[Rob Instigator]

Bad weather had made it impossible to proceed with a planned taping for the Animal Planet channel, so Irwin chose Monday to shoot "a couple of soft stories for a new TV show we're doing," Stainton told CNN when the news broke.
"He and the underwater cameraman went out to do some pieces on the reef and coral and stuff good for the kids' show and, unfortunately, he came out over the top of a stingray that was buried in the sand and the barb went up and hit him in the chest," Stainton said Monday.
"He was as good on the water as he was on land," Stainton recalled Tuesday. "He was comfortable anywhere there was wildlife. He'd been diving 10, 15 years ... I never thought he'd take a hit from a stingray. He was very used to them."
Only the day before, he, Irwin and a doctor on board had discussed stingrays and the effects of their barbs, Stainton said. Stingrays, however, were not to be included in the "dangerous animals" documentary. (Watch how a stingray strikes -- 2:35 )
Stainton said he had to watch the tape in order to verify what was on it. "It was a hard experience," he said.

[terminal pharmacy]

didn't know saving animals when they were trapped in places or injured was mistreating animals, interesting opining going on

[king_buzzo]

ok, bump.

this thread should be stickied for eternal memory in steve

[pokkeherrie]

A tribute to Steve Irwin by Liars?
http://www.myspace.com/liarsliarsliars

edit: they've just removed it?
they had a song on their myspace earlier called steve irwin which had some samples of his voice talking.

[h8kurdt]

Bloody dick head people have decided to start retaliating against Stingrays cos...you know...that's what Steve Irwin would've wanted. People really do suck...majorly.

[atari 2600]

TV producer: Irwin just a showman

November 1, 2006




LONDON, England (CNN) -- A BBC documentaries producer has branded the late crocodile hunter Steve Irwin a "showman" more interested in his own stardom than the animal kingdom, British media reports say.
"Planet Earth" producer Alastair Fothergill launched an attack on the Australian TV star in the British magazine, Radio Times. Irwin was killed by a stingray while making a wildlife program in September.
"What Steve Irwin did for a living was as different from what we do as it's possible to get," Fothergill said, according to the UK's Press Association.
"Let's face it, Steve was a showman. Yes, he introduced a lot of people to natural history, but his basic stock in trade was, 'Aren't I brave, and aren't animals dangerous?' The fact is, I'm not interested in human stars. I'm only interested in animal stars."
Fothergill went on, according to PA: "The first thing we tell our crews is that if they're in danger, then they're not doing their job.
"The first rule of natural history film-making is that you're there to film the animals' natural behavior -- and attacking humans isn't natural behavior.
"If they're doing that, it means you've intruded on their world and made them feel threatened."
His comments emerged the day after Irwin's widow Terri fought back tears on stage at the National Television Awards.
She presented a lifetime achievement award to nature documentaries star David Attenborough and said he had been her husband's inspiration.
"Of course, as a television wildlife presenter, Steve was larger than life, but his real, true love was conservation," Terri said.
Backstage Attenborough paid tribute to Irwin for introducing millions of people to natural history.
It is the second time in a week the late "Crocodile Hunter" has been the center of controversy.
Last week the comedy "South Park" lampooned the Australian wildlife star -- or, depending on how you took the episode, people's sensitivities about death and particularly celebrity death.
An episode showed Satan preparing to host a Halloween fancy dress party. Other guests include Princess Diana, Hitler and rapper Notorious B.I.G. (Full story)
Critics said the were appalled by the Irwin character's depiction in a bloodstained shirt and with a stingray still attached to his chest. (I-Report: What do you think?)
John Beyer of UK TV watchdog Mediawatch said: "This is such bad taste and the makers of 'South Park' should review their decision to show it. Steve's family are still grieving.
"To lampoon somebody's death like that is unacceptable and so soon after the event is grossly insensitive.''
"South Park" maker Comedy Central defended the episode. A spokesperson for the company said: "It has offended people in the past and probably will again. Regular watchers would not be shocked."

[!@#$%!]

everybody is going to die at some point, so when we make fun of someone's death we are ultimately making fun of ourselves. we *are* going to be in the same spot sooner or later. same thing with making fun of old people.

making fun of problems we don't share, however, is bad form. i generally hate south park though, but anyway...

[atari 2600]

I just thought I'd post that article from today to affirm the good common sense Everyneurotic and a few others displayed.

[!@#$%!]

oh, what did he say? i had forgotten this thread already. and by the way, where is luxy?

[Tokolosh]

I always found Irwin a sensationalist. and never respected him for the way he studied animals and their behaviour.