October 02, 2003
PRIME MINISTER IN PRAISE SHOCK
Australia’s celebrity classes tend not to admire the Prime Minister. Today Steve Irwin broke ranks. And how:
John Howard is the world's greatest leader, "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin said today as the prime minister visited his reptile park.
"In front of us right now is the greatest leader Australia has ever had and the greatest leader in the world," Mr Irwin told the pro-Howard audience at Australia Zoo, north of Brisbane.
He said it was the first time he had been given the opportunity to say how much he dearly loved the prime minister.
While Mr Howard was introduced to some of the animal residents of the zoo, including a giant boa constrictor, Mr Irwin said he hadn't realised the extent of the pre-election plug he was giving Mr Howard.
"That was straight from the heart, I've always believed it," he told reporters.
Last year a female celeb friend of mine actually whispered to me that she’d voted for John Howard. Her friends were nearby, and she didn’t want to risk them overhearing. Dissent is not tolerated.
Posted by Tim Blair at October 2, 2003 07:59 PMOn the topic of who supports Howard and who doesn't, I looked at the Newspoll in the Australian newspaper today. I am always interested to see the break up between party support in the 18-24 year old group. I then like to tie it back to the editorial slant of Australia's government funded youth radio station, JJJ, where I understand the PM was referred to as a "right-wing pig rooter" on the breakfast programme.
Real Australia vs Lefty Australia, this is becoming a tedious and old topic to some. Not me. I'm loving the culture wars and it is just the begining as far as I'm concerned.
I now fully expect the artisan classes to boycott Steve Irwin's zoo ... and patronage, profits and general public support to go throw the roof!
BTW it was Richard Alston who was referred to as a "right wing pig rooter" but I am sure that the sentiment was meant for all of Howard's team and no one at JJJ would be offended that the comment has been directed at Howard. That filth steal my money and yours to broadcast that sort of crap!
Posted by: Driver at October 2, 2003 at 09:26 PMI thought Steve Irwin was an idiot and possible lunatic until I read this, now I think he's a legend.
Death to tripple J and their stupid fucking hottest 100.
Posted by: Amos at October 2, 2003 at 10:07 PMAs a member of the 18-24 year old group, may I say that I "grew out" of listening and paying attention to JJJ a long, long time ago. Fuckers.
Posted by: Marty at October 2, 2003 at 10:44 PMtriple j went to total shit once helen razor and michael tunn left. fuck the faggots on the breakfast show.
Posted by: llbb at October 2, 2003 at 10:47 PMsteve is one of my clients, and he is crazier than a shithouse rat; he's on the money here, though- that's why the left hate Howard so much- he has twice the credibility of their hero Gough, and is approaching Menzies as the best regarded public figure in Australian history.
Posted by: Habib at October 2, 2003 at 10:50 PMmeh, as much as I dislike Wil Anderson, it was a joke when he said it.
The morning show is the worst offender, for their bland and predictable stories more than anything.
Posted by: T. Surprised at October 2, 2003 at 10:51 PMYou are all pathetic.
Listen to yourselves.....you all sound like you are auditioning for the FOX network.
The reality is the Libs are a right wing nationalist party as opposed to the previously Labour left wing nationalist party.
They "inadvertantly" disenfranchised half the country and the Libs, as a reaction, are disenfranchising the other half.
Posted by: Savvas at October 2, 2003 at 10:58 PMblast you for this.
My kid has a wiggles/croc hunter tape that has this inane "crocodile hunter - it's steve irwin - crocodile hunter - action man" (as only the wiggles could do) song that's a total ear worm.
and now it's stuck in my friggin head. action man, indeed.
curses upon you and your house.
Posted by: bird woman at October 2, 2003 at 11:40 PMFor the benefit of those that are not from the beautiful and mysterious Australia (like me), could you please explain what in the crikey is a "JJJ?"
Posted by: AG at October 3, 2003 at 12:13 AM
Did Steve Howard rub the top to the Prime Minister's head?
"Look at this beautiful scalp! Isn't he amazing?"
As I was leaving Australia, a young man of my acquaintance told me that he knew Irwin was a redneck because he called his wife "mate".
JJJ (Triple J) is a radio station/network.
Posted by: Angie Schultz at October 3, 2003 at 12:45 AM"what in the crikey"
Crikey is never used like that. You use it the same way you might use "Holy Shit!"
errr... Steve Irwin... not Steve Howard. Unless he's the Prime Minister's love child and we don't know it.
I've never heard Aussies describe Steve Irwin as a "celeb" before. Usually they're horrified to find that in the US, not only is he far better known than any Minogue or those tedious feminist filmmakers, he probably has more name recognition than the rest of Australia put together.
Posted by: Otter at October 3, 2003 at 01:22 AMheh. yeah, we love the croc hunter over here. you know he's got like four different shows now? you can catch that man on tv nearly any hour of the day. he's even got a croc hunter for kids type show that comes on nbc in mornings.
now, if only his show came on in high definition. don't you have hd cameras down there in oz yet?
Posted by: amy at October 3, 2003 at 01:37 AM"Did Steve Howard rub the top to the Prime Minister's head?"
Now I'll just jam my thumb up his butthole. Crikey! That really pissed him off!
Posted by: Randal Robinson at October 3, 2003 at 01:43 AMI visited Australia in the fall of 2000, and drove up the coast from Sydney to Queensland.
I found Steve Irwin's reptile zoo very impressive. Too many zoos for big lizards are just watery concrete pits. This is the case at my local zoo in Detroit, with its' 1950's era reptile house.
His zoo has large sandy pens for the crocs and the alligators. The zoo was clean and well-maintained, and all the animals seemed healthy and content.
Even if Steve Irwin is funny as a three dollar bill, I don't begrudge him his fame and money at all if he is using it to help his zoo.
Posted by: snore at October 3, 2003 at 04:02 AMSnore, well, he certainly isn't using that money on fancy clothes or cars!
Posted by: amy at October 3, 2003 at 04:25 AMI spent a week taking a wolf and canid bahavior course; the people running the course were impressed with Irwin's technique. He's sort of the Jackie Chan of animal handling; he's so damn skilled he can afford to cut up on camera. Scary.
Irwin's for real. A fighter pilot friend of mine flew him in an F-16 a few years back. On their way to the base, which was out in the Arizona desert, Irwin suddenly yelled "Stop the car!" They pulled over, and he ran over to a nondescript pile of rocks--then reached in an pulled out a particular snake, just like on the TV show.
Smash (the pilot) said the dude is 'like that' whether the cameras are on or now...
Posted by: Will Collier at October 3, 2003 at 07:03 AMIrwin's for real. A fighter pilot friend of mine flew him in an F-16 a few years back. On their way to the base, which was out in the Arizona desert, Irwin suddenly yelled "Stop the car!" They pulled over, and he ran over to a nondescript pile of rocks--then reached in an pulled out a particular snake, just like on the TV show.
Smash (the pilot) said the dude is 'like that' whether the cameras are on or not...
Posted by: Will Collier at October 3, 2003 at 07:07 AMI havent googled for verification, but I was told all of Irwin's profits go to charity. He's certainly a top guy. Im not saying this because of his support for Howard, but because he's so enthused about life.
Posted by: Ken at October 3, 2003 at 08:19 AM`Irwin is for real', but it gives me the willies watching him frolic with snakes and crocs and other friendly beasts. I just can't watch it.
Posted by: d at October 3, 2003 at 09:26 AMMy respect for the man has gone up tenfold. Good on ya Steve - say what you think and say it loud crikey!!!
Posted by: Rob at October 3, 2003 at 10:04 AMSo Irwin is the new face of Australia as far as the larger world is concerned. That used to horrify me but now, you know what? I am content.
As for his reptile zoo having nice pens, I hate to tell you this but to an aligator a concrete pen with 4 foot of filthy green water in it, into which they throw dead animals, is paradise. You don't have to go anywhere, you can sit in the sun, half-submerged, all day and eat. All day.
The artful fern fronds, sandy embankments and so on are for the humans.
Posted by: Amos at October 3, 2003 at 10:36 AMAsked whether he would consider a career in politics, Mr Irwin said: "Crikey mate no way, I'll stick to crocs, they are far safer."
Hahahahaha !!!
Posted by: Bill at October 3, 2003 at 10:38 AMHmmm. You lot are sad. As Tim pointed out, our Steve was introducing our PM to a boa constrictor at the time.
"Here's the world's greatest leader, by crikey! Give him a little hug!"
Pretty picture.
Posted by: Nemesis at October 3, 2003 at 10:40 AMI saw that item on 10 last night, and Steve also said "and I love him like my own father" (or something like that).
To see Steve Irwin so emotional, and John Howard being quite a shy guy was quite moved in a bashful way.
It was a wonderful happy/funny moment...
"I hate to tell you this but to an aligator a concrete pen with 4 foot of filthy green water in it, into which they throw dead animals, is paradise"
eh? they aren't total aquatic creatures, they need to come up on land too. besides, how would YOU like to be stuck in a small concrete pen, where your nose gets scraped everytime you bump into a wall?
Posted by: samkit at October 3, 2003 at 12:28 PMhere we go... another pro-animal anti-humankind rant. i dont think anyone here actually gives a shit samkit! crocs... KILL 'EM! snakes...KILL 'EM! sharks KILL 'EM ALL I SAY!
Posted by: roscoe p coltrane at October 3, 2003 at 12:40 PMIrwin is spot-on about John Howard. I read and hear your PM's words and despair that our Prexy's tongue is permanently tied. Howard has that same spark Maggie Thatcher had...magic.
As an aside, I wrote your PM and thanked him for his unwavering support for the US and received a very nice letter (not a form letter) in return. What a great guy. What a great country.
Posted by: Jeffersonian at October 3, 2003 at 01:16 PMActually Wil Anderson referred to Richard Alston as teh Pig Rooter.
Alston was as incompetent as they come in his role as Comm Minister- so Pig rooter could be about right.
Steve Irwin is a crocodile dude, pure and simple. His opinions on politics are cute- like asking Nikki webster.
but hardly relevant.
Posted by: TIGGA at October 3, 2003 at 01:27 PMThe only difference TIGGA is that Steve is old enough to vote. Hmm, wonder which way he votes?
Posted by: Todd at October 3, 2003 at 02:50 PMOh I Get It.
Because he's an entertainer, his opinions don't count for anything.
Well gee, thats a relief. I'll keep that in mind next time I read about nitwits like this, this and this, not to mention these.
Cos I gotta tell ya, for a minute there I was taking them really seriously........
Steve Irwin is immensely popular in the USA. As someone mentioned, it's impossible to turn on the TV without seeing his little blond-capped mug appear on some channel or another, and hearing him wax enthusiastic about the charm and beauty of some repulsive creature that everyone else hates.
I appreciate Oz's steadfast support in the war on terror, but I really think a little bit of Steve goes a long way. Frankly, considering his affinity for describing the not-readily-apparent virtues of hideous-looking and dangerous reptiles, I am not sure I would consider his endorsement of PM Howard any kind of favor.
Posted by: Irene A. at October 3, 2003 at 03:12 PMNo OPP, I don't think you understand. Those others are principled performers who are standing up to an unjust regime that is pushing for war on behalf of the jooooooos and the military industrial complex. Steve Unwin is an unprincipled hack who is a traitor to his class and position in this racist country. He should be immediately shunned and never again tolerated in the entertainment industry.
But don't forget that the voices of protest are being silenced and oppressed.
Posted by: Todd at October 3, 2003 at 03:20 PMSorry, forgot to mention that its all about OOOOIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!
Someone tell Steve to check the Keating pen. The bastard got out a while ago and tried to savage our only real historian. As usual, he had no effect.
Posted by: Paul Johnson at October 3, 2003 at 03:27 PMTodd, thanks for setting me straight.
Just a clarification: I take it by "principled performers" you mean "they stand for any principle which allows them to get another 5 minutes of face-on-tv time to remind everyone they are (unfortunately) still alive and searching for a gig".
News flash Paul,
Mr Keating was taken from his pen, mounted and stuffed. By Phillip Adams.
Then after a long, satisfied cigarette, Phil put him back in the pen.
Posted by: Osamas Psychotic Proctologist at October 3, 2003 at 05:58 PMAustrailian Elvis
"CRIKEY"
I am a dipshit.
Thanks for the definition and thanks for the insight.
Signing off from Texas.
Posted by: AG at October 3, 2003 at 11:28 PMWe love that Croc Hunter guy here in America. Even more so now that we know his politics don't lie with those lefty tax and spend tree huggin', whale savin', gay rights lovin', abortionist scumbags that are trying to destroy the world. Go Steve. And John Howard too!
Posted by: American Guy at October 4, 2003 at 01:06 AMTim said: Last year a female celeb friend of mine actually whispered to me that she’d voted for John Howard. Her friends were nearby, and she didn’t want to risk them overhearing. Dissent is not tolerated.
I know a leftist mathematician of some note in his subfield who told me, secretly, that after 9/11/01 he became glad that Gore had lost the election. I don’t think that there is any question but that the Left’s modus operandi of socially reinforced intolerance reinforces key conformities of opinion where otherwise there would be more questioning & diversity among “their own.”
Posted by: ForNow at October 4, 2003 at 05:07 AMThis meeting between the croc hunter and howard, it didn't happen by chance did it? The Short Man didn;t just happen to be there on a reckie for his daughter's honeymoon venue, and just happen to run into Steve on a whim, now? No, I;d say this was another carefully stage-managed event designed to make the PM look a man of the people. Who paid the costs of getting howard up there for this stunt? Oh, you and me you say? Only if you are stupid enough not to have all your cash buried in family trusts of course.
Yeah, steve's just bonza. Just you the PM and his merry flock of fawning fucking sheep. Like Tim.