CydCharisse
New Member
I find this highly amusing
"Roy" gets mauled
- Thread starter CydCharisse
- Start date
I'm trying not to be amused, really. I'd have loved to see their show at least once in my life, but alas - I imagine they'll be retired before I manage it.
It is a bummer what happened, though. I guess he's still listed in critical condition.
But you know, a tiger is not a kitty. And just because they've performed thousands of times with tigers and are most likely experts in the Tiger Training field, they are still dealing with very large animals. TIGERS. So, ... yeah. That kind of makes me feel a little less bad for him, I guess. Or maybe moreso amused.
Last week while I was in Vegas I got to see one of the Tigers at the Mirage, too. *giggles*
It is a bummer what happened, though. I guess he's still listed in critical condition.
But you know, a tiger is not a kitty. And just because they've performed thousands of times with tigers and are most likely experts in the Tiger Training field, they are still dealing with very large animals. TIGERS. So, ... yeah. That kind of makes me feel a little less bad for him, I guess. Or maybe moreso amused.
Last week while I was in Vegas I got to see one of the Tigers at the Mirage, too. *giggles*
Mirlyn
Well-Known Member
Re:
I see it this way. People pay money to oooh and aaaah over the (admittingly astonishing) acts these guys pull. However, when something like this happens its like we're all of a sudden exposed to the reality that the tigers really are live tigers and not your average household calico. I don't think we dont want to believe that. These guys really are in danger every time they act, but we don't go to the shows to focus solely on the risk, we focus on the entertainment. I think we want to believe they're trained professionals which means nothing will really happen to them, no matter how close things come at the shows. Then things like this happen and the crowd suddenly obsesses over "how could this happen?" Face it, this shit sells. If nobody got hurt*, we'd believe just that--nobody would ever get hurt. Now that this happened, the audience knows the extreme danger, and I would almost bet money the shows would see an increased attendance. Thats how we as a society are.
I wouldn't be surprised if some legislation comes out of this...
* I'm not encouraging such unfortunate injury.
I do too, but I must admit there's a limit to my sympathy. He took that job knowing damn wall what the risks were. There's always a health-risk in a job environment. Most serious risks have been minimized because they are predictable. Dealing with nature, however, is not preditcable. Watch the weather forecasts for proof.Buttcrackdivine said:
I see it this way. People pay money to oooh and aaaah over the (admittingly astonishing) acts these guys pull. However, when something like this happens its like we're all of a sudden exposed to the reality that the tigers really are live tigers and not your average household calico. I don't think we dont want to believe that. These guys really are in danger every time they act, but we don't go to the shows to focus solely on the risk, we focus on the entertainment. I think we want to believe they're trained professionals which means nothing will really happen to them, no matter how close things come at the shows. Then things like this happen and the crowd suddenly obsesses over "how could this happen?" Face it, this shit sells. If nobody got hurt*, we'd believe just that--nobody would ever get hurt. Now that this happened, the audience knows the extreme danger, and I would almost bet money the shows would see an increased attendance. Thats how we as a society are.
I wouldn't be surprised if some legislation comes out of this...
* I'm not encouraging such unfortunate injury.
Re:
You said a man falling down the stairs is potentially comedic. That is a mundane task that takes a serious turn. Where's the humor?
A man that intentionally works with live animals knows the risks. Bob the Box-turtle trainer won't have a predicament that endangers his life like Roy jackass the tiger magician. Not a hell of a lot of humor there either but there is a certain irony that can be construed as humorous.
Buttcrackdivine said:
You said a man falling down the stairs is potentially comedic. That is a mundane task that takes a serious turn. Where's the humor?
A man that intentionally works with live animals knows the risks. Bob the Box-turtle trainer won't have a predicament that endangers his life like Roy jackass the tiger magician. Not a hell of a lot of humor there either but there is a certain irony that can be construed as humorous.
Mirlyn
Well-Known Member
Re:
I call it The Three Stooges.
I agree there is a difference between scripted and unscripted tragedy, but when it comes to a live act dealing with live natural creatures, who could script it to keep it from happening?
It's bound to happen. I just find the irony increddibly amusing. I mean, come on, they are the professionals, right?
Another example: the classic photograph of a UPS truck and a FedEx truck involved in a head-on collision. Unfortunate, but the irony makes us laugh.
How about pulling someone's hair? Poking them in the eyes? Getting punched. Putting their hand in a steam cleaner. Torture?Buttcrackdivine said:
I call it The Three Stooges.
I agree there is a difference between scripted and unscripted tragedy, but when it comes to a live act dealing with live natural creatures, who could script it to keep it from happening?
It's bound to happen. I just find the irony increddibly amusing. I mean, come on, they are the professionals, right? Another example: the classic photograph of a UPS truck and a FedEx truck involved in a head-on collision. Unfortunate, but the irony makes us laugh.
Re:
Cnn reported originally it was the tiger's first time on stage. The tonights version said the tiger had performed in the show many times before.
Anyway, not what I came here to say.
And that was ... *thinks really hard*
Ah yes. Working with live animals. Wild live animals to boot. Big, huge, giant, wild, live, animal cats. Now, I don't exactly know the setup of the show, stage, audience, etc. But, I'd think that with such large, wild (etc etc) animals in the show, there would be several trained professionals at each and every showing in the FRONT ROW wielding quick-acting stun treatments in case of such unpredictable mishaps.
In fact, from the (limited) information I know of the incident, "they" (show crew) got the tiger to release his hold of Roy by spraying him with a fire extinguisher.
Does this place not have standard emergency procedures? It seems to me that a show so prestigeous and established, in a well-to-do hotel of the same, are so ... lax on their practices.
WHERE WAS THE TIGER TRANQUILIZERS?
Cnn reported originally it was the tiger's first time on stage. The tonights version said the tiger had performed in the show many times before.
Anyway, not what I came here to say.
And that was ... *thinks really hard*
Ah yes. Working with live animals. Wild live animals to boot. Big, huge, giant, wild, live, animal cats. Now, I don't exactly know the setup of the show, stage, audience, etc. But, I'd think that with such large, wild (etc etc) animals in the show, there would be several trained professionals at each and every showing in the FRONT ROW wielding quick-acting stun treatments in case of such unpredictable mishaps.
In fact, from the (limited) information I know of the incident, "they" (show crew) got the tiger to release his hold of Roy by spraying him with a fire extinguisher.
Does this place not have standard emergency procedures? It seems to me that a show so prestigeous and established, in a well-to-do hotel of the same, are so ... lax on their practices.
WHERE WAS THE TIGER TRANQUILIZERS?