R.I.P. Captain Crazy...

...so, I still can't believe Steve Irwin is dead.

I mean, it was perhaps the most poetic and befitting death I've ever heard of, but it was tragic and came far too early.

I loved watching Steve Irwin because he had movie star charisma, he lived without fear, and mostly because in a world run by corporations, where most entertainment seems tidy, bland, and safe, Mr. Crocodile Hunter was FUCKING INSANE!

Really, he was a bug-eyed, lovable madman. We need more people in the world like Klaus Kinski, Rick James, Timothy Leary, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Hunter S. Thompson, Moondog, Howard Finster, and Steve Irwin...but sadly, they're all long gone. Where are all the crazies?

I would trade one Steve Irwin for a dozen Kelly Ripas or Carson Dalys.

Anyway. I have nothing but fond memories of watching Steve Irwin. He had a passionate love of life and nature that was inspiring. He was incredibly knowledgeable, and as cartoonish as his persona was, his message was always positive, educational, and rooted in a deep sense of humanism. There was no question that Irwin LOVED animals.

And I used to get wasted on cheap beer with friends in college and laugh at crazy Steve until three in the morning. That was fun.

Ah, crikey...