Given the commentary about the June 2009 thread, I'm skeptical that this is much more than trying to stir some ****.
Unfortunately the OP has stripped humanity from the discussion entirely, ironically while trying to educate those about the inhumanity of conditions in poor countries. Here's why people care about the deaths of celebrities more than the deaths in Africa. The celebrity has, in some way, contributing something to the life of that person. Whether it be entertainment, adulation, or whatever. Many people are affected by the death of Michael Jackson (a rich "white" guy I guess), because they grew up listening to his music. It's not a coincidence that, when I got home from work the day he passed, my roommate was watching the music video for Thriller. I stuck around and watched it too, because I have a ton of positive memories and so much nostalgia attached to it. My friends and I (whom I didn't even know until recently) can still bust out into the dance because we did it so much as a kid.
No disrespect to the many lives wasted in Africa, but I have zero context whatsoever for their lives. I haven't perceived them having any influence on my life at all, even if maybe they had. Tragic? Sure? But I'm not going to get self-righteous and begrudge people being affected by the loss of a celebrity. I went "oh" when Michael Jackson died, and watched a Thriller video since it happened to be on. That was the extent of it. Though I grew up watching copious amounts of Michael Jordan and he was my idol growing up, so I will probably be affected with a lot more nostalgia when he passes on.
Getting on the case of people mourning the death of rich white guys is disingenuous. I am completely unaffected by the death of that discovery channel guy, since he had zero impact in my life. I didn't even know he was dead, and he might as well be a young African child in my books.