Poor "Od"

This was in the Pattaya Mail:


Freak accident

A circus dwarf, nicknamed Od, died recently in the North when he bounced sideways from a trampoline and was swallowed by a yawning hippopotamus which was waiting to appear in the next act. Vets on the scene said Hilda the Hippo had a gag reflex which automatically caused her to swallow. They added in mitigation that the hefty creature was a vegetarian who had not previously digested a circus performer. Unfortunately, the 1000 plus spectators continued to applaud wildly until common sense dictated there had been a tragic mistake. Police said the trampoline has been sent for forensic analysis.

http://www.pattayamail.com/309/columns.htm#hd7 under Grapevine

[cottmann]

This was in the Pattaya Mail:


Freak accident

A circus dwarf, nicknamed Od, died recently in the North when he bounced sideways from a trampoline and was swallowed by a yawning hippopotamus which was waiting to appear in the next act. Vets on the scene said Hilda the Hippo had a gag reflex which automatically caused her to swallow. They added in mitigation that the hefty creature was a vegetarian who had not previously digested a circus performer. Unfortunately, the 1000 plus spectators continued to applaud wildly until common sense dictated there had been a tragic mistake. Police said the trampoline has been sent for forensic analysis.

http://www.pattayamail.com/309/columns.htm#hd7 under Grapevine

I seem to recall this being quoted on the previous board! It is an urban legend, i.e., not true, and dates back in its original form to a December 15, 1994 Usenet posting purportedly quoting the Las Vegas Sun: "An Austrian circus dwarf died recently when he bounced sideways from a trampoline and was swallowed by a hippopotamus. Seven thousand people watched as little Franz Dasch popped into the mouth of Hilda the Hippo and the animal's gag reflex forced it to swallow. The crowd applauded wildly before other circus people realized what has happened." The report is listed as a "1999 urban legend" by the Darwin Awards folks.

... that, if it is not true, thanks anyway.

I have put a couple more of these under Any Other Country if you want to have a look which amused me.

A gag reflex would cause the hippo to discharge the person not swallow him. Common sense.

the whole thing got started after I got it on with a midget, Frenchy Douche, not, Franz Dache; on a trampoline, at a pool-party picnic.
(To which the virgin Mary--not her slutty sister Madge--brought the potted* potato salad. *Garnished with pot.)
The climatic portion of the act was performed en tableau on the dancing waters in the pool.
The audience went wild and joined in, culminating in a Douche\orgy with next-door neighbors jumping up and down to better see over the eight-foot stockade-pole fence.
Amid this frantic frenzy, Frenchy impaled himself on a pole.
It pleased him very much but the Sheriff was called just the same.
The Sheriff arrived with his mast stiff...and a big mastiff bitch that looked a lot like a hippo, if you were that drunk.
The dog freed Frenchy from the formidable fence and flung him back in the fugging pool--So the drunken neighbors swore she ate him.
It's always such fun at the El C______ Motel!

A gag reflex would cause the hippo to discharge the person not swallow him. Common sense.

I thought I'd seen it all, but apparently now we have a silly poof here who fancies himself an expert on hippo physiology.

[wowpow]

This story will run forever no matter if there be a hint of truth in it or not. I heard it again, a couple of weeks ago, on the BBC radio programme 'The News Quiz' and th source quoted was the Pattaya Mail.

[Dodger]

A gag reflex would cause the hippo to discharge the person not swallow him. Common sense.

I seem to recall several situations where I'd gag without discharging the person...maybe I'm part Hippo?

.... how come I never saw it! And I suspect lots of other people