That last sentence is so gross! And I’ve had worse. I was at a fun park years ago (in a different State) and some lovely people were spitting into the crowd from the top of the ferris wheel.
I’m pretty certain you can say “almost dead”…..and I consider myself somewhat of a pedant. Also, English as a language is not fixed or locked – it evolves and changes.
Berle’s parents must be so proud of their mistake.