Can’t a billionaire put his estate in order without sparking speculation about his longevity?

When Rupert Murdoch, L.A.’s richest citizen and owner of both Fox Television and the Dodgers, announced earlier in the month that his 26-year old son Lachlan was the official heir to his empire, there was immediate speculation that his health might be faltering.

The Australian born billionaire quickly quenched the gossip by pronouncing: “I have no plans to die.”

Maybe he was inspired by former L.A. sports-media mogul Jake Kent Cooke, who in his time owned both the Kings and Lakers, as well as the Los Angeles Daily News newspaper. Cooke died recently, leaving three wills, non of which clearly outline who will take control of his business empire, estimated at nearly one billion dollars.