A Conversation for The Quite Interesting Society
QI - Last Will
Taff Agent of kaos Posted Nov 30, 2008
george burns
he only wanted close childhood friends but he was so old they were all dead
QI - Last Will
Yarreau Posted Nov 30, 2008
George Burns wasn't exactly Central European... but he had something important in common with our guy (who died in his early seventies, with a bunch of friends presumably still alive). 
QI - Last Will
McKay The Disorganised Posted Nov 30, 2008
Cigar smoker ? Violinist ? Comedian ?
Was he disfigured by his cancer and didn't want anyone to see him ?
QI - Last Will
Yarreau Posted Nov 30, 2008
Yes, he was a comedian. 
+3 for that.
He died of lung cancer from decades of smoking, so no disfigurement there. And, given the country he died in, we may safely assume it was a closed-casket affair.
QI - Last Will
Yarreau Posted Dec 1, 2008
Nope, he wasn't British, or from any other English-speaking country. Actually, it's not all that important who he was, as long as you keep in mind he was a comedian... 
QI - Last Will
Icy North Posted Dec 1, 2008
Marcel Marceau spoke the only line in Mel Brooks' "Silent Movie". He said "Non!" when refusing a role in the silent film.
QI - Last Will
McKay The Disorganised Posted Dec 1, 2008
Did he ask for jokes to be told instead of a eulogy ?
QI - Last Will
Yarreau Posted Dec 1, 2008
No - in that case, he would probably have wanted a greater audience...
But we're getting closer.
QI - Last Will
Oops the Destroyer - not actually evil just very clumsy Posted Dec 1, 2008
Was he a well-known prankster? maybe his country's equivalent to Jeremy Beadle and he thought that if no one actually saw his funeral people might think he wasn't really dead and it was all just another of his jokes?
QI - Last Will
Yarreau Posted Dec 1, 2008
He was very well known for his sense of humour, which he never lost even in the face of death. This was his final big joke... I wouldn't call it a prank though.
QI - Last Will
Oops the Destroyer - not actually evil just very clumsy Posted Dec 2, 2008
Is it simply a case of 'Leave em laughing when you go'? having dedicated his life to making people laugh he didn't want his last public appearance to be an occasion of sadness and grief so he just decided to slip off quietly?
QI - Last Will
Yarreau Posted Dec 2, 2008
That might have been his real motivation, but it wasn't the reason he stated.
QI - Last Will
Deadangel - Still not dead, just! Posted Dec 2, 2008
Was it so he could have a trasure hunt - find the burial and win a car type of thing?
QI - Last Will
Yarreau Posted Dec 2, 2008
Wouldn't put it past him, but that wasn't the case.
Maybe if you think a little more globally - what are valid reasons to have a funeral with only a few select people present?
QI - Last Will
Mol - on the new tablet Posted Dec 2, 2008
It removes an opportunity to use the occasion for political or publicity purposes.
Also a big funeral for an individual can distract from mourning for a large number of people. Was this connected to 9/11 - or the tsunami?
Mol
QI - Last Will
Yarreau Posted Dec 2, 2008
No, much more profane than that. As I said, he was a comedian, and this was his last joke.
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QI - Last Will
- 41: Taff Agent of kaos (Nov 30, 2008)
- 42: Yarreau (Nov 30, 2008)
- 43: McKay The Disorganised (Nov 30, 2008)
- 44: Yarreau (Nov 30, 2008)
- 45: Taff Agent of kaos (Dec 1, 2008)
- 46: Yarreau (Dec 1, 2008)
- 47: Taff Agent of kaos (Dec 1, 2008)
- 48: Yarreau (Dec 1, 2008)
- 49: Icy North (Dec 1, 2008)
- 50: Yarreau (Dec 1, 2008)
- 51: McKay The Disorganised (Dec 1, 2008)
- 52: Yarreau (Dec 1, 2008)
- 53: Oops the Destroyer - not actually evil just very clumsy (Dec 1, 2008)
- 54: Yarreau (Dec 1, 2008)
- 55: Oops the Destroyer - not actually evil just very clumsy (Dec 2, 2008)
- 56: Yarreau (Dec 2, 2008)
- 57: Deadangel - Still not dead, just! (Dec 2, 2008)
- 58: Yarreau (Dec 2, 2008)
- 59: Mol - on the new tablet (Dec 2, 2008)
- 60: Yarreau (Dec 2, 2008)
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