It was a heart attack. :( I just saw him a couple months ago on "Comedians Getting Coffee" with Jerry Seinfeld.

Wow...what a shock, and how sad!

I loved Garry Shandling. It just seems so many of the rock stars, actors, and other celebrities I used to enjoy are dying. So many this year so far.

And now Earl Hamner. Gosh the deaths of talented people is prolific this year!!

And Ken Howard!

Not unexpected merely because heart disease (and diabetes) are epidemic in this country. (As are alcoholism and narcotics abuse). We are taken aback by the deaths of celebrities because we think we know them - due to their public presences - almost the same as when people we actually do know personally expire.

Such a talented comedian.

Not unexpected merely because heart disease (and diabetes) are epidemic
in this country. (As are alcoholism and narcotics abuse). We are taken aback by the deaths of celebrities because we think we know
them - due to their public presences - almost the same as when people
we actually do know personally expire.

That response makes no sense.

According to some media coverage, Gary had a friend of his (who is a doctor) visit him the day before, who suggested he go to an E.R., after Gary mentioned he was not feeling well and was a bit short of breath. Gary thought maybe he had the flu and promised his friend he'd get checked out the next day if he was still feeling unwell. Apparently he did phone his car service to take him to an E.R. the next day, but died inside his house near his phone, shortly after placing the call. Sadly, he might have been saved if he'd gone earlier, as shortness of breath is such a red flag for potential heart attack.

That response makes no sense.

Thanks!

This is so sad....he was a comedic genius as well as a very generous individual. He still had so much talent, energy, and ideas to share.

Graywings, embothrium's statement makes perfect sense to those of us who have been touched in some way by an author, musician, artist, actor, or other celebrity. I was deeply moved, for example, by Pat Conroy's death....wept real tears of sorrow for a man I've never met.

Rhizo, I understand the feelings of sadness from the death of celebrities. I have mourned the death of many people I have never met personally.

But it makes no sense for Emb to write, "Not unexpected merely because heart disease (and diabetes) are epidemic
in this country. (As are alcoholism and narcotics abuse)."

The death of someone prematurely - and age 66 is in that category - is very often unexpected. Even when you know someone has a disease, the actual death is "unexpected" unless you hear that the family is sitting bedside waiting for it to happen. It was unexpected when James Gandolfini died, even though he appeared to be overweight. It is possible for most anyone to have sudden heart failure, but it isn't expected.

I was irritated by Emb's dismissive, cavalier comment. I can only imagine that someone who writes something like that has not dealt personally with death. I did home hospice care for a family member a year ago, and even though we knew she was dying, the actual death was still a shock.

Heart attacks are very common among Americans, Shandling was 66, and he was having signs of a heart attack before it happened.

Embo, you seem to have edited your most recent post, in doing so you cut out what I was going to comment on.

To me, the beginning of your first post was a bit off-topic. The rest of it I agree with. But part of that is that I don't understand how and why people develop feelings in a most personal way about entertainers and some other public figures. I don't do that, and that might be why i don't understand how others do .

I'm sorry that Shandling died at such an early age, everyone should see many golden years with good health to enjoy them. To me, when a person in the public eye dies, they die, it's no different than anyone else's death. Personally, I was never a fan of his, I found his humor a bit obtuse and hard for to understand.

"Heart attacks are very common among Americans, Shandling was 66, and he was having signs of a heart attack before it happened."

You still don't get it.