Is the ‘rule of threes’ real? Why it seems there’s a pattern to celebrity deaths

Do celebrities really die in three?

Actor Malcom-Jamal Warner , singer Ozzy Osbourne and professional wrestler Hulk Hogan died in late July, prompting Google search around the “rule of three” to spike.

The term refers to the persistent notion that celebrity deaths come in threes. The “30 Rock” episode “Stone Mountain” riffs on the idea by making Tracy Jordan fear for his life after he learns two other celebrities have died.

Is there any credence to the “rule of three”? Experts tune in with their thoughts about math, pop culture and our impulse to find patterns in the chaos.

What is the Celebrity 'Rule of 3'?

The celebrity “rule of three” refers to a theory that celebrities die in threes at times close to each other.

The celebrity death “rule of three” has applied to multip