The death of Las Vegas superstar Danny Gans by overdose of a powerful opiate called hydromorphone at the prime of his life and career raised few, if any red flags among the members of the Las Vegas news media. The mysterious and untimely passing of the injury-riddled Born Again Christian athlete, corporate entertainment favorite and longtime Steve Wynn showpiece in the middle of the night, and all the strange occurrences before and after his tragic last breath rated little more than cursory coverage and police report transcribing, and the acceptance of one of Danny Gans' doctor's claims that the star may have died from the ingestion of a single hydromorphone (also known as Dilaudid or "drugstore heroin") pill left over from an unused five-year-old prescription.
The willful and shameful avoidance of the Gans story and all its many avenues, including Gans' ownership of a pharmacy supply house, was made more obvious when compared to the national media's vigilant and responsible coverage of the death of entertainer Michael Jackson.
Now, the manslaughter charge lodged yesterday against Conrad Murray, the doctor who allegedly administered the fatal dose of drugs that Jackson ordered up, has again brought the Gans case into the national spotlight.
An item on the MSNBC.com website titled Murray's case up stakes in world of celeb drugs notes that
"...the state of California, weary of growing number of celebrity prescription drug deaths, is seeking some control over a festering doctor-patient dynamic that has taken bold-faced names from Heath Ledger to Anna Nicole Smith to Danny Gans."
While those among the Las Vegas news media would claim that Gans is an unimportant figure, known to few outside the market, others know better. In this case, the musical impressionist is mentioned in the same sentence as two legends, in a story about a fellow legend. Of the four cases, his is the only one that was closed along with all its mysteries left hanging. Yet, according to the MSNBC report, Gans' death, coming weeks before Jackson's, may have been a factor in the decision to prosecute in the Murray case-- "to put a dent into Hollywood's pill pipeline."
Danny Gans' tragedy may, in the end, help future celebrities. But most important: Will there ever be justice for Danny Gans?
Surely, some of the curiosity will spread. After all, they cared about Farrah's hair...
The willful and shameful avoidance of the Gans story and all its many avenues, including Gans' ownership of a pharmacy supply house, was made more obvious when compared to the national media's vigilant and responsible coverage of the death of entertainer Michael Jackson.
Now, the manslaughter charge lodged yesterday against Conrad Murray, the doctor who allegedly administered the fatal dose of drugs that Jackson ordered up, has again brought the Gans case into the national spotlight.
An item on the MSNBC.com website titled Murray's case up stakes in world of celeb drugs notes that
"...the state of California, weary of growing number of celebrity prescription drug deaths, is seeking some control over a festering doctor-patient dynamic that has taken bold-faced names from Heath Ledger to Anna Nicole Smith to Danny Gans."
While those among the Las Vegas news media would claim that Gans is an unimportant figure, known to few outside the market, others know better. In this case, the musical impressionist is mentioned in the same sentence as two legends, in a story about a fellow legend. Of the four cases, his is the only one that was closed along with all its mysteries left hanging. Yet, according to the MSNBC report, Gans' death, coming weeks before Jackson's, may have been a factor in the decision to prosecute in the Murray case-- "to put a dent into Hollywood's pill pipeline."
Danny Gans' tragedy may, in the end, help future celebrities. But most important: Will there ever be justice for Danny Gans?
Surely, some of the curiosity will spread. After all, they cared about Farrah's hair...
What is your fax number?
ReplyDeleteTabloid Baby is the only media that has stayed on top of the Danny Gans story - crying foul from the beginning. And they're right.
ReplyDeleteIs it too much to hope that the MSNBC mention might be an indication that someone is doing, or considering doing, an in depth investigative piece?
I really hope so. There is much more to this story than meets the eye.
There is an old saying that all roads lead to Rome.
But, sometimes you have to take a few roads off the beaten path, that are more like private toll (follow the money) roads, to get there. In this case, those roads might be through the executive suite of a major Vegas figure, and the compounding pharmacy that Gans owned.
The mysterious and untimely passing of the injury-riddled Born Again Christian athlete, corporate entertainment favorite and longtime Steve Wynn showpiece in the middle of the night.
ReplyDeletedoes anyone even know who danny gans is?
ReplyDeleteI never heard of him until i saw it on here
http://showhype.com/story/joey-voices-is-another-next-danny-gans/
ReplyDeletevisit the link ..
good wrk, thnks 4 shring.
ReplyDelete