It’s hard to believe. John Belushi, arguably one of the greatest performers of all time who’s influence on the world of comedy is still seen today, has been gone for 25 years this month. John Belushi left at a far too young age of 33 due to a drug overdose in March of 1982.
I was too young to really understand who John Belushi was or how significant his passing was when he died, but you’ve got to understand that there is no one to compare him to in contemporary media. He was larger than life. At one point, the man was the main player in the hottest show on TV (SNL), had the #1 album on the charts AND the #1 movie in theaters…. all at the same time. The man had it all.
But having it all can be a curse. Belushi got caught up in the lifestyle, developed alcohol and drug addictions and eventually it killed him. If only modern celebrities who think they’re hot stuff (Lohan, Spears and many others) could just stop for a second and look at the life of John Belushi. He was bigger and better than any of them… and yet even he fell victim to his vices when allowed to run out of control.
There simply is no telling how big, how huge, how immortal John Belushi would have gone on to be. He was scheduled to play the lead role in a little film called “Ghostbusters” with his Blues Brothers partner Dan Ackroyd (A part that was later given to another SNL player Bill Murray). He was positioned to soar, at the top of his game, the best of the best…. and then gone. Gone now for 25 years… and yet his influence, his gifts, AND his curse is still seen in media and its circles today.
There had never been one like him… and there never will be again.
For a great read, go on over and check out this article on him at Yahoo News.
