This is one of the greatest death triads I have ever seen. Perhaps the greatest.
Goodbye to 3 greats, in 3 different fields — religion, journalism, and sports. All 3 died after a long, productive life — Pelé, a little young, at 82, Walters at 93, and the Pope at 95.
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Three very famous people who were not of any importance to me.
With the explosion of the number of famous people in the 1960’s through 80’s, entertainment/sports/politics, this becomes more common. In fact, I’d call this a “B-list” triad.
Back when it was a good newspaper and my friends and I read it, we used to guess “Who, if they died if natural causes today, would make the front page of The NY Times”. Carter, Redford, McCartney…
Walters was one of the most wildly overrated journalists of the 20th century.
The Pope will get star billing in the obits, but most people could care less. Pele will be the most sincerely mourned, and people in Brazil will be genuinely bereft. The news people will make Barbara Walters life out to be a great deal more significant than it really was.
Well, at least she didn't rub me the wrong way or not enough for me to remember.
Barbara Walters was a journalist? I didn't know that.
Who volunteers to post the first Gilda Radner link ?
"One of these things is not like the others..."
Barbara Wawa does not deserve to be placed among two giants. I remember watching her on 20/20 as a teenager. Even then she was insufferable. No depth or substance, but very full of herself. The best part of that show was watching her interact with John Stossel. You could sense the contempt she had for anyone challenging the liberal status quo.
All my brain saw was "the Pope has died". I even woke my husband. Oh, but it's Benedict.
Pele's death I knew, because I game with many Europeans. His loss as a master of their favorite sport was impactful.
Walters was recently in the news because Brooke Shields, who's become a very interesting person, came out with comments about the interview Barbara conducted with her that bordered on child abuse. I can remember when Walters was someone I wanted to watch, but that was decades ago and I, like Brooke, was a child.
Walters slept around a lot with her subjects, getting the inside story.
The Today Show with Barbara Walters and Hugh Downs was probably the first news show I watched on a regular basis (I hardly ever watched the evening news until I graduated from college). Never occurred to me that it was unusual for a woman to do the news until they made a big deal about her getting the evening news gig.
Pope Benedict suffered being preceded by the dynamic John Paul II and being followed by the liberal darling Francis.
Finally Pele was soccer to many of us in America. First time I ever saw soccer was him doing a bicycle kick on The Wide World of Sports.
Pope Benedict’s passing is the most significant for me. I think of him as a gift from God because his writings changed my life so radically. God has done great things for me and his instrument was Benedict.
I saw Barbara Walters at a restaurant in New York a number of years ago (5?). She moved very haltingly, showing her age and frankly looking like she was on death’s doorstep along with her companion, so maybe surprising that she lasted as long as she did. Also, as said above, “One of these things is not like the others.”
The true Pope, deposed by a cabal of Leftists including Obama and the Clintons because of his traditional conservative views. Replaced by a Communist poser.
Requiescat in pace
I never thought of Barbara Walters as a journalist per se but she was the first woman news reader I ever saw on TV.
And she wore those big cool glasses.
Was this the GOAT death triad?
Sedevacantists are even more convinced of their position
A couple of things about Pope Benedict. Unlike most Popes, he was a serious theologian before ascending to Peter’s Throne. John Paul II was definitely not a theological heavyweight (and neither is Francis in my view) but Ratzinger was. I think Benedict’s greatest influence as Pope will be his decision to resign rather than waiting for death to end his Papacy. This sets a precedent that may well be followed by Francis and future Popes. The last Pope to resign before Benedict was Gregory XII, but that was under completely different circumstances. There were at least three men all claiming to be the real Pope. It took the Council of Constance to settle the matter after Gregory stepped down on 4 July 1415. That Council is also infamous for burning Jan Hus, a follower of John Wycliffe, despite Imperial guarantee of safe conduct. Wycliffe and Hus can be considered precursors to the Reformation movement.
Tough call on who is the most famous worldwide, Pelé or Pope Benedict. Pelé had a longer run at popularity.
Wonder what prominent woman with the initials BW will die next New Year's Eve?
I know a lot about theology and Church, been exposed to journalism all my life. You're absolutely right that these 3 were greats in their fields, rising to the top. But oy Pele left his field better. Waters and Benedict forged paths that were successful but left their fields broken and us deimg with consequences of their life's work, even as their work was really extraordinary. Amazing leaders often can ignore the consequences of where they have led.
Barbara Walters W.I.P.
RIP Papa Benedict.
Couldn't bear living another day with a Jesuit Pope.
JFK, CS Lewis and Huxley have them beat by a mile
November 22, 1963. JFK, CS Lewis, Aldous Huxley.
I always suspected that Barbara Walters thought she was much prettier than the general consensus. I can't remember ever seeing her interview someone without perceiving that, in her mind, it was all about her
"One of these things is not like the others..."
True, and the obvious one is Walters--a lightweight "first woman."
But on second thought it's Benedict: Pele and Walters succeeded, Benedict failed as pope. I'm not Catholic, but letting Francis takeover is pretty much unforgiveable.
And on third thought, it's also Benedict: Ratzinger had substance, and took the measure of the state of modern civilization. Walters and Pele were entertainers, performers in the modern circus.
The only soccer I ever watched was decades ago when Pele was on the screen. I find the sport boring. Like watching Bo Jackson Pele made me proud to be of the same species. Both gentilemen.
There was a clip of Barbara Walters on the View with Norm McDonald. The clip was posted because of politics but what I noticed was she was funnier than some of the hosts today who are billed as comics.
Someplace, a retired fireman died. One day,long ago, he rescued a child.
Really, Althouse, 82 is “a little young”?
I say that as your coeval. I hope you and I both last to 82 and beyond.
Happy new year!
Walters does not remotely belong in that company.
Only an American would believe that...
But on second thought it's Benedict: Pele and Walters succeeded, Benedict failed as pope. I'm not Catholic, but letting Francis takeover is pretty much unforgiveable.
I count that as another successful coup. From a wise conservative to a communist Pope. Sort of like the 2020 election. m I wonder how they did it. Too bad Malachi Martin is no longer with us to explain it in one of his novels.
Blogger rhhardin said...
Walters slept around a lot with her subjects, getting the inside story.
Yes but at a cost. She complained that John Lindsay gave her crabs.
Link below is from a little-known movie, "Vision Quest". The scene is better in the context of the film, but the character's description of watching Pele on television came to mind while reading the comments.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzJcAV5xR0U
'Walters slept around a lot with her subjects, getting the inside story.'
Then it was her subjects getting the inside story.
Unless it was a lesbo thing...
Barbara Walters NEVER scored on a bicycle kick... at least in soccer.
Michael K
Lindsay must have been a notorious roue. He apparently gave Florence Henderson the crabs as well.
https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/brady-bunch-mom-florence-henderson-admits-ex-mayor-john-lindsay-gave-crabs-one-night-stand-article-1.132683
One of the greatest? The greatest? I understand the idiocy of the three famous people dead in short order, which is insane. But ranking the grouping coincidental deaths ... is there a chart for that. Seems tacky.
Never understood the appeal of Barbara Walters. Never watched her, either.
Pele on the other hand ....
Only the good die young: Exception Pele and Walters. For different reasons. To be honest, I thought Barbara WaWa died 10 years ago.
Barbara Walters was another one of these people who were foisted on the American public by the Network execs and then, because they were the only game in town, became rich and famous. Probably the best example was Sam Donaldson, George Will, and Kookie Roberts, who became famous because David Brinkley put them on his weekly TV show, instead of 75 other equally, or better, qualiified people.
We still have mediocrities on TV news, but because we have the internet and Cable TV, they have 1/10 the impact.
And then there's Pele. A class act, and a great player. I'm not a soccer fan, but even I can see the greatest when you watch his highlights.
I thought there was only one Pope: The current one. Not being Catholic probably accounts for my ignorance.
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