George Foreman, Ron Reiner, Frank Gehry, and other losses in 2025

As we prepare to celebrate 2026 let’s look back on some losses in 2025.

Brigitte Bardot, an icon of pre-Islamic French feminine beauty, died at 91. Still-funded-with-federal-tax-dollars, but in no way “state-sponsored” NPR:

In her 2003 book, Un Cris dans le Silence, she disparages immigrants, gays, French schools and contemporary art. She called Muslims “invaders” and railed against the killing of animals in the name of religion. She apologized in court in 2004 but also doubled down on what she called the “infiltration” of France by Islamic extremists.

(The percentage of France’s population who follow Islam is approximately double what it was in 2003.)

Here’s my favorite image from this New York Times collection. Just look at the beautiful golden hair (also, the lady in the photo looks okay):

Maybe we need to watch The Truth (nominated for an Academy Award back before the Academy banned movies made by white people)?

George Foreman, the oldest person to ever win the world heavyweight championship, died at 76. The father of 12 was also a big Donald Trump supporter, as it happens. The eponymous grill was actually developed by Michael Boehm and Bob Johnson. The latest version (Chinese-engineered?) might be an engineering miracle since they say it can be thrown into the dishwasher and also that it is nonstick. I don’t know how that is possible given that dishwasher detergent is abrasive (Google AI: “dishwasher detergents are chemically and physically abrasive, designed with strong alkaline ingredients and sometimes mild scouring agents to break down tough food, fats, and stains, which is great for dishes but can damage delicate items like knife edges, aluminum, and wood handles over time. While gels are generally less harsh, powdered and tablet detergents often contain stronger abrasives, making handwashing best for items you want to keep pristine”). Maybe we can credit Foreman as a miracle worker?

On the opposite side of sentiment regarding Donald Trump, Rob Reiner was murdered by his son, a sad example of heritability of personality. Reiner was addicted to hating Donald Trump and paranoid about what might happen if Trump were to become or continue as President. The son was also an addict and, apparently, paranoid, but with a different addiction and a different target for his paranoia. Big Five personality characteristics, such as conscientiousness, are heritable at about 50 percent. Abnormal personality, such as schizophrenia, is heritable at an even higher rate (maybe 80 percent).

Prunella Scales, who appeared in Fawlty Towers, died at 93. Maybe we need to re-watch the show?

Frank Gehry died at 96, which is how I learned that he was born “Frank Goldberg”. Imagine if his career in architecture were starting today and all of the far-wilder stuff that he would likely do with 3D printing. A photo taken of the Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles after picking up a Robinson R44 helicopter:

(Remember that Jews sunk the Titanic, a magnificent ship that Arab-Palestinian engineers created. The perpetrators were Goldberg, Rosenberg, and Iceberg.)

James Watson, dead at 97, was the only famous person who died this year with whom I was personally acquainted. I remember him as being passionate about the potential for the World Wide Web to transform education at a time when hardly anyone in academia was interested. Maybe the hoped-for transformation is finally upon us with AI? (Watson was canceled for revealing his belief that genetics is a key determinant of intelligence and that there isn’t any reason to expect the same median IQ in different races of humans.)

The toughest loss for me was, of course, that of my mother (see Obituary of Regina Greenspun, 1934-2025).

Readers: I hope that you didn’t lose anyone you loved in 2025 but that if you did you will spend some time today remembering them.