No funeral for Gary Coleman, but no peace either

The court battle between the child star's ex-wife and ex-girlfriend continues to sully his memory

Published June 16, 2010 6:17PM (EDT)

FILE - In this Feb. 26, 2008 file photo, actor Gary Coleman, best known from the television series "Diff'rent Strokes" and his wife Shannon Price, appear on the the NBC "Today" television program in New York. Price on Thursday, June 10, 2010 filed a petition in a Utah court to be appointed as the special administrator of the former child actor's estate. The petition filed in 4th District Court in Provo said even though Coleman and Price were divorced in August 2008, she is still his common law wife and that she should be the one to make funeral arrangements. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File) (AP)
FILE - In this Feb. 26, 2008 file photo, actor Gary Coleman, best known from the television series "Diff'rent Strokes" and his wife Shannon Price, appear on the the NBC "Today" television program in New York. Price on Thursday, June 10, 2010 filed a petition in a Utah court to be appointed as the special administrator of the former child actor's estate. The petition filed in 4th District Court in Provo said even though Coleman and Price were divorced in August 2008, she is still his common law wife and that she should be the one to make funeral arrangements. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File) (AP)

What's happened to Gary Coleman's name is a tragic farce, and that's saying something. Before he died his travails were well known, from "The Surreal Life" to the security guard gig to the CashCall.com commercials. But the trashiness that has ensued in the weeks since has lowered the bar considerably.

Today we found out through the AP that there will be no funeral for Gary, as per his request. If you want more info on the eye-scratching and hair-pulling going on over Coleman's estate, CBS has a decent recapping, and People has a few more details. Spreading his ashes on the railroad tracks, really? He's not an early-20th-century hobo. And let's not overlook Salon's piece on the publishing of the actor's deathbed photos. Blech.

In what is probably the most disturbing turn of events, CNN revealed the actor's living will specified he be kept on life support for 15 days before pulling the plug, so to speak. His ex-wife Shannon Price disconnected him after one day. One. This is a perfect example of why everyone needs to update their wills, living wills, directives, taxes, driver's licenses, library cards, whatever. Otherwise white-trash-apalooza explodes all over your grave. Let's pay homage to some classic Arnold moments from Gary's youth instead of pulverizing his memory.

 


By Christine Mathias

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