David Burghardt

I don’t want to get sappy, but we have lost a lot of big names this year. People who were always in the news and on television, people that we followed their every step practically. They’ve all faded from our lives in 2011…

There’s a long list, but my list is much shorter because I grew up with them, wrote about them later in life, and even met a couple of them in my list. Some lived to a ripe old age; others left early, but still left their footprint. There were great actors and actresses, performers, presidents and innovators. Liz Taylor who died at 79, Peter Falk (Columbo) at 83, Cesaria Evora at 70, and Amy Winehouse at 27. Then there was Abkhazian President Sergei Bagapsh (62), Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi (69), North Korean leader Kim Jong-il (also 69), Osama bin Laden (54), and former Czech President Vaclav Havel (75). And who can say that Steve Jobs who died at the age of 56 didn’t somehow come in contact with your life?

Some were good guys, others were bad guys. Some played good guys or bad guys, or were just rebels in their personal style or on the world arena. They’re no longer with us.

But now you’re probably wondering what “Monkey Heaven” has got to do with any of these people. Monkey Heaven doesn’t have anything to do with any of those I listed. Let them rest in peace or burn in hell, whichever fits the bill for that particular person.

There was one other “American” actor who outlived everyone but Columbo. He was loved by everyone and especially children (and their children, and even their children) and got plenty of attention in the movies. They made comics about him. He could have used a shave though, I admit. He touched the hearts of generations of people.

Just recently at the end of this year we lost Cheeta (ne Cheetah-Mike) who was 80 years old. Yes, I’m talking about Cheeta from Tarzan. If you ever watched a Tarzan movie, then you would understand that Cheeta got most of the attention on the set and in the movies. The practically naked Tarzan didn’t get as much limelight as Cheeta did, and I’m sure he was jealous of that fact. I actually didn’t even know Cheeta was still alive because I didn’t think monkeys lived that long.

I’d like to remember all these spectacular individuals for who or what they were (insert one minute of silence here).

And also my condolences to anyone who has lost a loved one this year.

May the year 2012 bring you nothing but happiness!