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Piper Halliwell Rear Admiral
Joined: 23 Oct 2002 Posts: 3265 Location: Birmingham, England
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Sun Jan 04, 2004 2:38 pm Anger Over Australia Crocodile Hunter's Baby Stunt |
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Quote: | MELBOURNE, Australia (Reuters) - Celebrity crocodile hunter Steve Irwin triggered outrage when he held his 1-month-old baby while feeding a snapping crocodile during a show at his Australian zoo.
In a show for the public and the media Friday, Irwin held his son in one arm while feeding a dead chicken to a large, lunging crocodile then put the baby on the ground and helped him walk toward the reptile's pond.
Seven television network was inundated with calls after the incident was aired. Protests were lodged on a government families crisis line and with police.
Irwin also received a warning from child-care authorities.
"He's one month old, so it's about time Bob got out there and did his first croc demo," the typically exuberant, khaki-clad Irwin told the crowd at his zoo in Australia's Queensland state.
The Seven network said it had been flooded with calls about the incident, which revived memories of pop star Michael Jackson dangling his baby from the balcony of a Berlin hotel in November 2002.
"The phones ran hot, pretty much universally in outrage at what he had done," Seven news producer Dave Salmon told Reuters.
Irwin, supported at a media conference by his father Bob, wife Terri and 5-year-old daughter Bindi, told reporters he had been a safe working distance from the crocodile and that it was important to teach his children crocodile awareness.
"It is all about perceived danger. In front of that crocodile I was in complete control. Absolute and complete control. That is my profession," he said.
"I would be considered a bad parent if I didn't teach my children to be crocodile savvy because they live here, they live in crocodile territory."
Irwin's television show, "The Crocodile Hunter," has achieved international success. He starred in the 2002 movie "The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course."
Queensland Acting Premier Terry Mackenroth said a government office for child welfare had spoken to the Irwin family to ensure there would be no repeat performance.
"I think that any parent looking at that would think that it is not the smartest thing to do with a one-month, or a year-old or even a five-year-old child, to take them inside a crocodile pen," Mackenroth told reporters. |
[Moderator] - Edited to add quote tags.
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Slash_Gordon Commander
Joined: 11 Oct 2003 Posts: 416 Location: Voyager - Deck 6
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Sun Jan 04, 2004 4:52 pm |
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I saw the lame stunt on the news. Now I know why he wrestles with dangerous wild game. I thought that he was just good and that he knew what he was doing. But, now I know better... he was just plain lucky that he's still alive, 'cuz he has no brains.
I guess he wanted to introduce his child into doing the same job that his daddy is doing. I think a few months old is little too young to go into crocodile training.
I guess his name now is 'Crocodile Dumbdee'.
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Link, the Hero of Time Vice Admiral
Joined: 15 Sep 2001 Posts: 5581 Location: Kokori Forest, Hyrule
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Sun Jan 04, 2004 5:02 pm |
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and of course people are complaining about his actions, and yet the Baby was never in harms way.
think about it, Irwin Deals with Crocs everyday! He knows them front to back, and in his entire time with dealing with them has been bitten only ONCE!
Even from the Camera views you saw that the kid was never in any real danger. Comparing it to what Jackson did is stupid, because Jackson had no idea what he was doing.
-------signature-------
"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism." President Thomas Jefferson
"A man's respect for law and order exists in precise relationship to the size of his paycheck." Adam Clayton Powell Jr.
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Slash_Gordon Commander
Joined: 11 Oct 2003 Posts: 416 Location: Voyager - Deck 6
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Sun Jan 04, 2004 5:18 pm |
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With that kind of logic... Michael Jackson knew what he was doing, too... since, there's no evidence of him dropping a baby over the balcony of a building EVER!
Both guys took unnecessary chances with a baby who didn't know one iota of anything that was going on, and that both babies would not gain anything from the experience.
The dumb things celebrities will do, just for publicity.
And, I gotta say one more thing....How can a baby not be in harms way when he's only a few feet away from a predator that has been known to eat children and pull huge animals into the swamp before he does his death roll, and they were only a few feet away, also?
Steve Irwin isn't invincible... even you said he got bitten once.
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Jeff Miller Fleet Admiral
Joined: 22 Nov 2001 Posts: 23947 Location: Mental Ward for the Mentaly Unstable 6th floor, Saint John's 1615 Delaware Longview Washington 98632
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Wed Jan 07, 2004 10:08 am |
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The guy knew what he was doing the baby was never in any trouble all the people who want a reason to *beep* and moan have a reason now.
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Theresa Lux Mihi Deus
Joined: 17 Jun 2001 Posts: 27256 Location: United States of America
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Wed Jan 07, 2004 10:14 am |
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I agree it wasn't the brightest thing I ever saw, and that the kid was in danger, who isn't with live crocs ten feet away? But I also think Irwin would have definitely got between the two had anything become threatening. And there was probably more security than we saw off camera, people w/ tranq guns, etc...
-------signature-------
Some of us fall by the wayside
And some of us soar to the stars
And some of us sail through our troubles
And some have to live with our scars
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Josi Rockholt Fleet Admiral
Joined: 29 Dec 2001 Posts: 10136 Location: Boston, Ma
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Wed Jan 07, 2004 10:20 am |
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Obviously Steve knew how to handle his son with the croc or he wouldn't have brought it inside the pen in the first place. He deals with crocs everyday and knows how to handle them.
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Link, the Hero of Time Vice Admiral
Joined: 15 Sep 2001 Posts: 5581 Location: Kokori Forest, Hyrule
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Wed Jan 07, 2004 9:20 pm |
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exactly!
This Guy deals with Crocs all the time. He was Trained on how to handle them, How to read them, And through his years of doing it has only been bitten once.
-------signature-------
"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism." President Thomas Jefferson
"A man's respect for law and order exists in precise relationship to the size of his paycheck." Adam Clayton Powell Jr.
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DarthSikle Freshman Cadet
Joined: 07 Jan 2004 Posts: 8 Location: Philly
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Wed Jan 07, 2004 9:22 pm |
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Sure, let's let Brett Favre throw his son around like a footbal while we're at it
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Captain Dappet Forum Revolutionist
Joined: 06 Feb 2002 Posts: 16756 Location: On my supersonic rocket ship.
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Thu Jan 08, 2004 10:39 am |
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With that logic you're using he would feed the croc with his kid. Its more compareable to taking him to a football game.
But not really. Thats the closest thing to a comparison I can think of, anyway.
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Slash_Gordon Commander
Joined: 11 Oct 2003 Posts: 416 Location: Voyager - Deck 6
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Thu Jan 08, 2004 2:07 pm |
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Captain Dappet... at least if Favre takes his kid to the game, he would be away from the action... his kid wouldn't be in the huddle. Favre's baby would be out of bounds, right where Irwin's baby should've been.
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Captain Dappet Forum Revolutionist
Joined: 06 Feb 2002 Posts: 16756 Location: On my supersonic rocket ship.
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Thu Jan 08, 2004 2:39 pm |
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If this Favre guy takes his kid out on the field, there very close to a guarantee that it will be hurt, not the case with Irwin.
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