Monday, September 04, 2006

Steve Irwin RIP

As everyone probably knows by now Steve Irwin, better knows as the Crocodile Hunter was killed earlier today by a stingray. He provided many hours of entertainment and brought the idea of environmentalism to an MTV generation whose idea of a snake was a character from the computer game Metal Gear Solid. I had planned on visiting Australia Zoo during my trip to Australia, I still will but with Steve's untimely death I imagine it will be a sadder place.

It seems some how ironic that he spent so much of his life handling deadly snakes and wrestling crocodiles and in the end a stingray killed him, the last recorded death in Australia from a stingray was in 1945. But perhaps, in a way, he would have liked the idea, it was quick, he died doing what he loved and the crocs and snakes never won the struggle.

I hope he is in heaven with a grip on a dinosaurs tail shouting "Crikey, you're a beauty".

4 comments:

Keith said...

Declan, in fairness, no one wants to speak ill of the dead but that guy was a complete muppet! David Attenborough has provided many hours of entertainment; he has produced many hours of television by shoving his head up crocodile's arse in the name of education.

It was a very unfortunate accident but shite is shite.

Declan said...

I always thought he was fun and entertaining to watch as well as trying to teach people something. Sure presenters like David Attenborough provide mush more high brow work but alot of people would tune out when they start talking. There was space for both in the market.

Though I have to admit that I had always assumed that like a tv magician there was loads off camera that you never saw, like a whole medical crew and someone defanging the snakes. It came as a bit of a surprise to me that they needed to call Cairns to get a paramedic crew.

-Ann said...

I don't think it's really fair to call him a muppet. He had boundless enthusiasm and a real passion for his work - how many of us can say that?

Anonymous said...

Keith, Takes one to know one.