Casey Kasem Passes Away!

Legendary DJ Casey Kasem passes away and a family feud sparks.

Famed DJ and voice actor Casey Kasem passes away today. There was a controversy brewing between members of the family.

Kasem was an American disc jockey, radio personality and actor, best known for being the host of the music radio programs American Top 40, American Top 20, and American Top 10 from 1970 until his retirement in 2009, and for providing the voice of Norville "Shaggy" Rogers in the Scooby-Doo franchise from 1969 to 1997, and again from 2002 until 2009.

Kasem founded the American Top 40 franchise in 1970, along with Don Bustany, Tom Rounds and Ron Jacobs, and hosted it from 1970 to 1988 and from 1998 to 2004. Between January 1989 and early 1998, he was the host of Casey's Top 40, Casey's Hot 20, and Casey's Countdown. Also beginning in 1998, Kasem hosted two adult contemporary spin-offs of American Top 40, American Top 20, and American Top 10. Kasem retired from AT20 and AT10 on July 4, 2009 and both shows ended on that day.

In addition to his radio shows, Kasem provided the voice of many commercials; had done many voices for Sesame Street; provided the character voice of Peter Cottontail in the Rankin/Bass production of Here Comes Peter Cottontail; was the voice of NBC; helped out with the annual Jerry Lewis telethon; and provided the cartoon voices of Robin in Super Friends, Mark on Battle of the Planets, and a number of characters for the Transformers cartoon series of the 1980s. In 2008, he was the voice of Out of Sight Retro Night which aired on WGN America, but was replaced by rival Rick Dees. After 40 years, Kasem retired from his role of voicing Shaggy in 2009, although he did voice Shaggy's father in the 2010 TV series, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated.

Kasem's wife Jean is a certified nutjob.

She had joint custody of Kasem and held back information about his whereabouts.

Casey Kasem had three children from a previous marriage: Kerri, Julie, and Mike Kasem.

In October 2013, Kerri Kasem said that her father was suffering from Parkinson's disease; a few months later, she said Casey Kasem had been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, which is often difficult to differentiate from Parkinson's.

Due to his condition, he was no longer able to speak.

On October 1, 2013, Kerri Kasem, her siblings and Casey Kasem's brother protested outside Casey and Jean Kasem's home, saying Jean Kasem had been preventing contact with Casey Kasem for three months.

Six days later, Julie Kasem and her husband, Dr. Jamil Aboulhosn, filed a conservatorship petition to place Casey Kasem under their care. The court denied their petition.

On May 12, 2014, Kerri Kasem was granted conservatorship over Jean Kasem's objection.

The court also ordered an investigation into Casey Kasem's whereabouts, after Jean Kasem's attorney argued that the court had no jurisdiction because he was "no longer in the United States" but did not give further information to the court about his whereabouts.

We here at Journal de la Reyna send our condolences to the family of Casey Kasem.