January 19, 2016

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I wanted so much to erect some kind of Grand Unified Theory, but the damned facts (only Rickman was in the U.K.”€”and therefore at the mercy of the National Health”€”at the time of death, for instance) let me down.

But who needs facts when you”€™ve got figures? Never mind nationality”€”look at numerology!

“€œThe death of David Bowie is nothing more than a hoax,”€ claims this guy’s video. His evidence includes a joke, a Simpsons rerun, and supposed “€œMasonic hand signals.”€ Oh, and “€œCancer is the number 69 in astrology,”€ so.

“€œGematria is key,”€ says this other guy. (Yes, there are a bunch of these videos “€œproving”€ something or other about these coincidental deaths.) Think about it, he says: “€œLazarus”€ was a song on Bowie’s last album, and in Galaxy Quest, Rickman played…Dr. Lazarus. And so on.

So is there something going on besides sheer coincidence? Any great lesson to be learned?

Or should we just, as one tweeter implored, “€œform a protective circle around Ian McKellen”€?

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