Matt Shea
RubySoho
Morgan Bell
Cibbuano
David O'Connell
Mountain Fog
South Park Steve Irwin Parody
September 4th 2006 22:26
The best tribute to Steve Irwin would be this parody of his insane, reckless TV antics on South Park.
Actually, the best tribute to Steve Irwin would be a 24-m statue of Mr. Irwin, located in some faraway town. To remind us all that 'One Croc Hunter to Rule Them All'.
In the comments, I mentioned something unusual about Steve Irwin's reputation. When I first arrived in Australia, I told Aussies that I'd watched The Crocodile Hunter often, and that Australia seemed to be packed with hungry giant reptiles and poisonous animals.
Most Aussies laughed derisively and told me that Steve Irwin was 'a/an idiot/bogan/loser' and that that TV show was giving the rest of the world a false impression about Australia.
Now, however, Irwin has died, pierced through the heart by a stingray barb. And now, the TV is jammed with people paying their respects. And now, everyone has a fond memory or good-natured story to tell about Steve Irwin.
I guess it's only natural - like the passing away of a reviled family member. If Celine Dion were to pass away, Canadians would line up and down rue St. Catherine to pay their respects.
Actually, the best tribute to Steve Irwin would be a 24-m statue of Mr. Irwin, located in some faraway town. To remind us all that 'One Croc Hunter to Rule Them All'.
In the comments, I mentioned something unusual about Steve Irwin's reputation. When I first arrived in Australia, I told Aussies that I'd watched The Crocodile Hunter often, and that Australia seemed to be packed with hungry giant reptiles and poisonous animals.
Most Aussies laughed derisively and told me that Steve Irwin was 'a/an idiot/bogan/loser' and that that TV show was giving the rest of the world a false impression about Australia.
Now, however, Irwin has died, pierced through the heart by a stingray barb. And now, the TV is jammed with people paying their respects. And now, everyone has a fond memory or good-natured story to tell about Steve Irwin.
I guess it's only natural - like the passing away of a reviled family member. If Celine Dion were to pass away, Canadians would line up and down rue St. Catherine to pay their respects.
| 205 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog
Comment by Big Cat
Chatterpillar
Comment by Adrian
Philosophy Blog
I think my feelings are mixed, though. I mean, I've been reading articles about Irwin all night, and every second one will start with "Crikey! He's dead".
In one sense this is a tribute, a salute, a celebration. But is it also disrespectful? I mean, doesn't it tend towards making the whole thing into a joke?
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Now that's he's passed away, everyone's got a fond memory of the guy. How quickly those opinions changed!
Anyway, he seemed like the kind of guy that would want people to make a joke about him.
Comment by Emma
Either way, he did great things for the Tourism Industry in Australia whether he was an idiot or not and he really did have a genuine love for Australia and it's wildlife. I think it's a damn shame that he died. But at least he died doing what he loved. How many people can say that?
P.S. If Celine Dion does ever die, I'll be thankful I don't live In Canada. There's only so much Celine a person can take and seeing as though Canada doesn't seem to be known for much else...I can see a parade with "My Heart will Go On" literally 'going on' for days....
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Then I moved out of Canada and found that non-Canadians love Celine Dion more than Canadians do.
Comment by Emma
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
The one that really stood out for me was Lady Di. The day before her death every magazine was making fun of her bullimia and lack of self esteem. Then the next day those same magazines gave her more love than Mother Teresa.
I never liked her, alive or dead personally.
On the topic of Irwin, I was never fan of the show or the man.
What I was a fan of and still am is his work to save nature and increase education on the animal kingdom.
Comment by Bunbury
This is the 2nd guy to die after South Park made fun of it. Remember Christopher Reeves just last year?
Comment by Jas
Stories: Put Them in Your Brain
Food, Wine and Coffee
One Planet
P.S. This is not to say that our celebs need be anglos or born and bred 'Aussies' (though what does that mean anyway?) - it's just ironic and sad.
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
John, great point... Lady Di will always be immortalized as a saint because of the way she died. I have a feeling that the same will happen to Irwin.
Emma, at one point there was such a Celine Dion saturation on TV and the radio that I just couldn't take it anymore. Plus, her restaurant chain has terrible nachos.
Comment by Luke
Old Movies
Cane Toad Warrior
I remember when Nixon died... you'd think he was the greatest president the US ever had the way everyone was paying tribute to him.
Comment by BenP
Unlike Lady Di, he did actually do stuff while he was alive.
Comment by Damo
When I first saw him I thought that he was a poor mans Paul Hogan and resented the rip-off.
However now I believe he was smarter than he let on. He was able to put in simple words what most would struggle to express.
Sure we all watched to see if one day a croc would get him but secretly no one wanted it to.
Comment by jonathandyer@hotmail.com
He helped promote Australia for what it is, arid and isolated, and by doing so in his own weird way bridged this isolated gap to the rest of the world.
A true hero of Australia. Long live the king of the crocks
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Comment by Emily
Comment by Australis
The Scriptwriting Blog
Personal Blog - A Writer's Life
He was a good bloke, and he will be missed.
Comment by MelissaA
Fun Facts
They won't be able to carry on with all of that now, as will a lot of other similar places that I have heard about doing similar things.
A lot of things have now changed for a lot of people and it's a sad thing to have happened to somebody in the prime of his life, not to mention what his wife and 2 young children now have to go through.
Comment by Mark D
Mark
Comment by Irwin RULES!
and 4 and half years ago went to his Crocadile Park at Beerwah (I live about 2 and a half hours drive
away in south Brisbane) but I never expected he would be there himself doing the crock show,
it was so KEWL! and watching him on telly, also at interviews he was so great and funny, I dunno
why some idiots say bad things about him (they obviously never knew him or what he did in life,
and or they were jellouse of him, sad pathetic assholes), he was more of a man and a great person
then everyone else in the world, he had a huge passion, a great sene of humour, was your average
guy lived in a normal single story brick home of 3 bedrooms, god I loved his attitude, a wife he loved
dearly along with his kids, its dam well not fair he had to go so early! I been balling my eyes out since
it happened, but I have had some dreams about him, the latest was last night, he was making a great
new park and I was helpging out right along side him, it was so real too! perhaps that is what he is
doing right now
Comment by nik
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Gumbyclan
Just because you met a few that didnt appreciate Steve and all that he stands for, doesnt mean you can view all Australians the same.
Cheers and May happy thoughts return to your head.
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Comment by BenP
Comment by Anonymous
I think Penn and Tellers BS doco really got to the nitty gritty about conservation and the environment.
Animals are animals and that's what seperates us.
Don't play with things you don't understand.
Comment by Anonymous
But there are other good australians out there. Anyone else know about Paul Kidd?
Comment by Anonymous