Sometimes celebrities die in close proximity to other celebrities and, when that happens, one celebrity seems to get all of the attention from the press. After some research, we think we have it figured out – the celebrity whose death gets more attention is usually the more famous of the two and his or her death usually comes out nowhere. We decided to test this theory with six celebrities who died in close proximity to other celebrities. See it for yourself – one celebrity always eclipses the other and we think it is because the media is obsessed with shock value and tragedy.
6. Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett
Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett both died on June 25, 2009 but, unlike Fawcett, Jackson’s death came out of nowhere. One minute he was getting ready for his comeback tour and then next he suffered a cardiac arrest and was dead. Fawcett, on the other hand, had been battling anal cancer for a few years. Even though she died earlier in the day than Jackson, her death was significantly overshadowed by his sudden demise.
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5. Princess Diana and Mother Teresa
Princess Diana died on August 31, 1997, just a few days before Mother Teresa (who died on September 5, 1997); however, the tragic manner of her death – she was killed in a car crash in a Paris underpass trying to escape the paparazzi – in combination with how beloved she by the general public seemed eclipse anything else that happened during that time period. Even though Mother Teresa was also greatly admired by the public, unlike Princess Diana, her death didn’t come out of the blue. She had been struggling with heart problems for a while.
(AP Photo/Eduardo Di Baia, File)
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4. John Ritter and Johnny Cash
Both John Ritter and Johnny Cash were loved and respected by all, but Ritter’s death (September 11, 2003) had more of an impact because it came out of left field. The same day that he went to the hospital feeling ill, he died while surgeons tried to repair the tear in his aorta. Cash, on the other hand, died of complications from diabetes a day later (September 12, 2003). His wife June Carter had died less than four months prior to him and friends believed that the critically acclaimed singer’s health had continually worsened since her passing.
(AP Photo/Jim Cooper)
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3. River Phoenix and Federico Fellini
River Phoenix and Federico Fellini both died on Halloween in 1993; however, the young up and coming actor ended up receiving most of the press, probably because his death was sudden and totally unexpected. Phoenix died of multiple drug intoxication outside Johnny Depp’s club, The Viper Room while Fellini was in his ‘70s and had been having heart problems. He ended up having a few strokes before he slipped into an irreversible coma and died.
PREMIUM —
A NIGHT IN THE LIFE OF JIMMY REARDON, River Phoenix, 1988
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2. Robin Williams and Lauren Bacall
Robin Williams died just one day before Lauren Bacall (Williams died on August 11, 2014 while Bacall passed on August 12) and his untimely death has been dominating the news. The coroner notified the public that the actor/comedian had taken his own life while his publicist mentioned that he had been struggling with depression as of late. Bacall, on the other hand, was almost 90. She died of a stroke, which is also tragic but, given her age, somewhat expected as well.
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1. Brad Renfro and Heath Ledger
Brad Renfro died a week before Heath Ledger back in January of 2008; however, his death received much less attention. Unlike Ledger, Renfro was more of a faded star. During the ‘90s, he seemed like he was headed places, but then he struggled with drugs. Ledger’s career, on the other hand, was definitely on the upswing. He had already been nominated for an Oscar for his role in “Brokeback Mountain” and he had the coveted role of the Joker in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Night.”