What a strange week: three celebrities passed away, at least two of whom were famous, and/or notorious for financial issues.
Ed McMahon, of course, was famous for delivering those big Publishers Clearinghouse prize checks, as well as his later battles with foreclosure and bankruptcy.
Michael Jackson made bazillions, but spent them all and struggled with debt in recent years– the perfect illustration of the lesson that living beyond your means will get you in trouble no matter how large or small your means happen to be.
And then there’s Farrah Fawcett. Of the three, her death somehow saddened me the most, and I know a lot of my old grade school friends felt the same way. I think it may have been that she was the most famous icon of beauty when we were the exact age at which little girls suddenly become conscious of beauty as something to which they aspire– so of course we all wanted to look like her. My attempt at the hair was a voluminous disaster, but I did at least get my mom to buy me the sneakers she’s wearing above. And as far as I know, Farrah managed her millions well enough to stay out of debt.
They’ll all be missed.
