Last Days
Last Days explores the final days of some of the biggest icons in sports and entertainment, breaking down precisely what led to the passing of figures who were larger than life but somehow even bigger in death. Derek Kaufman and Jason Beckerman debunk the myths, unpack the tragedies, and tell the real stories behind the most fascinating celebrity deaths.
Episodes
October 20, 2025 • 24 mins
On September 20, 1973, Jim Croce — the singer-songwriter whose plainspoken poetry captured the heart of working-class America — died at the age of 30 in a plane crash just as his star was on the rise. With timeless hits like Bad, Bad Leroy Brown, Operator, and Time in a Bottle, Croce helped revive the folk-rock and singer-songwriter tradition that stretched from Woody Guthrie to Bob Dylan, blending blue-collar realism with universa...
Mark as Played
October 13, 2025 • 23 mins
On October 11, 2025, Diane Keaton — the Oscar-winning actress, director, author, and one of the most singular voices in American cinema — passed away at the age of 79. Over a career spanning more than five decades, Keaton evolved from quirky ingénue to one of Hollywood’s most admired and enduring figures. She first drew notice in The Godfather, but it was her performance in Annie Hall — the role that won her the Academy Award for B...
Mark as Played
October 6, 2025 • 23 mins
On May 8, 1999, Dana Plato — the child star who captured America’s heart as Kimberly Drummond on Diff’rent Strokes — died at the age of 34 from a fatal overdose in Moore, Oklahoma. Once one of television’s most recognizable young faces, Plato’s life became a haunting symbol of the perils of early fame, marked by addiction, legal troubles, and an unrelenting struggle to reclaim her place in Hollywood. Her death, coming just one day ...
Mark as Played
September 29, 2025 • 20 mins
On May 23, 1999, Owen Hart — a gifted wrestling star and member of one of sport's most legendary families — died at the age of 34 during a live pay-per-view event as a result of a tragic stunt gone terribly wrong. In a career defined by dazzling athleticism, sharp wit, and a willingness to reinvent himself, Hart carved out an identity that balanced technical mastery with playful showmanship and embodied both the grit of a wrestling...
Mark as Played
September 22, 2025 • 23 mins
On April 19, 2017, Aaron Hernandez — the former NFL star tight end for the New England Patriots whose meteoric rise was eclipsed by a shocking murder conviction and subsequent prison sentence — was found dead in his prison cell at the age of 27. Once a standout athlete at the University of Florida and a Super Bowl–appearing Pro Bowler, Hernandez’s career and life unraveled after his arrest and conviction for the 2013 murder of Odin...
Mark as Played
September 16, 2025 • 17 mins
On September 16, 2025, Robert Redford — the decorated actor, accomplished director, founder of the Sundance Film Festival, and one of Hollywood's leading lights for decades — passed away at the age of 89. In a career that stretched across six decades, Redford transformed from matinee idol in films like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting, to the Oscar-winning director of Ordinary People, and finally into the patron sai...
Mark as Played
September 15, 2025 • 22 mins
On August 9, 1995, Jerry Garcia — the guitarist, singer, and spiritual leader of the Grateful Dead — died of a heart attack at the age of 53 in a California rehab facility. In a career that spanned three decades, Garcia became one of the most iconic figures of the counterculture, guiding the Dead from the psychedelic streets of Haight-Ashbury to stadiums packed with devoted Deadheads. With his warm voice, improvisational guitar wor...
Mark as Played
September 10, 2025 • 4 mins
On September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk — the American conservative commentator and founder of Turning Point USA — was tragically shot and killed during a campus event at Utah Valley University at the age of 31. Known for his polarizing debates and staunch support of conservative values, Kirk gained national recognition for his efforts to engage young people in political discourse, while also serving as a prominent ally to former Presi...
Mark as Played
September 8, 2025 • 23 mins
On July 6, 2019, Cameron Boyce — the American actor and dancer best known for his work in Disney Channel’s Jessie and the Descendants franchise — died from complications of epilepsy at the age of 20 in Los Angeles. In a career that began when he was just a child, Boyce quickly emerged as one of Disney’s brightest young stars, captivating audiences with his natural charisma, comedic timing, and infectious energy on screen. Beyond hi...
Mark as Played
September 1, 2025 • 25 mins
On August 19, 2012, Tony Scott — the British filmmaker best known for high-octane blockbusters like Top Gun, Crimson Tide, and Man on Fire — died by suicide at the age of 68 in Los Angeles. In a career that stretched across three decades, Scott carved out a unique place in Hollywood as a master of adrenaline-fueled spectacle. With his signature visual style — kinetic camerawork, bold color palettes, and an editing pace that matched...
Mark as Played
August 25, 2025 • 23 mins
On January 25, 2022, Michael Madsen — the gravel-voiced actor synonymous with tough-guy roles in Quentin Tarantino films — suffered a devastating personal tragedy when his son, Hudson, died by suicide in Hawaii. Madsen, whose own career has spanned more than four decades, has long been a fixture of Hollywood’s gritty underbelly, with iconic turns in Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill, and Donnie Brasco. Known for his menacing screen presenc...
Mark as Played
August 18, 2025 • 20 mins
On February 7, 2000, Christopher Rios — the larger-than-life rapper better known as Big Pun — died at the age of 28 from heart failure in White Plains, New York. In a career that barely spanned half a decade, the Bronx-born rapper rewrote the rules for Latin artists in hip hop. With rhymes that were dense, intricate, and delivered with a ferocity that belied his massive physical presence, Pun became the first solo Latino rapper to ...
Mark as Played
August 11, 2025 • 23 mins
On September 18, 1970, Jimi Hendrix — the guitar virtuoso who redefined rock music with his explosive sound, groundbreaking techniques, and electric charisma — died suddenly in London at the age of 27. In just a few short years, he transformed the possibilities of the instrument, fusing blues, rock, and psychedelia into immortal performances like “Purple Haze,” “Voodoo Child (Slight Return),” and his legendary rendition of “The Sta...
Mark as Played
August 4, 2025 • 26 mins
On August 6, 2009, John Hughes — the filmmaker whose heartfelt, hilarious, and deeply human stories captured the soul of American adolescence — died suddenly of a heart attack while taking a morning walk in Manhattan at the age of 59. With classics like Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and Planes, Trains & Automobiles, he turned teen angst and suburban life into timeless art. As a writer and producer, ...
Mark as Played
July 24, 2025 • 18 mins
On July 24, 2025, Hulk Hogan — the larger-than-life wrestling icon who turned leg drops into legend and red-and-yellow into a movement — died of cardiac arrest at the age of 71. With his handlebar mustache, 24-inch pythons, and booming charisma, Hogan transcended the squared circle to become a pop culture phenomenon, anchoring wrestling’s 1980s explosion and redefining what it meant to be a sports entertainer. From the roar of Wres...
Mark as Played
July 22, 2025 • 17 mins
On July 22, 2025, Ozzy Osbourne — the heavy metal pioneer whose growling vocals, unrelenting stage presence, and unfiltered personality made him a legend across generations — died peacefully at his home surrounded by family at the age of 76. As the frontman of Black Sabbath, he helped forge a new genre of music rooted in darkness, power, and rebellion. As a solo artist, he channeled chaos into anthems that defined a decade. And in ...
Mark as Played
July 21, 2025 • 12 mins
On Jul 20, 2025, Malcolm-Jamal Warner — the actor, poet, director, and musician who came of age on one of America’s most iconic sitcoms — died at the age of 54 after accidentally drowning in the ocean while on vacation with his daughter. Best known as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, Warner spent the better part of his life evolving beyond the role that made him famous, building a career grounded in depth, dignity, and creative re...
Mark as Played
July 21, 2025 • 21 mins
On December 17, 2018, Penny Marshall — the trailblazing actress-turned-director who shattered Hollywood’s glass ceiling with heart, humor, and an unmistakable Bronx accent — died from complications related to diabetes at the age of 75. A sitcom star who became one of the most successful female filmmakers in history, Marshall brought warmth and wit to both sides of the camera, helming hits like Big, A League of Their Own, and Awaken...
Mark as Played
July 18, 2025 • 25 mins
Shocking new details have surfaced surrounding the death of Jeffrey Epstein, including fresh evidence that’s reigniting questions about his alleged suicide and casting new light on his ties to President Donald Trump.
Hosts: Derek Kaufman & Jason Beckerman
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mark as Played
July 14, 2025 • 23 mins
On May 28, 2010, Gary Coleman — the child star who became a household name as Arnold Jackson on Diff’rent Strokes — died at the age of 42 following a fall at his home in Utah. Behind the catchphrases and sitcom fame was a life marked by legal battles, health struggles, and a constant fight to reclaim control over his image and earnings. Though his voice was silenced far too soon, his legacy lives on in the conversation around child...
Mark as Played
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.