Entertainment

An insider has claimed that the establishment did not want George Michael in the ‘limelight’ and that his demise had been planned a few years ago when he had started getting too ‘vocal’ about the establishment and ‘political matters‘. Michael was anti establishment, anti-war, pro- Palestinian and a vigorous opponent of the 2003 Iraq War. In 2002 he released “Shoot the Dog,” a song that lampooned the then British Prime Minister Tony Blair for his close relationship with former US President George W. Bush.

The passing of George Michael this week reminded many of the seemingly short life expectancy of musicians (and performers in general). In fact, as on study found, while blues, jazz, and country singers typically live as long as the average American; rock, techno, punk, metal, rap, and hip hop stars die significantly sooner.

“I hope I die before I get old,” The Who’s Roger Daltrey sang in “My Generation” in 1965. This didn’t happen for Daltrey, who is now a ripe 71, but it did to many other musicians.

Update:

All clear at Trump Tower following the earlier suspicious package in the lobby

— J. Peter Donald (@JPeterDonald) December 27, 2016

Trump Tower is being evacuated due to a "suspicious package" according to NYPD. The president-elect is not at that location (currently in Florida).

Live Feed (via NBC4):

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Actress and writer Carrie Fisher, best known as the “Star Wars” heroine Princess Leia who later went on to establish herself as an author and screenwriter, has died in Los Angeles. no words #Devastated pic.twitter.com/R9Xo7IBKmh — Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) December 27, 2016 Fisher, who was 60 years old, suffered a heart attack on Friday during a flight to Los Angeles from London, where she had been filming the third season of the Amazon comedy series “Catastrophe” According to Hollywood reporter: Family spokesperson Simon Halls confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter.

Just two days after the death of pop icon George Michael, Carrie Fisher, the actress best known as Star Wars‘ Princess Leia Organa, has died after suffering a heart attack. She was 60.

Family spokesman Simon Halls released a statement to PEOPLE on behalf of Fisher’s daughter, Billie Lourd:

“It is with a very deep sadness that Billie Lourd confirms that her beloved mother Carrie Fisher passed away at 8:55 this morning,” reads the statement.