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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Saturday, August 21, 2004 - 6:26 am
Anyone know? I was watching Biography on her and fell asleep before it was over. They alluded that she really didn't die by choking on a ham sandwich.
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Saturday, August 21, 2004 - 6:32 am
Okay, I found the following out on my own. But I still have one question, how/where did the ham sandwich rumor start? Anyone know that? ~ Debunking the Myths ~ Dispelling the Distressing Rumors ~ The facts about Cass Elliot's death have existed since a few days after she died on July 29, 1974. The pathologist who performed the autopsy, Keith Simpson, was one of England's leading forensic pathologists. A competent forensic autopsy showed: 1) A heart problem leading to heart failure; 2) No sandwich or any other item in her throat or trachea; and 3) In fact, she had had very little to eat the day before she died. Furthermore, the drug screen (a standard part of a forensic autopsy) showed no drugs in her system. Simpson's conclusion was that Cass died of "heart failure due to fatty myocardial degeneration due to obesity". Although this conclusion was disputed by American pathologists at the time, fatty myocardial degeneration is now recognized as a potentially lethal condition. The latest (1996) edition of the authoritative "Heart Fascicle" (officially, Tumors of the Heart and Great Vessels) published by the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology states: "Rarely, lipomatous [fatty] infiltration ... may cause sudden death" and cites the following reference: Voigt J, Agsal N. Lipomatous infiltration of the heart. An uncommon cause of sudden unexpected death in a young man. Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine 1982;106:497-8. One possible theory is that Cass Elliot had a heart condition of this sort for a long time. This would be consistent with the various times she is reported to have passed out during the 1963-74 time period. In a young woman, fainting is usually due to heat, onset of flu, pregnancy, or some other innocuous cause, but if it continues to happen, it warrants investigation. A "cardiac conduction defect" creating a disturbance of heart rhythm just might be caused by a fatty myocardium and could explain a great deal. Failure of the fibers of the heart that should conduct the impulses that cause the heartbeat to do so is a known cause of sudden death. With special thanks to Rhonda D. Wright, M.D.
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Saturday, August 21, 2004 - 6:34 am
If anyone saw Biography, what did they say about her death? Thanks!
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Pamy
Member
01-02-2002
| Saturday, August 21, 2004 - 6:35 am
That was interesting, I always thought it was the sandwich story.
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Ocean_islands
Member
09-07-2000
| Saturday, August 21, 2004 - 7:48 am
If she had choked on food, there is no shame in that. Getting something caught in your windpipe can be fatal. Unfortunately there is always someone who wants to make jokes about overweight people.
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Jan
Member
08-01-2000
| Saturday, August 21, 2004 - 10:29 am
I think OI is right. I think, because she was overweight, someone "laughingly" suggested she died while eating and the story took off from there.
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Marysafan
Member
08-07-2000
| Saturday, August 21, 2004 - 3:27 pm
Ummm...Julieboo...I am sorry to report that I am one who joined you on the snooze patrol. I made it to the part where they met the Beatles before conking out. Sorry.
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Saturday, August 21, 2004 - 4:01 pm
I think it was just a poorly made episode, cuz I usually am able to stay awake...
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Marysafan
Member
08-07-2000
| Saturday, August 21, 2004 - 4:08 pm
I was really enjoying it...it was just a bit past my bedtime. I had watched the one on David Crosby earlier...I really liked it. I thought that Denny Dougherty was really telling the story well. Having read a couple of books about them including the infamous kiss and tell all by Papa John...I was wondering just how much they were going to tell! lol!
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Starshine40
Member
07-30-2002
| Thursday, August 26, 2004 - 3:07 am
Back in the early 60's I worked in a nightclub in VA. BEACH, VA (hubby was in Navy so we lived there for 3 yrs). While working I saw Cass Elliot along with the rest of the Mamas and the Papas perform. She was overweight even back then.
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Zeno39
Member
11-09-2002
| Monday, September 06, 2004 - 7:20 pm
I wonder if the story is true that before they hit it big that Mama Cass was in a restaurant or somewhere, and Barbra Streisand snubbed her. Then when they became famous, Cass said to heck with Barbra. (she didn't say "heck" as you can imagine) I have never liked Barbra Streisand because of her mightier-than-thou attitude. I do admit that her voice is great, but as a person, I can't stand her!
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