Rick Astley dead? No, just another Rickrolling hoax

Little did many of us know it in the panic following the death of Michael Jackson, but the world was duped with the ultimate “Rickrolling” of all-time.

Yes, ‘80s singer-songwriter Rick Astley -- the guy who was “never gonna give us up” -- was dead ... at least according to one cleverly composed but phony report.

In the wake of fake death reports of Jeff Goldblum, Harrison Ford and even George Clooney, some enterprising pranksters used CNN’s user-generated iReport service to announce Astley’s death, says the Times of London.

Alas, the 43-year-old Brit, whose career got a second bounce through Rickrolling (the bait-and-switch Web links to his 1987 hit Never Gonna Give You Up), is alive and well and on tour this summer.

Let the jokes begin: It's the 'Michael Jackson is now a Zombie' website

"I was the king of pop. Now I'm the king of the undead." Those words welcome visitors to the Michael Jackson is now a Zombie blog, probably the first but not final "lighter" take on the passing of Michael Jackson.

What was the over/under on time until tasteless jokes? About 20 seconds?

The blog is "written" by MJ himself. Yesterday's most interesting item: "This has been a long day. I died, I came back to life. I dance fought a car. Do you know how much energy this takes out of you? Do you know how hard reanimation is?"

I'm warning you now: Don't go to this blog unless you have a sick sense of humor, laugh at crotch grabbing and are okay with adult language. (You're going to click on it anyway, aren't you?)

Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, dies after heart attack at age 50

Michael Jackson, the King of Pop and the most famous name in modern music history, died Thursday shortly after being rushed to an L.A. hospital after suffering cardiac arrest.

Jackson was 50 years old.

As of Thursday night, his official website just showed a red screen with a photo of Jackson saying simply: King of Pop ... Michael Jackson.

"Michael suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this afternoon and paramedics were unable to revive him," the celebrity website TMZ.com first reported shortly before 6 p.m. Eastern time.

The Los Angeles Times originally had reported that the singer was in a coma and family members were gathering. But the paper later confirmed Jackson had dead.

According to the Times, Capt. Steve Ruda of the LA Fire Department said "paramedics responded to a call at Jackson's home around 12:26 p.m. Pacific time. He was not breathing when they arrived. The paramedics performed CPR and took him to UCLA Medical Center."

Jackson was in the midst of preparing a comeback after years of tabloid madness, mostly sparked by his trials (and acquittals) on child molestation charges. He had sold out 50 shows at London's O2 Arena and was beginning to rehearse for those concerts. 

He was the subject of bad health rumors before, but always seemed to recover.

Crowds of fans began gathering around the hospital shortly after the news broke, some not even knowing that Jackson had died, according to TV reports. Aside from his family, who arrived at the hospital shortly after the singer arrived, it's been reported that longtime friend Elizabeth Taylor visited to pay her respects.

"I am absolutely devastated ... I just don't have the words," producer and collaborator Quincy Jones said in a statement today.

The exact cause of death is not known yet, though reports are that Jackson had a heart attack. The Los Angeles Coroner's Office will investigate.

Jackson was a two-time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame -- once with the Jacksons and again as a solo artist. His record albums are estimated to exceed 750 million in sales. He won 13 Grammy Awards and had 13 No. 1 hits during his career.

Jackson married twice -- to Lisa Marie Presley and later to Debbie Rowe -- and had three children, Michael Jr., Paris and Prince.

Click here for a photo slideshow of his career.

[AP photo]

Miss Bea Arthur? Here's a marathon you'll love

Bea Arthur fans, cancel your plans for tonight because the WE cable network is planning a huge Golden Girls marathon.

The "Classic Dorothy" marathon runs from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. tonight and again on Thursday from 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Check our local listings for exact times and channels in your area.

WE has also created an online forum for fans to share their favorite Bea/Dorothy memories.

The Emmy- and Tony award-winning Arthur passed away Saturday in Los Angeles from cancer.

Goodbye, Dorothy Petrillo Zbornak

Golden Girls star Beatrice Arthur died Saturday of cancer, the Associated Press reports. She was 86.

Known to older generations as "Maude," she was best know to '80s fans as "Dorothy Zbornak," a retiree living in Miami Beach with Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty. Golden Girls ran from 1985 to 1992 before Arthur left the series, reportedly saying she didn't like working as part of an ensemble cast.

In 1983, Arthur starred in another TV series, Amanda's, a U.S. version of Britain's Fawlty Towers. But the series was canceled after only nine episodes. She also had a hilarious role in Mel Brooks' History of the World Part 1 (1981), playing the unemployment office clerk. ("Oh, a bulls--- artist!")

TOP 5 DOROTHY ZBORNAK LINES FROM GOLDEN GIRLS:

5. "You'll have to excuse my mother. She suffered a slight stroke a few years ago which rendered her totally annoying."

4. "You're a furry little gnome and we feed you too much."

3. "Now look here ... You withered old Sicilian monkey!"

2. "Of course you hate communism, it's because you were raised a fascist."

1. "How come whenever my ship comes in it's leaking?"

Cramps' Lux Interior dies at age 60

The co-founder and lead singer of The Cramps has died. Lux Interior (real name: Erick Lee Purkhiser) died today of a pre-existing heart condition in a California hospital, AP reports. He was 60.

The band formed in 1973 and quickly crafted a musical style lovingly referred to as "psychobilly." The band's lineup would change through the years, but Lux and wife/co-founder Kristy Wallace (aka Poison Ivy) remained the core.

The Cramps' official website today shows only a performance photo of Lux with the words: "Hey, I'm on my way, on a journey outta this world."

[Getty Images]

Farewell, Mr. Roarke. Goodbye, Khan

No more waves goodbye from Mr. Roarke. Forget any final curse from Khan. No last pitch for the "soft Corinthian leather." Ricardo Montalban has passed away.

The Mexican-born actor, who first delighted audiences in MGM musicals in the 1940s and later captured the attention of sci-fi and fantasy fans in the '70s and '80s, died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 88.

WHAT'S HIS NAME?: Born Ricardo Gonzalo Pedro Montalbán Merino, Hollywood execs originally wanted to shorten his name to Ricky Martin (nah, it'd never work). Despite his Latin heritage, he was often cast as an Asian or American Indian in early roles.

MEET KHAN: In 1969, Montalban was cast as the "Khan Noonien Singh," a genetically conceived tyrant banished to an uninhabited planet, in the original Star Trek TV series. His reprisal of the role for the 1982 movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is considered by many critics to be one of the top 10 movie villains of all time. [See the trailer]

HE'S INTO LEATHER: Say it with us ... the Chrysler Cordoba has "soft Corinthian leather." Montalban's TV spots in the mid-70s for the Chrysler Cordoba are often parodied and even more often misquoted. (It's not "fine" ... it's "soft.") [Watch it here]

HE'S YOUR HOST: He'll always be "Mr. Roarke" -- no first name? -- on ABC's Fantasy Island from 1978 to 1984. Was he immortal, an illusionist or just a magician? For $50,000, guests to his exclusive island could decide for themselves. [Show intro]

AND HE WAS...: There were so many more notable appearances, including roles in Escape from the Planet of the Apes, Cannonball Run II, Naked Gun, and most recently the "Grandfather" in the Spy Kids movie franchise.

Paul Newman: 1925-2008

Is it okay if the Stuck in the '80s nation claims Paul Newman as our own -- just for this day?

The legendary actor died Friday after a battle with cancer at his home near Westport, Conn., according to the Associated Press.

Newman had major roles in more than 50 movies and was nominated for an Oscar 10 times. In 1986, he won an honorary Oscar "in recognition of his many and memorable compelling screen performances and for his personal integrity and dedication to his craft."

And, of course, he left a significant stamp on several '80s classics.

TOP FIVE '80s FILMS BY MR. PAUL NEWMAN:

5. BLAZE (1989): "The three best friends the poor people have ever had are Jesus Christ, Sears & Roebuck and Earl K. Long."

4. FORT APACHE THE BRONX (1981): "It don't make no difference how many guns you got. You only got two hands."

3. ABSENCE OF MALICE (1981): "She picked up a newspaper, for Christ's sake! And there it is, for everybody to see! She must have felt like ... just raped!"

2. THE COLOR OF MONEY (1986): "You gotta have two things to win. You gotta have brains and you gotta have balls. Now, you got too much of one and not enough of the other."

1. THE VERDICT (1982): "If we are to have faith in justice, we need only to believe in ourselves. And ACT with justice. See, I believe there is justice in our hearts."

John Ritter's glow-in-the-dark legacy

Sometimes you truly don't see the genius until they're gone. At least that's not the case with the late John Ritter, who would have turned 60 today.

Ritter died on Sept. 11, 2003, but he left behind some real gems on TV and the silver screen, especially during the '80s.

TELEVISION: Wow, don't make me have to throw the words Three's Company at you. A totally unwatchable show, except for his role as Jack Tripper. You want to get obscure though ... can you name the spin-off? (Yes, Three's a Crowd in 1984-85.) But he also starred in Hooperman and ... three episodes of The Love Boat!

FILMS: I cherish Ritter in 1992's Stay Tuned, but if you haven't seen him as the reluctant CIA agent in Real Men (with James Belushi at his near zenith) or 1980's Wholly Moses (he was "Satan" for crying out loud!), then you really should visit your Netflix queue a little more often.

THE ULTIMATE HIGHLIGHT: Just the mention of 1989's Skin Deep usually triggers an outburst of childish laughter from anyone who has seen it. Think back. Way back. Think glow-in-dark. Think safe sex. Okay, just click here for the movie clip. (Slightly adult in nature, but still SFW I think.)

[AP photo]

Still the leader of the band

"Leader of the Band" is one of those timeless songs that touches anyone claims to have warm, red blood flowing through their hearts. And yet, we can also claim it as an '80s classic.

Written by Dan Fogelberg and released in 1981, the song was intended as a tribute to his late father, Lawrence Peter Fogelberg, a musician and high school band director. In the years since its release and rise through the charts, the song has been adopted by many more of us, who lean on Dan's prose and soulful voice as we still struggle with our own losses.

"The leader of the band is tired
And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through my instrument
And his song is in my soul
My life has been a poor attempt
To imitate the man
I'm just a living legacy
To the leader of the band."

Dan Fogelberg, who passed away in December of prostate cancer, would have turned 57 years old today.