It looks like the entertainment world took a few hits last week, including musician Ozzie Osborne, professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, actor/director Malcolm-Jamal Warner, and musician Chuck Mangione.
All four individuals were a part of my life in one way, shape or another.
Ozzie was the first of the four to show up in my childhood as a teenager. An acquaintance was big into heavy metal and he would play Ozzie all the time.
I wasn’t so much into heavy metal early on, but over my lifetime, what was considered heavy metal back then is pretty much mainstream today.
Ozzie and his band Black Sabbath, or just Sabbath, were pioneers in metal and Ozzie is considered the godfather of heavy metal with songs like “Ironman,” “Paranoid,” and “War Pigs.”
As a soloist, Ozzie’s big hits were “Crazy Train,” “Mama, I’m Coming Home,” and a big duet with female rocker, Lita Ford, “Close My Eyes Forever.”
Ozzie and Sabbath have influenced future bands such as Metallica and Foo Fighters.
One of the things Ozzie is famous for is biting the head off a real bat someone threw on stage while performing. Thinking it was a toy bat, he bit it’s head off.
If you didn’t like metal music, Ozzie and wife Sharon gained new followers when MTV created one of the first reality TV shows titled The Osbornes from 2002 to 2005.
You really got to see Ozzie’s softer side making him like the rest of us – human.
The show featured two of his six children (one being adopted from Sharon’s first marriage), son Jack and daughter Kelly and all of the family exploits.
The show was funny and it poked more fun at Ozzie then anything else. He became an endearing character and very lovable.
With that said, he had a very deep love for his family and of course, Sharon, which he would always be found shouting out her name each episode.
Ozzie and Sharon lived life with all the problems that come with a living rock legend including infidelity and it was deep love that got them through everything together.
Just a few weeks ago, he and his former bandmates of Black Sabbath played one last show together and they made it a fundraiser collecting over $190 million from the pay per view audience. It was a single day record for raising funds from a concert.
Nobody knew at the time of the concert, it would be Ozzie’s final good-bye and the world lost him on July 22 at the age of 76.
On the same day Ozzie passed away, another blast from my past, everyone’s favorite flugelhorn player, Chuck Mangione, who died at the age of 84 peacefully in his sleep, which, I’m sure is the way everyone would like to go.
Chuck’s fame came by the way of instrumental pieces such as his biggest hit in 1977 entitled “Feels So Good.” He won two Grammys with “Bellavia,” and “Children of Sanchez” as well as composing the theme for the 1980 Winter Olympic games.
He was easily recognizable with his beard, long hair, and hat.
Mangione died at his home in Rochester, NY.
Not too many people would know the name Terry Bollea, but you would recognize his stage name, “Hulk Hogan.”
The Hulkster passed away on July 24 at the age of 71 of an apparent heart attack at his home in Florida.
Considering the huge amount of former pro wrestlers passing away young, many of heart issues and steroid use, it would be no surprise that had something to do with Hulk’s death.
Bollea eventually branched off into movies and TV shows after leaving a 10-year pro wrestling career.
He singlehandedly brought the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and later World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) to prominence with his Hulkamania movement in the new era of wrestling.
Two other trailblazers in pro wrestling have been Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and John Cena.
On July 20, the word got out of the loss of The Cosby Show’s Malcolm-Jamal Warner, when he drown while on vacation with his family in Costa Rica. He was only 54-years-old.
Warner played the character Theo Huxtable from 1984 to 1992.
His role made him loveable, funny, and forever popular. His Cosby castmates called him “the soul of the show.”
It has been reported he was trying to save his daughter from drowning when the riptide took him.
He was an actor, musician, and director and everywhere I read, he had a big heart.
Personally, I’d say the loss of Ozzie has affected me the most and I’m not sure why. I don’t think it’s because of his music, although I do enjoy some of his songs.
As a musician and his stage persona as “The Prince of Darkness” was just that, an act.
It was his reality show that made me really enjoy him. He was as real as can be for people being all over your house with cameras and sound equipment.
I think it’s a natural thing to like the former villain as they age like tennis’ Jimmy Connors, or Hulk and Ozzie.
To all, rest easy.
Quote of the Week
“When you start out in wrestling, you’re nothing. But if you work hard, believe in yourself, and respect the fans, you’ll become something bigger than life.” —Hulk Hogan
Quote of the Week
“I want to be remembered not just for the roles I played but for the lives I tried to touch.” —Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Quote of the Week
“I never set out to be a pop star. I just made music that made me happy.” —Chuck Mangione
Quote of the Week
“I’m not afraid of death; I’m going home.” —Ozzie Osborne
