Crocodile Hunter dies

Or, for that matter, Paul Hogan ...

Anywho, has anyone else here heard that he was actually chasing a sea snake at the time and wasn't aware of the stingray?

 

Motherfucking sea snake.

 

It's a little irksome that people keep saying "he played chicken with crocs" or some variation of it.
Was his job dangerous? Sure. But no more than someone who works with explosives, hauls dangerous chemicals or flies planes for a living. When you go into these fields, you get educated in them in a hurry or you get dead in a hurry. Irwin was well-educated and knew what he was doing. If you or I handled a cobra, it'd be suicide. For him, it was the usual routine. He had the training and the expertise to do it safely, and took every safety precaution he could in case something did happen.
Unfortunately, accidents can happen and his death was one of them. To characterize his entire career as "playing chicken" is just wrong, though, in my opinion.

 

OK, but no one is suggesting state funerals for someone who works with explosives, someone who hauls dangerous chemicals, or someone who flies planes for a living -- even when accidents befall them.

He was a guy who made a fantabulous living playing chicken with animals on TV. More power to him, I wish I was smart enough to think of it.

But let's not turn him into Gandhi incarnate.

 

--Members of the Sherbs.
--Members of the Easybeats.
--The guy who sang Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport.
--Most of the members of the Little River Band.
--Outback Jack.

 

Yahoo Serious deserves to be embalmed in a glass coffin and displayed forever, a la Lenin.

 

I was talking to my wife, a 2nd grade teacher, about his death tonight at dinner and wondered if kids were talking about. Some jerk at the table across from us overheard me and started a conversation with his wife and another couple about it and I almost had to jump in and tell the guy he was a moron. He was following the "got what he deserved" and "sideshow act" philosophy on his death and said he just doing it to become famous and was a "TV-generated" character. I just cringed. Yes, his in-the-face methods made us nervous, but he brought joy, laughter and outright thrilling moments to all of us. He promoted wildlife better than anyone since Marlon Perkins and was truly one of a kind. Kids loved him and he loved to teach them. His death was a tragedy, yes, and it never would have happened had he not been so hands-on and daring. But, had he not be as genuine as he was, we all would have missed out.
The man was raised at Australia Zoo and was born to do what he did. He was the furthest thing from being a "TV-generated" character.
He was one of a kind. And he was definitely worthy of a state funeral.

 

I agree with that, Bubbler. When they first mentioned the state funeral it sounded way over the top.
The reaction from down under makes it seem like he may have been that country's Dale Earnhardt (huge folk hero, well-liked personality, reflected his nation's personality, sort of an Aussie good ole boy), which may make it a little more understandable. Not warranted, but understandable.

 

--The lead singer for Divinyls.
--Kylie Minogue.
--Pietro Delmenico.
--Every fedora-wearing footy goal judge.

 

Russell Crowe
Nicole Kidman
Mel Gibson

 

--Andrew Bogut
--Rupert Murdoch
--George Lazenby
--Paul Stoddart
--Eric Bana

 

Dammit!!! How'd I miss Eric Bana? Rowrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.