R.I.P. The thread of death....celebrity or otherwise

[Skinypupy]

Mike Fahey of Kotaku has died.

Oh no. I knew he had that massive health issue a couple years back that left him paralyzed, but hadn’t heard that he was in dire straits again.

I loved his writing, especially on JRPGs. ;(

[Isgrimnur]

2018

As our Editor-In-Chief documented in an April post filled with comments I cannot read without tearing up, on March 22 I experienced an aortic dissection, a relatively rare injury in which the aortic wall splits, allowing blood to go where it shouldn’t. It’s caused by high blood pressure (which I am taking care of now), smoking (which I’ve quit) and genetics. It’s the same thing that killed my biological father 20 years ago. It could very well have killed me, but I still function. Complications from the event have left me paralyzed from the chest down, but I have an awesome electric wheelchair and have started financing a special ramp-equipped van. I like to pretend my transforming cog has been lost and I am stuck in vehicle mode.

[Daehawk]

Never heard of someone being paralyzed from a heart problem. Yes I know what happened. Maybe it was lack of blood to his spinal cord or brain. Horrible thing. Wonder what killed him though. Blood clot / stroke perhaps. Some people who are stuck in chairs have that happen.

[Rumpy]

Mike Fahey of Kotaku has died.

Oh no. I knew he had that massive health issue a couple years back that left him paralyzed, but hadn’t heard that he was in dire straits again.

I loved his writing, especially on JRPGs. ;(

I was wondering why I hadn't seen a news story from him for awhile. He was one of the best things about the site, always full of enthusiasm. I'd been thinking about him lately and wishing we would see something new from him, wondering why he'd disappeared. Ironically enough, I don't see anything about his passing on the site itself.

[Skinypupy]

Ironically enough, I don't see anything about his passing on the site itself.

I’m sure the corporate overlords ran revenue projections and decided that an article acknowledging the death of a beloved long-time contributor wouldn’t generate enough clicks to be bring in profitable ad revenue. So they’ll just skip it.

(/s, although that does kinda feel like Kotaku’s MO these days)

[Smoove_B]

I was wondering why I hadn't seen a news story from him for awhile. He was one of the best things about the site, always full of enthusiasm. I'd been thinking about him lately and wishing we would see something new from him, wondering why he'd disappeared. Ironically enough, I don't see anything about his passing on the site itself.

Yes, at one point he added lots of culture/food articles and perspectives on living overseas. I always thought that was an interesting way to connect more to gaming culture. I remember quite well when he had his original medical episode and just assumed he was more focused on day-to-day existence at this point. Not the news I was expecting to see this morning and I'm also surprised (or maybe not) that it's nowhere to be seen on Kotaku.

RIP

[Rumpy]

Ironically enough, I don't see anything about his passing on the site itself.

I’m sure the corporate overlords ran revenue projections and decided that an article acknowledging the death of a beloved long-time contributor wouldn’t generate enough clicks to be bring in profitable ad revenue. So they’ll just skip it.

(/s, although that does kinda feel like Kotaku’s MO these days)

Well, which is very odd considering they do plenty of welcome to the staff articles where new writers introduce themselves, as well as articles where longtime staff writers get acknowledged in farewell articles with other staff members gushing about them. So, if they feel those would generate enough revenue clicks, then surely the passing of one of their iconic writers should as well. Totilo got a farewell article, so did Jason Schreier and other less important writers that have come and gone. Yet Fahey stayed on and guarded the fort at a time when there was lots of turnover. He was one of the last of a long-time crew that really made the site what it is. In that context, it feels quite odd to omit.

I'll admit, I was fairly worried when I started seeing someone new that seemed to cover Fahey's territory.

[Daehawk]

No bad to the man who died but Ive found Kotaku to be lacking in every area for a few years now. Sorry guys. No disrespect to the fallen writer.

[Rumpy]

And it's going to be lacking even moreso with his passing. I find the newer writers just aren't up to the task of writing up much of anything interesting.

[Skinypupy]

Two days later and there’s still no mention of Fahey’s passing anywhere on Kotaku. At least that I can see on their front page

Not even acknowledging him? That’s just flat-out shitty.

[Rumpy]

Yeah, I agree. Either they're at a loss for words, or the parent company doesn't care. I'd consider him having been part of the senior staff, and he'd been there for a long time. At the very least he was a veteran staff member. Pretty pathetic that you get puff pieces welcoming new writers, and pieces with long-winded goodbyes for others, even some who'd left only to have come back, but not even one to acklowledge the passing of someone who's done a lot for their site is indeed pretty shitty.

Polygon has an obit, but Kotaku has nothing. That's rather screwed up.

https://www.polygon.com/23338208/mike-f ... u-obituary

[Unagi]

"Either they are at a loss for words.... "

LOL - OMG you are so Canadian.
No - they just suck. Don't apologize for them.

[Rumpy]

Yes... yes I am

But yes, they do suck, and with his passing, they'll suck even more.

[Skinypupy]

OK, I'm gonna take back my criticism of Kotaku for not posting about Fahey over the weekend. Because this is a truly wonderful tribute. As someone who has read Fahey columns for what feels like ever, I legit teared up a couple times reading that.

While I do still think they should have at least mentioned it ("RIP Fahey...we'll have more on Tuesday), I now see why it took so long.

[Rumpy]

Ahh yeah, that is much better. I had checked earlier and still hadn't seen anything, but referring to him as the 'Soul' of the site is apt. And dang, 49 is young. Sad to hear he had such problems.

[Unagi]

Ahh yeah, that is much better.

Maybe next time don’t be so quick to condemn them.

Spoiler:

Totally joking

[Rumpy]

Ahh yeah, that is much better.

Maybe next time don’t be so quick to condemn them.

Spoiler:

Totally joking

Yeah, I'm totally Canadian...

[Unagi]

Nothing to apologize aboot.

[Smoove_B]

Yeah, that was a great piece. 49 is way too young.

Unrelated, but author Peter Straub died over the weekend. I can't claim to be a loyal fan, but the book he co-wrote with Stephen King ("The Tailsman") is one of my favorites (and yes I know they collaborated on a follow up 17 years later - "Black House". Also good, but not as memorable for me as The Tailsman). I should probably read more of his work.

In a 2002 interview with Minzesheimer, Straub said he resented "being stuffed into the category of genre writer . . . as if genre writing is automatically second-rate and can become literary only by transcending the genre," and wished critics would judge writers by the quality of the writing, not just their subject matter.

Straub was a reliable presence on the USA TODAY Best Selling Books list, with seven of his novels spending 68 weeks on the list. His highest-ranked book was "Black House," which went as high as No. 2 in 2001.

Emma Straub wrote warmly of her relationship with her father, which inspired her most recent book, "This Time Tomorrow," a big-hearted time-travel novel about a woman coming to terms with her writer father's impending death.

“A universe of worlds, a dimensional macrocosm of worlds—and in all of them one thing that was always the same; one unifying force that was undeniably good, even if it now happened to be imprisoned in an evil place; the Talisman, axle of all possible worlds.”

RIP

[YellowKing]

I have a mental ranking of horror authors in terms of the "intellectualness" of their work. It doesn't reflect my enjoyment of their books per se, it just helps me categorize whether I'm getting into something "meaty" or something that falls more into the light "read on a beach" category. Someone like a Dean Koontz would be down towards the bottom, as his books have really wide mainstream appeal and are written on a very mass-market level. Stephen King falls somewhere in the middle.

At the very top is Clive Barker, but coming in a close second would be Peter Straub. I remember reading several of his books as an adolescent and though they were way over my head at the time, I still knew they were something special. This was "serious" horror, and like Barker's books, it felt somewhat like I was sneaking into an area where I had no business being. I loved them all the more for that.

I didn't know a lot about his personal life, but apparently he was a great human being - the tributes have had nothing but glowing praise for not only his role as an author but as a father and friend.

[ImLawBoy]

I think Ghost Story is probably considered his high point, although Shadowland was pretty important, too. I'd suggest it's worth digging into some of his stuff (and those two would be at the top of my personal list) if you like horror and/or liked The Talisman.

[Jaymann]

The Queen is dead. Long live the King (Charles).

[Rumpy]

Our family has a long connection of encounters with the Royals. My Grandfather was an RCMP officer, and in 1954, and he was among those selected that year to escort Prince Philip on one of his tours to Canada. So, he'd gone over to England for a short trip to retrieve him and was at his side throughout the trip. I was exctactic a few years ago when I managed to find some archival footage of this when previously all we had was a still image.

In 1984, our new local Science Center was having its grand opening, the Queen was scheduled to make a visit to cut the ribbon on one of her many scheduled stops. As my Dad worked at the Science Centre, my Dad had arranged for my Sister to hand the Queen a bouquet of flowers.

In 1991, it was the year that Princess Diana, Prince Charles and the kids had made their iconic trip to Niagara Falls, and there was a day away from the glare of the media where the kids would get a private tour of the same Science Center. As it was a private event, not just anybody could be there, but it was an exciting time for my Brother and I, as my Dad, who still worked there, managed to get us placed in spots to interact with them and show them around and be part of the event. So briefly, we actually got to engage with all of them.

[Alefroth]

CNN's Bernard Shaw.

[McNutt]

I remember listening to him as the bombs were falling during Desert Storm. I really liked him.

[Jeff V]

The Queen is dead. Long live the King (Charles).

It's notable that Lizzy refused to retire to let Chucky take over when he was a much younger man.

[Unagi]

The Queen is dead. Long live the King (Charles).

It's notable that Lizzy refused to retire to let Chucky take over when he was a much younger man.

I guess. Curious just what you feel is notable about it.

[Jeff V]

That she lacked confidence in him to do the job (whatever the hell that job entails)?

[Unagi]

That she lacked confidence in him to do the job (whatever the hell that job entails)?

Kinda my point. In our modern-day - what is the point? None?

[Kraken]

That she lacked confidence in him to do the job (whatever the hell that job entails)?

Kinda my point. In our modern-day - what is the point? None?

If the job is to be a figurehead who inspires national pride and continuity, she did a wonderful job of it. She was beloved and had no reason to abdicate.

[Jeff V]

But how shitty can one be to not be considered fit for a figurehead job?

[Unagi]

But how shitty can one be to not be considered fit for a figurehead job?

When the only role is stability - I think one should be able to understand the lack of a need for a needless change.

[Jeff V]

But how shitty can one be to not be considered fit for a figurehead job?

When the only role is stability - I think one should be able to understand the lack of a need for a needless change.

I thought their role was to be a financial burden on the government?

[Unagi]

But how shitty can one be to not be considered fit for a figurehead job?

When the only role is stability - I think one should be able to understand the lack of a need for a needless change.

I thought their role was to be a financial burden on the government?

You are confusing Role with Duty.

[Jeff V]

You are confusing Role with Duty.

Perhaps so! All I know is we fought 2 wars for the right to not give two fucks about the lot of them.

[Unagi]

You are confusing Role with Duty.

Perhaps so! All I know is we fought 2 wars for the right to not give two fucks about the lot of them.

Exactly. If you check the fine print we are obligated to still give a fuck.

[Jeff V]

Exactly. If you check the fine print we are obligated to still give a fuck.

Well, fuck, I guess I fail that part of the patriotism exam.

[Alefroth]

You are confusing Role with Duty.

Perhaps so! All I know is we fought 2 wars for the right to not give two fucks about the lot of them.

I figured you'd have a better understanding of why we fought those wars.

[Sudy]

The Kardashians are America's royal family. I would be marginally more upset if the Windsors were in a tragic airline accident. Probably because I live in a Commonwealth country. But I try not to care too much about the stupid things in the world. Except when I do... and then I come here to bitch.

The Queen, by many accounts, probably was not Satan. She seemed like a nice lady. Though I'm sure she could have done more for the world. But then, that applies to most of us. The monarchy will not disappear entirely because too much of the world doesn't want it to yet.

[RM2]

Captain of the Exxon Valdez, Joseph Hazelwood, died today at age 75

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/09/busi ... -dead.html