Fans notice 'spooky pattern' of celebrity deaths

By Alicia Vrajlal, Yahoo Lifestyle Australia

January 2 has been a sad day in showbiz with three big names, Bob Einstein, Gene Okerlund and Daryl Dragon, all passing away.

Fans have taken to social media to not only pay tribute to the stars, but to note a ‘spooky’ pattern amongst the celebrity deaths, just as 2019 has kicked off.

Curb Your Enthusiasm star Einstein, WWE announcer Okerlund and Captain & Tennelle star Dragon were all 76 when they died. They also all had nicknames.

“Super Dave (Bob Einstein), Mean Gene Okerlund and Daryl Dragon (the Captain with Tennille) all passed away today They were all 76 What a crazy coincidence (sic),” one fan wrote on Twitter.

“3 dead celebrities today at the age of 76 and all had nicknames / altar egos — R.I.P. “Mean” Gene Okerlund, “Super Dave” Bob Einstein, and “The Captain” Daryl Dragon,” tweeted another.

One fan wrote: “Not to point anything weird out… But Mean Gene, Bob Einstein, and Daryl Dragon were all 76 and died on the same day. #RIP #spooky #itcomesin3s”.

The comedy world was reeling from the loss of Bob Einstein on Wednesday when he died following a cancer diagnosis.

Einstein was known to generations of TV audiences, thanks to the scripts he wrote for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in the ’60s, the Super Dave Osborne character he created and played in the ’80s and ’90s, and the character of Marty Funkhauser he portrayed on Curb Your Enthusiasm on both the original edition and the reboot.

He also made notable appearances on the original Arrested Development.

Meanwhile Daryl Dragon, who served as one-half of the popular music duo Captain and Tennille in the ’70s, died on Wednesday at a hospice in Prescott, Ariz. The cause of the death was renal failure.

Toni Tennille, his ex-wife and partner in the duo, was there with him, as she had been for decades.

As for legendary wrestling interviewer Gene Ocklund, it was no surprise to see big names in the industry pay tribute to the iconic personality, whose cause of death was not revealed.

“We lost a wrestling legend on the microphone. The incomparable ‘Mean Gene’ Okerlund,” wrote Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.

“What an iconic career and extremely distinct voice of the squared circle during distinct eras of the smart/cool sounding ‘neutral’ wrestling commentator … RIP legend, strength to your Okerlund ohana and thanks for the awesome memories.”

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