People Who Died: Kate Spade

Sometimes, I feel as if I am surrounded by death, haunted by loss.
I won’t reveal too much of my own personal power level, but I’ve seen a lot of death in my 32 years. As I have gotten older, more and more people I looked up to keep dying.
Today, the world lost designer Kate Spade to an apparent suicide.

I say it now, and say it always – mental illness does not discriminate.
It touches all, and it takes without asking.

I’ve been thinking about loss a lot recently. I was listening to a lecture this morning and the man speaking began talking about Robin Williams. For those unfamiliar, I have a very very deep love in my heart for Robin. We share a name, but in many ways, I feel as if his brand of comedy raised me, inspired me to write, inspired me to create. I wrote about his suicide, and have spoken about it when I speak publicly about mental health, grief, and loss because his death affected me in a profound way.

I have never been so upset over the loss of a celebrity before.
And yet, here I am once more, very upset over the loss of Kate Spade.

Now, Kate Spade, hasn’t got much to do with horror or cult films, or heavy metal. But I have always appreciated her whimsical fashion designs. Most especially, the cinema collection which featured items based on film, the silver screen… my great love.

I do not consider myself to be much of a fashion plate. But these are items I do own, and have splurged on. Whimsical things, kawaii things, they have a very special place in the heart of many. I listened to a lecture from a man who studies whimsy and kawaii culture and he theorizes that people are drawn to whimsy because it is a safe way to express a vulnerable side of ourselves, and it allows us to start conversations with others. As humans we naturally are drawn to novelty, and things that are unique. Kate Spade items are all of these things, I think.

Grav3yardGirl recently unboxed a Kate Spade alligator purse, and for those who know Grav3yardGirl, the item is so quintessentially *her*. It’s cute, it’s quirky and it’s made with a lot of love.

But like with the sadness that often encompasses funny people, it seems like that same sadness crept into the whimsy of Kate Spade. As someone who has seen a lot of loss, and works with mental health and wellness, I feel a great loss whenever someone is lost to suicide. I feel like the system failed, like life failed, like somehow somewhere we could have done better.

We can do better.

Mental illness doesn’t discriminate.
And we need to start having tough conversations.

And my inbox is always open.

If you’re having thoughts of hurting yourself:

1-800-SUICIDE
1-800-668-6868

Text: CONNECT to 741741 to have a Text conversation with a counsellor.

With this in mind, I raise up one of the most touching tributes to some of the people who have died.. and oddly, it’s a Gwar song.

Rest well, Kate. And I am so very sorry.

(Oh yeah!)

[Verse 1: Pustulus Maximus]
Robin split his wrist then he hung from a rope
Peter’s heart gave out even once he quit dope
Jeff, bit by a spider, went into toxic shock
Ryan Dunn drove his car right into a rock
Cancer brought down the Walls of Castleman
Damn it, David. I miss you, man!

[Chorus: All]
Those are people who died, died
Those are people who died, died
Those are people who died, died
Those are people who died
They were all our friends and they died
(They died, alright)

[Verse 2: Beefcake The Mighty]
Sean got beat to death by the Boston PD
Drunk in his cell, no more Death Piggy
Dimebag was shot by a lunatic fan
Mike Scaccia died with a guitar in his hand
Those were three more friends of mine
Three more friends that died

[Balsac The Jaws Of Death]
Crazy White Sean, how crazy could it get
He choked in a chat on the internet
And Cory died in his bunk at a border crossing
That gap in his teeth still needs flossing
Cory, I miss you my brother
You left a baby without a father!

[Verse 3: Blothar]
Dave died alone in his chair in his room
Well he just turned 50, that was way too soon
Oderus went up in flames
Now all of Valhalla chants his name!
Dave Brockie, I miss you more than all the others
I salute you my brother!

[Chorus: All]
Oderus died, died
Oderus died, died
Oderus died, died
Oderus died
He was all our friend and he died

Oderus died, died
Oderus died, died
Oderus died, died
Oderus died
He was all our friend and he died
He was all our friend and he died
He was all our friend and he died! (He was my friend, and he fuckin’ died!) (Goddamn!)

**********************************
You can find Robin on twitter.

Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel and like us on facebook, Instagram, and on Twitter.

Send us shmeckles on our Patreon.

You can find our podcast on iTunes, be sure to leave us a review if you are so inclined.