Hugh Hefner left the Playboy Mansion at 91. He was a complicated guy, no doubt. But he also helped fund the Civil Rights Movement and fought for free speech. The man knew how to throw a party—and a magazine.
We also said goodbye to Lil Peep. He was only 21. That one hurt for a different reason—it was so raw and sudden. He was the emo-rap prince, and he left way too soon. It’s a reminder that youth doesn’t protect you.
Celebrities Who Died In 2017 In Memoriam The Hollywood
And David Cassidy. The teen heartthrob from The Partridge Family passed at 67. He battled alcoholism, but for a moment, he made millions of teenage girls scream. That’s a superpower, even if it’s a tough one.
The Athletes and the Artists
Aaron Hernandez? Yeah, that was a wild, tragic story. The former NFL star was serving a life sentence for murder when he died by suicide at 27. It’s a grim, cautionary tale that still leaves me with more questions than answers.
On a lighter note, Jim French—you might not know the name, but you know his voice. He was the model for the Duke from the Duke Nukem video games. He flexed his way into video game history.
And John Hillerman (Higgins from Magnum, P.I.). He was the perfect foil to Tom Selleck’s mustache. Who knew a stuffy British butler could be so lovably annoying?
