Actor Robert Hegyes, best known for playing sweathog Juan Epstein in the 1970s television series Welcome Back, Kotter has died at 60.

After complaining of chest pains at his New Jersey home on Thursday morning, the actor was taken to hospital where he passed away. Hegyes had suffered another heart attack a few years ago and had not been in good health prior to his death.

Welcome Back, Kotter also featured John Travolta as a fellow classmate in the story of a man who returns to his former high school to teach a group of troublesome students. Hegyes stated that he based his skirt-chasing character on Chico Marx of the Marx Brothers. He also went on to appear as a regular in the detective series Cagney & Lacey.

For trivia buffs out there, Robert was a cousin of singers Jon Bon Jovi and Mario Lanza.

He leaves behind four children. Rest in peace.

Legendary singer, Etta James, has died of complications from leukemia. Her husband and sons were with her as she passed away in Riverside, California. She would have been 74 next Wednesday.

Possibly best known for her rendition of [At Last], The Matriarch of Rhythm and Blues’ stellar career spanned almost 60 years and multiple genres of music including soul, gospel, jazz, blues and, rock and roll. Later in life, along with a 2010 diagnosis of leukemia, she also suffered from dementia and hepatitis C.

Etta’s appeal also crossed generations. In 2011, rapper Flo Rida’s [Good Feeling] contained a sampling of Etta’s [Something's Got A Hold On Me].

Rest in peace, Miss Peaches.

A promising career has come to a sad and tragic end. Champion freestyle skier Sarah Burke passed away peacefully in a Salt Lake City hospital on Thursday following a crash during training on January 10th. She was 29.

The incident has once again raised the issue of the need for helmets to be worn by skiers and snowboarders.

Sarah, a native of Barrie Ontario Canada, suffered a ruptured vertebral artery in the accident, which sent her into cardiac arrest. She had no pulse and was not breathing on her own when emergency personnel arrived. Following surgery to repair the artery, she remained on life support, but had already suffered irreversible brain damage as a result of oxygen deprivation and blood loss.

Her publicist released this statement:

“The family expresses their heartfelt gratitude for the international outpouring of support they have received from all the people Sarah touched.”

At her own request, Sarah’s organs and tissues have been donated in order to save others.

Yupp. With the death of Kim Jong-il — a man known as “Dear Leader” to devoted millions — the reigns of power in North Korea have now passed to yet another generation of the Kim family.

After a 17 year rule, the revered son of Kim Il-sung, succumbed to a heart attack at the age of 69. The country is now in the hands of his youngest son, Kim Jong-un.

While sometimes seen as sadistic (and overly militaristic) by outsiders, North Korea has risen from the scourge of a terrible famine to build up an army with nuclear capabilities that ranks among the world’s best!

The military in the area is now on HIGH ALERT, threatening the tenuous situation between North and South. Would you feel comfortable visiting the area?

With such a devoted following, could radical action be in the future?

Personally, I’m concerned!

So sad! This guy was damn funny!

Sadly, Patrice O’Neal died on Monday from a stroke related to his diabeties. He was 41!! Thoughts and prayers go out to his family
and friends.

Sources are reporting that 90s rapper Heavy D passed away earlier this afternoon unexpectedly. Yeah, he was rushed to an LA hospital around noon, after he was found unconscious on a walkway near his home.

After 911 was called, he was conscious and talking, but was sent to the hospital for further testing and stuff. An hour later, he had died!

So sad!

Police don’t suspect foul play.

But they are investigating his unusual death!!

RIP, buddy.

Former Weezer bassist, Mikey Welsh, was found dead in his Chicago hotel room Saturday afternoon from a suspected drug overdose. My God!

He was just 40 years old.

This is very unfortunate and tragic. RIP Mikey!

Sad! Yesterday… Steve Jobs, the creator of pretty much every piece of hip technology at Apple, lost his seven year battle with cancer. *tear*

I know it’s worldwide news.

But I just wanted to say that Steve Jobs is responsible for who I am today. Without my iPod or my MacBook computer, I’d be nothing!!!

I am now a technology geek, thanks to him!

We also would not have emotionally manipulative gems such as Toy Story or Wall-E without Steve’s contribution to Pixar. True, the world has lost a great innovator!

RIP Steve.