Monday, September 04, 2006

RIP Steve Irwin

Seldom does anything in the news shock me, but the tragic death of Steve Irwin did. In fact his death seemed to be akin to a FED EX commercial that he appeared in years ago. In the commercial he was stung by a poisonous snake and some cheapskate sent the anti venom by a cheaper rival.

Irwin was a showman who lived on the edge. He invented the too close shots with Wild animals genre, that is widely imitated. However, when this genre is done by an Aussie
it seems natural. When this is done by his immitators it seems contrived. Irwin embodied America and the worlds love with a fictional charachter Crocodile Dundee. His stunts reminded us of our own frontier days and in many ways reminded us of a time when Americans were closer with nature.

Softening Irwin's image was his American wife who was instrumental in sustaining the shows growth. As a tribute to late Steve Irwin I promise to retire a spoof of his show where Irwin rounds up NYC Communists in Union Square.

Rest in Peace Steve and thanks for the memories.

12 comments:

JINGOIST said...

Isn't that a shame Beak? He got a stingray barb directly to the heart according to Comcast News. You KNOW how miserably poisonous Ausie animals are too, so it was probably pretty damn quick! They say if you gotta go before your time best to go fast doing something you like. The only thing that really surprises me is that a poisonous snake or a croc didn't get him first. What a shame.

Morgan

elmers brother said...

I too was shocked and saddened. He was quite the entertainer.

JINGOIST said...

Have you ever been diving Ebro? When I lived In Puerto Rico we dove on the reefs all the time. We always watched out for three things.
1. Sharp coral and sea urchins
2. Agressive barracudas
3. Sharks

The idea that a stingray would get you while diving probably never occurs to anyone. That's something you think about while walking in the surf. I liked him a lot, but couldn't always stomach his show.

Morgan

The Merry Widow said...

It was a very nasty way to go. I feel sorry for his wife, children, parents and employees! Apparently he was quite the industry Down Under!

tmw

beakerkin said...

Morgan

Elmer's Brother is a retired Naval Diver and very familiar with the risks. Sadly, the old adage of location killed Irwin as he was stung in the heart. He never had a chance.

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

Fate hates being tempted.

nanc said...

i'm sick over this as i started watching him about ten years ago and my husband always teased me that he was really a guy from idaho who was truly afraid of reptiles...

G-d be with terry and their children.

Dan Zaremba said...

He managed to pull out the barb from his chest and get to their little inflatable boat.
Cardiac arrest, he was dead in 3 minutes.
The stingray that got him was about 2.5m wide.
Huge.
They get snappy in September, October for it is their breeding season (they get close to the reef in huge numbers), and tiger sharks follow them everywhere. They use their spines to chase away tiger sharks.

Mad Zionist said...

This is why I stay on the couch. Very sad.

Anonymous said...

The Bolshevik hacks at the Guardian aren't expressing much sympathy. According to them, he deserved it.

Why is it that the commies are so quick to jump all over the beloved world round dead guy?

Arafat didn't get this kind of venom when he wen to his virgins and he was a frigging international terrorist who pitched crippled people into the ocean.

Dan Zaremba said...

Avenger,
The lefties hated Steve's guts because he re-claimed environment from their moral monopoly.

elmers brother said...

For clarification I wasn't a diver but I supported Seals, EOD and Marine Force Recon divers.

I have never dove but I know about shuffling your feet when you go surfing to avoid the stingrays.