Are we over emotional ?

I must admit my first thought, I wonder what kind of cancer? He was, or used to be , a chainsmoker. After one of my aunts died of lung cancer from smoking I managed to cut my smoking down and eventually stopped, after many years.

I don't think grief can be hijacked.

It was cancer that killed him. Anyone can get cancer, even 'virtuous' people who never take illegal drugs and who don't live strange lifestyles.

By all accounts he was a very decent man.

Far too much coverage , 69 is too young to die yes pay a tribute but it is now 3.45 and it has been covered on rolling news since i switched tv on for news at 9am, before this is it was on the radio . He was a pop singer , that's it .

I am so glad others are feeling the same. I was wondering about starting a thread myself!

As someone who has lost a daughter, mother and father all within a few years, to read comments like 'I was shocked / devastated' etc. made by people who have no personal connection and maybe just liked his music, leaves me cold.

I also feel it is distasteful to have so much media coverage so shortly after his death. I am really sorry for his close family who must feel their grief is being hijacked.

Last part of my rant (!) - to put things into perspective - the one time I made the mistake off posting something in memory of my daughter at an anniversary time on Facebook, it got one comment and three likes. The cute / dumb kitten video underneath it got over a 100. Strange world we live in.

I agree its too much for a pop star who took copious amounts of drugs and had a very strange lifestyle its a wonder he reached the age of 69 really. Not my kind of music - its was even on Classic FM this morning.

I did have that feeling it was going to go on all day when I was watching BBC breakfast this morning. As others have said its terribly sad but people die every day.

I'm glad you started this thread, nankate. I've been thinking of starting one similar. My reaction when I heard Bowie had died was: People die.

I don't feel sad about his death. I'm interested to hear that he has died and it's quite nice looking at all the tributes. That's all. It's the same feeling I have when anyone famous dies... essentially a shrug.

That's life.

I like this one best: twitter.com/jesuisdean/status/686090202226528257

I totally agree, I have heard little else on every channel.