Tag: dark 100
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DragonKing Dark: The AIDS crisis impact on pop culture
I continue my series on 100 of the darkest moments in pop culture history and this week’s DarkongKing Dark is a little different in that respect as I take a look at the profound impact the AIDS epidemic had on pop culture in the 1980s into the 1990s. Numerous important entertainment figures like Freddie Mercury, Rock…
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DragonKing Dark: How ‘The Death of Superman’ almost killed comics
We pick back up our ongoing series in the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history and in doing so, we travel back to the early 1990s. Comic books and trading cards were booming. Speculators were buying both in bulk with hopes of one day owning something valuable. But, the bubble was ready to burst…
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DragonKing Dark: The death of ‘Superman’ actor George Reeves
He was Superman for an entire generation. He was faster than a locomotive and could leap a tall building in a single bound, but George Reeves was dead at the age of 45. There has been much mystery around the his death which was officially ruled a suicide. Many people were skeptical and it seems…
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DragonKing Dark: The death of Len Bias
While this series focuses on the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history, the death of Len Bias is even more than that as it’s one of the 100 darkest moments in American history because of what came next. Bias was the Boston Celtics’ no. 2 overall draft pick in 1986, but died two days…
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DragonKing Dark: The death of AC/DC singer Bon Scott
The rock music world was shaken in February 1980 when the distinctive lead singer of the rising rock group AC/DC was found dead in a car. The cause of death was apparently alcohol related though specifically how has been debated for 40 years now. It seemed impossible that a rising rock group with such a…
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DragonKing Dark Podcast: The death of Heath Ledger
We continue our 100 darkest moments in pop culture history by looking at the death of 28-year-old actor Heath Ledger. He had a couple of breakout moments: first in the movie Brokeback Mountain and then in an even more iconic portrayal of the Joker in the The Dark Knight. Then, he died suddenly from a drug…
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DragonKing Dark: The death and mysterious life of Jayne Mansfield
Continuing our look at 100 of the darkest moments in pop culture history, I am joined by Tonya from When It Was Cool to discuss the death of starlet Jayne Mansfield who was killed in a 1967 car accident. The events leading up to her death are quite dark and mysterious including her stint in the…
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DragonKing Dark: The killing of Marvin Gaye
Our list of 100 of the darkest moments in pop culture history continues with the killing of Marvin Gaye, an influential singer and musician who gained worldwide fame for his work with Motown Records. He was fatally shot three times by his father, Marvin Gay Sr., on April 1, 1984, at their house in the…
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DragonKing Dark: Woodstock ’99
Continuing our 100 darkest moments in pop culture history, we look back at Woodstock ’99. This event, which recently got the HBO documentary and podcast treatment, there was one death, numerous sexual assaults, arson, and a general mockery of pop culture and toxic fandom at the festival originally known for peace and love. Woodstock ’99 put…
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DragonKing Dark: Great White & the Station Nightclub fire
Our series of 100 of the darkest moments in pop culture history continues with the disastrous Station Nightclub fire in 2003 that killed 100 people during a Great White concert. Great White was a nationally known band which had a few hits during the hair metal era. In 2003 while playing a concert in West…
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DragonKing Dark: The death of Eddie Guerrero
Image: WWE We continue our series discussing 100 of the darkest moments in pop culture history by looking at the death of pro wrestling star Eddie Guerrero. However, Guerrero’s death differs from others we have looked at so far. Eddy (yes, that is the correct spelling out of his own mouth) was not murdered, nor did…
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DragonKing Dark: The Eagles of Death Metal Paris concert tragedy
Image: Facebook On the latest DragonKing Dark and this latest installment of the top 100 darkest moments in pop culture history, we look at the November 2015 Paris attacks. On that Friday night in Paris, the city was hit by a coordinated terrorist attack involving multiple gunmen and bombs. The heart of the killings came…
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DragonKing Dark: The Who’s 1979 Cincinnati concert tragedy
We continue our 100 darkest moments in pop culture history with a look back at another concert disaster. This one happened before a concert by The Who in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1979 where eleven fans were crushed to death when the doors to the arena failed to open in time. Like several of the tragedies we’ve…
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DragonKing Dark: The murder of Tupac Shakur
The 100 darkest moments in pop culture history continues on DragonKing Dark with a look at the shooting death of 25-year-old rapper Tupac Shakur. To say that 2Pac was controversial would be a huge understatement. But, he was also talented and had a giant impact on pop culture. He was also legit when it came…
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DragonKing Dark: The bizarre twists in the death of Elvis
We continue our look at 100 of the darkest moments in pop culture history with taking a look at one of the biggest: the death of the king of rock and roll, Elvis Presley. Let’s be honest: you probably know everything you want to know about the death of Elvis…or do you? On this episode,…
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DragonKing Dark: The death of Brandon Lee
The next installment in our 100 darkest moments in pop culture history goes back to March 1993 when Brandon Lee, actor and son of legendary pop culture icon Bruce Lee, was killed on the set of the dark gothic comic book inspired movie The Crow — the inspiration for Sting’s dark character in WCW. Gunned…
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DragonKing Dark: The murder of Pantera’s Dimebag Darrell
Pantera was a band with a lot of issues. So many, in fact, that it wasn’t even a band any longer. An incendiary interview in a magazine and a massive failure on the part of mental health services led to one of the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history when a disturbed fan entered…
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DragonKing Dark: The Altamont Free Concert disaster
We continue with the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history with a look back at what some have described as Woodstock gone wrong. In 1969, promoters wanted to hold a Woodstock for the west coast headlined by the Rolling Stones, the Grateful Dead, Cosby, Stills & Nash, and others. After moving the location several times,…
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DragonKing Dark: A look at the ‘Assault in the Ring’
Two people were charged with assault for being in a professionally sanctioned boxing match, but how? On this week’s DragonKing Dark, I discuss the seedy story of Luis Resto and Billy Collins, Jr. Resto and his manager conspired not only to remove padding from his gloves, but also to wear casts underneath. Collins never fought…
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DragonKing Dark: Kurt Cobain’s final farewell
Our continuing look at the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history continues with the tragic self-inflicted death of then 27-year-old Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. Cobain was several things: talented, influential, likable and troubled. Some have suggested more sinister motives behind his death to the degree there have been documentary films made on the subject. In…