Every news organization wants to be first, but in order to be first out of the gate with a tribute following the unexpected death of a public figure, some publications pre-write obituaries. It's a sad truth, but it isn't exactly secret.
Actor Kirk Douglas turns 98 next week, so it isn't surprising some publications are expecting the Spartacus actor to pass away in the near future. What is surprising is that People Magazine accidentally went ahead and published the actor's obituary on their website, complete with "DO NOT PUB" in the headline. Uproxx first spotted the slip-up, which has since been corrected. You can check out an archived version of the obituary here.
"Kirk Douglas, one of the few genuine box-office names to emerge just as TV was overtaking American culture in the years right after World War II, died TK TK TK. He was 97 (DOB 12/9/1916) and had been in good health despite having suffered a debilitating 1996 stroke that rendered his speech difficult," the obituary begins, before diving into the life of Douglas and his family.
People also calls Douglas an "intense personality" and that the actor had an "off-screen ego to go with it." Not exactly the most flattering words, but People did have some good things to say about the actor's iconic film history.
"In some 75 movies - including seven costarring his friend,Burt Lancaster, as well as 1951's highly regarded Ace in the Hole (a stinging early portrait of the media from director Billy Wilder), the 1952 Hollywood exposé The Bad and the Beautiful and the 1956 Vincent Van Gogh biopic Lust for Life- Kirk Douglas was a superstar even before the term was coined."
One can only imagine how Douglas feels being pronounced dead before his time, but on the bright side he does get to see what the magazine thinks about him, warts and all.
The obituary ends with a quote Douglas gave People back in 2000, shortly after Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones had their first child together, Dylan.
"You know, Dylan has a dimple bigger than mine," the proud grandpa told PEOPLE. "[But] I think he looks more like Catherine. Catherine with a dimple. Not bad!"
How should Douglas get back at People? By living another two decades, of course. That will show them.
