Steve Irwin died? Damn!.
Ok, first of all... go read either THIS or THIS or read the story from whatever news source you prefer. These were the two pointed out by a new MySpace buddy, Stefani (go read her blog!) and so I will use them. I will add in MSNBC just because it's my home page and had I NOT been in such a hurry this morning to go straight to all my other sites, I would've seen it.
Steve Irwin. Crocodile Hunter. Married with 2 young kids. Dead at 44. The guy that wrestled every fricking beastie you could think of and never let his obvious fear and concern get the best of him... died from a stingray tail bard to the chest. The news reports list this as a fluke, really. It's "rare" to actually be killed by one. It essentially hit him in exactly the right spot to kill him.
I could sit here and discuss that I am sure it's how everyone EXPECTED him to die... doing his job. Doing what he loved. But somehow I doubt anyone expected it THIS soon. With all the stuff that has bitten and stung and grappled him over the years, and how much strength he still obviously possessed... I don't think anyone expected him to die at such a young age. 44. Wow. My sisters aren't even 44 yet.
I'm not going to lie and say I was a huge fan of his show. I watched it on occasion and enjoyed it but never marked the tv guide or set the VCR. I had wnated to see his movie in the theatres, sure, but no one else would go with me. He made learning about animals exciting. Sometimes TOO exciting. You would forget what he was saying about them and really just sit there waiting to see if it bit him.
But that was cool. I mean, shit... it's what HE was doing, too.
I don't like that every story focuses on his "Crikey!" yell. I don't really remember that as much as I remember "Oh, she's a beauty!". THAT was distinctive Steve Irwin. That's like saying Paul Hogan would be remembered for saying "G'Day" all the time. Bullshit! He'll be the "That's not a knife" guy forever!
Irwin didn't simply make the Australia Zoo world famous... he made Australia a tourist destination again. He did more for them than the Olympics did. He took the image created by Crocodile Dundee and expanded it. He added a dimension to the place that made even ME want to go there. I felt confident that it would be safe and that all the REALLY nasty beasties were kept away from the public.
Irwin also changed nature shows.
In the past, the face of the show... the host... was the guy narrating and sitting safely on the helicopter or boat or jeep or whatever. The assistant was the one expected to go out and tackle the damn things and show the audience how big the testicles were on the males. Irwin put the assistant front and center and the genre would never be the same. Every time you watch one of those shows and see the guy out there holding the snake or wolverine or whatever while talking breathlessly to the camera, sweat pouring off his concerned face... you can thank Steve Irwin. He may not have been teh first... but he was the one who made it THE way to do it.
He loved animals, he loved his job, he loved his family. Unfortunately, it was the first two that ended up hurting the third. I feel bad for his family. I feel bad for the Australia Zoo and for Australia as a whole. They've lost their greatest spokesman in YEARS. And I feel bad for us... we lost a great character who lived his life the way we all should try to... do what you love and love what you do, no exceptions and no compromises. if YOU know it's safe to have your baby with you while feeding crocs cause it's how YOU were raised... fuck everyone else!!!
I think in rememberance.. .we should all find as many ways to work Australianisms and Irwinisms into conversations. So remember... if you see something you like today... don't say "That's cool" or "neat!" or "man, that's hot"...
Say "SHE'S A BEAUTY!!!"
Steve Irwin. Crocodile Hunter. Married with 2 young kids. Dead at 44. The guy that wrestled every fricking beastie you could think of and never let his obvious fear and concern get the best of him... died from a stingray tail bard to the chest. The news reports list this as a fluke, really. It's "rare" to actually be killed by one. It essentially hit him in exactly the right spot to kill him.
I could sit here and discuss that I am sure it's how everyone EXPECTED him to die... doing his job. Doing what he loved. But somehow I doubt anyone expected it THIS soon. With all the stuff that has bitten and stung and grappled him over the years, and how much strength he still obviously possessed... I don't think anyone expected him to die at such a young age. 44. Wow. My sisters aren't even 44 yet.
I'm not going to lie and say I was a huge fan of his show. I watched it on occasion and enjoyed it but never marked the tv guide or set the VCR. I had wnated to see his movie in the theatres, sure, but no one else would go with me. He made learning about animals exciting. Sometimes TOO exciting. You would forget what he was saying about them and really just sit there waiting to see if it bit him.
But that was cool. I mean, shit... it's what HE was doing, too.
I don't like that every story focuses on his "Crikey!" yell. I don't really remember that as much as I remember "Oh, she's a beauty!". THAT was distinctive Steve Irwin. That's like saying Paul Hogan would be remembered for saying "G'Day" all the time. Bullshit! He'll be the "That's not a knife" guy forever!
Irwin didn't simply make the Australia Zoo world famous... he made Australia a tourist destination again. He did more for them than the Olympics did. He took the image created by Crocodile Dundee and expanded it. He added a dimension to the place that made even ME want to go there. I felt confident that it would be safe and that all the REALLY nasty beasties were kept away from the public.
Irwin also changed nature shows.
In the past, the face of the show... the host... was the guy narrating and sitting safely on the helicopter or boat or jeep or whatever. The assistant was the one expected to go out and tackle the damn things and show the audience how big the testicles were on the males. Irwin put the assistant front and center and the genre would never be the same. Every time you watch one of those shows and see the guy out there holding the snake or wolverine or whatever while talking breathlessly to the camera, sweat pouring off his concerned face... you can thank Steve Irwin. He may not have been teh first... but he was the one who made it THE way to do it.
He loved animals, he loved his job, he loved his family. Unfortunately, it was the first two that ended up hurting the third. I feel bad for his family. I feel bad for the Australia Zoo and for Australia as a whole. They've lost their greatest spokesman in YEARS. And I feel bad for us... we lost a great character who lived his life the way we all should try to... do what you love and love what you do, no exceptions and no compromises. if YOU know it's safe to have your baby with you while feeding crocs cause it's how YOU were raised... fuck everyone else!!!
I think in rememberance.. .we should all find as many ways to work Australianisms and Irwinisms into conversations. So remember... if you see something you like today... don't say "That's cool" or "neat!" or "man, that's hot"...
Say "SHE'S A BEAUTY!!!"
posted by wmjwatson at 6:22 AM
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