Historical Events
- "Herman Van Veen: All of Him" opens at Ambassador NYC for 6 performances
Sophie's Choice
"Sophie's Choice", directed by Alan J. Pakula and based on William Styton's 1979 novel of the same name, starring Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline, is released (Academy Awards Best Actress 1983)
- Clark Gilles fails in 7th Islander penalty shot
Nobel Prize
Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez receives the Nobel Prize for Literature
- Norman Mayer holds Washington Monument hostage, demanding an end to nuclear weapons. Is killed by police after 10 hrs (he had no explosives)
- Suriname army leader Desi Bouterse murders 15 opponents
Famous Birthdays
- Chrisette Michele [Payne], American R&B and soul singer-songwriter ("Be OK"; "Epiphany"), born in Central Islip, New York,
- Dee Dee Trotter, American athlete, born in California, United States
- Halil Altintop, German-born Turkish football player (identical twin brother of Hamit Altintop), born in Gelsenkirchen, Germany
- Hamit Altintop, German-born Turkish football player (identical twin brother of Halil Altintop), born in Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Nicki Minaj (40 years old)
Trinidadian-American rapper and singer (Super Bass, Starships), born in Saint James, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
- Noelle Pikus-Pace, American skeleton racer, born in Provo, Utah
Famous Deaths
- André Kamperveen, Suriname footballer, politician, administrator, and pro-democracy advocate murdered by the military
- Bram Behr, Suriname journalist and pro-democracy advocate murdered by the military
- Cyrill Daal, Suriname worker's union leader, and pro-democracy advocate murdered by the military
- Frank Wijngaarde, Suriname journalist and pro-democracy advocate murdered by the military
- Gerard Leckie, Suriname scholar and pro-democracy advocate murdered by the military at 39
- Harald Riedewald, Suriname attorney and pro-democracy advocate murdered by the military
- John Baboeram, Suriname lawyer and pro-democracy advocate murdered by the military
- Jozef Slagveer, Suriname journalist, and pro-democracy advocate murdered by the military
- Kenneth Goncalves, Suriname deacon and pro-democracy advocate murdered by the military
- Leslie Rahman, Suriname journalist, and pro-democracy advocate murdered by the military
- Marty Robbins, American country singer (Devil Woman; I Walk Alone), dies of complications following cardiac surgery at 57
- Surendre Rambocus, Suriname army lieutenant, and pro-democracy advocate murdered by the military at 29
About December 8, 1982
Day of the Week: Wednesday
How Long Ago? 40 years, 9 months and 25 days
Leap Year: No
Generation: Millennial
Chinese Zodiac: Dog
Star Sign: Sagittarius
Music Charts
#1 Song: Mickey - Toni Basil
#1 Song: Beat Surrender - Jam
