This person died in 2023, age 56. As a child she said her mother physically abused her. As a teen she was arrested for shoplifting and sent to reform school. She would later convert to Islam, adopting a new name while still answering to the one the world knew. She never shrank from controversy—most famously tearing up a photo of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live to protest Catholic Church abuse. Today’s dead celebrity is Sinead O’Connor. If you liked this episode, you might also like Episode 120 Crazy Sane (Waylon Jennings) or Episode 87 Simply the Best (Tina Turner). MEDIA CLIPPINGS 14th Street Studios Hustling Around Town, with Rachel Huss Better Call Daddy, with Reena Friedman Watts, Apple Podcasts You Mic, with Freddy Crus, Apple Podcast LINKS: Transcript of this episode NYT Obituary for Sinead O’Connor Sinead O’Connor 1992 SNL appearance Nothing Compares 2 U official video Fearless Documentary Sinéad O'Connor aka Shuhada’ Sadaqat on The Tommy Tiernan Show in 2020 Dead or Alive quiz game Famous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads Famous & Gravy official website Sinead O’Connor was an Irish singer and activist whose haunting voice made Nothing Compares 2 U a global anthem. Known for tearing up a photo of the Pope on Saturday Night Live, she became a rebel icon who challenged the Catholic Church scandal long before others dared. A Dublin musician shaped by pain and conviction, O’Connor mixed mental health and faith, art and protest, earning both exile and admiration as one of pop’s most fearless truth-tellers. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This person died in 2016, age 89. Her father was a prominent lawyer with a lofty sense of civic duty. At one point, she transferred to the University of Alabama to study law and go into the family business. In 1949 she moved to New York City, working as a reservations agent for Eastern Airlines and later BOAC. At night, she wrote at a desk made from a door. She won a Pulitzer Prize in 1960, but her public appearances were so rare that each counted as important news. Today’s dead celebrity is Harper Lee. If you liked this episode, you might also like Episode 117 Resonant Dignity (Gregory Peck), 102 Magical Thinker (Joan Didion), or Episode 097 Time Pilgrim (Kurt Vonnegut).  LINKS Transcript of this episode Harper Lee rare interview To Kill a Mockingbird 1964 Gregory Peck Harper Lee Atticus Finch Oscar speech Obama farewell speech Atticus Finch quote Truman Capote Harper Lee In Cold Blood Kansas interviews Dead or Alive quiz game Famous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads Famous & Gravy official website Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, Monroeville Alabama, Truman Capote, Atticus Finch, Go Set a Watchman, Pulitzer Prize, southern literature, Scout Finch, American novel. Harper Lee’s story combines small-town roots and big-city ambition, friendship and rivalry, and the lasting cultural debates around justice, empathy, and the power of a single book. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This person died 2011, age of 56. He dropped out of Reed College in 1972 and once said that taking LSD was among the most important things he ever did. In the early years of his career, his obsession with detail drove colleagues crazy, but later he inspired extraordinary loyalty. In the 1990s he bought a small computer graphics spinoff from George Lucas and built it into Pixar. He told the world he would step down as Apple’s CEO if he could no longer meet expectations — and then he did. Today’s dead celebrity is Steve Jobs. If you liked this episode, you might also like Episode 98 Pleasure Activists (Julia Child) or Episode 42 Game Changer (John Madden). LINKS Transcript of this episode Steve Jobs Stanford commencement 2005 full speech iPhone launch 2007 keynote Steve Jobs Pixar Toy Story interview 1995 on Charlie Rose Steve Jobs Noah Wyle Macworld 1999 impersonation Steve Jobs Simpsons parody Steve Mobbs MyPods and Boomsticks Dead or Alive quiz game Famous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads Famous & Gravy official website Steve Jobs was an entrepreneur who transformed Apple and Pixar into global icons, creating the iPhone and reshaping Silicon Valley with his visionary leadership. Known for his reality distortion field, his partnership with Steve Wozniak, and his relentless drive for innovation See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This person died in 2002 at the age of 64, Born in Littlefield, Texas, he became a radio disc jockey at 14 and formed his own band soon afterward. His resonant, authoritative voice was used to narrate The Dukes of Hazzard. Early in his career, his life nearly ended when he gave up his seat on the plane that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper. With Willie Nelson, he performed duets like Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys and Good Hearted Woman. Today’s dead celebrity is Waylon Jennings. If you liked this episode, you might also like Episode 31 The Greatest (Muhammad Ali), Episode 84 Vocal Bedrock (Johnny Cash), and Episode 19 Singing Mailman (John Prine). LINKS Transcript of this episode NYT Obituary for Waylon Jennings Waylon talks about the death of Buddy Holly In depth interview with Waylon Jennings about his autobiography Badass stories about Waylon Waylon and Big Bird Dead or Alive quiz game Famous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads Famous & Gravy official website See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This person died in 2018, age 61. He never stopped marveling at the unlikeliness of his own success. Quote: “I should have died in my twenties. I became successful in my forties. I became my dad in my fifties. I feel like I’ve stolen a car, a really nice car, and I keep looking in the rearview mirror for flashing lights.” He emerged as a leading male voice in support of the Me Too movement. He was open about his past addictions to heroin and cocaine. He ate noodles in Hanoi with President Barack Obama, sucked on soft-boiled turtle eggs in Colombia, and savored handmade spring rolls in Cambodia on his way to an interview with the opposition government. Today’s dead celebrity is Anthony Bourdain. If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like Episode 79 Likeable Villain (Alan Rickman),  Episode 108 Hunter S. Thompson (Gonzo Troubadour) and Episode 102 Joan Didion (Magical Thinker). LINKS Transcript of this episode NYT Obituary for Anthony Bourdain Anthony Bourdain eats noodles with President Obama in Hanoi (Parts Unknown) Anthony Bourdain on West Virginia and empathy (Parts Unknown) Anthony Bourdain on Palestine (Parts Unknown) Anthony Bourdain’s original Kitchen Confidential essay – New Yorker Bourdain on WTF with Marc Maron Dead or Alive quiz game Famous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads Famous & Gravy official website See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This person died 2024, age 76. His TV show went into national syndication in 1980 and ran until 1984, after which he developed an array of products and performances to replace it. He described himself as a loner with few friends, whose main companions were pet dalmatians and live-in maids. Even people who encountered him by chance said he was exactly as he appeared on TV: hyperkinetic, authentic, and totally outrageous. People Magazine once called him “a hyperkinetic elf in an emerald green tracksuit and the clown prince of fitness.” Today’s dead celebrity is Richard Simmons. If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like Episode 65 Steve Irwin (Crikey Inner Child) and Episode 7 Joan Rivers (Stilletto Comic). LINKS Transcript of this episode NYT Obituary for Richard Simmons Missing Richard Simmons podcast by Dan Taberski  Richard Simmons on Who’s Line is it Anyway? Hot mic moment, behind the scenes with Richard Simmons Richard Simmons on Letterman (1986–2000s, multiple clips) Richard Simmons on General Hospital Dead or Alive quiz game Famous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads Famous & Gravy official website See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This person died in 2003 at age 87. He had craggy good looks, lanky grace, and a measured voice. He was nominated for the Oscar five times, and his rare attempts at unsympathetic roles usually failed. He conveyed a quiet dignity, served as president of the Motion Picture Academy, and was active in the American Cancer Society, the National Endowment for the Arts, and other causes. His 1962 Oscar-winning role cast him as Atticus Finch, a small-town Southern lawyer who defies public sentiment to defend a Black man accused of rape. Today’s dead celebrity is Gregory Peck.  If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like Episode 71Sidney Poitier (Defiant One) and Episode 103 James Garner (Maverick Law Man). LINKS Transcript of this episode NYT Obituary for Gregory Peck Gregory Peck official website Gregory Peck Lifetime AFI Achievement Award Gregory Peck Presidential Medal of Freedom ACLU of Southern California Peck narrates ad against Robert Bork SCOTUS nomination Dead or Alive quiz game Famous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads Famous & Gravy official website See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This person died in 2018, age 95. He began reading Shakespeare at age 10 while also devouring pulp magazines, the novels of Arthur Conan Doyle, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and Mark Twain, and the swashbuckler movies of Errol Flynn. He could be startlingly prolific— once saying “almost everything I’ve ever written I could finish in one sitting.” In 1961, he and a partner produced the first issue of Fantastic Four for a company known as Marvel, and he went on to co-create Spider-Man. Today’s dead celebrity is Stan Lee. If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like Episode 53 Heartwarming Humor  (Louie Anderson) and Episode 97 Time Pilgrim (Kurt Vonnegut). Famous & Gravy is created and hosted by Michael Osborne. This episode features guest co-host Isaac Kestenbaum. Production by Allie Arrazola, with assistance from Jacob Weiss. Original music by Kevin Strang. LINKS Transcript of this episode NYT Obituary for Stan Lee  Washington Post obituary for Stan Lee True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee (Abraham Riesman biography) Fantastic Four #10 (1963), new fan letters section Key & Peele: "Stan Lee Pitch Meeting" sketch Stan Lee cameo in Mallrats (1995) Dead or Alive quiz game Famous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads Famous & Gravy official website See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This person died 2012, age 61. She was known for keeping her cool under stress. She politely endured a barrage of questions focused on her sex. She once said, “It’s too bad this is such a big deal. It’s too bad our society isn’t further along.”  By the time she began studying laser physics at Stanford, women had already broken through into the physics department—once a boys’ club.  In her early days at NASA, she trained in parachute jumping, water survival, weightlessness, and the huge G-forces of a rocket launch. Today’s dead celebrity is Sally Ride. If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like Episode 17 Modest Moonwalker (Neil Armstrong) and Episode 107 Corgi Whisperer (Queen Elizabeth II) Famous & Gravy is created and hosted by Michael Osborne. This episode features guest co-host Michelle Dahlenburg. Production by Evan Sherer, with assistance from Jacob Weiss. Original music by Kevin Strang. LINKS Transcript of this episode Official U.S. Mint page for Sally Ride Quarter Sally Ride Science at UC San Diego NYT obituary for Sally Ride Sesame Street clip featuring Sally Ride Dead or Alive quiz game Famous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads Famous & Gravy official website See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on Famous & Gravy, we’re sharing an episode from one of our favorite history podcasts—History Daily, hosted by Lindsay Graham. Why do we think Famous & Gravy listeners will enjoy this show? Because, like us, they believe that history is human. Each daily episode zooms in on a single moment in time, offering a compelling narrative that’s both immersive and full of unexpected insight. In this episode, we hear the story of how David Bowie—then still going by David Jones—morphed into his most iconic alter ego, Ziggy Stardust. It’s a tale of transformation, inspiration, and bold creative reinvention. If you liked our Bowie episode, you’ll love this. Happy listening—and Famous & Gravy will be back next week with our regularly scheduled programming. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This person died in 2018, age 76. He published a non-fiction book in 1988 that has sold more than 10 million copies and inspired a documentary film by Errol Morris. He married twice; fathered three children; and was not above appearing on “The Simpsons,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation” or “The Big Bang Theory.” In 1963 he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease, and told he had only a few years to live. In 1973 he set out to apply quantum theory, the weird laws that govern subatomic reality, to black holes. Today’s dead celebrity is Stephen Hawking. If you enjoyed this episode, you might also enjoy Episode 100 “Divine Neighbor” (Fred Rogers) and Episode 17 “Modest Moonwalker” (Neil Armstrong). Famous & Gravy is created and hosted by Michael Osborne. This episode features guest co-host Dr. Nicholas Weiler. LINKS: Transcript of this episode NYT obituary for Stephen Hawking Errol Morris documentary A Brief History of Time Stephen Hawking on BBC Desert Island Discs (1992) Stephen Hawking on The Simpsons Stephen Hawking on Star Trek: The Next Generation Stephen Hawking interview on John Oliver: Last Week Tonight Dead or Alive quiz game Famous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads Famous & Gravy official website See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This person died 2020, age 41. He won an Academy Award in 2018 – the first African American to win for best animated short. He was fueled by a seemingly endless reservoir of self-confidence. He gave himself the nickname Black Mamba. Today’s dead celebrity is Kobe Bryant. If you enjoyed this episode, you might also enjoy Episode 49 “Hammer Time” (Hank Aaron), Episode 31 “The Greatest” (Muhammad Ali), and Episode 69 “Foul House” (Bob Saget). Famous & Gravy is created and hosted by Michael Osborne. This episode features guest co-host Sara Murphy. LINKS: Transcript of this episode NYT obituary for Kobe Bryant Kobe Bryant’s Oscar-winning short film Dear Basketball Jay Shetty interview with Kobe Bryant (On Purpose podcast) Modern Family cameo clip Jimmy Kimmel interview: Kobe talks about Gianna and being a Girl Dad Dead or Alive quiz game Famous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads Famous & Gravy official website See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This person died in 2008, age 66. He changed his major from English to anthropology after a professor’s harsh critique, graduating summa cum laude from Harvard in 1964. He earned a medical degree five years later, then walked away from clinical science altogether. He used fiction to explore the moral and political problems posed by modern technology and scientific breakthroughs. His books sold in the tens of millions and almost routinely became movies, many of them blockbusters like "Jurassic Park", "The Lost World," as well as "Rising Sun." He juggled roles as a novelist, screenwriter, director, and producer in both film and TV. Today’s dead celebrity is Michael Crichton. If you liked this episode, you might also enjoy Episode 97 "Time Pilgrim" (Kurt Vonnegut) and Episode 74 "Masterclass Act" (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Michael Osborne. This episode features guest co-host John Watts and is produced by Evan Sherer. LINKS: Transcript of this episode NYT obituary for Michael Crichton 2007 Charlie Rose interview 1970s Dick Cavett appearance 1992 TED Talk 1999 Predictions about the future Dead or Alive quiz game Famous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads Famous & Gravy official website See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This person died in 2009, age 59. He began his career as an advertising copywriter in Chicago. While visiting New York during his advertising days, he hung around the offices of National Lampoon magazine and was published when he showed a gift for comedy. As a writer, he occasionally wrote under his pen name, Edmond Dantès, the real name of the Dumas hero in The Count of Monte Cristo. He faded from Hollywood in the early 1990s, and some surmised that he had stepped away simply because, for all his successes, he did not particularly like the film business. His greatest professional effect came from a series of teen-oriented films he directed in the 1980s, but his biggest success, in box-office terms, was the Home Alone series, of which he was the writer and a producer. Today’s dead celebrity is John Hughes. If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like Episode 104 Community Gardener (Penny Marshall) and Episode 29 Zen Comedian (Garry Shandling). Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Evan Sherer and features guest co-host Jennifer Keishin Armstrong. LINKS: Transcript of this episode NYT obituary for John Hughes Rare 1991 interview with John Hughes NPR remembrance of John Hughes’s legacy Ferris Bueller Fight Club theory Ferris Bueller Groundhog Day theory John Candy tribute montage Dead or Alive quiz game Famous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads Famous & Gravy official website See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This person died in 2011, age 93. She spoke openly in support of the Equal Rights Amendment, endorsed legalized abortion, and discussed premarital sex. Her dependency on pills began in 1964 after a neck injury, and her drinking worsened as her husband’s political career advanced. When Gerald Ford lost the 1976 election, it was she who read the official concession speech with smiling grace. Today’s dead celebrity is Betty Ford. If you enjoyed this episode, you might also enjoy Episode 48 What About Bob (Bob Dole) and Episode 47 Proud Mary (Mary Tyler Moore). Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Evan Sherer and features guest co-host Wiley Hodges. LINKS: Transcript of this episode CBS Remembrance of Betty Ford Short segment of 1974 60 Minutes Interview Betty Ford’s Lecture on Addiction and Recovery at Hazelton Betty Ford cameo on the Mary Tyler Moore Show The Simpsons I’m Checking In Dead or Alive quiz game Famous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads Famous & Gravy official website See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This person died 2005, age 67. At his peak, he reached out in his writing to a generation made cynical by the Vietnam War and Watergate, and that was prepared to respond to his visceral honesty. His early work presaged some of the fundamental changes that rocked journalism today. His approach mirrors the style of modern-day bloggers and social commentators who blend news, opinion and personal experience on Internet postings. In 1970 he ran for sheriff in Pitkin County, Colo. It seemed a joke and another outlandish act, until the votes were counted and he came close to winning. His 1972  book, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, cemented him as a singular presence in American journalism. Today’s dead celebrity is Hunter S. Thompson. If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like Episode 102 Magical Thinker (Joan Didion) and Episode 58 Best in Show (Fred Willard). Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Evan Sherer and features guest co-host Devin Fromm. LINKS: Transcript of this episode 1975 Lucid interview with Hunter S Thompson Conan O’Brien visits Hunter S Thompson’s Owl Farm Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, opening scene Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, high water mark monologue HST on the Kentucky Derby Tom Wolfe and Hunter S Thompson letter exchange Dead or Alive quiz game Famous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads Famous & Gravy official website See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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This person died in 2011, age 58. His colleagues said he had charisma and a knack for spontaneity. In the mid-1970s, he played minor-league baseball for about four years in the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds organizations. He acted in the 2002 movie “Spider-Man,” appeared on sitcoms like “Mad About You,” and lent his scratchy baritone to video games and cartoons, including “Family Guy” and “King of the Hill.” He would wear brightly colored cowboy hats and outfits dripping with fringe. He would strut into the wrestling ring to his theme song “Pomp and Circumstance,” muscles gleaming and neon spandex shining, growling his signature expression, “Oooh, yeah!” before diving at his opponents, elbows first. Today’s dead celebrity is Randy Savage. If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like Episode 092 Acerbic Comedian (George Carlin), Episode 100 Divine Neighbor (Fred Rogers), and Episode 049 Hammer Time (Hank Aaron). Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Evan Sharer, and features guest co-host Steve Prata. LINKS: Transcript of this episode Jon Finkel’s biography of Randy Savage Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat, WrestleMania III  Macho Man Slim Jim commercials compilation Dead or Alive quiz game Famous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads Famous & Gravy official website See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This person died 2023, age 79. He earned a law degree from Northwestern University in 1968 and started on a political career. In the 1980s he won or shared multiple Emmy Awards for local news coverage. In 1974 he was embroiled in a personal scandal after he was found to have written a check for prostitution services at a Kentucky massage parlor. He was elected mayor of Cincinnati in 1977, and in 1982 he ran for governor of Ohio. His syndicated daytime talk show began in 1991. Today’s dead celebrity is Jerry Springer. If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like Episode 91 Studio Insider (James Lipton) and Episode1 Unapologetic Opulence (Robin Leach).  Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Allie Arrazola, and features guest co-host Michelle Dahlenberg. LINKS: Transcript of this episode Jerry Springer’s 25th Anniversary Final Thought Jerry Springer’s story on This American Life Best of Jerry Springer Compilation 1 Dr. Evil and Scott go on Jerry Springer in Austin Powers 2 Dead or Alive quiz game Famous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads Famous & Gravy official website See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This person died in 2018, age 75. She had a self-effacing personality, which colleagues and interviewers often commented on. She was the first woman to direct a feature film that grossed more than $100 million. She also directed “Awakenings” (1990), a medical drama starring Robert De Niro. She got into directing the ‘easy’ way — by becoming a television superstar first. In 1971 she married Rob Reiner, who was then a star of the hit TV series “All in the Family.” She played Laverne on Laverne and Shirley. Today’s dead celebrity is Penny Marshall. If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like Episode 68 Sentient Princess (Carrie Fisher) and Episode 80 Super Funkhouser (Bob Einstein). Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Allie Arrazola, and features guest co-host Michelle Dahlenberg. LINKS: Transcript of this episode Penny in conversation on stage with brother Garry Marshall Penny on The Rosie O’Donnell Show in 1999 Fred Armisen Penny Marshall impersonation Dead or Alive quiz game Famous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads Famous & Gravy official website See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.