Last Days

On March 18, 2009, Natasha Richardson -- the talented star perhaps best known for her role as Lindsay Lohan's mother in The Parent Trap -- died after suffering what seemed like a minor injury at a ski resort in Canada. Her unexpected passing shocked the Hollywood community and forever changed the lives of her friends and family, but it's become an important cautionary tale that has probably ended up saving countless lives.Hosts: Derek Kaufman and Jason Beckerman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On April 22, 2004, former NFL star Pat Tillman was killed by friendly fire in a remote canyon in eastern Afghanistan. Over the next few weeks, a small but powerful group of people within the United States chain-of-command hatched a plan to cover-up how Tillman died. And though the truth eventually emerged, the damage was done: to the military for engaging in the cover up, to Tillman’s family who had been lied to repeatedly, and to the legacy of Pat Tillman, one of the most complicated heroes of the modern age.Hosts: Jason Beckerman & Derek Kaufman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On February 18, 2001, NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt suffered a fatal injury after he crashed his trademark No. 3 Chevy during the final lap of the Daytona 500. His death not only shocked his family, friends, and legions of fans but also changed the sport of stock car racing forever.Hosts: Jason Beckerman & Derek Kaufman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On June 7, 2023, The Iron Sheik -- perhaps the most famous villain in the history of professional wrestling -- passed away at the age of 81. A true legend in the ring and the chief adversary of Hulk Hogan in the 80s, he played an instrumental role in transforming the sport from a local novelty led by traveling entertainers into a full-blown global phenomenon.Hosts: Derek Kaufman & Jason Beckerman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On March 5, 1982, John Belushi – just 33 years old and widely considered one of the great comedic geniuses of all time – died of an overdose of cocaine and heroin. Much of the chatter following Belushi’s death centered upon his addictions and the sordid life he often lived, but his legacy remains the timeless characters he created and his fearless comedic style that has inspired generations of boundary-pushing comics.Hosts: Derek Kaufman & Derek Kaufman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On May 28, 1998, Phil Hartman – star of Saturday Night Live and voice of countless characters on The Simpsons – was shot and killed in bed by his wife in the middle of the night. But the murder turned out to be only a prelude to one of the most shocking tragedies ever to rock Hollywood, leaving fans to mourn the death of a comedy icon while family and friends struggled to make sense of it all.Hosts: Jason Beckerman & Derek Kaufman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On May 24, 2023, Tina Turner – the iconic Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll who dazzled legions of fans with her electric performances for more than six decades – passed away after a long illness at the age of 83. Although already a vibrant and singular presence in music by the late 60s, her incredible comeback in the mid-80s after enduring years of abuse at the hands of her ex-husband, Ike Turner, inspired a whole new generation of people and allowed her to transform from music icon to living legend.Hosts: Derek Kaufman & Eric Colley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On December 18, 1997, Chris Farley – known to his cadre of famous friends as the funniest and kindest man they’d ever known – died from an overdose of cocaine and heroin. His death was the heartbreaking conclusion of a life lived in the grip of addiction and serves as a cautionary tale about the fragility of fame and the perils of a system designed to extract a laugh at any cost.Host: Jason Becerkman & Derek Kaufman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On May 19, 2023, Jim Brown - quite possibly the greatest American athlete ever - died after a long illness. As great as Brown was on the field, his most indelible impact may well be be as a civil rights pioneer who fought fiercely for revolutionary causes. During a time when athletes – especially Black athletes – were expected to keep their ideas to themselves, Brown was a proud rabble-rouser who paved the way for later generations to openly fight for the causes that matter to them.Hosts: Jason Beckerman & Derek Kaufman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On September 11, 2003, John Ritter - the popular sitcom superstar from Three's Company - suddenly fell ill on the set of his new show and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he later died from a rare heart condition. As the world mourned the passing of a comedic legend, his family and friends were left to wonder -- was it preventable?Hosts: Jason Beckerman & Derek Kaufman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices