Steve Irwin checks out in appropriate fashion.

Hyperactive animal lover Steve Irwin has died while fondling a sting-ray in North Qld sending the Australian media into an apeshit frenzy.

Redneck fuckwits have hit internet news sites leaving mountains of comments ranging from the predictably stupid, to the outright hilarious.

Crikey! Whats the world coming to. First 9/11, then Bali... and now
this! Bloody Hell. RIP Stevo.
Posted by: Pete Rulebreaker 3:32pm today

THIS IS JUST LIKE WHEN THE PRINCESS DIANNA PASSED BUT
WORSE
Posted by: Erin bradford of Hobat, Tasmania 3:36pm today

Steve Irwin is the face of this great Nation and will be deeply
missed by all. My heart goes out to his wonderful family who will know doubt
miss him more than we could ever know. This is a sad day for
Australia.
Posted by: Darren Jackson-Carver 3:36pm today

Steve, is and always be one of the Greatest Australians to
live.
Posted by: Clayton Mettam of Perth, WA

Steve was an inspiration to alot of folks, not just Aussies. He put his money and his time (along with his wife and family) where is mouth was....

I'm a grown man and I feel like crying. No other person on God's
green Earth did more, or put more time and money into helping animals. This guy
was a saint. I was surprised when Princess Di was killed but Steve's passing is
shocking. The Earth lost a warrior.
Posted by: James Needer of Sunnybank Hills 2:49pm today

It is expected that the term "great Australian" will be bandied about ad fucking nauseum by politicians and media personalities for at least the next few days.

Any pretense of objectivity will be left trampled under foot as the media rush to turn a well meaning dropkick into a saint.

Sources close to the family say two miracles have already been attributed to Irwin and attempts are underway to determine whether the fact that he hasn't already been killed by a wild animal can be counted as the third miracle required to kick start the canonisation proceedings.

While some are viewing Irwin's death as a tragedy others see it as a perfect example of natural selection at work.

Irwin is survived by his wife Terri, a son he once dangled in front of a crocodile and a daughter he allowed to kick his son in the head.

Farewell Steve. You weren't a bad guy. You were just a bit of a dickhead.