As a life-long Saturday Night Live fan (and near historian at that) I was saddened to hear Charles Rocket took his own life yesterday.
Charles was in his early 50's and had a wife and child (who I beleive is now an adult).
Charles of course is the guy who kind of epitomized SNL's early 80's lowpoint when he said F*ck on the air.
The show had been featuring a running gag about Rocket being shot (ala Dallas & "Who Shot J.R.?") During the closings they wheeled him onto the stage for the goodnights and he said "I'd just like to know who the f*ck shot me".
I still remember being about 15 and just SHOCKED he said that. This was LONG before NYPD Blue and other shows that have pushed the envelope with nudity and swearing. It was a total shock. It was the buzz in school and the news for weeks.
He was quickly fired from the show (along with several others) and never really recovered. I'm sure that while he got past the issue, for the rest of his life he had to be haunted with the "what if" thoughts. Ironically if he said that today it probably would have done no damage to his career, it might even have advanced it.
They found him yesterday. Dead, after slitting his own throat.
