# Some days the tiger eats you: Roy, of Siegfried and, attacked **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 4, 2003, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-days-the-tiger-eats-you-roy-of-siegfried-and-attacked/205503 "2003-10-04T04:55:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-days-the-tiger-eats-you-roy-of-siegfried-and-attacked/205503/1 "2003-10-04T04:55:53Z")
[Link](http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/West/10/04/roy.attacked.ap/index.html) > [@](#): > > LAS VEGAS, Nevada (AP) – A tiger attacked magician Roy Horn of the duo “Siegfried & Roy” at his throat during a Friday night performance at The Mirage hotel-casino, authorities said. > > Horn was taken to University Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition, said hospital spokeswoman Cheryl Persinger. How awful. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-days-the-tiger-eats-you-roy-of-siegfried-and-attacked/205503/2 "2003-10-04T05:01:30Z")
Awful indeed. And in front of an audience too. If there were any kids there I hope they get over it. ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-days-the-tiger-eats-you-roy-of-siegfried-and-attacked/205503/3 "2003-10-04T05:11:31Z")
You know, no matter how much you socialize them, tigers are still not domestic kitties. This was bound to happen sooner or later. I’m moderately surprized it wasn’t sooner. He’s very, very lucky to still be alive. I hope they don’t destroy the tiger. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-days-the-tiger-eats-you-roy-of-siegfried-and-attacked/205503/4 "2003-10-04T06:38:11Z")
Yeah, this is one of those situations where you have close to zero tolerance for accidents, king of like motorcycle jumping. The extra problem is that in this case, the motorcycle has a genetic predisposition toward violence, and a mind of its own. ---
**Author:** ![Nvme77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Nvme77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nvme77)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-days-the-tiger-eats-you-roy-of-siegfried-and-attacked/205503/5 "2003-10-04T06:49:53Z")
Wow, I cant believe they took him to that hospital. That is the most rundown, skankiest hospital. Maybe magicians dont have insurance? ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-days-the-tiger-eats-you-roy-of-siegfried-and-attacked/205503/6 "2003-10-04T07:17:58Z")
Anybody have him in the Deathpool? ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-days-the-tiger-eats-you-roy-of-siegfried-and-attacked/205503/7 "2003-10-04T07:25:37Z")
The way they’re describing it, it sounds like he won’t perform again for a looooooong time, maybe ever…and that’s if he lives. I wonder what Siegfried will do without him. And I just have to post this bit of dialogue from _Married With Children_, which I thought of almost immediately after I’d heard. Bud asked Al for advice, and his response was, “Son…I don’t know anything about life…I don’t know anything about love…I don’t know anything about Siegfried and Roy’s homelife! But I do know this…” yadda yadda yadda… ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-days-the-tiger-eats-you-roy-of-siegfried-and-attacked/205503/8 "2003-10-04T07:28:35Z")
There are two animals you can count on eventually reverting to being what they are: wild animals. Tigers and elephants. But I can’t help but feel bad for Roy. He seemed to loved those animals so deeply. I can’t imagine him allowing the animal to be put down. Best wishes, Roy! ---
**Author:** ![fizgig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@fizgig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizgig)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-days-the-tiger-eats-you-roy-of-siegfried-and-attacked/205503/9 "2003-10-04T07:46:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rilchiam \* > \*\*…and that’s if he lives. I wonder what Siegfried will do without him. > \*\* [Seigfried is the one with all the ideas.](http://www.theonion.com/3938/opinion1.html) This is terrible though, I hope he’ll make a recovery. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-days-the-tiger-eats-you-roy-of-siegfried-and-attacked/205503/10 "2003-10-04T09:34:45Z")
OMG, **fizgig**! I never got around to reading the Onion this week, so I hadn’t seen that! That’s VVC! And speaking of ideas, is this > [@](#): > > “Right after that, the tiger kind of turned its head and bit him on the arm,” Sherman said. “Roy started taking a microphone and started whapping the tiger on the head.” a recommended response to an animal attack? Not hitting him with the mike; that was what he had in his hand. But is it a good idea to hit an attacking animal with anything? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-days-the-tiger-eats-you-roy-of-siegfried-and-attacked/205503/11 "2003-10-04T10:48:00Z")
> [@](#): > > But is it a good idea to hit an attacking animal with anything? Maybe not, but what else are you going to do? I doubt the tiger was going to stop at his arm. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-days-the-tiger-eats-you-roy-of-siegfried-and-attacked/205503/12 "2003-10-04T10:58:38Z")
Ya know, I don’t want to see either of these guys suffer or anything, and they seem to really love their animals, but isn’t this perhaps a HINT that it’s a really BAD idea to do animal acts? I hate and despise circuses for exactly that reason, and would never go to them. Cirque du Soleil-type entertainment is the only circus for me. ---
**Author:** ![fizgig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@fizgig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizgig)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-days-the-tiger-eats-you-roy-of-siegfried-and-attacked/205503/13 "2003-10-04T19:26:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rilchiam \* > \*\* > But is it a good idea to hit an attacking animal with anything? \*\* It depends on the animal. I’d guess that that is the correct response when attacked by a large cat. In a bear attack, you’re supposed to go limp, and play dead (yeah, no problem :eek: ). However, when attacked by a big cat (cougar, etc), you’re supposed to fight back, e.g. poke it in the eyes, stab with your pocket knife, etc, with the theory that the cat will give up and go after easier prey. I’m guessing that it would be different with a domesticated cat that’s had so much exposure to and interaction with humans. ---
**Author:** ![bojon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@bojon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bojon)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-days-the-tiger-eats-you-roy-of-siegfried-and-attacked/205503/14 "2003-10-04T21:08:27Z")
I’m sure Seigfried can find someone named Roy. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-days-the-tiger-eats-you-roy-of-siegfried-and-attacked/205503/15 "2003-10-04T21:17:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by fessie \* > \*\*Ya know, I don’t want to see either of these guys suffer or anything, and they seem to really love their animals, but isn’t this perhaps a HINT that it’s a really BAD idea to do animal acts? \*\* According to the articles I saw online today, they’ve done over 5000 performances without anything like that happening until now. That’s a pretty good safety record for any activity, I would think. Others have mentioned that S&R obviously love their animals and care for them very deeply. I’ve spent some time around animal acts of a few sorts, and that was my experience with all of them. As such, I have no problem with animal acts at circuses or theme parks. I hope S&R are able to keep going. Terrible that this should have happened, especially in front of an audience. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-days-the-tiger-eats-you-roy-of-siegfried-and-attacked/205503/16 "2003-10-04T23:02:25Z")
As far as attacking the tiger goes, someone posted in another thread on this subject that Roy once bit a tiger hard, on the nose, onstage, to prevent anything bad from happening. Apparently it worked. ::Prepares man eating tiger joke.:: 😉 ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy154](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ad7895/32.png) [@quiltguy154](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy154)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-days-the-tiger-eats-you-roy-of-siegfried-and-attacked/205503/17 "2003-10-04T23:26:57Z")
He wouldn’t be in this predicament if he had just lunged at the tiger with a bunch of loganberries, or was it mangoes in syrup? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-days-the-tiger-eats-you-roy-of-siegfried-and-attacked/205503/18 "2003-10-05T00:30:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by fizgig \* > **It depends on the animal. I’d guess that that is the correct response when attacked by a large cat. In a bear attack, you’re supposed to go limp, and play dead (yeah, no problem :eek: ).** That depends on the type of attack. If it’s a predatory attack, you’re bear food if you play dead. However, if it’s a protective attack, such as a mother bear with small cubs would launch, playing dead is the correct response. In that situation, the bear only wants to be sure you aren’t a threat any longer. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-days-the-tiger-eats-you-roy-of-siegfried-and-attacked/205503/19 "2003-10-05T02:24:41Z")
I saw this story earlier, and I had a very strange reaction. It’s one of those things that seems, the moment you hear it, like it ought to be funny. But then it isn’t. I think about it — Roy attacked by one of his tigers — and it sounds like a joke. But it isn’t funny. It’s really weird. I hope he recovers, and I hope the tiger isn’t destroyed. ---
**Author:** ![ILikeMadonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8baadc/32.png) [@ILikeMadonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ILikeMadonna)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-days-the-tiger-eats-you-roy-of-siegfried-and-attacked/205503/20 "2003-10-05T03:14:18Z")
The news said all shows will be cancelled until Christmas and Siegfried is at his bedside. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-days-the-tiger-eats-you-roy-of-siegfried-and-attacked/205503.md?page=2)