I learned about James Van Der Beek’s death as I was leaving my weekly choir practice. In choir we had previously covered I Don’t Wanna Wait, the theme tune for the turn-of-the-millennium teen show Dawson’s Creek. But some of my younger fellow singers looked blank as I gasped that Van Der Beek had died. Van Der Beek really shone though when he leant into his own cult status. The event raised money for Van Der Beek and a cancer charity, and clips posted online demonstrated just how loved he was.

Source: The Irish Times February 12, 2026 15:27 UTC