Kirk Douglas' Health Seems to be Working Out

When Kirk Douglas was a Hollywood star, we have no doubt that he enjoyed getting rave reviews. about his performances from others in the business. Now he's getting public adoration from his son, Michael, for his health.

Michael Douglas had dinner with his childhood pal, concert czar Don Law, when he was in town making “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.” Don inquired about the health of Michael’s dad, Kirk Douglas, and Michael told him the old man was doing great. “He’s 91 years old and he works out every day,” Douglas told Law. “His trainer is 94.”

It sounds to us like Douglas is giving Jack LaLanne a run for his money. We figure that that race, if it was staged, would last no less than a couple of hours.

[Boston Herald]

Frances Reid to Kirk Douglas: 1 Degree of Separation

Some birthdays for you to celebrate, so you can stop wondering when some Mexican musician is going to go Antonio Banderas -Desperado all over everybody's ass.

Now, help yourself to a double heaping of cake, because...

Today is somebody's birthday! Whose Birthday? Actor Kirk Douglas's Birthday. How Old Is He? 1,2,3,4... 91! And Never been Kissed By... Death

Douglas appears on 9(!) 2007 Death Pool rosters and because we're throwing you this party, we leave you with a little goody bag-

• In the 2003 movie "It Runs in the Family," three generations of a fictional family are depicted by Kirk Douglas, Michael Douglas, and Cameron Douglas, real life grandfather, father, and son.

Douglas is still as determined as Spartacus though: "I'd do it! I'm still a young guy!" So says the sprightly Kirk Douglas when asked if he'd make another movie.

Today is somebody else's birthday! Whose Birthday? Actress Frances Reid's Birthday. How Old Is She? 1,2,3,4... 93! And Never been Kissed By... Death

Reid appears on 1 2007 Death Pool roster and because we're throwing you this party, we leave you with a little goody bag-

• Frances Reid has portrayed matriarch Alice Horton on Days of Our Lives since the series premiered in November 1965. 42 years later, she is still playing the same character!

To quote Catherine Deveny "Frances Reid is 93 years old and still plays the role of Alice Horton. Someone give that woman a medal. And some stewed prunes." I mean, she is no Helen Wagner, but that's pretty damn impressive.

... And Many More!

Douglas Backs Out of Event at Last Minute

Veteran actor Kirk Douglas was scheduled to speak this evening in San Diego at the annual Jewish Book Fair. I just received this e-mail from organizers:

To all Kirk Douglas ticket holders, We are very sorry to inform you that due to health issues, Mr. Kirk Douglas will not be able to make his scheduled appearance this evening at 6:00. However, Mr. Douglas is determined to reschedule once his health and his schedule can be coordinated. We expect this to happen in December or January.

As witnessed by Jackie Gmach, San Diego Jewish Book Fair Director, Mr. Douglas was at Costco yesterday for a book signing when flu-like symptoms caused him excessive fatigue and loss of voice. His publicist, Annabelle Stevens, spoke with Jackie and relayed Mr. Douglas’ regret and reinforced his commitment to our book fair and that he will reschedule as soon as possible.

For those interested in gifts for the holidays, Mr. Douglas' book will be available tonight with signed book plates.

We want to reiterate, this is not a cancelled event, but rather a postponed one. For any questions, please call our box office.

TWID - Mother's Day Edition

This Week in Death brings you: Notes from around the pool! We already stuck our toe in and the water is perfect... So come on in as we take you from the shallow to the deep end, and catch you up on all the news you need to know to be an educated death pool competitor.

Mother's nurture you, so in their honor, we start this week with- Health!

Tammy Faye is Half-Bakked; Matter of Time
Tammy Faye Bakker, the disgraced televangelist whose reputations was rehabilitated, has penned a goodbye letter to her fans in which she says doctors have stopped treating her cancer. "The doctors have stopped trying to treat the cancer and so now it's up to God and my faith. And that's enough! But please continue to pray for the pain and sick stomach."
http://www.reuters.com/article/peopleNews/idUSN0927384020070509

Surprisingly, no Chapter Titled "Prepare a Death Pool Notice"
At age 90, actor Kirk Douglas has written his ninth, and he swears, final book. Featuring chapters like "Thinking About Death," "Dealing With Death," "Almost Dying," "Reading Obituaries" and "Sunset," the book is called, "Let's Face it."
http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyID=2007-05-08T110647Z_01_N07379441_RTRIDST_0_LIFESTYLE-DOUGLAS-COL.XML

Diego, It Wasn't Us, We Promise You Have Been in our 'Health' Section Only
Argentine football hero Diego Maradona has vowed to get healthy after a stint in hospital suffering from alcohol-induced hepatitis. In a live televised interview, he also vowed to find out who spread the rumour that he had died while he was in treatment.
http://itn.co.uk/news/41a4547649f2026ef504b9c49fac365e.html

Huanging On: What is the Secret of the Ju's Longevity?
The Chinese government on Wednesday denied media reports that Vice Premier Huang Ju, one of the nine most powerful men in the Communist Party hierarchy, had died. "It is our understanding that news regarding comrade Huang Ju's death is totally unfounded," an official with the cabinet spokesman's office said by telephone.
http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2007/05/09/china_denies_vice_premier_has_died/

Look Who Knows so Much. It just so Happens that Your Friend here is only Mostly Dead.
I believe Castro's masterminding his own slow fade. Of course Castro, a politician without parallel in recent history, may be dead already. Or not. In any case, we may not know when he actually does pass. Castro is likely using his death to his advantage: his final political gambit.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-braudy/is-fidel-castro-mastermin_b_47896.html

And then there was death...

Mendel Claims he Ordered a Zima, not Emphysema
Former U.S. Rep. Mendel J. Davis, who represented South Carolina's 1st District for nearly a decade during the 1970s, died Sunday. He was 64.Davis, the last Democrat to win the district that covers much of the coast, died of complications from emphysema.
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/575/story/67980.html

You're Right James Prince, it is Real Sad
Former two-division world champion Diego "Chico" Corrales, who lived as hard as he fought, died in a motorcycle crash Monday night in Las Vegas. "He crashed on a motorcycle. It don't look like he made it through this," manager James Prince told ESPN.com as he was arriving on the scene. "He's dead. It's real sad."
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=2863505

Harrington Scared to Death; Takes Final Curtis-y
Curtis Harrington, who dived under his seat while watching his first horror film as a child, then went on to be a filmmaker known for his elegant, edgy cinematic forays into the macabre, died on Sunday at his home in the Hollywood Hills section of Los Angeles. He was 80.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/10/movies/10harrington.html?_r=1&ref=obituaries&oref=slogin

Comonna Wanna Layou to Rest
King Malietoa Tanumafili II, one of the world's longest reigning monarchs, has died at a hospital in Samoa. He was 94. Malietoa Tanumafili had sat on the Samoan throne since the country gained independence from New Zealand in 1962.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/samoan-monarch-dies-at-94/2007/05/13/1178994992661.html

Prostate Cancer killed Yahweh who Killed the Angel of Death... Chad Gadya, Chad Gaaaaadya
Former cult leader Yahweh Ben Yahweh, who was linked to nearly two dozen gruesome killings in the 1980s and said to have ordered victims' ears cut off as proof they were killed, has died. Yahweh, who had been fighting prostate cancer, died in his sleep Monday night, attorney Jayne Weintraub said.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/05/08/america/NA-GEN-US-Obit-Yahweh-Ben-Yahweh.php

That's all for TWID. "Because living is good, and dying... not as good"

The Commissioner's Council