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Phyllis Diller‘s passing yesterday at the age of 95 was the latest blow in a sad week for pop culture, following the deaths of reality star Joey Kovar on Friday and singer Scott McKenzie on Saturday.
Phyllis Diller was proof positive that you don’t have to be young, educated, or one of the beautiful people to live your dream. Beginning her career in comedy when she was nearly 40, Diller already had raised five children (with most of them still living at home) when she “broke.” Spending the late 1950s and much of the 1960s here in the St. Louis area, the accomplished singer and pianist was better known for her wild outfits, off-color language, and self-depreciating humor.
The last I saw of her was when she appeared last year on Roseanne‘s reality show, “Roseanne’s Nuts.” While obviously struggling, her humor and trademark laugh were still intact.
Two interesting facts: False rumors have circulated for years that she was the mother of actress Susan Lucci. Also, her many anecdotes about her husband “Fang” were actually all fictitious stories based on an imaginary partner, not her real husbands.
See Phyllis cracking herself up during a stand up routine here!
On Saturday, Scott McKenzie, forever etched into pop culture for his vocals on 1967’s anthem “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair),” died of complications from Guillain-Barre syndrome at the age of 73.
McKenzie did not actually write the song (it was composed by the uber-creepy John Phillips), but if there was ever the case of “the perfect song written for the perfect voice,” this was it. McKenzie’s smooth-as-silk delivery and peace-loving-hippie garb helped the simple tune become a generation’s calling card, cementing a moment in time that can never be relived. In fact, within months of the song hitting the airwaves, Haight-Ashbury was infiltrated by heroin and cocaine, homeless kids dying in the streets, and Charles Manson hand-picking his “Family.” McKenzie’s love-fueled San Francisco was a thing of the past, delegated to memories created through the radio dial.
Watch Scott performing his hit here!
The most tragic of the celebrity deaths this week occured when Real World star Joey Kovar was found in a friend’s home with blood coming from his ears and nose. He died at the age of 29.
Kovar has struggled with addiction most of his adult life. A dedicated bodybuilder, Kovar developed a serious addiction to steroids as well as cocaine and meth, causing Celebrity Rehab therapist Dr. Drew Pinsky to marvel at how Kovar was still alive with that mixture of drugs in his system.
During his televised stint in rehab, viewers got the sense of just how deeply the addictions had worked into Kovar’s body and mind. Once sober, the young father revealed himself to be a compassionate, caring soul, often looking out for his fellow cast members and concerned about his fiancee and his son’s well being.
