life, and the most important thing is it’s working, so I’m stable at the moment, everything’s good. Making hay while the sun shines.” The Scot won his six Olympic golds – and one silver medal – between 2000 and 2012, making him Britain’s second-most decorated Olympic athlete behind Sir Jason Kenny (seven golds). He also claimed 11 World Championship golds and 34 World Cup titles before retiring in 2013. “I can’t believe the position I’m in now compared to 18 months ago. I never imagined I’d be able to get to this point where I’m actually living life,” he continued. “And not just living life, but actually appreciating it more than ever. It’s not just about doing bucket-list stuff and doing massive things, it’s about appreciating the daily, mundane fun of life.”

On This Day

  • 1695 – The Linfen earthquake in Shannxi, Qing dynasty causes extreme damage and kills at least 52,000 people!
  • 1812 – John Bellingham is found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging for the assassination of British Prime Minister Spencer Perceval.
  • 1953 – Jacqueline Cochran becomes the first woman to break the sound barrier.
  • 1980 – Mount St. Helens erupts in Washington, United States, killing 57 people and causing $3 billion in damage.

Deaths

Last Meals 

Florida has executed a man known as the “Casanova Killer” for his good looks and ability to charm women just before murdering them.

Glen Edward Rogers, 62, was executed on Thursday by lethal injection for the murder of Tina Marie Cribbs, one of four single mothers in their 30’s with reddish hair who fell victim to the Casanova Killer. Rogers was also known as the “Cross Country Killer” because the victims all lived in different states: California, Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida.

“He’s an animal,” one of his victim’s sisters said in court before Rogers was sentenced to death, according to an archived report from the Associated Press. “He’s about the evilest thing I think I’ve ever imagined.”

Rogers used his last words to shout-out President Donald Trump and address the families of his victims, according to execution witnesses.

“I know there’s a lot of questions that you need answers to. I promise you in the near future the questions will be answered and I hope in someway will bring you closure,” he said. “President Trump, keep making America great. I’m ready to go.”

Randy Roberson, whose mother Andy Lou Jiles Sutton was a victim of the Casanova Killer, witnessed the execution and said that seeing Rogers die will help give him some closure but that his death was far too easy.

“It helps a lot, just knowing that he’s not here anymore,” Roberson said. “I wish it wouldn’t have been so easy for him. It looked like he just went to sleep, like he didn’t really get what he deserved.”

Rogers − a native of Hamilton, Ohio − was pronounced dead at 6:16 p.m., becoming the 16th inmate executed in the U.S. this year and the fifth in Florida. His last meal consisted of pizza, chocolate cake, and soda. Another three men are set to be executed in the U.S. next week, in Texas, Indiana and Tennessee.

Here’s what to know about Rogers’ execution, including who his victims were. 

Authorities connected five victims to the Casanova Killer. Four of them were mothers with reddish hair in their 30’s. Three of the murders happened within a six-day period.

  • Mark Peters, a 72-year-old retired electrician in Hamilton, Ohio, with whom Rogers lived with briefly, was found dead in a shack owned by Rogers’ family in January 1994 in Beattyville, Kentucky. (Rogers is a native of Hamilton, Ohio just outside Cincinnati.)
  • Sandra Gallagher, a 33-year-old mother of three, of Santa Monica, California, killed on September 28th, 1995 in Van Nuys. Her body was found in her burning vehicle. She had met Rogers in a bar the night of her murder.
  • Linda Price, a 34-year-old mother of two, found stabbed to death in the bathtub of her home in Jackson, Mississippi, on November 3rd, 1995. Price briefly lived with Rogers, telling her mother: “He is my dream man,” according to an archived story in the Dayton Daily News.
  • Tina Marie Cribbs, a 34-year-old mother of two, found stabbed to death in a Tampa, Florida hotel bathtub on November 7th, 1995. Like Gallagher, she had met Rogers at a bar on the night of her murder.
  • Andy Lou Jiles Sutton, a 37-year-old mother of four: three sons and a daughter who were 19, 17, 8, and 6 when she was found stabbed to death in her bed on November 9th, 1995 in of Bossier City, Louisiana. Sutton and Rogers met  before her murder and are believed to have slept together.

Soon after his arrest, Rogers claimed to have killed Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman in Los Angeles in June 1994, and about 70 people overall. There was no evidence to back that up. 

Growing up, Rogers’ childhood was deprived of love, moral guidance or family values, and he frequently witnessed his alcoholic father beat his mother, according to court records.

Rogers started using controlled substances at a young age and began committing burglaries, eventually becoming a chronic alcohol abuser, court records said.

As an adult, he held a slew of jobs, from a school bus driver in his native Hamilton, Ohio, to a carnival worker in Mississippi.

Since his arrest at the age of 33, he spent most of the past three decades on death row. He was 62 at the time of his execution.

Last Week’s Birthdays

Tina Fey (55), Miriam Margolyes (84), Chow Yun-Fat (70), Toyah Willcox (67), Paul Whitehouse (67), Pierce Brosnan (72), Megan Fox (39), Thomas Brodie-Sangster (35), David Boreanaz (56), Danny Trejo (81), Stephen Mangan (57), Cate Blanchett (56), George Lucas (81), Tim Roth (64), Greg Davies (57), Siân Phillips (92), Francesca Annis (80), Robert Pattinson (39), Samantha Morton (48), Iwan Rheon (40), Harvey Keitel (86), Zoë Wanamaker (76), Mark Heap (68), Stephen Colbert (61), Varada Sethu (33), Rami Malek (44), Malin Akerman (47), Ving Rhames (66), Emilio Estevez (63), Gabriel Byrne (75), and Jason Biggs (47).

Posted by  |  18th May 2025 | Categories: 2025 | Leave A Comment »

Dead Pool 11th May 2025

Another week of relative unknowns passing away. I’ll have to release the Flying Monkeys!  

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

Former Coronation Street legend Charlie Lawson has gave a health update after he was rushed to hospital earlier this week. The 65-year-old actor revealed he was sent to A&E after suffering two falls. Giving an update from his hospital bed, the former ITV soap star, who is best known for having played Jim McDonald, took to social media to give fans a debrief. Charlie explained he was undergoing examinations after falling twice. The actor had an MRI scan and was waiting on more results. Now, after being initially sent home, Charlie is back in the hospital and shared an update with his followers. On Twitter, he said: “Well hello folks, from a rather, erm, well I’m not sure what it’s doing outside. It was rather nice when I came in, but here I am again in special day care in Macclesfield hospital waiting to see an osteopath and hopefully getting a transfer to Salford Royal to the spinal unit. That’s the plan, but I was talking to you last time from the same cubicle and I ended up back at home at half ten at night so we shall wait and see.” He then told followers he is “fine” before saying he “simply can’t walk properly”. “I’m in great pain,” he added. “I can’t stand on my tip toes now so, yeah, this is very comfortable but if I stand up I just fall over so there’s something seriously gone wrong, so i’ll keep you posted. Cheerio now!” He captioned the upload: “Encore une fois!!!,” which translates to one more time. Earlier in the week, Charlie told followers: “Hi folks, went to physio this morning and she sent me straight to A&E, which I did. They examined me. I have an MRI scan and I’m sitting waiting for the results. They’ve whisked me back in for more examinations so it’s not going awfully well at the moment. Anyway, I’ll keep you updated. They put a wristband on me and all sorts of craic. I’ve fallen over twice, so something going wrong down there.” Charlie first made his debut on the Street back in 1989 in his role as Jim, the patriarch of the McDonald family. He remained in the role for over a decade before making his exit in 2000, 11 years on.  

Queen Margrethe of Denmark has been hospitalised after contracting a cold, the royal household has revealed. The 85-year-old, who abdicated in January in favour of her son, King Frederick X, was admitted to Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen. The royal, a third cousin of Queen Elizabeth, is in hospital for observation as a precautionary measure.  She has also cleared her schedule of upcoming engagements, including yesterday’s visit to the Sankt Lukas Foundation’s 125th anniversary celebration. ‘HM Queen Margrethe admitted to Rigshospitalet,’ the palace wrote, adding, ‘As a result of the cold that H.M. Queen Margrethe has contracted, it has been decided that the Queen will be admitted to Rigshospitalet for observation as a precaution. Her Majesty, known for her chain-smoking and love of dachshunds, was last seen on Sunday during a church service in connection with the 80th anniversary of Denmark’s liberation. Despite resigning in 2023, the monarch remains active and performs royal duties alongside her son. Margrethe shocked the nation with the announcement of her abdication during her New Year’s Eve live television segment. She said one of the reasons why she chose to give up the throne was because of her health issues, adding that she underwent surgery for her back in February 2023. Margrethe said: ‘It went well, thanks to the skilled healthcare staff who took care of me. Of course, the operation also gave rise to thinking about the future – whether the time had come to leave the responsibility to the next generation.’ She is still known as Her Majesty Queen Margrethe and can fill in as regent if King Frederik, Queen Mary and Crown Prince Christian are abroad, ill or on holiday.  

Japan’s Emperor Emeritus Akihito will undergo heart tests at a hospital after an unspecified problem was detected during a routine checkup. The Imperial Household Agency did not answer calls to its office to confirm reports by the Flying Monkeys and several other Japanese media. Akihito, 91, who is retired, is the father of Emperor Naruhito. He abdicated from the Chrysanthemum Throne in 2019. Akihito will be hospitalised, starting Tuesday, at the University of Tokyo Hospital. Other details were not immediately available. Akihito had heart bypass surgery in 2012. Akihito ascended to the throne after his father, Hirohito, died in 1989. No other emperor has abdicated in modern Japanese history. But Akihito has broken with other imperial traditions. He was the first emperor to marry a commoner, Empress Michiko. 

On This Day

  • 868 – A copy of the Diamond Sūtra is published, making it the earliest dated and printed book known.
  • 1812 – Prime Minister Spencer Perceval is assassinated by John Bellingham in the lobby of the House of Commons.
  • 1985 – Fifty-six spectators die and more than 200 are injured in the Bradford City stadium fire.
  • 1997 – Deep Blue, a chess-playing supercomputer, defeats Garry Kasparov, becoming the first computer to beat a world-champion chess player in a classic match format.

Deaths

  • 1889 – John Cadbury, English businessman, founded the Cadbury Company (b. 1801).
  • 1981 – Bob Marley, Jamaican singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1945).
  • 1985 – Chester Gould, American cartoonist, created Dick Tracy (b. 1900).
  • 2001 – Douglas Adams, English novelist and screenwriter (b. 1952).
  • 2024 – Susan Backlinie, American actress and stuntwoman (b. 1946).

The ‘Worst Death in History’

History is, sadly, replete with examples of man’s cruelty towards his fellow man.

From modern-day terrorist attacks to medieval torture methods, we are constantly reminded of humankind’s propensity towards inflicting pain on others.

And yet, when it comes to the worst, or “cruellest”, death in history, one man is widely regarded as the unfortunate chart-topper, based on the sheer horror of the range of abuses he endured.

György Dózsa was a Hungarian revolutionary, born in 1470, who came to lead a peasants revolt against the country’s nobility.

He and his fellow rebels successfully killed thousands of members of the ruling classes – burning their manor houses to the ground and seizing the fortresses of Arad, Lippa, and Világos – before they were finally defeated by Hungary’s governing forces.

Dózsa was taken prisoner in July, 1514, and, according to historian Paul Freedman, of Yale University, subsequently executed in a manner “so stunningly barbarous that across Europe contemporaries, inured though they were to gruesome public spectacles, took notice.” 

Freedman notes that Dózsa was forced to sit on an iron throne, which was then heated up, while a red-hot iron crown was placed on his head in a “mock coronation ceremony”.

“Still alive, the partially roasted Dózsa was then removed from the throne and his followers, who had been starved for this purpose, were forced to eat his flesh.”

What remained of the 44-year-old was then quartered and “sent around Hungary for display”.

Other accounts offer further gruesome details, with The Legends of Hungary Youtube channel claiming that “while he was still alive, Dózsa’s soldiers were forced to tear his naked body apart with their own teeth”.

Then, before he succumbed to this hellish end, he was forced to witness as his younger brother Gergely was cut into three parts and hung on the gallows.

Suffice it to say, it’s no wonder Dózsa’s death has been branded the “cruellest of all time,” however arbitrary such a title may be.

Last Week’s Birthdays

Tim Blake Nelson (61), Holly Valance (42), Jadyn Wong (40), Meg Foster (77), Bono (65), Rosario Dawson (46), Grace Gummer (39), Billy Joel (76), Stephen Amell (44), David Attenborough (99), Vicky McClure (42), Alexander Ludwig (33), MrBeast (27), Richard O’Sullivan (81), George Clooney (64), Adrianne Palicki (42), Henry Cavill (42), Lance Henriksen (85), John Rhys-Davies (81), Richard E. Grant (68), Zach McGowan (45), Michael Palin (82), and Marc Alaimo (83).

Posted by  |  11th May 2025 | Categories: 2025 | Leave A Comment »

Dead Pool 4th May 2025

Another successful week, let’s dole out the points! Neil correctly predicted that Steve McMichael would die this year, he also listed him as his Cert, so a whopping 183 points which boost him to the top of the league table. 

We can also award 134 points to Abi, Dave, and Lee who listed Inah Canabarro Lucas as either a Cert or a Woman, well done all of you! 

Look Who You Could Have Had:

  • Steve McMichael, 67, American football player (Chicago Bears) and professional wrestler, Super Bowl champion, complications from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
  • Jane Gardam, 96, English writer (The Queen of the Tambourine, Old Filth, God on the Rocks). 
  • Mike Peters, 66, Welsh rock singer (The Alarm, Big Country) and songwriter (“Sixty Eight Guns”), chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. 
  • Priscilla Pointer, 100, American actress (Carrie, Dallas, Blue Velvet). 
  • Inah Canabarro Lucas, 116, Brazilian supercentenarian, world’s oldest living person. 
  • Ruth Buzzi, 88, American comedienne and actress (Sesame Street, The Berenstain Bears), complications from a stroke and Alzheimer’s disease. 
  • Jeffrey Hutchinson, 62, American convicted murderer, execution by lethal injection. 
  • Jill Sobule, 66, American singer-songwriter (“I Kissed a Girl“, “Supermodel“), house fire. 

In Other News

The comedian Milton Jones has announced that he is cancelling a planned tour of the UK after being diagnosed with prostate cancer, which will require surgery. The 60-year-old shared the news in a statement on social media where he said that the cancer is “treatable” and he is due for an operation in the coming weeks. However, his recovery period has forced him to cancel a handful of shows across the country. “I’m so sorry about this, but I need to announce the cancellation of several dates from my ongoing Ha!Milton Tour.” He continued: “This difficult decision comes following a recent diagnosis of treatable prostate cancer. I’ll be undergoing surgery soon and will need time afterwards to fully recover.” Jones added: “In addition, the summer dates in Colchester, Bridlington, Stroud, and London will be rescheduled to the Autumn. All dates currently scheduled for the Autumn leg of the tour remain unaffected. Ticket holders for the cancelled shows will be contacted directly by the venue box office. Thanks for your support and respecting my privacy during this time. This decision has not been taken lightly. Trust me, abnormal service will resume as soon as possible and I’m looking forward to being back out on the road again soon – though probably not on a bike!” Jones, best known for his deadpan and often surreal one-liners, began his career in 1996 performing regularly at The Comedy Store in London and Manchester.   

Joanna Lumley has reflected on her mortality, predicting that her “time must be coming quite soon”. The Bafta-winning star of the hit sitcom Absolutely Fabulous, who is 78, opened up on the subject of death in a new interview, revealing that several of her “beloved friends are beginning to leave”. “As you near the top of the hill you suddenly think: ‘Gosh, there’s not all that amount of time left. My time must be coming quite soon and I don’t want to have wasted a minute of being on this beautiful planet.” Lumley also urged young people to worry less, telling the Flying Monkeys: “I used to panic when I was young, but as I’ve got older I’ve started literally to live day to day. With age, you work out what matters. I always knew that good stuff would come along when I was older. When I was 18, I longed to be 30. When I was 30, longed to be 50. We mustn’t be led into thinking getting old is bad. Growing old is good.” While sharing “a big message” to younger generations, the actor hinted that social media might be affecting their people skills. “You need time in your head. I’m so afraid we’re going to breed a generation who don’t know the world and don’t know how to talk.” Lumley previously expressed concern over young people’s work ethic, stating her belief that the youth of today want a fast track to success without putting the work in.  

Sir David Attenborough has reflected on approaching “the end of his life” while sharing what he believes will save the planet from destruction. The veteran naturalist addressed his mortality in a new documentary, which is set to be released in cinemas on 8th May – his 99th birthday. In the forthcoming film, titled Ocean: With David Attenborough, the former BBC Two controller expressed his sadness with the current state of the world’s ecosystems, but said that he has worked out what Earth’s “most important place” is “after living for nearly a hundred years on this planet”. He said that the key to saving the planet “is not on land, but at sea”, stating: “When I first saw the sea as a young boy, it was thought of as a vast wilderness to be tamed and mastered for the benefit of humanity. Now, as I approach the end of my life, we know the opposite is true.” Attenborough added that the planet “is in such poor health” that he “would find it hard not to lose hope” were it not for the ocean, which he called “the most remarkable discovery of all”. He concluded: “If we save the sea, we save our world. After a lifetime of filming our planet, I’m sure nothing is more important.”

On This Day

  • 1949 – The entire Torino football team (except for two players who did not take the trip) are killed in a plane crash.
  • 1979 – Margaret Thatcher becomes the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
  • 1998 – A federal judge gives “Unabomber” Theodore Kaczynski four life sentences plus 30 years after Kaczynski accepts a plea agreement sparing him from the death penalty.
  • 2000 – Ken Livingstone becomes the first Mayor of London.

Deaths

  • 1984 – Diana Dors, English actress (b. 1931).
  • 2008 – Fred Baur, American chemist and founder of Pringles (b. 1918)
  • 2009 – Dom DeLuise, American actor, director, and producer (b. 1933)

Last Meals

Florida has executed Gulf War veteran Jeffrey Hutchinson for the shooting deaths of his girlfriend and her three children despite a letter from 129 veterans arguing that Hutchinson’s mind was a casualty of war.

The 62-year-old former U.S. Army Ranger was convicted for the 1998 murder of 32-year-old Renee Flaherty, and her three children: 9-year-old Geoffrey, 7-year-old Amanda, and 4-year-old Logan.

On the night of September 11th 1998, Hutchinson fought with Flaherty, after which he packed some of his clothes and guns into his truck, and went to a bar, according to court records.

The bartender testified that Hutchinson told him that Flaherty was angry with him, while other witnesses testified that he drove recklessly when he left, according to court documents.

Hutchinson then returned to the Crestview home, “busted down” the front door and shot Flaherty, Amanda and Logan in the head in the master bedroom, a forensic pathologist testified − according to court documents. 

The pathologist testified that Hutchinson shot Geoffrey last in both the chest and the head while the child “was able to see the bodies of his mother, sister, and brother,” according to court records.

“The terror suffered in that moment is incomprehensible to this court,” Hutchinson’s trial judge said, according to the Flying Monkeys.

Hutchinson called the police and told a dispatcher: “I just shot my family.” Police arrived to  find him spattered with blood and lying in a daze on the garage floor, still holding the phone, according to court documents. 

His last meal consisted of salmon, mahi-mahi, asparagus, baked potato and iced tea. He had no last words

The execution took place shortly after 8 p.m. ET on Thursday at the Florida State Prison in Railford using the state’s three-drug protocol involving etomidate, rocuronium bro­mide and potassium acetate. He was declared dead at 8:14 p.m. ET, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.

It marked the fourth execution in Florida this year and the 15th in the nation.

While Hutchinson himself maintained that the murders were committed by home invaders, his defence team pointed to brain damage and trauma suffered by the former U.S. Army Ranger during his service in the Gulf War as reason to stop the execution.

Maria DeLiberato, executive director of Floridians for Alternatives for the Death Penalty and liaison for Hutchinson’s legal team, previously told the Flying Monkeys that experts called Hutchinson’s statements “a delusional belief based on his significant and severe mental illness.”

“Executing a man who was physically and psychologically shattered by war − a man who never got the treatment or understanding he needed and deserved − is not justice,” the group said in a statement following the execution.

Meanwhile 129 veterans representing every branch of the military wrote to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, calling Hutchinson “one of us” and urging the governor to stop the execution.

Last Week’s Birthdays

Will Arnett (55), Rob Brydon (60), Frankie Valli (91), Sandi Toksvig (67), Rachel Zegler (24), Christina Hendricks (50), Pom Klementieff (39), Dwayne Johnson (53), Matt Berry (51), Christine Baranski (73), Ellie Kemper (45), David Suchet (79), Joe Wilkinson (50), Lily Allen (40), David Beckham (50), Julie Benz (53), Jamie Dornan (43), Joanna Lumley (79), Ana de Armas (37), Gal Gadot (40), Kirsten Dunst (43), Sam Heughan (45), Daniel Day-Lewis (68), Michelle Pfeiffer (67), Uma Thurman (55), Kate Mulgrew (70), Anita Dobson (76), Jerry Seinfeld (71), Willie Nelson (92), Jessica Alba (44), Penélope Cruz (51), Mary McDonnell (73), Ann-Margret (84), and Jay Leno (75). 

Posted by  |  4th May 2025 | Categories: 2025 | Leave A Comment »

Dead Pool 27th April 2025

Let’s dole out the points! With the death of Pope Francis I can award 62 points to Debbie, Rachel, and Mark W, plus I can award a whopping 162 points to Emma as she had him down as her Cert. Well done everyone! 

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

Carlos Santana was forced to postpone a concert after suffering a medical scare during rehearsals this week. The legendary guitarist’s manager, Michael Vrionis, shared a statement with his fans ahead of Tuesday’s show at the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio. It was revealed that Santana was taken from the venue to a local hospital in an ambulance, where he was diagnosed with dehydration. He is currently being kept under observation. “It is with profound disappointment that I have to inform you all that tonight’s show in San Antonio has been postponed,” Vrionis told the Flying Monkeys “Mr Santana was at the venue preparing for tonight’s show when he experienced an event that was determined to be dehydration. Out of an abundance of caution and the health of Mr Santana, the decision to postpone the show was the most prudent course of action.” Vrionis continued: “He is doing well and is looking forward to coming back to San Antonio soon as well as continuing his US Tour. Thank you all very much for your understanding. The show will be rescheduled soon.” The “Black Magic Woman” guitarist has suffered similar episodes in the past, including in 2022 when he postponed six shows after collapsing onstage in Clarkson, Michigan. Earlier this year, he took what he described as a “hard fall” while walking around the Hawaiian island of Kauai, the location of his $20m home, and broke a finger on his left hand, leading to the postponement of several dates for his residency in Las Vegas. At the time he stated, “My finger is recuperating really well, I lost my equilibrium and fell. I put my hand out to block the shock and broke my baby finger, but they operated and put it back in place. One or two more weeks and I’ll be good as new.”

On This Day

  • 1978 – In the deadliest construction accident in United States history, 51 construction workers are killed when a cooling tower under construction collapses at the Pleasants Power Station in Willow Island, West Virginia.
  • 1986 – The city of Pripyat and surrounding areas are evacuated due to the Chernobyl disaster.
  • 1992 – Betty Boothroyd becomes the first woman to be elected Speaker of the British House of Commons in its 700-year history.
  • 1993 – Most of the Zambia national football team lose their lives in a plane crash off Libreville, Gabon.

Deaths

  • 1521 – Ferdinand Magellan, Portuguese sailor and explorer (b. 1480).
  • 2002  – Ruth Handler, American businesswoman, created the Barbie doll  (b. 1916).
  • 2023 – Jerry Springer, American politician and actor (b. 1944).

Last Meals

A death row murderer in the US finally apologised to his victim and her family shortly before dying by lethal injection.

James Osgood, 55, and his girlfriend forced Tracy Lynn Wilemon to perform sex acts at gunpoint before Osgood killed the 44-year-old by cutting her throat.

He was convicted for the 2010 rape and murder four years later and sentenced to death.

Osgood was pronounced dead at 6.35pm on Thursday following a three-drug injection at a prison in Atmore, Alabama, authorities said.

He used his last moments to speak about Ms Wilemon. ‘I haven’t said her name since that day,’ Osgood said. ‘Today will be the first time I said it. Tracy, I apologise.’ He then looked towards friends and family in the witness room and cried as he slowly lost consciousness.

Ms Wilemon was found dead in her home after her employer became concerned when she didn’t show up for work. 

Prosecutors said Osgood admitted to police that he and his girlfriend, Tonya Vandyke, sexually assaulted Brown after discussing how they had shared fantasies about kidnapping and torturing someone. 

His girlfriend, who was Ms Wilemon’s cousin, was sentenced to life in prison. The jury in 2014 took 40 minutes to convict him and unanimously recommended a death sentence.

His initial death sentence was thrown out by an appeals court. But at resentencing in 2018, Osgood asked for another death sentence, saying he didn’t want the families to endure a further hearing.

Alabama Corrections Commissioner John Hamm said the victim’s family members witnessed the execution in a separate viewing room. They chose not to make a statement to the media, he said. Governor Kay Ivey issued a statement, calling the killing ‘premeditated, gruesome and disturbing’. ‘I pray that her loved ones can feel some sense of closure today,’ the governor said. 

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said ‘my heart and prayers are with Tracy’s family. No one should have to endure the pain they’ve carried or relive the horror of her tragic and senseless death’. 

Before the execution, Wilemon’s step-sister, Trish Jackson, told the Flying Monkeys that her family planned to attend. She said she’d be travelling to Alabama from Southern California with her mum, ‘Just to know that he will be no more.’ ‘She didn’t deserve this. No one does. She was very loved … She deserved to have the greatest life and flourish,’ Ms Jackson said. Ms Jackson said Wilemon had just gone through a divorce and was restarting her life when she was killed. She said her step-sister, whose surname was legally Brown when she died, had been saving up money to visit her daughter in Arizona when the attack happened.

Last week Osgood said he had dropped his appeals because he was guilty and thought his execution should go forward. ‘I’m a firm believer in — like I said in court — an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. I took a life, so mine was forfeited. I don’t believe in sitting here and wasting everybody’s time and everybody’s money,’ he said. 

Osgood declined his lunch tray, but did have a final meal of pizza. He chose to die by lethal injection. Hamm said it took a total of five attempts to get the two required IV lines connected to him. The execution was the second in Alabama this year and the 14th in the nation overall.

Last Week’s Birthdays

Jenna Coleman (39), Russell T. Davies (62), Lizzo (37), Giancarlo Esposito (67), Channing Tatum (45), Pablo Schreiber (47), Kevin James (60), Jet Li (62), Joan Chen (64), Melania Trump (55), Al Pacino (85), Renée Zellweger (56), Hank Azaria (61), Talia Shire (79), Jack Quaid (33), Rory McCann (56), Aidan Gillen (57), Djimon Hounsou (61), Shirley MacLaine (91), Barbra Streisand (83), John Cena (48), John Hannah (63), Dev Patel (35), Gemma Whelan (44), Lee Majors (86), John Oliver (48), Jeffrey Dean Morgan (59), Jack Nicholson (88), Amber Heard (39), Sheryl Lee (58), James McAvoy (46), Andie MacDowell (67), Toby Stephens (56), Robbie Amell (37), Tony Danza (74), Rob Riggle (55), Iggy Pop (78), and Liz Carr (53).

Posted by  |  27th April 2025 | Categories: 2025 | Leave A Comment »

Dead Pool 20th April 2025

Not much to report this week, no points to award either. But we do think that we should ring-fence Warwick Davis after two of his cast-mates from Willow have passed away so very close to each other, after all, these things come in threes…  

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

Pope Francis made a brief appearance on Easter Sunday to bless the thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square as he continues his recovery from a near-fatal bout of double pneumonia. “Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter!” Francis said, his voice sounding stronger than it has since his hospitalisation. “Viva il Papa!” (Long live the pope), the crowd responded. Francis looped through the square in his open-topped popemobile and then up and down the main avenue leading to it. He stopped occasionally to bless babies brought up to him, a scene that was common in the past but unthinkable just a few weeks ago as the 88-year-old Francis fought for his life. Since his release from the hospital nearly a month ago, Francis has been slowly returning to work and has made several Sunday appearances at St. Peter’s Square, much to the relief and adoration of the crowd that gathers every weekend. He skipped the solemn services of Good Friday and Holy Saturday leading up to Easter, but he had been expected to appear on Sunday. Unlike in years past, the 88-year-old pontiff did not celebrate the Easter Mass in the piazza, delegating it to Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the retired archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica. But after the Mass ended, Francis appeared on the loggia balcony over the basilica entrance for more than 20 minutes. The thousands of people below erupted in cheers as a military band kicked off rounds of the Holy See and Italian anthems. Francis waved from the balcony and then asked a Vatican archbishop to read his speech, a global appeal for peace in the world’s hotspots that is the hallmark of the Vatican’s Easter celebrations. Afterward, he imparted the apostolic blessing in Latin.  

Michelle Trachtenberg died as a result of complications from diabetes, New York City’s medical examiner has said. The 39-year-old, who was also known for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Harriet the Spy, was found dead at her home in New York City after officers responded to a 911 call on 26th February. According to the Flying Monkeys, she had recently received a liver transplant. At the time of her death, officials said no foul play was suspected, and the medical examiner’s office had listed her death as “undetermined”. Trachtenberg’s family had objected to a post-mortem, which the medical examiner’s office honoured because there was no evidence of criminality. But the medical examiner’s office said in a statement on Thursday it amended the cause and manner of death for the actress following a review of laboratory test results. Trachtenberg was best known for her role as Dawn Summers in Buffy, the younger sister of the title character played by Sarah Michelle Gellar between 2000 and 2003.  

Officials have revealed the worrying internet searches Betsy Arakawa made in the days before her death. The pianist, 65, and her husband, Gene Hackman, were both found dead in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on 26th February. Investigations later found that she had died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome around 12th February, roughly a week before the actor. Suffering from Alzheimer’s disease – a contributing factor in his death – it is said Hackman, 95, possibly did not know his wife had died before he passed as a result of cardiovascular disease. Authorities released a lengthy investigation, detailing some of the final internet searches, emails and phone calls made by Arakawa. rakawa appeared to be looking into information on flu-like symptoms and breathing techniques, the Associated Press reports. A review of her computer found she was actively searching up medical conditions related to Covid-19 and flu-like symptoms between 8 February and the morning of 12th February. This including asking questions about if Covid could cause dizziness or nosebleeds. On 11th February, Arakawa emailed her masseuse to say Hackman had woken up with flu or cold-like symptoms but had tested negative for Covid. ‘Out of an abundance of caution’, she asked if she could reschedule her appointment for the following day. Then the next morning, she had searched for a local concierge medical service which she had a call with that lasted less than two minutes. There was then a missed return call later that afternoon. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which a post-mortem determined as Arakawa’s cause of death, is a rare disease typically spread to humans through infected urine, droppings or saliva of certain species of mice and rats. Dr Heather Jarrell, chief medical examiner for New Mexico, previously told press that the mortality of the hantavirus strain in the south west of the United States is about 38 percent to 50 percent. The rodent-borne disease can lead to a range of symptoms including flu-like illness, headaches, dizziness and severe respiratory distress. Therefore, it could often be mistaken at first for a flu or Covid due to the similarities in signs. It was also reported by the New Mexico medical investigator’s office that there were signs of a rodent infestation at Hackman and Arakawa’s estate. A live rodent, a dead rodent and a nest were found in the three detached garages on the property with droppings and live traps also discovered.

On This Day

  • 1918 – Manfred von Richthofen, a.k.a. The Red Baron, shoots down his 79th and 80th victims, his final victories before his death the following day.
  • 1968 – English politician Enoch Powell makes his controversial “Rivers of Blood” speech.
  • 1999 – Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold kill 14 people and injure 23 others before committing suicide at Columbine High School. 
  • 2010 – The Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explodes in the Gulf of Mexico, killing eleven workers and beginning an oil spill that would last six months.
  • 2023 – SpaceX’s Starship rocket, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, launches for the first time. It explodes 4 minutes into flight.

Deaths

  • 1912 – Bram Stoker, Anglo-Irish novelist and critic, created Count Dracula (b. 1847).
  • 1992 – Benny Hill, English comedian, actor, and screenwriter (b. 1924). 
  • 2016 – Victoria Wood, British comedian, actress and writer (b. 1953).
  • 2018 – Avicii, Swedish DJ and musician (b. 1989).

Last Week’s Birthdays

Andy Serkis (61), Clint Howard (66), Veronica Cartwright (76), Jessica Lange (76), Carmen Electra (53), George Takei (88), Nicholas Lyndhurst (64), Kate Hudson (46), Ashley Judd (57), James Franco (47), Hayden Christensen (44), Tim Curry (79), Simu Liu (36), Rick Moranis (72), James Woods (78), Conan O’Brien (62), David Tennant (54), Hayley Mills (79), Sean Bean (66), Jennifer Garner (53), David Bradley (83), Anya Taylor-Joy (29), Sadie Sink (53), Ellen Barkin (71), Claire Foy (41), Gina Carano (43), Martin Lawrence (60), Seth Rogen (43), Emma Watson (35), Emma Thompson (66), Maisie Williams (28), Luke Evans (46), Anthony Michael Hall (57), Adrien Brody (52), Sarah Michelle Gellar (48), Rob McElhenney (48), Robert Carlyle (64), and Peter Capaldi (67).

Posted by  |  20th April 2025 | Categories: 2025 | Leave A Comment »