ERIC DANE
(November 9, 1972 – February 19, 2026)
When I heard that actor Eric Dane had passed away last night, I was heartbroken.
Mr. Dane is the latest in a long line of recent celebrity passings that have affected me.
Not because I was their biggest fan, but because these performers put a smile on my face every time I saw their work. They were companions in the good times, comforting distractions in the tough ones, and familiar faces in a world that feels constantly in motion.
Some, like Mr. Dane, I had an unusual connection to. Back in the late-2000s and early 2010s, I was responsible for helping promote Grey’s Anatomy when I worked for ABC. And I did my best to spotlight “McSteamy” as much as possible.
Not because he was sexy, but because he made me believe, even in photographs, that he was as good a man as he came across onscreen. And I never heard anyone say anything to make me believe otherwise.
Hollyweird is a town of tantrums and tattle-tales. So when you don’t hear anything bad about someone, chances are they’re beyond good. They’re golden.
Today, I mourn the passing of a man who made television brighter, who made viewers laugh and swoon, and who, in his final year, brought awareness to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) while bravely fighting a battle he ultimately could not win.
In the past few months, the world has said farewell to a remarkable procession of entertainers, artists, musicians, and cultural icons.
Here are a few recent celebrity passings that hit me harder than I expected. I find myself grieving alongside their nearest and dearest, even from afar, because of the creativity, inspiration, and joy they brought into my life:
JESSE JACKSON
(October 8, 1941 – February 17, 2026)
ROBERT DUVALL
(January 5, 1931 – February 15, 2026)
JAMES VAN DER BEEK
(March 8, 1977 – February 11, 2026)
CATHERINE O’HARA
(March 4, 1954 – January 30, 2026)
DEMOND WILSON
(October 13, 1946 – January 30, 2026)
VALENTINO GARAVANI
(May 11, 1932 – January 19, 2026)
BOB WEIR
(October 16, 1947 – January 10, 2026)
T. K. CARTER
(December 18, 1956 – January 9, 2026)
ROB REINER
(March 6, 1947 – December 14, 2025)
UDO KIER
(October 14, 1944 – November 23, 2025)
DIANE KEATON
(January 5, 1946 – October 11, 2025)
Please note: This is far from a comprehensive list. Hundreds of others in the worlds of art, science, politics, activism, and beyond have also left us. But those named above are among the ones whose work I knew and admired most.
Why does it hurt to say goodbye to people I mostly never met or knew?
Maybe it’s the shock of losing someone who felt so familiar, even if I only knew them through a screen. Maybe it’s the way their work wove itself into the fabric of my life, quietly present during moments both ordinary and unforgettable.
I mourn not just the celebrity, but the part of myself that felt comforted or quietly changed because of them and their work.
Whether it was laughter, escape, inspiration, or comfort, these kings and queens gifted us with moments that mattered.
Farewell, dear heroes and heartthrobs.
Thank you for the art. Thank you for the joy.
You will be missed. You will be remembered….
Fondly and forever!
Clint 🌈✌️
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FYC = FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
Navigating the Grief of a Parent… (Brandon Kyle Goodman x VINCINT)
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FROM THE ARCHIVES
BORN THIS WAY ON THIS DAY
02-20 = Hubert de Givenchy (1927-2018) = French fashion designer 🌈
02-20 = John Browne (1948- ) = English business executive 🌈
02-20 = Roy Cohn (1927-1986) = American attorney 🌈
02-20 = William Lygon, 7th Earl Beauchamp (1872-1938) = British politician 🌈
MAN CRUSH(ES) OF THE DAY
“Life is like a book: one has to know when to turn the page.”
Hubert de Givenchy
Clint, You put it so well, "I mourn not just the celebrity, but the part of myself that felt comforted or quietly changed because of them and their work." So often when I read your words, mine are clarified. Thanks, Fondly, Michael
Like you, Clint, I mourn those gifted ones who brought joy and insight through their craft even though I never met them. I agree with Michael, Clint - you put it beautifully. You are a true mensch.