Why do people care when celebrities pass away?

[Anonymous]

I could have cared less until Anthony Bourdaine. I didn’t even understand why. I wasn’t sure if it was the fact that he committed suicide or what but his death stuck with me.

[Anonymous]

Still sad about Kobe. I could write an essay on why.

[Anonymous]

They told you why. Because they loved him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Still sad about Kobe. I could write an essay on why.

Me too! His death really shook me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I always thought this was bizarre (maybe kind of stupid?) too, until recently. Now that I'm older, when certain celebrities die it is like they take a piece of my life with them. When Prince died, I remembered the night in MS when my friend and I stayed up all night and she permed my hair -- we were listening to Purple Rain over and over. With Prince gone, it felt like that night was a world and lifetime away. I didn't really mourn Prince as I didn't know him, I mourned the end of an era and the end of a part of myself with it.

It doesn't surprise me that people would react to Matthew Perry like this -- (for better or for worse) his show Friends is a real cultural touchstone for a lot of people. [/

I definitely think age and how long you “knew” the celebrity has something to do with it. I’m in my 50s, so Friends existed for a small portion of my life, and I can’t say I am really shook by Matthew Perry’s death. I think it’s sad and all. When Robin Williams died, I was really actually thrown. I’d been watching him for 40+ years. These people’s work does become part of our lives.

[Anonymous]

I don't really care unless it's a legend like dolly Parton or something

[Anonymous]

Because we are humans with a heart?
Death is sad because it's final. A door has been closed.
Someone who's work we enjoyed will no longer produce more work. It's similar to how I've felt when a coworker I didn't know well passes. Sad for their family and friends, and sorry that their time is over.
That said, it's not like real grief--i didn't cancel my plans or burst into tears when I heard about Matthew Perry or Robin Williams or Steve Irwin.

[Anonymous]

Public figures are often famous because they are beloved. Matthew perry was iconic as chandler bing and his performance in friends and other movies was a source of joy and comfort to many people. It’s empathetic to feel sorry when they pass away suddenly, or when they struggle with a disease or addiction.

When Robin Williams passed away it was also a huge loss. Chris Farley… etc

[Anonymous]

Do you have sources of joy or fond memories with loved ones, OP?

Honest question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't really care unless it's a legend like dolly Parton or something

Shoosh! Don’t give the gods any ideas!

[Anonymous]

I mean, why do people care when people care that a celebrity died? Why do they start posts about in on DCUM instead of just going about their day? Who knows

[Anonymous]

For me it's people that I grew up watching or listening to. They were part of my life in some way. Matthew Perry was my age. That's a holy crap! moment even though I do not have his history of drug and alcohol abuse.

[Anonymous]

1) because of our continual exposure, we think we know the celebrity better than we do.

2) celebrities are beautiful, rich, ultra talented- the things many regular people dream of. We falsely assume that those qualities insulate you from the pain and tragedy of life.


3) the celebrities remind us of a period of own lives and youth. (Thinking about all the people who watched friends in their 20s and are you now in middle age). It brings up a slice of your own life that has been gone for a while. Now it’s absolutely gone.

[Anonymous]

It is a link to a time in your life. An era. Someone who brought you happy memories. The star gets credit because their work is part of your mosaic.

[Anonymous]

“We are imperfect mortal beings, aware of that mortality even as we push it away, failed by our very complication, so wired that when we mourn our losses we also mourn, for better or for worse, ourselves. As we were. As we are no longer. As we will one day not be at all.”