The RIP Thread

[The Godfather]

Danny Ray, the cape man for legendary R&B singer James Brown, has died.

When Brown collapsed onstage, exhausted and bathed in sweat while performing "Please, Please, Please," Ray draped his cape around his shoulders, giving him the strength to continue his performance.



The 85-year-old cape man, who took his job seriously, died Tuesday night of natural causes, according to the Augusta Chronicle.

"The James Brown estate mourns the passing of Mr. Danny Ray, the legendary emcee and cape man for James Brown," officials for Brown's estate said in a statement. "Ray worked with Brown from 1960 until the music legend's death on Christmas day 2006. He became famous for draping a cape over Brown at the end of his signature tune Please, Please, Please. Mr. Ray was the second-hardest working man in show business."

[Frothy Afterbirth]

Former heavyweight champion Leon Spinks dies at 67 after lengthy cancer battle
Spinks fought professionally over three decades and was among the most charismatic personalities in the sport
By Brian Campbell
Feb 6, 2021 at 9:00 pm ET


Getty

Former undisputed heavyweight champion Leon Spinks died on Friday at 67 following a five-year battle with multiple cancers.

Spinks (26-17-3, 14 KOs), who won Olympic gold in 1976, went on to upset Muhammad Ali via split decision over 15 rounds just five years later. The fight saw Spinks make history in just his eighth pro bout as the quickest boxer to win the heavyweight championship.

The older brother of Michael Spinks, a two-division champion and fellow Olympic champion, Leon lost the rematch to Ali just seven months later in front of over 63,000 fans in New Orleans. Although Spinks would continue fighting professionally for another 17 years, including unsuccessful attempts at heavyweight and cruiserweight titles, most of his career was marked by drug addiction and legal troubles.

Top Rank joins the boxing community in mourning the passing of Leon Spinks - A true legend, who pulled off one of the greatest Heavyweight upsets of all time in 1978. pic.twitter.com/i3xHjkKNti
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) February 7, 2021

Born in St. Louis in 1953, Spinks served in the United States Marine Corps from 1973 until 1976, when he won Olympic gold as a light heavyweight in Montreal. His son, Cory Spinks, won world titles as a welterweight and junior middleweight before retiring in 2013.

Spinks died in Henderson, Nevada, with wife Brenda Glur Spinks by his side. A resident of Las Vegas, Spinks revealed in 2019 that he was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer.

Three years after Spinks lost to Ali, he brought a four-fight unbeaten streak into a 1981 heavyweight title bout against Larry Holmes which he lost via third-round TKO. A reinvention at cruiserweight followed before Spinks lost a 1986 title bout via sixth-round stoppage against Dwight Muhammad Qawi.

Spinks retired in 1995 at the age of 42 after losing five of his final eight fights.

A charismatic personality, Spinks was well known for his bright smile that was further accentuated by his missing front teeth.

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[Frothy Afterbirth]

Iconic NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer dies at 77
February 9, 2021 / 9:42 AM / AP


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Marty Schottenheimer, who won 200 regular-season games with four NFL teams thanks to his "Martyball" brand of smash-mouth football but regularly fell short in the playoffs, has died. He was 77.

Schottenheimer died Monday night at a hospice in Charlotte, North Carolina, his family said through Bob Moore, former Kansas City Chiefs publicist. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2014. He was moved to a hospice on Jan. 30.

Schottenheimer was the eighth-winningest coach in NFL history. He went 200-126-1 in 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins and San Diego Chargers.

His success was rooted in "Martyball," a conservative approach that featured a strong running game and tough defense. He hated the then-Oakland Raiders and loved the mantra, "One play at a time," which he'd holler at his players in the pre-kickoff huddle.

Winning in the regular season was never a problem. Schottenheimer's teams won 10 or more games 11 times, including a glistening 14-2 record with the Chargers in 2006 that earned them the AFC's No. 1 seed in the playoffs.

It's what happened in January that haunted Schottenheimer, who was just 5-13 in the postseason.

His playoff demons followed him to the end of his career.

In his final game, on Jan. 14, 2007, Schottenheimer's Chargers, featuring NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson and a supporting cast of Pro Bowlers, imploded with mind-numbing mistakes and lost a home divisional playoff game to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, 24-21.

A month later, owner Dean Spanos stunned the NFL when he fired Schottenheimer due to a personality clash between the coach and strong-willed general manager A.J. Smith. Schottenheimer and Smith hadn't spoken for about two years.

A breaking point for Spanos -- head of the family owned team -- came when Schottenheimer wanted to hire his brother, Kurt, as defensive coordinator after Wade Phillips was hired away as Dallas' head coach. Kurt Schottenheimer had been on his brother's previous staffs, and Marty Schottenheimer's son, Brian, had been Chargers quarterbacks coach from 2002-05.

Schottenheimer then moved to North Carolina to spend time with his family and golf.

Schottenheimer was 44-27 with the Cleveland Browns from 1984-88, 101-58-1 with Kansas City from 1989-98; 8-8 with Washington in 2001 and 47-33 with San Diego from 2002-06.

Schottenheimer never made it to the Super Bowl, either as a player or coach. He was a backup linebacker for the Buffalo Bills when they lost the 1966 AFL Championship Game to Kansas City, which then played the Green Bay Packers in the first Super Bowl.

As a coach, his playoff losses were epic and mystifying.

His Browns twice came tantalizingly close to earning Super Bowl berths, only to have them ripped away by "The Drive" and "The Fumble" in consecutive AFC Championship Games against personal nemesis John Elway and the Broncos.

In the 1986 AFC championship game at Cleveland, Elway led the Broncos 98 yards in 15 plays to tie the game on a 5-yard pass to Mark Jackson with 37 seconds left in regulation. Denver won in overtime on Rich Karlis' 33-yard field goal.

A year later, with the Browns trailing the Broncos 38-31 with 1:12 left at Denver, Earnest Byner fumbled on the Broncos' 1-yard line. The Broncos won 38–33 after taking an intentional safety.

Schottenheimer's Chiefs reached the AFC title game in 1993 but lost at Buffalo. Two of his Chiefs teams went 13-3 and locked up home-field advantage throughout the playoffs before shockingly flaming out in the divisional round.

The Chargers thought they had a Super Bowl-caliber team in 2006, but Schottenheimer's career ended with a brutal playoff loss to the Patriots. In the first quarter, Schottenheimer insisted on going for it on fourth-and-11 from the Patriots' 30-yard line. Mike Vrabel strip-sacked Philip Rivers and New England recovered.

The biggest pratfall, though, and one that still haunts Chargers fans, came with San Diego leading 21-13 with just more than six minutes to play. Marlon McCree intercepted Tom Brady and instead of going to the ground, tried to run and was hit and fumbled, with the Patriots recovering. New England rallied for the win.

Schottenheimer seemingly survived another playoff failure, only to be fired a month later.

After winning just 12 games in Schottenheimer's first two seasons, the Chargers went 12-4 in 2004 behind Tomlinson and a rejuvenated Drew Brees to end an eight-year playoff drought.

But they lost a home divisional game to the New York Jets in overtime. Schottenheimer, named The Associated Press Coach of the Year earlier that day, was whistled for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for running onto the field to argue with the referees in the second quarter.

In overtime, the Chargers had a first down at the Jets' 22, but Schottenheimer went conservative and called three straight runs up the middle by Tomlinson to set up a 40-yard field goal attempt by Nate Kaeding, who missed. The Jets then moved down the field for the winning field goal.

Schottenheimer was born on Sept. 23, 1943, in Canonsburg, a small town outside Pittsburgh. He played at Pitt before a six-year pro career with the Bills and Patriots.

He is survived by wife Pat and children Brian and Kristin. Brian Schottenheimer was fired as Seattle's offensive coordinator last month and then hired by new Jacksonville coach Urban Meyer as passing game coordinator-quarterbacks coach.

First published on February 9, 2021 / 9:42 AM

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[Frothy Afterbirth]

Supremes co-founder and singer Mary Wilson dies aged 76
Tue, February 9, 2021, 10:18 AM



Mary Wilson, who co-founded The Supremes and remained a member of the group until they split up, has died at the age of 76.

The singer passed away at her home in Henderson, Nevada, her publicist Jay Schwartz announced, but he did not confirm the cause of death.

The Supremes were known for hits such as Baby Love and You Can't Hurry Love.

The group was founded in Detroit as The Primettes in 1959, when Wilson was 15 years old.

Lead singer Diana Ross tweeted: "My condolences to Mary's family, I am reminded that each day is a gift, I have so many wonderful memories of our time together. The Supremes will live on, in our hearts ."

The founder of Motown Records, Berry Gordy, said in a statement: "I was extremely shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of a major member of the Motown family, Mary Wilson of the Supremes.

"The Supremes opened doors for themselves, the other Motown acts, and many, many others... I was always proud of Mary. She was quite a star in her own right and over the years continued to work hard to boost the legacy of the Supremes. Mary Wilson was extremely special to me. She was a trailblazer, a diva and will be deeply missed."

Vocalist Patti LaBelle, who rose to fame alongside Wilson in the 60s, added: "I am deeply saddened by the passing of the beautiful Mary Wilson! She was a legend and an icon and what she contributed to the world cannot be overstated. I send my deepest condolences and prayers to her family, loved ones and fans."

Academy award-winning actress Viola Davis posted: "RIP Mary Wilson! Godspeed."

Singer Beverley Knight said: "Mary Wilson along with Florence Ballard and Diana Ross changed the game permanently. Hit after hit after hit, on regular rotation to this day. A Supreme Titan may have left us but that legacy will never be surpassed."

In recognition of her ground-breaking influence with the group, the foundation of late civil rights campaigner Martin Luther King tweeted in tribute.

Rest in power, #MaryWilson.

Thank you. #BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/n8eam1mhGn

— The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center (@TheKingCenter) February 9, 2021

A funeral for Wilson will be held privately due to Covid-19 restrictions, her family said, but a celebration of her life will take place later this year.

Mary Wilson - a Motown legend and a style icon

Wilson was an original member of the group alongside Diana Ross, Florence Ballard and Barbara Martin.

Martin left the group before they became successful, and The Supremes continued as a trio. The Supremes became Motown's most successful act of the 1960s scoring 12 number one singles in the US.

Their first number one was 1964's Where Did Our Love Go, which was soon followed by Baby Love, Come See About Me and Stop! In the Name of Love.

Baby Love was the only single to reach number one in the UK, but several of their singles hit the top 10 including You Keep Me Hangin' On and You Can't Hurry Love.

In 1967, Ballard was replaced by Cindy Birdsong and Gordy renamed the group Diana Ross and the Supremes.

Three years later, Ross left to pursue a solo career. After her departure, Wilson was left as the only original member of the group.

Wilson continued performing with Cindy Birdsong and Jean Terrell as the "new" Supremes, better known today as the "70s Supremes".

The group disbanded following Wilson's 1977 departure.

Wilson became a New York Times bestselling author in 1986 with the release of her autobiography, Dreamgirl: My Life As a Supreme.

The Supremes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.

Interest in the group's legacy was renewed after the release of the film Dreamgirls in 2006, which starred Beyoncé Knowles and Jennifer Hudson.

The movie was based on the story of The Supremes, although Wilson said it did not depict their true story.

In 2019, Wilson took part in Dancing With The Stars, the US version of Strictly Come Dancing.

Just two days before her death, Wilson uploaded a video on YouTube announcing that she was working on releasing new solo material.

Paul Stanley of Kiss tweeted: "I was just on a Zoom call with her Wednesday for about an hour and never could have imagined this. So full of life and great stories. Absolutely shocked. Rest In Supreme Peace Mary."

Broadcaster Tony Blackburn said: "So sorry to hear the wonderful Mary Wilson has passed away. She was a very great singer and a very nice person. R.I.P."

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[Frothy Afterbirth]

A legendary god has died. One of the OG filthy smut peddlers.



Larry Flynt, Founder of Hustler Magazine, Dies at 78
Ellise Shafer Variety
Wed, February 10, 2021, 3:20 PM



Larry Flynt, the controversial founder of Hustler magazine and president of Larry Flynt publications, has died. He was 78.

His brother Jimmy Flynt confirmed his death on Wednesday in Los Angeles to the Washington Post.

Flynt was a notable figure in the porn industry for nearly 50 years, launching Hustler magazine in 1974 and later expanding to three television channels known as Hustler TV. Flynt was also known for his many legal battles involving adult entertainment and the First Amendment, which were portrayed in Milos Forman’s 1996 Oscar-nominated film “The People vs. Larry Flynt,” in which Woody Harrelson played Flynt and Flynt himself guest-starred as a judge.

Born on Nov. 1, 1942 in Lakeville, Ky., Flynt grew up in poverty and eventually joined the United States Army at the age of 15 using a counterfeit birth certificate. After being honorably discharged, Flynt worked at the Inland Manufacturing Company for a few months and then as a bootlegger before enlisting in the Navy in 1960. After he was once again honorably discharged in 1964, Flynt entered into the bar business and eventually opened Hustler Clubs all around Ohio.

In 1972, Flynt started the Hustler Newsletter, which was a two-page publication about his clubs. It became so popular that Flynt expanded it, and it eventually became Hustler magazine, which went several steps further than Playboy, with sexually explicit nude photos as well as paparazzi pictures of former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.

During Hustler’s early years, the publication faced many legal battles over obscenity laws. In March 1978, while Flynt was leaving a court hearing in Georgia, he was shot on the sidewalk by a gunman, who was later revealed to be serial killer Joseph Paul Franklin. The shooting left Flynt partially paralyzed from the waist down, with permanent spinal cord damage, and Flynt used a gold-plated, velvet-lined wheelchair from then on. Franklin didn’t confess to the attempted murder until years later, and said his reasoning was that an interracial photoshoot in Hustler that had enraged him. Franklin was eventually sentenced to death, but Flynt famously expressed his opposition to the death penalty in 2013 to no avail.

Flynt was involved in several other obscenity cases, including Hustler Magazine v. Falwell in 1988, which went to the Supreme Court, which ultimately sided with Flynt. Flynt was also charged with obscenity-related offenses in 1998 as a result of a sting operation.

The Ohio Hustler bars later spawned the Hustler Hollywood sex shop, a casino, and numerous other magazines and clubs.

Flynt also faced controversy in his personal life. On June 27, 1987, Flynt’s fourth wife, Althea Leasure, was found dead in the bathtub of their Bel Air mansion. Authorities ruled the death an accidental drowning. In 1998, Flynt married his former nurse, Elizabeth Berrios. That same year, Flynt’s daughter, Tonya Flynt-Vega, accused him of molesting her as a child in her book, “Hustled.” Flynt denied the claims.

Flynt also tried his hand at politics, running for president briefly in 1984 and for Governor of California in a 2003 recall election. He was vocal against Donald Trump and even offered a $10 million reward in 2017 to anyone with evidence that could lead to his impeachment.

Flynt is survived by his fifth wife, Berrios, and several children. He was pre-deceased by his daughter, Lisa Flynt-Fugate, who died in 2014.

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[Frothy Afterbirth]

David Bailie Dec 4, 1937 - Mar 5, 2021 (83)



Actor, most known to play as Mr. Cotton in the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' franchise as well as roles on Dr. Who. He was also a professional photographer, videographer, computer programmer, and furniture maker/designer.





His youtube channel

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[The Godfather]

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eggcellent

[Frothy Afterbirth]

Cliff Simon: Actor who played Ba'al in Stargate dies aged 58
12 March 2021 BBC Entertainment & Arts


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Actor Cliff Simon, best known as the villain Ba'al on Stargate SG-1, has died aged 58, his family has confirmed.

The South African actor's TV credits also included appearances in NCIS, Castle, Days of Our Lives, and 24.

In a statement, Simon's wife Colette spoke of her "unimaginable heartbreak" as she confirmed his death.

She explained her husband died after being involved in a kiteboarding accident at Topanga Beach in California earlier this week.

"He was known to most of you on this page as the villain you loved to hate, Ba'al, from Stargate SG-1," Colette Simon said in a post on Facebook.

"But, as he said, 'Acting is what I do, it's only a part of who I am.' And he was SO much more - a true original, an adventurer, a sailor, swimmer, dancer, actor, author. There is a gaping hole where he once stood on this earth. He was loved by too many to mention and had a great impact on so many lives."

Simon moved to the UK with his family as a teen and trained as a swimmer, hoping to compete for Great Britain at the 1984 Olympic Games.

But at the age of 17, he decided to quit and move back to South Africa, where he joined the country's air force.

His wife said: "A small saving grace to this tragedy is that he was doing one of the things he loved most and passed away on the beach near the water, which was his temple."

Simon became an actor after a chance meeting at a resort hotel led to him performing as part of a troupe in various stage productions.

He went on to perform at the Moulin Rouge in 1989, prompting him to write a book about his experience titled Paris Nights: My Year at the Moulin Rouge.

He also did modelling work and later appeared in the South African TV series Egoli - Place of Gold for six years.

But he secured the biggest role of his career after moving to Los Angeles. His portrayal of villain Ba'al on Stargate SG1 was popular with viewers and the character enjoyed a five-year run.

Simon reprised his role for the Stargate: Continuum film, which was released in 2008.

But as a long-time survivalist and military veteran, his sense of adventure never left him.

Last year, he presented the Travel Channel series Into The Unknown, which saw him explore the world of the paranormal by hiking and swimming in the wilderness to find answers to myths and legends.

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[Frothy Afterbirth]

Marvelous Marvin Hagler, middleweight boxing great, dies at 66
Associated Press 7:45 PM ET


Manny Millan /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images

Marvelous Marvin Hagler stopped Thomas Hearns in a fight that lasted less than eight minutes yet was so epic that it still lives in boxing lore.

Two years later, Hagler was so disgusted after losing a decision to Sugar Ray Leonard -- stolen, he claimed, by the judges -- that he never fought again.

One of the great middleweights in boxing history, Hagler died Saturday at the age of 66. His wife, Kay, announced his death on the Facebook page for Hagler's fans.

"I am sorry to make a very sad announcement,'' she wrote. "Today unfortunately my beloved husband Marvelous Marvin passed away unexpectedly at his home here in New Hampshire. Our family requests that you respect our privacy during this difficult time.''

Hagler fought on boxing's biggest stages against its biggest names, as he, Leonard, Hearns and Roberto Duran dominated the middleweight classes during a golden time for boxing in the 1980s. Quiet with a brooding public persona, Hagler fought 67 times over 14 years as a pro out of Brockton, Massachusetts, finishing 62-3-2 with 52 knockouts.

"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove,'' Hagler once said. "That's all I am. I live it.''

Hagler was unmistakable in the ring, fighting out of a southpaw stance with his bald head glistening in the lights. He was relentless and he was vicious, stopping opponent after opponent during an eight-year run that began with a disputed draw against Vito Antuofermo in 1979 that he later avenged.

Hagler fought with a proverbial chip on his shoulder, convinced that boxing fans and promoters alike didn't give him his proper due. He was so upset that he wasn't introduced before a 1982 fight by his nickname of Marvelous that he went to court to legally change his name.

"He was certainly one of the greatest middleweights ever but one of the greatest people that I've ever been around and promoted,'' promoter Bob Arum said. "He was a real man, loyal and just fantastic person.''

Any doubts Hagler wasn't indeed Marvelous were erased on a spring night in 1985. He and Hearns met in one of the era's big middleweight clashes outdoors at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, and when the opening bell rang, they traded punches for three minutes in an opening round many consider the best in boxing history.

Hagler would go on to stop Hearns in the third round, crumpling him to the canvas with a barrage of punches even as blood poured out of a large gash on his forehead that nearly caused the referee to stop the fight earlier in the round.

"When they stopped the fight to look at the cut, I realized they might be playing games and I wasn't going to let them take the title away," Hagler said later. "It was a scary feeling. I thought, 'Why are they stopping this fight?' I didn't realize I was bleeding. It wasn't in my eyes. Then I knew I had to destroy this guy.''

Arum said Hagler simply willed himself to victory over Hearns, whose big right hand was feared in the division but couldn't keep Hagler at bay.

"That was an unbelievable fight,'' Arum said. "Probably the greatest fight ever.''

Hearns said Saturday he was thinking about Hagler and their historic fight. Hagler wore a baseball cap with the word "War'' while promoting it on a 23-city tour with Hearns that Arum said made the fighters despise each other before they even entered the ring.

"I can't take anything away from him,'' Hearns told The Associated Press. "His awkwardness messed me up, but I can't take anything away from him. He fought his heart out, and we put on a great show for all time.''

Hagler would fight only two more times, stopping John Mugabi a year later and then meeting Leonard, who was coming off a three-year layoff from a detached retina, in his final fight in 1987. Hagler was favored going into the fight, and many thought he would destroy Leonard -- but Leonard had other plans.

While Hagler pursued him around the ring, Leonard fought backing up, flicking out his left jab and throwing combinations that didn't hurt Hagler but won him points on the ringside scorecards. Still, when the bell rang at the end of the 12th round, many thought Hagler had pulled out the fight -- only to lose a controversial split decision.

Hagler, who was paid $19 million, left the ring in disgust and never fought again. He moved to Italy to act and never really looked back.

"I feel fortunate to get out of the ring with my faculties and my health,'' he said a year later.

Hagler took the long route to greatness, fighting mostly in the Boston area before finally getting his chance at the 160-pound title in 1979 against Antuofermo as a co-main event, with Leonard fighting Wilfred Benitez on the same card. Hagler bloodied Antuofermo and seemed to win the fight, but when the scorecards were tallied, he was denied the belt with a draw.

Hagler would travel to London the next year to stop Alan Minter to win the title, and he held it for the next seven years before his disputed loss to Leonard.

Arum remembered being at a black-tie event honoring top fighters a year later that was attended by Hagler and Leonard, among others. He said Leonard came up to him and pointed to Hagler across the room and suggested he go talk to him about a rematch that would have earned both fighters unbelievable purses.

"I went over to Marvin and said Ray is talking about a rematch,'' Arum said. "He glared at me as only Marvin could and said, 'Tell Ray to get a life.'''

Hagler was born in Newark, New Jersey, and moved with his family to Brockton in the late 1960s. He was discovered as an amateur by the Petronelli brothers, Goody and Pat, who ran a gym in Brockton and would go on to train Hagler for his entire pro career.

Hagler was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1983.

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