RIP Rich Cronin

Horrible news, late 90's boy band fans. Rich Cronin, member of LFO, has passed away at 35 after a battle with leukemia. LFO isn't quite as well remembered today as some of its counterparts from the time period, but they hold a special place in my heart from their brief tenure at the top. Back in the distant, distant past, before I knew I was gay, I had this magazine with a picture of LFO that provided more than its fair share of fantasies pour moi. Rich and the other hottie of the group, Devin, were quite fit back in the day. I know that's probably not exactly how he would want to be remembered, but being pre-teen masturbatory fodder is quite a huge compliment (especially since I wasn't as big of a whore as I am today). But not only was he a good looker, the group's 'Summer Girls' was quite literally my jam of the summer of '99. The video was one of the staples on TRL at that period of time, and I loved it to pieces back in the day. True, the lyrics are kinda painful to listen to today, but it captured a brief period of time perfectly when white boy wannabe hip-hoppers got lumped in with the Boy Band Craze dominating the world at that time. Besides, what 20-something doesn't automatically think of 'Summer Girls' when someone talks about Abercrombie & Fitch? Hell, one of my blog's labels comes from that song. So, yes, not exactly great, but the song's power is everlasting.

The real tragedy of Cronin's death goes even deeper than his literal death. Cronin is one of the first of my pre-teen idols to pass away. I may not have thought about him in ages, but his death is a reminder that we are all growing older and the people my generation worshiped back in junior high is also getting older. I'm saddened by Cronin's passing, and he was only a minor influence. I can't imagine what will happen when a major player, like a BSB member or Jessica Simpson, eventually passes. Everyone from that time period is irreplaceable and it saddens me to think that they won't all be around at some point. RIP Rich, you made my transition from elementary school to junior high, from my old house to my new one a teensy bit easier with your music. You will be missed.

RIP Sugababes Lineup #3

With the news of Keisha leaving the group right before the release of their latest album, the Sugababes have now surpassed Beyoncé and the Children of Destiny in amount of obnoxious lineup changes. Congratulations?

As a tribute, here are my favorite songs from the Keisha/Amelle/Heidi years:

RIP Bea Arthur

So, so sad :(

Everyone go eat a piece of cheesecake in her honor.

RIP The Golden Girls on Lifetime

After 12 years of laughter, friendship, bickering, cheesecake and consistently high ratings for a 20-year old show in reruns, The Golden Girls has left Lifetime for the Hallmark Channel. Since I don't get the Hallmark Channel at school, this is sad news because this means I won't be able to listen to my girls in the background while I'm getting ready for classes in the morning (I realize that I could just pop in one of my DVD's- I own all seven seasons- but it just isn't the same). On a more sentimental level, however, this is devastating. Watching these reruns on Lifetime all throughout junior high and high school and into my first couple of years in college, over and over again until I could quote verbatim certain chunks of dialogue has definitely made me into the person that I am today. Whether or not this a good thing can be left for discussion on another day, but, the point is, watching this show on Lifetime has become a tradition and it's sad to see it end. I wish Dorothy, Sophia, Rose and Blanche luck over on the Hallmark Channel and I hope that there are other teens out there who were as lucky as I was in discovering this show.

What a Shock to the System: Jennifer Hudson's Mother and Brother Found Dead

I interrupt all of the HSM3 festivities with this heartbreaking news I've just found out. While checking my email, I ran across this story about the death of Academy Award Winner Jennifer Hudson's mother and brother and the kidnapping of her nephew. I'm sitting here now and I can barely comprehend what just happened. It's all too sad and horrific to imagine. This is something that no person, famous or not, should ever have to go through. I just want Jennifer to know that my thoughts are with her and her family during these trying times.

UPDATE: I've just done some research and TMZ reports that Jennifer's sister, Julia, the mother of the missing boy, hasn't been seen since finishing her bus driving shift earlier this afternoon. Shit. This family doesn't need any more tragedy today.

RIP Paul Newman

Add one more name to the list that makes 2008 the saddest years for Hollywood deaths in recent memory. Paul Newman, film legend since the mid-50's, has passed away after a battle with cancer. Not only was he a 10 time Academy Award nominee (8 for Best Actor, 1 for Best Supporting Actor and 1 for Best Picture) and a sex symbol long into his 60's, but he was also a huge humanitarian, donating all of the proceeds from his line of salad dressings and other foods to charity, among other things. He was a very great man and will be sorely missed.

Paul Newman was a very important figure in my appreciation of classic films. One of my first memories of him was watching Cat on a Hot Tin Roof when I was getting started with my film obsession. I was about 15 and happened to catch it on PBS late one night and I instantly fell in love. His chemistry with Elizabeth Taylor was electric and they drew things out of each other that I had never seen before. If this was acting back then, I wanted to see more of it. I think his best performance was as the desperate pool shark in The Hustler three years later and his Oscar loss that year is one of the biggest travesties in their long, sordid history.

RIP Paul.

RIP Estelle Getty

I just found out a little while ago that Estelle Getty, best known for portraying Sophia Petrillo on the 80's sitcom (and my favorite TV show ever) The Golden Girls, has just passed away this morning at the age of 84. I know this shouldn't be as much of a shock as when Heath Ledger died earlier this year, but I feel like a little part of my adolescence has just died along with her. RIP Estelle....this cheesecake's for you.

Tuesday's Film Quote: Tomatoes

George Fields: ...I can't even set you up for a commercial. You played a tomato for 30 seconds- they went a half day over schedule because you wouldn't sit down.
Michael Dorsey: Of course. It was illogical.
George Fields: YOU WERE A TOMATO! A tomato doesn't have logic. A tomato can't move.

Sydney Pollack and Dustin Hoffman as George Fields and Michael Dorsey, respectively, in Tootsie

RIP Sydney Pollack

RIP Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger (1979-2008)

I just don't even know what to say. I was so excited today about Oscar nominations and was getting ready to write my thoughts about them, but then this news broke and I just have to stop and mention it. CNN is saying that he died of a drug overdose (possibly sleeping pills) and it's all so sad.

This is all I can say now, it's just so upsetting. I haven't been this distraught since Aaliyah's tragic death.