Las Vegas illusionist 'critical' after tiger attack
Derek O'Brien
Las Vegas magician Roy Horn, famous for performing with signature white
tigers in the Siegfried & Roy act, is in a critical condition after being
mauled on-stage by one of the animals.
A tiger attacked Horn around the throat during a performance Friday night at
The Mirage hotel-casino in the Nevada desert gambling city.
Horn was taken to University Medical Centre, where he was listed in critical
condition, said hospital spokeswoman Cheryl Persinger.
An audience member who witnessed the attack said Horn tried to beat the
tiger off with a microphone.
"The tiger went for his neck, then dragged him offstage," said Andy Cushman,
a 23-year-old reporter from New Jersey. "He looked like a rag doll."
Mirage spokesman Alan Feldman said Horn "sustained a serious injury to the
left side of his neck". He said Horn was in surgery late last night.
Cushman said Horn appeared alone on stage with a white tiger about 45
minutes into the show, and told the audience the tiger was nine years old
and was making his debut.
A short time after the attack, Siegfried Fisbacher, 64, appeared on stage
and said the performance was cancelled.
The German-born pair perform six shows a week, 44 weeks per year and have
been performing in Las Vegas for more than 30 years. The illusionists signed
a lifetime contract with the Mirage in 2001.
As a big cat lover, though I recognsie that the man's family and friends
will understandably be distressed by all this, I have to say, YES! Good on
the tiger! When will people realise that these animals are *not* show props,
*not* natural performers or just playful housecats made large, but forms of
feral life that deserve better than to spend their lives arsing about for
two f**kwits and gawping audiences?