Darian O'Toole - R.I.P.

[newsperson]

Newsperson responds:

OK now I will take some heat for this:

In reading the story on S.F. Gate it seemed rather weak. 

1. She died in an Oakland hospitial, which one, Highland or a different one?

Is there a hospital we can call to verify her death?

2. There was not a credible link between her illness and the cause of death stated.

3. The news reporter repeated all the words from a press release sent to him.  In fact the story matches what a contributor posted here. So what ever happened to reporters independently verifing facts?

4. Finally there are no services scheduled, why not?

I would beleive this if we were able to see a scanned in copy of her death certificate.  In the alternative if we could get some independent verification from the Oakland hospitial where she allegedly died, that would be helpful.

Regardless of whether or not this is true, it is unfortunate that newspaper reporters, (or any reporters) do not independently verify facts.

I look forward to your comments on this.

Newsperson

[RadioStarOne]

I have to agree with you Newsperson. I say "Prove It!" With all due respect, but "Prove It" I say! Kind of what Leykis says on his shows.

[Lkeller]

Boss Jock 1947 said "She is but one of many people that populate our airwaves with irresponsible brodacasting. I have heard her work. She is not a role model. Perhaps if people like her were somewhat more responsible there would be less crude and rude people in this world. If you were to fall asleep in 1957 and wake up in 2008 it would be obvious to you how society has deterioted."

Again, there is some truth to what you say. George Will (who I respect a lot despite the fact that I'm one of those San Franciscans) spoke and wrote a lot about the "coarsening of America.". 

I'm sure Will would include "shock-jock" style radio in that category, along with the easy access to pornography (internet), and people on the streets who can't say a single sentence without using profanity.  Hey - I'm a liberal who grew up in the60s and 70s, and I'm against censorship;  but a lot of the stuff I see and hear makes me cringe.

But on the other hand, society has also gotten a lot more open and a fair since 1957.  I wonder which decade would be preferred by an intelligent and educated housewife of 1957 with no real job opportunties open to her, and trapped in a bad marriage she can't legally leave because of divorce laws designed to force 'morality' on people?  How about an African American man in the American South of 1957 who also had no job opportunities, couldn't eat in White restaurants, drink from white water fountains, or attend decent schools, and lived with the danger of violence or even being lynched if he said or did the 'wrong' thing?  Which decade would he prefer living in?

On the whole, I think society has advanced in the last 50 years.  Bringing it back to Darian and radio - the last time I heard her on Free-FM (I only heard that show on one or two occasions) she was talking about politics.  She was out of her element, not very articulate or knowledgeable, and the show was not compelling.  But she wasn't being prurient or obscene.

I was mostly a fan of her show on K-Big in the 90s.  At that time, she was compelling - funny, snarky and witty.  Some of her comments could be a bit crude, but I don't remember that show being obscene, dirty, or out of line.  What she said - though occasionally shocking - always had a point - it was never sexual or crude just for the purpose of being crude, like Stern, or some of the others.

[BossRadioDJ]

I have to agree with you Newsperson. I say "Prove It!" With all due respect, but "Prove It" I say! Kind of what Leykis says on his shows.

I just received an email from Justin Berton, who wrote the piece on Darian that appeared in the Chronicle. He confirmed her death with the Alameda County coroner's office.

DJ

[DyingMedium]

1) Regards to Bill King and Pete Wilson...One was almost 40 years older than Darian and the other just over 20 years older.  So, things are just a bit different there.  I just don't think we've heard the whole story on her death...and maybe we never will. 

2) BossJock1947...I'll damn your for your judgemental words.  I was no big fan of Darian's...but, your holier-than-thou stance angers me.  Let's see...what bon mots of yours can I quote; 

Morally Bankrupt? Check.
Broken Morals? Check.
Delirious? Check
Unrelated Drunk Driving comment? Check.

You didn't know Darian O'Toole...You can certainly say you didn't like her on the air.  But to call someone morally bankrupt, etc is way over the line.  I'm sure your life is perfect.

You know...I'll bet back in 1958 that people had a lot more respect for the dead.  Bet they had compassion too.  Please make sure we're notified of your death so we can piss all over your virtual grave.

Society's going down the tubes, blah,blah, blah...Please, leave your conservative agenda  for Savage, Limbaugh, etc...(for the record, I am neither Conservative or Liberal)...We don't need it here, especially on this topic. 

[sandwix]

Bossjock1947 was only expressing his opinion--which he's allowed to do.  Maybe he knows stuff you don't.  I know I do and I because I do, I'm not mourning her or her memory.  The Darian I knew wasn't a nice person, in fact, she was downright vile.  Since none of you guys was present during her tantrums, you can't comment.

It's not about urinating on someone's grave...it's about that person's knowledge of the deceased and maybe Bossjock1947 has his own knowledge.  A lot of you guys aren't in radio...you listen to it.  The people behind the mics are personas you don't know personally whereas, if you do work in the industry with these people, you have firsthand knowledge of these personas.  Again, maybe Bossjock1947 has this knowledge.  Don't be so quick to damn him.

As for how a broken leg can cause respiratory distress, I'm in the medical profession so I can give a heads up.  Respiratory failure can be caused by many things, but in particular, if a leg is fractured--especially the femur or tibia (2 bones very rich in bone marrow and cellular processes)--it can cause serious complications  because of the individual importance these bones have on cellular formation in the body.  An embolism (traveling clot) has a good chance of developing in the marrow of a fractured leg bone and when it does, it heads to 2 places:  the lungs or the brain.  If the clot settles in the lungs, it's causes a pulmonary embolism and death is quick.  If it wasn't an embolism that took Darian's life, pneumonia is another likely guess.  When the body is laid flat for too many days,  fluid in the lungs develops, causing pneumonia.  If the person has a weakened immune system, pneumonia is hard to beat and can lead to death.

[Lkeller]

Sandwix said: "Bossjock1947 was only expressing his opinion--which he's allowed to do.  Maybe he knows stuff you don't.  I know I do and I because I do, I'm not mourning her or her memory.  The Darian I knew wasn't a nice person, in fact, she was downright vile.  Since none of you guys was present during her tantrums, you can't comment."

Fair enough - and true.  I responded to her as a performer I enjoyed.  I'm not naive - I know that the people I admire for their talent (films, music, TV, radio) run the gamut as people from virtuous to vile.  Also, I feel badly when people die young, and try not to blame their deaths on their own personal failures, though that's not always easy for me either.

"It's not about urinating on someone's grave...it's about that person's knowledge of the deceased and maybe Bossjock1947 has his own knowledge.  A lot of you guys aren't in radio...you listen to it.  The people behind the mics are personas you don't know personally whereas, if you do work in the industry with these people, you have firsthand knowledge of these personas.  Again, maybe Bossjock1947 has this knowledge.  Don't be so quick to damn him."

I don't think most of us damned Boss Jock 1947 at all - I know I didn't.  I enjoy his posts and hope he continues to contribute. Controversy is good - otherwise all anybody would ever talk about herr is the play list at KFRC.

And thanks for the medical information.  It's good to know.

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

Bossjock1947 was only expressing his opinion--which he's allowed to do.  Maybe he knows stuff you don't.  I know I do and I because I do, I'm not mourning her or her memory.  The Darian I knew wasn't a nice person, in fact, she was downright vile.  Since none of you guys was present during her tantrums, you can't comment.

It's not about urinating on someone's grave...it's about that person's knowledge of the deceased and maybe Bossjock1947 has his own knowledge.  A lot of you guys aren't in radio...you listen to it.  The people behind the mics are personas you don't know personally whereas, if you do work in the industry with these people, you have firsthand knowledge of these personas.  Again, maybe Bossjock1947 has this knowledge.  Don't be so quick to damn him.

As for how a broken leg can cause respiratory distress, I'm in the medical profession so I can give a heads up.  Respiratory failure can be caused by many things, but in particular, if a leg is fractured--especially the femur or tibia (2 bones very rich in bone marrow and cellular processes)--it can cause serious complications  because of the individual importance these bones have on cellular formation in the body.  An embolism (traveling clot) has a good chance of developing in the marrow of a fractured leg bone and when it does, it heads to 2 places:  the lungs or the brain.  If the clot settles in the lungs, it's causes a pulmonary embolism and death is quick.  If it wasn't an embolism that took Darian's life, pneumonia is another likely guess.  When the body is laid flat for too many days,  fluid in the lungs develops, causing pneumonia.  If the person has a weakened immune system, pneumonia is hard to beat and can lead to death.

You are right that Bossjock 1947 has a right to voice his opinion.   One thing to point out.....He said he based his opinion on what she had on her MySpace page.

http://www.myspace.com/darianotoole

Interesting....Someone is able to log into her page.

What saddens me is that people are judging her personality when in reality she may have been suffering form some sort of mental illness.

Out of respect for her family I think we should all refrain from judging her in their time of grief.  I for one am going to do so.

[Lemonade-Pepper]

I am writing to quiet all you bitter haters. Darian was a very unhappy, absolutely tormented person. She was sick, addicted, painfully insecure. It may sound like a cliche', but every time I read about Britney Spears, it makes me think of her. As she grew in popularity and fame, the more unhappy and troubled she became. The more "friends" (I used that term loosely) she seemed to have. She seemed to suddenly then be surrounded by people that told her what she wanted to hear, and the people that didn't, she got rid of. These same "friends" did not care about her well being, but she was too messed up to see that. And, she was too insecure to realize her talent. I was once very, very close to her. We talked everyday, without fail. Worked together, played together. She came to my house for the holidays, and even called my parents her second Mom and Dad. We lived together in New York, that was when she started really spiraling down. I watched her fall, from beginning to (almost) end. I tried to help her, but typically, she didn't want to hear the truth, so our friendship too fell apart. I am so saddened by this news, but not surprised. Just wanted some of you to understand just what a sad person she was, and what a total waste of a life and talent. Hope she finally has found some peace. Godspeed, Pretty Girl.

[DyingMedium]

You'd be surprised who has firsthand info and who doesn't on this issue.  And you're free to like and dislike whomever you want...

Plus, Bossjock1947 pretty much admitted he had no firsthand knowledge of working with her.

Sand...be careful...More people here have so-called firsthand knowledge than you think...

You can hate her on the air...even hate working with her. I can totally see those things.  Like I said, I'm not a Darian fan.  But, I'm even less of a fan of people who pile on after someone in our business has died.  Someone who had a ton of problems.  But someone who was certainly loved by many others...

But to come out with statements such as "morally bankrupt" following someone's death (somone you really don't know) sickens me.  I would hope that someone who claims things were so much better in 1957 would have a little more class.

I thought Lemonade's post made a lot more sense...Honesty with much more compassion.

Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion.  No doubt about that.  And that's mine. 

Thanks...