R.I.P. Barbara Walters, Gangsta Boo, Anita Pointer, and More

 Sometimes death comes in threes . . . TWICE.  And then some.  We actually lost several people over the past few days.  There’s no way you haven’t heard by now that Barbara Walters died Friday night at her home in New York.  She was 93 years old.

Barbara was the first female co-host of the “Today” show, and the first evening news anchorwoman in broadcast history.  Over her decades-long career, she interviewed everyone from Truman Capote to Honey Boo Boo.  (???)

She also co-created “The View”, which she co-hosted until her retirement in 2014.

(Here are some celebrity tributes . . . and here’s a list of some of her biggest interviews.)

Here are some other losses we’re dealing with as we begin the New Year:

1.  Gangsta Boo from Three 6 Mafia was found dead on Sunday at a Memphis home.  She was 43 years old.  There’s no word on the cause of death, but TMZ says it may have been drug-related.

2.  Modest Mouse drummer Jeremiah Green lost his battle with cancer on Saturday.  He was 45.  Green co-founded the band with frontman Isaac Brock and bassist Eric Judy.

3.  Anita Pointer of the Pointer Sisters died Saturday night, after, quote, “a very heroic battle with cancer.”  She was 74.

4.  Earth, Wind & Fire drummer Fred White died on Sunday.  He was 67 years old.  There’s no word on the cause of death.  Fred joined EWF in 1974, and was one of four brothers in the band.

5.  Fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, who famously dressed the Sex Pistols and helped define the punk style in Britain in the 1970s, died last week.  She was 81.

6.  Thousands of fans paid their respects to soccer legend Pele yesterday, at the Brazilian stadium where he first became an icon.  Pele died Saturday after a battle with cancer.  He was 82.