Milestone Moments: All The Celebrity Vitals

[Mr. Sparkle]

Everyone's got their Tina moment, and they're all great, but for me:

 

[Anela]

58 minutes ago, WendyCR72 said:

I am absolutely stunned that someone as vital and alive as Tina Turner was is now gone. And while I know her career started with Ike, I am of the generation (X, baby!) that was there with her renaissance in the '80s, and she was fire!

This is one of my favorite performances of hers from 1985:

And, apparently, they reunited in 1999 to do it again!

Rest in peace, Tina! Heaven got a LOT more fun today...

I'm GenX and grew up with her as a solo artist, too. <3

I almost posted the one with David Bowie, as well.

Edited May 24, 2023 by Anela

[Annber03]

So very sad to hear about Tina Turner. What a legacy she's left for us. May she rest in peace. 

[bluegirl147]

Gen X as well and I really became aware of her on MTV.  Her videos were great.

[SunnyBeBe]

I just read that Tina had a kidney transplant in 2017.  I had no idea.  

[WhitneyWhit]

She truly defined living well is the best revenge. She was my mom’s favorite singer. I remember as a kid we would jam out to her on the way to school and we saw her in concert. It was an incredible show and she could work a stage like nobody else. This was the 24/7 Tour so she was in her 60s and had more energy than I did and I was 15. The word icon is often thrown around too easily in my opinion but it absolutely fits for her. 

[Blergh]

1 hour ago, Superclam said:

Everyone's got their Tina moment, and they're all great, but for me:

 

Absolutely!  Let's not forget that she was singing along with the Wall of Sound and likely was one of the few singers who could possibly OUTSING it!

 Yes, I know that, at the time, she hadn't yet overcome that nasty Ike.

However, that VOICE gave a good clue that she could and would blaze her own trail against unbelievable odds AND have a happy union living in a beautiful land to help make her last years peaceful after so MUCH turmoil before !

So, RIP, Frau Bach!

[supposebly]

4 hours ago, MissAlmond said:

News is breaking that Tina Turner has died at 83. Will update with links.

Ray Stevenson and now Tina Turner. They both hit me hard. I suspected it was coming with her but still.....

My favorite Bond movie and one of my favorite songs by her.

 

[Blergh]

Speaking of someone who overcame incredible odds who has left us. As per wiki, on May 22,2023, Rick Hoyt passed away at age 62 in Leicester, Massachusetts. If the name doesn't sound familiar, he and his father Dick Hoyt (1940-2021) became an unbeatable team of determination competing in literally hundreds of triathelons, and no fewer 32 Boston Marathons. What makes this remarkable is that the younger Mr. Hoyt had been paralyzed from severe cerebral palsy from infancy onward and his young parents were urged to put him in an institution and 'forget about' him! Despite being 21-years-old at the time, Mr. Hoyt and his wife refused to consider that  but raised him in their home and did everything they could to train their eldest son's mind. When the younger Mr. Hoyt was a teenager, one of his classmates in high school became paralyzed in a bad accident and he wanted to prove that life could still go on. Thus, he came with the idea of racing with his father pushing him ahead in a wheelchair and they'd do it for many decades- in addition to  the younger Mr. Hoyt developing computer systems to help others with physical challenges.

I'd like to believe in the next world, the Hoyts are running freely with the wind! RIP, Mr. Hoyt!

[Spartan Girl]

Some more Tina moments, courtesy of Twitter

Damn straight she deserved more!

[MissAlmond]

 

[roseha]

I saw her name on the New York Times and at first thought it was just a story about her.  So sad that Tina Turner is gone.

I read that she had kidney disease and her second husband donated a kidney to her which must have kept her alive.

[Bastet]

I love that Dictionary.com did that, but also that they chose a picture of her not just with her radiant smile, but covered in the sweat she always worked up when she performed, because that woman rarely stood still on stage, and was often dancing her ass off (in heels).  That, not any carefully styled shot, is how I think of Tina Turner.

Edited May 25, 2023 by Bastet

[AgentRXS]

It's just now really hitting me and I am so heartbroken. She (along with '80s Madonna, Cher, and Dolly, and '80s Roseanne) were and still my inspirations for overcoming incredible odds to become successful. Tina was especially close to my heart as she was a domestic abuse survivor as am I. Her story and her strength helped me heal from my own situation. Headed into my '40s now, her '80s comeback is reminder that is is never too late to make it. Her music got me through breakups, depression, and work stress. I am so glad she left us with a wealth of music and interviews that I can go back and draw on when I need the strength.

RIP Queen Tina Turner. There will never ever be another you. I love you and thank you for paving the way not just for female entertainers but showing us survivors how to not let those situations define us. Rest easy and rest well Ms. Turner; if there is an afterlife that provides eternal peace and rest, I can't think of anyone who deserves it more than you.

[Annber03]

What a touching story, @AgentRXS. I'm glad she and her music were/are there for you when you needed them most - that's the power of music, right there :). And it's a great testament to the mark she left on the world as well. Well said, your post, every last word. 

[magdalene]

I just watched that video of Tina Turner and David Bowie performing together, and wow! the combined charisma and star power on display there when they are dancing and beaming at each other....made me smile and cry at the same time.

After Ike she did have not only a great career but also a great life with a man worthy of her. He saved her life and gave them some more time together.

Her energy on stage always made me go, how???  RIP to a wonderful lady and fantastic performer.

[BetterButter]

Kenneth Anger, underground film-maker and Hollywood Babylon author, dies aged 96

[Spartan Girl]

7 hours ago, roseha said:

I saw her name on the New York Times and at first thought it was just a story about her.  So sad that Tina Turner is gone.

I read that she had kidney disease and her second husband donated a kidney to her which must have kept her alive.

Imagine going from a monster like Ike to a man who would literally give you his kidney. It’s like a fairy tale.

[merylinkid]

People still don't get how bad Ike was.   Someone posted about how great they were together and how sad it was they broke up.   Tina literally fled for her life.  That scene in the movie always makes me cry, especially when the hotel manager stops her taking her rings off to pay for the room and says it would be an honor to give her a room.   

Tina got basically barred from the music industrywhen she left Ike.  Because the music industry sided with him.   She had to go back to singing in clubs, etc.   Her 80s comeback was after a lot of HARD work to rebuild her career that Ike and his buddies had trashed.  But she did it.  And had a better career than him in the long run.   Like others said, living well is the best revenge.

[Spartan Girl]

38 minutes ago, merylinkid said:

Tina literally fled for her life.  That scene in the movie always makes me cry, especially when the hotel manager stops her taking her rings off to pay for the room and says it would be an honor to give her a room.   

And that was in Texas so she didn’t know what to expect. Cynics are quick to say “oh he was only nice to her because she was famous.” Yeah well, Tina said in her book that her face was so messed up that nobody would have recognized her at first sight, the manager could have easily assumed she was lying, but he didn’t. And he not only gave her a room, but also put a guard at her room to make sure she’d be okay AND sent up soup because she couldn’t eat anything solid.

Even after all that there were some people that say it’s a shame that he’ll only be remembered as an abuser when he had so many musical accomplishments. Bullshit. And even if he did, I don’t care.

Edited May 25, 2023 by Spartan Girl

[Bethany]

1 hour ago, Spartan Girl said:

Even after all that there were some people that say it’s a shame that he’ll only be remembered as an abuser when he had so many musical accomplishments. Bullshit. And even if he did, I don’t care.

What I like is he lived long enough to see her become a megastar and know that she eclipsed him by a country mile.  He died knowing at least part of his legacy was he was an abuser.  Yeah, I'm petty like that.

[Shannon L.]

A friend of mine just happens to be staying that the hotel where she sought refuge.  It's not a Ramada anymore, but they haven't forgotten what happened there.  There's a large portrait of her at the front, where someone left a rose yesterday, they played Tina's music all day and many locals showed up for happy hour to honor her.

She was one of those people who was so amazing that even at her age, and knowing she was ill, it was still a shock to hear that she'd died.

[bluegirl147]

2 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Even after all that there were some people that say it’s a shame that he’ll only be remembered as an abuser when he had so many musical accomplishments. Bullshit. And even if he did, I don’t care.

Being an abuser is always going to outweigh any talent or accomplishments someone has as far as I'm concerned.   I can't hear a Michael Jackson song without thinking of the pedophilia accusations against him.  Same with Harvey Weinstein.  Every time I'm watching a Miramax movie and see his name I think oh yeah that piece of shit.  

21 minutes ago, Bethany said:

What I like is he lived long enough to see her become a megastar and know that she eclipsed him by a country mile.  He died knowing at least part of his legacy was he was an abuser.  Yeah, I'm petty like that.

I don't think he ever really acknowledged even to himself how horrific his abuse of Tina was.  In his autobiography, he said: "Sure, I've slapped Tina. We had fights and there have been times when I punched her to the ground without thinking. But I never beat her."  Sounds like a man trying to explain his abuse.

[CountryGirl]

34 minutes ago, Bethany said:

What I like is he lived long enough to see her become a megastar and know that she eclipsed him by a country mile.  He died knowing at least part of his legacy was he was an abuser.  Yeah, I'm petty like that.

Not petty in the slightest, although I'm going to focus my future posts on Tina and not the abusive asshole she was married to, who doesn't deserve to have her shine reflected on him in any way. After all, you cannot shine a turd. 

[Spartan Girl]

1 hour ago, Shannon L. said:

A friend of mine just happens to be staying that the hotel where she sought refuge.  It's not a Ramada anymore, but they haven't forgotten what happened there.  There's a large portrait of her at the front, where someone left a rose yesterday, they played Tina's music all day and many locals showed up for happy hour to honor her.

That's amazing. I do love it when moments of kindness are memorialized. God knows we need more of that today.

[CountryGirl]

I just rewatched that scene in WLGTDWI and it breaks my heart all over again, especially knowing every moment really happened. What tremendous courage Tina showed to finally escape that monster cannot be overestimated. That a stranger (hotel manager) showed more compassion than the spouse who was supposed to love, honor, and protect her speaks volumes. 

[magicdog]

44 minutes ago, CountryGirl said:

I just rewatched that scene in WLGTDWI and it breaks my heart all over again, especially knowing every moment really happened. What tremendous courage Tina showed to finally escape that monster cannot be overestimated. 

 

During one of our interviews, Tina said that the movie was toned down compared to reality!  She said her abuse was MUCH worse!!

My station did a tribute to Tina last night - in part due to her Vegas connection since she performed here with Ike back in the day.  The Fremont Street Experience also had a canopy lit up with tributes to her.  Although for some reason, there seemed to be a little too much focus on a local performer who sings some of Tina's songs and who tried to make it a racial issue. Tina was hardly the first black performer in Vegas (as an individual or group) and certainly isn't the last.  

 

 

[Bastet]

8 hours ago, magicdog said:

who tried to make it a racial issue. Tina was hardly the first black performer in Vegas (as an individual or group) and certainly isn't the last.  

No, but one of the big reasons she left America and moved to Switzerland was the racism she experienced here, so race is a significant part of her life story. 

(I didn't watch the piece to see how it was specifically addressed; I've bookmarked it for later.  But just because a Black entertainer was "allowed" to perform somewhere and make money for the white venue owner didn't mean they were treated equally to white performers -- and just because Black performers no longer had to enter a venue through the kitchen, stay in a different hotel, and/or see the pool drained after they dared enter it, didn't meant racism was over.  Vegas was particularly noteworthy in that history given its prominence as an entertainment destination, so it makes sense it would be part of a locally-focused package.)

Edited May 26, 2023 by Bastet

[Blergh]

5 minutes ago, Bastet said:

No, but one of the big reasons she left America and moved to Switzerland was the racism she experienced here, so race is a significant part of her life story.  (I didn't watch the piece to see how it was specifically addressed; I've bookmarked it for later.)

Of course, it needs to be said that there are far fewer folks of African extraction living in her neck of Switzerland than in the US. 

However, one may wonder if Frau Bach (yes, I know that's not the usual way of referring to Tina Turner but that is her widower's surname and IMO, it's somewhat fitting that he happened to have the same surname as the classical composer)  was better treated due to having been a celebrity (and  one willing to embrace the language and culture before embarking on citizenship) than had she been an unknown and unwealthy person- regardless of background!

I also wonder if her widower and/or her friend circle may have called her in private by her given name of Anna instead of the tag that the late Ike had bestowed her.

I could be wrong but somehow being called 'Anna Bach' might have given her more comfort than her previous names.

[Bastet]

2 minutes ago, Blergh said:

Of course, it needs to be said that there are far fewer folks of African extraction living in her neck of Switzerland than in the US. 

Yes, but she consistently found herself treated better in Europe, and ultimately opted (for that and other reasons, including the man who was to become her next husband) to relocate to Switzerland.  She talked about this several times.  America isn't the only country with a racism problem, of course, but the Black American experience is its own beast. 

Edited May 26, 2023 by Bastet

[Bethany]

18 minutes ago, Bastet said:

No, but one of the big reasons she left America and moved to Switzerland was the racism she experienced here, so race is a significant part of her life story. 

I had wondered why she moved to Switzerland.  Sad that this would be a reason for her  to do so. 

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, Blergh said:

I could be wrong but somehow being called 'Anna Bach' might have given her more comfort than her previous names.

Since she fought in court to retain her stage name against Ike's ownership claim, gave up money she could have fought for as leverage (almost everything, really, to her lawyer's horror), and kept it for the rest of her life, I don't think so.  If she later wanted to call herself that instead, she would have.

Edited May 26, 2023 by Bastet

[AgentRXS]

21 minutes ago, Bastet said:

Since she fought in court to retain her stage name, and kept it, I don't think so.  If she wanted to call herself that, she would have.

Thank you. I have been cringing at all the remembrance posts referring to her as Anna Mae. It was so disrespectful to me. She decided a long time ago to become Tina Turner and never looked back. To refer to her as that is just so diminishing of all she worked to overcome. 

[stonehaven]

As a Gen Xer's I saw her comeback right before my eyes. It was a sight to behold. Her "Better Be Good To Me is still one of my favorites from that era.

Letterman uploaded two great Tina clips....

This hilarious one :

 

...and this more musical one:

 

[Blergh]

I'll say this once, then I'll drop it: I understand WHY Ms. Turner would have fought for & retained her stage name and I fully respect that.

 

However, I can recall that she said that offstage she was  a much more sedate and soft-spoken person than her 'stage' persona.

Yes, the stage persona proved to be her bread and butter her entire career and likely helped give her needed strength to go against the odds.

That in itself doesn't mean that she would have necessarily loathed it had her loved ones (husband, friend circle,etc.) considering wanting calling her Anna (not 'Annie Mae') if she had wanted that . No, I have no data to base this possibility on. However, if her widower ever decides to relate about her twilight years and it were to come up that she DID want him to call her 'Anna' and maybe be termed 'Frau Bach' by their  Swiss neighbors, it wouldn't seem totally OOC to me.

OK, I'm done on this tangent.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Say what you will about or against Mick Jagger, he and the Stones helped Tina rebuild her career. She was the opening act for their tour in 1981 when she needed the money and exposure, and that's why rock stations started playing her cover of Let's Stay Together, which kicked off her resurgence. Nice to see him giving her credit for helping him when he helped her as well.

[MissAlmond]

Actor/singer Ed Ames who played Mingo on the TV series Daniel Boone and was a member of the Ames Brothers singing quartet has died, age 95.

https://deadline.com/2023/05/ed-ames-dead-tv-star-and-hitmaking-singer-was-95-obituary-1235380502/

https://variety.com/2023/music/news/ed-ames-dead-daniel-boone-1235626012/

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/ed-ames-dead-daniel-boone-1235501603/

https://extratv.com/2023/05/25/ed-ames-of-the-ames-brothers-and-60s-series-daniel-boone-dies-at-95/

 

Edited May 26, 2023 by MissAlmond

[AgentRXS]

In a business where so many are ripped off or not given proper credit, it’s absolutely heartwarming that the little British white boys like Mick and Bowie that admired and was influenced by her in their youth stepped up and repayed her when she needed the help and they were on top. Beautiful.

ETA: This post made me think of Cher and how  both ladies evolved from their ‘60s personas and weren’t afraid to go for a comeback and be sexy while doing so in their 40s and beyond. I hope Cher is hanging in there after losing a friend of almost 60 years. My heart goes out to her. I can’t even imagine. 

[magicdog]

8 minutes ago, AgentRXS said:

In a business where so many are ripped off or not given proper credit, it’s absolutely heartwarming that the little British white boys like Mick and Bowie that admired and was influenced by her in their youth stepped up and repayed her when she needed it the help and they were on top. Beautiful.

Because they cut their teeth on US R&B singers... and Elvis.  They wouldn't have had their careers in part because they were inspired by their music and interpret it in their own way.

2 hours ago, Bastet said:

No, but one of the big reasons she left America and moved to Switzerland was the racism she experienced here, so race is a significant part of her life story. 

I find that difficult to believe considering she was popular right up to the day she stopped performing.  I would more likely think it could have been tax reasons or because her husband wanted to be there rather than the states.

 

2 hours ago, Bastet said:

But just because a Black entertainer was "allowed" to perform somewhere and make money for the white venue owner didn't mean they were treated equally to white performers

To a degree this was true.  In Las Vegas, the Moulin Rouge was the place races could mix but by the time it went out of business in 1955, segregation here stopped (thanks to Frank Sinatra) but all were welcomed since then.  Tina at the time she was with Ike and performing at the International Hotel was little more than part of the entourage until she built herself back and came back with a vengeance in 1983.

Also, pools were not drained like that.  Too much time to empty and too much time to fill.

[Bastet]

On 5/25/2023 at 8:52 PM, magicdog said:

I find that difficult to believe considering she was popular right up to the day she stopped performing.  I would more likely think it could have been tax reasons or because her husband wanted to be there rather than the states.

Well, if you listen to her own words in interviews (including those on video) rather than guessing, you'd know racism in America was one of the factors informing her decision to relocate.  Denying Black Americans their lived experience is generally unwise, especially when it's someone famous whose words are publicized; she said racism was a major consideration in her decision, so racism was a major consideration in her decision. 

On 5/25/2023 at 8:52 PM, magicdog said:

Also, pools were not drained like that. 

They presumably were, given how many first hand accounts across the country have never been reliably disputed or even denied at all.

Edited June 2, 2023 by Bastet

[Amello]

With the passing of Ed Ames, the last remaining member of The Ames Brothers, Tony Bennett becomes the living artist with the earliest debuting number one single with his song "Because of You" from 1951.

[Crashcourse]

I'm so sorry to hear about Ed Ames.  I'll never forget his famous tomahawk throw on Johnny Carson's show. 

Ouch! 🤣

 

[SunnyBeBe]

I love loved the Daniel Boone show, when I  was a kid.  I had no idea of what the words of the theme song were saying.  Anyway….I try to ignore the last part now.  Ed Ames played Tonto (correction Mingo), Daniel Boone’s best friend. He was my favorite in the show, except for Israel (son played by Darby Hinton).  I had a crush on him and actually met him in person at Frontier Land as a kid.  I recently saw him available on Cameo. 
 

 

 

Edited May 27, 2023 by SunnyBeBe

[Browncoat]

1 hour ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Ed Ames played Tonto

Mingo.

[MissAlmond]

Actor Marlene Clark best known for playing Lamont’s girlfriend Janet in Sanford and Son and Ganja Meda in the film Ganja & Hess has died, age 85.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/marlene-clark-dead-sanford-and-son-1235502120/

https://deadline.com/2023/05/marlene-clark-dead-sanford-amp-son-ganja-and-hess-slaughter-actress-1235381408/

[magdalene]

Tina Turner about Erwin Bach. Wow, her luck was really in when she met him  at that airport.

https://people.com/music/who-is-erwin-bach-tina-turner-husband/

[SunnyBeBe]

2 hours ago, Browncoat said:

Mingo.

That’s right.  Thanks.  

[MissAlmond]

Actor George Maharis who starred in the TV series Route 66 as Buz Murdock has died, age 94.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/george-maharis-dead-route-66-star-1235502542/

https://deadline.com/2023/05/george-maharis-dead-route-66-fantasy-island-actor-1235381937/

https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/george-maharis-dead-route-66-1235627272/

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/28/arts/television/george-maharis-dead.html

Edited May 28, 2023 by MissAlmond

[Popples]

I can't believe it's been 25 years. I was absolutely gutted to wake up to this news when I was 13.

 

[Spartan Girl]

1 hour ago, Popples said:

I can't believe it's been 25 years. I was absolutely gutted to wake up to this news when I was 13.

 

Shit, that was today? Yeah, what happened to him was horrifying.