Quote:
why do any of you guys care when people you don't even know die?
People identify with celebrities, for better or worse.
In our society, death is something that we have come to know secondhand. It used to be that death occurred at home, with family.
Now it's institutionalized and we are usually isolated from the actual death of loved ones. As such we have come to deny death as the natural conclusion of life.
Our culture has become one of life worship. In no small part due to the huge amount of money to be made by prolonging life well beyond any chance of recovery. Just so the families can avoid facing the inevitable for a few more days, or weeks.
Perhaps whenever someone of note (or notoriety) dies it reminds some of their own mortality.
Or perhaps it makes a connection. Death is the great equalizer, regardless of status we all get there. No one can buy his/her way out.
Deaths of famous people are also markers in our lives. For most (if not all) of my generation the question "where were you when JFK was assassinated?" is a biggy, I think the vast majority remember.
So all celebrities have their fans; that's what makes them celebrities. So for some "where were you when Farah/Michael Jackson/Ed McMahon, even Billy Mays died?" may well be markers in their lives.
Or maybe they're just bored......................where's my tequila? 
AH, there it is  
Contra todo mal, mezcal; contra todo bien, también
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