CelebrityFIST!

Ironically, I look a little like him - except a bit pudgier…

Writer-director John Hughes, Hollywood’s youth impresario of the 1980s and ’90s who captured the teen and preteen market with such favorites as “Home Alone,” “The Breakfast Club” and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” died Thursday, a spokeswoman said. He was 59.

There’s more to the article but I cut it there.  See, I like most of Hughes’ films (except Home Alone, which I feel watching is torture under the Geneva Conventions).  To explain why I like them is kinda hard though.  However, the easiest way I can say is that at least in John Hughes films, the geek gets the girl.  Or the slut.  Or whatever.

Granted, that didn’t work in real life (though it came close a couple of times), but I don’t see mechanical automatons from another world that can transform into popular vehicles do battle on Earth either.  So, we all break even.

Rest In Peace, sir.  You’ll be missed. 

“… because that deal didn’t go down the way you thought it would…”

A mighty shocking autopsy report concludes cocaine contributed to the sudden death of pitchman Billy Mays back in June.

Official documents show the following drugs were in Mays’ system — hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (painkiller), alprazolam (Xanax), nordiazepam (Valium), benzoylecgonine (byproduct of cocaine) and temazepam (anti-anxiety). Ethanol — alcohol — was also in Mays’ system.

A Hillsborough County press release says “from the presence of metabolites of cocaine and the absence of cocaine itself, it was concluded that Mr. Mays used cocaine in the few days prior to his death but not immediately prior to death.”

As you might expect, his family (specifically, his wife) was not pleased:

“We are extremely disappointed by the press release released by the Hillsborough County medical examiner’s office. We believe it contains speculative conclusions that are frankly unnecessary and tend to obscure the conclusion that Billy suffered from chronic, untreated hypertension, which only demonstrates how important it is to regularly monitor one’s health.

As those who were close to Billy knew, he had been in chronic pain for more than two years and was about to have his third hip surgery in 18 months. His use of prescription pain medication for his hip condition was guided by his physician and was at recommended usage levels.” (TMZ again)

Okay, this where ALL these other fuckers can’t touch me on…  (puts on mighty ‘druggist‘ hat on)

…we don’t actually WEAR hats but you get the idea…

Hydrocodone & Oxycodone - not minor league.  In fact, oxycodone is strictly ‘hardcore’ pain med.  If he was using this he didn’t have pain - he had ‘fuckin’ hellspawn pain.  Or, at least should’ve…

Alprazolam, (Nor)diazepam, Temazepam - TMZ is wrong on temazepam.  This is strictly used for sleep (insomnia).  The OTHER two though are anti-anxiety.  Plus, they’re in the same family; there’s no logical reason to be on both alprazolam and diazepam (alprazolam is a few times more powerful than diazepam).

Ethanol & cocaine - ’nuff said.

All that said - he had time to get his “chronic pain” taken care of but NOT his hypertension (high blood pressure)???  Who was his doctor?  Doctor Feelgood???

VERDICT - toxicology reports only detect narcotics and other illicits (I should know).  If he was on any antihypertensive medications, they won’t show up.  SO (my opinion only) - he either had a mega-quack for a doctor OR he was partying big time.  Or both.

Well this tops off a shitty week, doesn’t it?

NEW YORK — Walter Cronkite, the premier TV anchorman of the networks’ golden age who reported a tumultuous time with reassuring authority and came to be called “the most trusted man in America,” died Friday. He was 92. Cronkite died at 7:42 p.m. with his family by his side at his Manhattan home after a long illness, CBS vice president Linda Mason said. Marlene Adler, Cronkite’s chief of staff, said Cronkite died of cerebrovascular disease.

In what I can only call “God’s will” at least Cronkite died FAR enough from a certain singer’s death to be meaningful.  Unlike poor Farrah Fawcett who had the ‘bad luck’ of dying just before Jacko.

I remember watching Cronkite on the CBS Evening News faithfully.  I remember watching him many times during 1970’s and in particular during the Iran Hostage Crisis.  He was a journalist first and foremost.  He wasn’t perfect by any means but he was the man who calmed the nerves of a populace that saw its nation in upheaval during the 1960’s and 1970’s.

In the “new era” of citizen bloggers, ‘pseudojournalism’, and worse - celebrity media; perhaps it is best he has left us at last.  No longer needing to view the degeneration of ‘news’ into just another four-letter-word.

He will be missed and there won’t be another.

Cheers.  :::drinks beer:::