I WANT TO EAT A NUT OF LAERMA!

R.I.P. CHRISTOPHER REEVE

Christopher Reeve, Superman from 2 great films, one much-derided-but-kind-of-fun-for-cheese-value film, and one horrible, horrible final sequel, died Sunday from heart failure at the age of 52.

"Christopher Reeve, the star of the Superman movies whose near-fatal riding accident nine years ago turned him into a worldwide advocate for spinal cord research, died Sunday of heart failure, his publicist said. He was 52.

Reeve fell into a coma Saturday after going into cardiac arrest while at his New York home, his publicist, Wesley Combs told The Associated Press by phone from Washington, D.C., on Sunday night. His family was at his side at the time of death.

Margot Kidder, Reeve's Superman co-star, was devastated. "I am so sad," she told USA TODAY. "I'm just heart broken, I don't know what to say right now. He was doing so well. He grew into such a glorious example of triumph over everything."

Reeve was being treated at Northern Westchester Hospital for a pressure wound, a common complication for people living with paralysis. In the past week, the wound had become severely infected, resulting in a serious systemic infection."

While I don't personally support embryonic stem cell research, knowing that there are alternatives that don't get a lot of press, I still had great sympathy for Mr. Reeve's condition, and I am very sorry to see him pass, since he was the star of what is still the best superhero movie overall and an above-average sequel.

This has been a pretty brutal year for celebrity deaths.

posted by Steve Brandon @ 8:28 AM