Number 27

Ever since Amy Winehouse died, everyone has been falling all over themselves to bring up the supposed "Curse of 27," i.e. singers dying at age 27 like Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin and now Winehouse.
But for me, when the person who sang the most ironic song in history (Rehab) died, it made me think about Britney Spears and how so many people killed her off in 2007 (not at the age of 27, but at the age of 25; her birthday is Dec. 3 1981).
I can remember a story coming out about the AP having written Britney's obituary. They claimed it was standard practice, and maybe it was, but many Britney fans were outraged (though, to be fair, they're generally outraged). Truthfully, she wasn't doing very well. Some tabloid headlines even suggested she was suicidal.
Clearly, the AP had reasons (however flimsy) to believe the singer might not make it to 26. But was it right to eulogize someone who was still alive (even if barely)? I never really felt like she was close to death (or closer than any other person). Her erratic behavior was troubling, her decisions poor, her conduct somewhat appalling, her wardrobe choices baffling, but I don't recall ever thinking, "Britney's going to die."
With Amy Winehouse, her death can't be labeled surprising. She was in and out of rehab (mostly out), on and off drugs and alcohol (mostly on), and just a general mess of a human being. At some point, either she or someone in her camp thought getting a boob job would be a positive development. I'm not sure how a boob job helps someone with a drug problem, but I'm not on the payroll of any famous singers.
There were glimpses where it seemed Amy was recovering; just like there were glimpses where it seemed like Britney was recovering. Both women went to rehab, both worked on their careers, both were seen in public in a relatively sober light, and both assured fans that "everything was fine."
But the public eye can be a cruel mistress, because while showing the girls' progress we also saw their downfalls: Britney wobbled her way through a disastrous VMA performance; Amy slurred her way through a concert overseas. It was clear neither woman was in any great shape and definitely not ready for prime time.
I don't know what Amy's parents did or didn't do to save her life. Maybe they did everything. Maybe they thought she had recovered and would live a long life. Maybe Britney was just lucky. Maybe she was just thisclose to death.
Some people continue to talk about Britney as though she shouldn't be here, as if the Grim Reaper reached out for her and just missed. Critics like to say about her work that it's amazing she's working at all. Many concert reviews have ended thusly: "The fact that Spears is even putting on a show is amazing in itself."
And maybe it is amazing. There are so many people who maybe shouldn't be here right now: Britney, Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie, Bret Michaels, any number of rockers from the 70s and 80s. There is no predicting destiny.
For every soul saved, one is lost. I think the reaper always has a backup plan. He has to make his quota, too. I guess Amy was just one of the next on the list. Unfortunately, she couldn't get out of the way.