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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.

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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.

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