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Dead Pool 4th June 2017

Welcome all, another week passes by and yet more  celebrities kick the bucket. This week   we have the joy of handing out points, with the sad demise of John Noakes, Martin scores 67 points, well done that man. This week we also learn that actress Sondra Locke is 73 years old and looks younger than I do.

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

Australian singer and actress Olivia Newton-John has revealed she has again been diagnosed with breast cancer and will postpone a number of planned tour dates as she embarks on treatment. A statement posted to her official Facebook page said the star of Grease and Xanadu was reluctantly cancelling some upcoming performances in the US and Canada after receiving the diagnosis. “The back pain that initially caused her to postpone the first half of her concert tour, has turned out to be breast cancer that has metastasised to the sacrum,” the post stated. The statement said the singer, who was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992, would undergo treatment that included photon radiation therapy, as well as “natural wellness therapies”. Newton-John, 68, became an ardent supporter of breast cancer awareness and research after her initial battle with the disease. She underwent a partial mastectomy, chemotherapy and breast reconstruction at the time.

Golf star Tiger Woods was arrested on a drink-driving charge in Florida early on Monday morning, police say. Police recorded the arrest at 07:18 local time. The golfer was released a few hours later, records from Palm Beach County police show. The police record lists the charge as Driving Under the Influence (DUI). It specifies an unlawful blood alcohol level and says that he was released “on his own recognisance”, meaning he promised in writing to co-operate with future legal proceedings. The 41-year-old golfer has been recovering from recent back surgery and last blogged about his health on 24th May. He wrote that the surgery had relieved terrible pain and that he hadn’t “felt this good in years”. He said the outlook for a return to competitive golf was “positive” but that he was not in a “hurry”. “I want to play professional golf again but I’m not looking ahead,” he said. “I can’t twist for another two and a half to three months. Right now, my sole focus is rehab and doing what the doctors tell me. I am concentrating on short-term goals.” The mugshot shows a dishevelled Tiger Woods, bleary-eyed and unshaven – just the sort of image he would not want associated with himself in public. The picture will haunt him throughout these proceedings and beyond. This is someone who has put back together his public life after that epic fall from grace with all the news of the extramarital affairs that broke in 2009.

And finally, an Australian fisherman has described how a 200kg (440lb) great white shark leapt into his boat, knocking him over and lacerating his arm. Terry Selwood, 73, had dropped a line at his “usual spot” at Evans Head in New South Wales when the animal launched itself out of the water. He said the 2.7m (8.8ft) shark landed in the boat, which measured about 5m, and grazed him with its pectoral fin. Mr Selwood was rescued after radioing for help. “I was losing a fair amount of blood, I was stunned, I couldn’t register what happened and then I thought, ‘oh my God, I’ve got to get out of here,'” he told the media. “There I was on all fours and he is looking at me and I am looking at him, and then he started to do the dance around and shake and I could not get out quick enough.” Bill Bates, a member of Marine Rescue Evans Head, said his crew found Mr Selwood standing on the side of the boat covered in blood. “We offloaded the owner into our boat and gave him immediate first aid and stabilised the bleeding, it was a 5m boat so you can imagine there was no more room for people when the shark was in there.” The crew brought Mr Selwood to shore following the incident on Saturday, and he was taken to hospital. He has since gone home. New South Wales fishing authorities said the animal would undergo a post-mortem examination, which was standard practice for “any deceased shark in good condition”. “This enables us to take tissue and blood samples for ongoing science and research purposes,” a Department of Primary Industries spokeswoman said.

On This Day

Deaths

Last Week’s Birthdays

Imogen Poots (28), James Purefoy (53), Morena Baccarin (38), Dominic Cooper (39), Jewel Staite (35), Justin Long (39), Zachary Quinto (40), Liam Cunningham (56), Dana Carvey (62), Sally Kellerman (80), Amy Schumer (36), Morgan Freeman (80), Brian Cox (71), Jonathan Pryce (70), Rene Auberjonois (77), Heidi Klum (44), Alanis Morissette (43), Clint Eastwood (87), Colin Farrell (41), Brooke Shields (52), Lea Thompson (56), Tom Berenger (68), Sharon Gless (74), Colm Meaney (64), Stephen Tobolowsky (66), Duncan Jones (46), Keir Dullea (81), Jennifer Ellison (34), Leigh Francis (44), Annette Bening (59), Danny Elfman (64), Melanie Brown (42), Kylie Minogue (49), Gladys Knight (73) and Sondra Locke (73).

Dead Pool 28th May 2017

Welcome to a slightly pared down version of the newsletter.  Due to the events in Manchester recently, not so many celebrity stories graced the editorial pages. However, we do have points to award, namely 61 points to Jemm, Wendy & Millie for correctly predicting the sad loss of Sir Roger Moore.

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

Kim Woo-Bin, the South Korean actor and model, has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, his talent agency SidusHQ confirmed in a statement on Tuesday. The Uncontrollably Fond star, who starred in breakout roles on KBS drama School in 2013 and 2013’s majorly popular The Heirs, is now battling nasopharyngeal cancer, a rare head and neck cancer that affects fewer than one in every 100,000 people in North America, although more common in parts of Asia, according to the American Cancer Society. He made the discovery after a hospital visit after reportedly feeling “abnormalities in his body.” Fortunately, Kim Woo-Bin seems to have found the cancer early, and has already begun treatment and radiation therapy. Kim Woo-Bin was set to start filming a new movie called Wiretap in July, but the film company confirmed that they’ll be pushing back the filming until he regains his health.

Actress Sarah Hyland has asked for privacy as she battles personal health issues that have been impacting her weight. The Modern Family star has appeared thinner of late, sparking concerns she may be suffering from an eating disorder, but the 26-year-old insists she’s struggling with an illness that has wreaked havoc on her body. “I haven’t had the greatest year,” Sarah wrote in a series of notes on Twitter on Wednesday. “Maybe one day I’ll talk about it, but for now I’d like my privacy.  “I will say that this year has brought a lot of changes and with that, physical changes. I have been told that I can’t work out, which, for me, is very upsetting.” Alluding to a medical diagnosis, the actress went on to reveal she has been forced to follow strict doctor’s orders. “I’ve basically been on bed rest for the past few months, I’ve lost a lot of muscle mass,” she shared. “My circumstances have put me in a place where I’m not in control of what my body looks like.” Sarah insists her weight loss is an unfortunate byproduct of the illness, adding she has been taking life-saving medication that has contributed to her extreme weight fluctuation.

On This Day

Deaths

Last Week’s Birthdays

Joseph Fiennes (47), Paul Bettany (46), Jack McBrayer (44), Louis Gossett Jr. (81), Helena Bonham Carter (51), Pam Grier (68), Bobcat Goldthwait (55), Philip Michael Thomas (68), Lenny Kravitz (53), Stevie Nicks (69), Doug Jones (57), John C. Reilly (52), Alfred Molina (64), Jim Broadbent (68), James Cosmo (69), Gary Burghoff (74), Priscilla Presley (72), Tommy Chong (79), Bob Dylan (76), Eric Cantona (51), Joan Collins (84), Melissa McBride (52), Drew Carey (59), Ginnifer Goodwin (39), Naomi Campbell (47), Judge Reinhold (60), Noel Fielding (44), Belladonna (36) and Mr. T (65).

Dead Pool 21st May 2017

Welcome all to a points extravaganza! With the death of that lovely gentleman, Ian Brady at the age of 79, we can award the following people 71 points. Myself, Paul G, Julia, Martin, Nicola, Abi, Julie & Gaz. Well done all of us.

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

Rolf Harris has been released from prison after serving almost three years. The 87-year-old left Stafford Prison early on Friday morning and was seen arriving at his home near Maidenhead in Berkshire. Harris was jailed in 2014 after being convicted of a number of kiddie-fiddling offences. He was driven away from the prison in a blue Ford Focus and arrived at his home shortly after 9am. He was accompanied by a security man and was helped from his car by a friend. Harris was wearing blue jeans and a denim jacket and appeared frail as he arrived at his house. The shamed former entertainer is currently standing trial at Southwark Crown Court and will have to appear in person when the case resumes on Monday. Harris, who denies four charges of indecent assault against three women between 1971 and 1983, had previously appeared via video link.

A hoax conspiracy theory that Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne is dead has resurfaced on the 15th anniversary of the release of her hit single Complicated. A Twitter user who claims to be a 17-year-old high school student and has more than 13,000 followers detailed the claim in a thread which has since been liked and retweeted nearly a quarter-of-a-million times in total. In the thread, they allege that the singer took her own life in late 2003 after her grandfather’s death. The theory says because her supposed “death” occurred at the peak of her career, Ms Lavigne’s record company hired a lookalike known as Melissa Vandella to impersonate her. Vandella was reportedly recruited beforehand to pose as the Canadian singer for paparazzi, the theory continues. This death hoax has surfaced several times in the last few years. Ms Lavigne was also the victim of another rumour, which said that she’d been killed in a snowboarding accident. Those who support the theory on Twitter back their claim with inconsistencies over the years in the appearance of the star’s skin, jawline, eye corners and fashion style as well as handwriting. Others cite a promo picture of the singer with the word Melissa written on her hand. Which gives us a slight issue at Dead Pool Towers, if the conspiracy is true and Melissa/Avril dies again, how many points will she score?

Sinead O’Connor has threatened to commit suicide if she doesn’t get her younger children back. The singer said child and family agency Tusla they will have a celebrity “death on their hands” if they continue to keep them from her. The mum of four took to Facebook on Friday night threatening she would attempt to take her life if the State body does not allow her access. The Nothing Compares 2 U star, 50, had been based in Chicago for most of last year following a reported suicide bid in Ireland days before Christmas 2015. Sinead sparked more concern earlier last year when she went missing for 24 hours on a bike ride around Chicago city but was later found safe and well. She now lives in New York. One would believe that such outbursts are reason enough to take her kids away from her.

On This Day

Deaths

Last Week’s Birthdays

Jack Gleeson (25), Cher (71), Louis Theroux (47), Peter Mayhew (73), Grace Jones (69), Tina Fey (47), Yun-Fat Chow (62), Miriam Margolyes (76), Megan Fox (31), Pierce Brosnan (64), Debra Winger (62), David Boreanaz (48), Danny Trejo (73), Tori Spelling (44), Janet Jackson (51), Cate Blanchett (48), Sofia Coppola (46), Tim Roth (56), George Lucas (73), Robert Zemeckis (65), Martine McCutcheon (41), Francesca Annis (72), Danny Huston (55), Siân Phillips (84) and Greg Davies (49).

Dead Pool 14th May 2017

Welcome all, not a lot has happened last week, so I’ll not drone on. Sad to see Robert Miles pass away without sharing that he had cancer with us, he could have been a high scorer!

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

Chris Froome, the British cyclist, has been rammed off the road in a hit-and-run attack. The three-time Tour de France winner and Olympic medallist’s bike was left badly damaged after he was struck “on purpose by an impatient driver”. Froome said he was “thankfully okay” after being deliberately hit by the driver, who is said to have followed him onto the pavement, while training in southern France. He has reported the incident to police in France, but it is unclear if officers will be able to trace the driver. The Telegraph understands that Froome tried to memorise the licence plate at the time, but was unable to recall it later. The incident took place on a quiet back road so there is unlikely to be any CCTV footage. Froome posted a picture on Twitter on Tuesday morning of his crumpled bike at the side of the road after it was “totaled” in the incident. Froome was unhurt and is understood to be already back out training as he prepares to try to win a fourth Tour de France title in five years this July.

In other sporting news, John McGuinness broke four vertebrae and three ribs in addition to the leg fracture that he sustained in his crash at the North West 200 on Thursday. Initial reports indicated McGuinness, 45, had sustained a  broken leg. The English rider’s Honda team said on Friday that McGuinness would remain in Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital for another week. “John will wear a cast for up to six weeks in treatment for the vertebrae,” said the Honda statement. McGuinness’ injuries mean he will miss the Isle of Man TT which starts in two weeks. “John has been diagnosed with a compound fracture to his right lower leg, while in theatre on Thursday night it was not possible to plate the leg as initially thought due to the extent of the injury, and tomorrow an external fixator will be fitted,” added the Honda statement. “In addition, John has also suffered four broken vertebrae and has three broken back ribs.” McGuinness also dislocated a thumb during a Honda team test at Castle Combe in early April.

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe is not asleep when he closes his eyes for long periods during meetings but is resting his eyes, his spokesman says. “The president cannot suffer bright lights,” George Charamba was quoted as saying by the state-run Herald newspaper. Mr Mugabe, 93, has been seen apparently sleeping at several events, leading to speculation about his fitness. He intends to stand in presidential elections next year. The president is currently receiving specialised medical treatment for his eyes in Singapore. Mr Mugabe most recently appeared to fall asleep during a discussion panel about “fragile states” at a World Economic Forum meeting in South Africa earlier this month. There he stated that Zimbabwe was ‘one of the most developed countries in Africa’.

On This Day

Deaths

Last Week’s Birthdays

Samantha Morton (40), Robert Pattinson (31), Iwan Rheon (32), Harvey Keitel (78), Stephen Colbert (53), Zoë Wanamaker (68), Mark Heap (60), Malin Akerman (39), Emilio Estevez (55), Ving Rhames (58), Gabriel Byrne (67), Catherine Tate (49), Pam Ferris (69), Holly Valance (34), Rosario Dawson (38), Albert Finney (81), Billy Joel (68), Vicky McClure (34), David Attenborough (91), Enrique Iglesias (42) and Traci Lords (49).

Dead Pool 7th May 2017

An eventful week for news, but alas no scoring deaths. Although you could have had a couple of interesting Mavericks, by far the most interesting death of the week was Mbah Gotho, he would have scored you 4 points! Now that’s not a common occurrence.

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

The world was plunged into uncertainty on Thursday morning when royal staff from across Britain were summoned to London for a “highly unusual” meeting at Buckingham Palace. Speculation abounded over whether the 91-year-old Queen or her 95-year-old husband, Prince Philip, had died. The Palace was quick to make clear that both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were in good health – but that Prince Philip would be taking a step back from public duties. With both Royals now in their 90s, it wasn’t the first time concerns over their health have been raised. The Guardian recently revealed the secret plan in place for when the Queen does eventually die, known as “London Bridge is Down”, but yesterday’s events have left many Britons wondering what happens when Prince Philip passes away. In the event of the Duke of Edinburgh’s death, it is expected that the news will first be confirmed to the BBC. If he dies overnight, the announcement is likely to come at 8am local time. While the Queen’s consort is entitled to a full state funeral, Prince Philip has previously insisted that he does not want the “fuss” of lying in state at Westminster Hall. The Palace of Westminster is always on six-hour notice to prepare Westminster Hall for a lying-in-state, but authorities have reportedly been told this will not be necessary for Prince Philip. It is thought that his body would lie at St James’s Palace instead, where Princess Diana lay for several days before her funeral in 1997. The funeral is likely to be a low-key affair, with only Prince Philip’s family, friends and heads of state from Commonwealth countries attending a service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. The Duke of Edinburgh would then be buried in Frogmore Gardens, in the grounds of Windsor Castle. After Prince Philip has died, if the Queen survives him, she will be expected to enter into an official period of mourning, which is believed to last eight days. During that period, laws will not be given the Royal Assent and affairs of state will be put on pause out of respect. A further period of official Royal Mourning is expected to continue for 30 days, after which, it is believed, the Queen would make a full return to public duties. While concerns over the health of the Queen and Prince Philip, who have been married for nearly 70 years, have been raised several times in recent years, both Royals appeared to be in good health on Thursday.

North Korea has accused the CIA and South Korea of a plot to assassinate Kim Jong-un with “biochemical substances”. A statement from the ministry of state security claimed “hotbeds of evils in the world hatched a vicious plot” targeting Mr Kim during a public appearance for ceremonial events in Pyongyang. It said a terrorist group backed by the CIA and South Korean spies had entered the country for the attempted assassination, vowing that an “anti-terrorist attack” would begin immediately. The statement threatened that the “the last-ditch effort” of American “imperialists” and the South had gone “beyond the limits”. It claimed the two intelligence agencies “ideologically corrupted” and bribed a North Korean with the surname Kim, turning him into “a terrorist full of repugnance and revenge against the supreme leadership of the DPRK”. “They hatched a plot of letting human scum Kim commit bomb terrorism targeting the supreme leadership during events at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun military parade and public procession” the Korean Central News Agency said. “They told him that assassination by use of biochemical substances including radioactive substance and nano poisonous substance is the best method that does not require access to the target, their lethal results will appear after six or twelve months. The latest allegations emerged amid heightened tensions over a series of weapons tests carried out by the totalitarian state.

The country music legend Loretta Lynn has been taken to hospital after a stroke. Sony Music confirmed that the 85-year-old singer and songwriter was admitted to a  Nashville hospital on Thursday night after the stroke at her home in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. Lynn’s website said she was responsive and expected to make a full recovery, but had been advised by doctors to stay off the road while recuperating. Upcoming shows would be postponed. Lynn, originally from Kentucky, had a string of hits starting in the 1960s with the biographical Coal Miner’s Daughter, You Ain’t Woman Enough, The Pill and One’s on the Way. She continues to tour and record regularly, but had to postpone shows last year after suffering injuries in a fall that required surgery. She is set to release a new album this August, called “Wouldn’t It Be Great,” and she will be the subject of a new exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum also in August.

And finally, a New York City man is on a mission to flush the cremated remains of his lifelong friend, a plumber, down ballpark toilets around the US. Tom McDonald told the New York Times that it’s a fitting tribute for Roy Riegel. The two baseball fans were childhood friends in Queens, not far from – appropriately – Flushing Meadows, where the Mets play. Like baseball, this endeavor has rules. The game has to be in progress when McDonald sprinkles the ashes into the toilet. So far, he’s completed his task at 16 stadiums. “I know people might think it’s weird, and if it were anyone else’s ashes, I’d agree,” McDonald said. “But for Roy, this is the perfect tribute to a plumber and a baseball fan and just a brilliant, wild guy.” Riegel’s family agreed to share a portion of the ashes after his death in 2008. McDonald spoons out a little each time, from an old peanut can, wrapped in Mets ticket stubs, that he keeps next to World Series highlight videos and his collection of 149 baseball Hall of Fame autographs. Hank Riegel, of Waterloo, New York, said his brother would appreciate the offbeat gesture. “He’d be like, ‘Oh, yeah, do that,’” Riegel said. “He would definitely approve of it. Never once did Roy follow the rules.”

On This Day

Deaths

Last Week’s Birthdays

George Clooney (56), Alan Dale (70), Henry Cavill (34), John Rhys-Davies (73), Lance Henriksen (77), Richard E. Grant (60), Chris Brown (28), Michael Palin (74), Adele (28), Will Arnett (47), Rocco Siffredi (53), Christina Hendricks (42), Rob Brydon (52), Frankie Valli (83), Dwayne Johnson (45), Ellie Kemper (37), David Beckham (42), David Suchet (71), Matt Berry (43), Jamie Dornan (35), Wes Anderson (48), Julie Benz (45), Joanna Lumley (71), Gal Gadot (32), Kirsten Dunst (35), Burt Young (77), Willie Nelson (84) and Una Stubbs (80)