It’s been just a big joke in the past, but now you have to stop and wonder… how real is it? I’m talking about the Howard Stern Show Vacation Death Curse, and yes, it struck again this week, three-fold (so far).
In what had appeared to be purely coincidental in the past, some popular celebrities, some that have even been on the Howard Stern Show, dropped dead while the Show was dark for the week with the entire staff going on vacation. Unless you haven’t come out of your cave in awhile, you’d know that quite a few big names have departed us recently, and yes… Howard Stern, Robin Quivers and the crew were out again for an extended Memorial Day vacation.
The Show adjourned for vacation Thursday morning at the conclusion of the live broadcast. Almost immediately celebs started dropping like flies. First to go, and by far the most shocking, was 42-year old Gary Coleman. Unlike the rest of this week’s Stern-casualty list, Coleman’s demise was the only accident. Gary suffered a brain hemorrhage as a result of a fall and was disconnected from life support Friday morning.
The remaining pair died of old age and sickness. Dennis Hopper died the very next day after Coleman. In March it was announced that Hopper, who was 74, had prostate cancer. No shocker there. Nor was the report of Golden Girl Rue McClanahan succumbing to the Stern Show Vacation Curse. Rue was 76 and died as a result of a stroke and brain hemorrhage… but ultimately, she WAS 76.
Previous personalities falling victim to the Death Curse have been Michael Jackson, Brittany Murphy, Farrah Fawcett, Peter Graves, Fess Parker, and Ted Kennedy. Now we can add Gary Coleman, Dennis Hopper and Rue McClanahan to that list. Most of those names have either appeared on or have been heavily discussed on the Howard Stern Show. Brittany Murphy’s husband just missed the list by a week.
The most disappointing aspect of the curse, other than the fact that people are dropping dead, is that Stern Show fans are deprived of a “eulogy” from Stern. Howard had some very strong opinions on Coleman’s claims that his parents fleeced him of all of his “child star” money, and I’m sure that discussion with be 50% eulogy and 50% tirade on the parents… and child stardom in general.
With three whole days left until Stern returns to the studio on Monday, I’m sure celebrities everywhere, especially those in their 70’s, have their fingers crossed.
