Okay.
I’m starting to get that feeling again.
You know the feeling I mean.
That feeling of waking up, checking the news, and seeing another familiar celebrity has died.
And then another.
And then another.
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve started getting some serious 2016 vibes.
And honestly, I don’t like it.
It Started With Hayden Panettiere
I already wrote about Hayden Panettiere’s death, so I’m not going to spend this entire post rehashing that.
But her death on August 16 really feels like where this recent stretch began for me.
Hayden was only 36.
She was someone a lot of us grew up watching, whether it was Heroes, Nashville, or one of the Scream movies.
And then suddenly, she was gone.
It was shocking.
But unfortunately, that wasn’t the end of it.
Then Came More
Just days later, the news seemed to keep coming.
On August 25, we lost Dolly Parton at 80.
And then, as if that wasn’t enough, Tim Curry died the same day, also at 80.
Dolly Parton.
Tim Curry.
Two completely different people from completely different parts of the entertainment world.
But both were absolutely enormous cultural figures.
Dolly was one of the most recognizable musicians and entertainers on the planet.
Tim Curry gave us unforgettable performances in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, It, Home Alone 2, Legend, and so many other productions.
And then came Peter Cullen, the legendary voice behind Optimus Prime, who died at 85.
And Samuel Monroe Jr., known for his work in films including Menace II Society, also died this week at 52.
Suddenly I’m sitting here thinking:
What the fuck is going on?
And That’s Where 2016 Comes Back to Me
Now, obviously, 2026 is not literally 2016.
And I’m not saying there is some supernatural curse hanging over the entertainment industry.
Death happens.
People age.
People get sick.
Sometimes people die unexpectedly.
That’s life.
But there is something about losing several incredibly recognizable people in such a short period that brings back memories of 2016.
Because if you remember 2016, you probably remember the feeling.
It seemed like every time you opened social media, another legendary person was gone.
David Bowie.
Alan Rickman.
Prince.
Carrie Fisher.
George Michael.
Gene Wilder.
Muhammad Ali.
And so many others.
It wasn’t necessarily that 2016 had some magical ability to kill celebrities.
It was that so many people who felt permanent suddenly weren’t there anymore.
And that’s the part that hits differently.
The Weird Thing About Celebrity Death
When a celebrity dies, we sometimes hear people say:
“I didn’t even know them. Why am I so upset?”
But that’s the thing.
We might not have known them personally.
We knew their work.
We grew up with their movies.
We listened to their music.
We watched them on television.
We heard their voices.
They became part of the background of our lives.
Sometimes you don’t even realize how much someone has been part of your life until they’re suddenly gone.
That’s why the death of someone like Peter Cullen can hit someone who never met him.
You hear Optimus Prime’s voice and suddenly you’re a kid again.
That’s why Dolly Parton’s death can hit someone who wasn’t even a country music fan.
That’s why Tim Curry’s death can hit someone who grew up watching Rocky Horror, It, Home Alone 2, or any of his countless other performances.
These people leave behind pieces of our memories.
And There’s Another Part of This
There’s something else I’ve been thinking about.
A lot of the celebrities we grew up with are getting older.
The people who dominated television, movies, music and pop culture when many of us were kids are now reaching their 70s, 80s and beyond.
And eventually, we’re going to start losing more and more of them.
That’s just the reality of getting older.
But knowing that doesn’t necessarily make it easier.
Because it means we’re entering an era where the people who helped define our childhoods and teenage years are no longer going to be around forever.
And that’s a weird realization.
Because when you’re young, you don’t think about it.
You assume your favorite actors will always be actors.
Your favorite musicians will always be making music.
The voices you’ve heard your entire life will always be there.
Then reality comes knocking.
I Don’t Want Another 2016
So yes.
Maybe I’m being dramatic.
Maybe this is simply one unfortunate stretch of celebrity deaths.
And statistically, there is nothing particularly mysterious about several notable people dying around the same time.
But emotionally?
It definitely feels familiar.
It feels like 2016.
And after everything we’ve already been through this decade, I think a lot of us could use a break from the constant feeling that another piece of our cultural history is disappearing.
I don’t want 2026 to become another year where we wake up every morning wondering:
“Who died today?”
I don’t want another year where every few days we’re collectively saying goodbye to another person who seemed like they would always be here.
So here’s hoping this recent streak slows the hell down.
Because we’ve lost enough people.
And I’m really not interested in reliving 2016.
Not again.
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