Roy Horn of 'Siegfried & Roy' beginning to walk again

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ^ | March 2, 2004

[presidio9]

BERLIN — Five months after he was mauled by a tiger, illusionist Roy Horn of “Siegfried & Roy” (Website) was able to walk again with the help of a wheeled walking aid, a spokeswoman for the duo said Tuesday. Horn, 59, managed to walk 558 paces last week with the assistance of the device, spokeswoman Claudia Dressler said from Munich, adding that he has “strong willpower” and is training intensively.

Horn was mauled by a 300-pound white tiger on Oct. 3, during his stage act in Las Vegas. The tiger attacked Horn during a sold-out performance at The Mirage hotel-casino.

Horn’s partner, German-born magician Siegfried Fischbacher, has downplayed Horn’s injuries from the attack, describing the illusionist’s wound as “a little punch hole” on the left side of his neck.

Fischbacher has said a stroke Horn suffered afterward resulted from blood pressure medication that sometimes made him feel faint.

MGM Mirage officials have said Horn has a long recovery ahead of him, and the duo’s long-running show has been closed.

[EggsAckley]

As Rush would say, "a tiger is a tiger....."

[Bluntpoint]

Pretty soon he will be going down again...to the Vegas Strip.

[John Beresford Tipton]

A serious question.
(Only serious replies are invited)

Why is he referred to as "an illusionist,"
and not something like "a lion tamer?"

[Tacis]

Has the tiger been tested for AIDS?

[Always Right]

Why is he referred to as "an illusionist," and not something like "a lion tamer?"

The wound on his neck should tell you why they don't call him a lion tamer.

[Scenic Sounds]

Boy, it's been a long way back for this guy. Such a bad kitty!!

[Imal]

Horn’s partner, German-born magician Siegfried Fischbacher, has downplayed Horn’s injuries from the attack, describing the illusionist’s wound as “a little punch hole” on the left side of his neck.

Yeah, nothing serious.

[dfwgator]

"It's only a flesh wound."

[Caipirabob]

He's doing pretty well considering his age. I'm impressed he survived at all.

[babaloo999]

"Lion tamer" sounds like something from the circus, kind of old fashioned and hokey.
"Illusionist" has more of that "ooh ahh" thang going for it. So they say, although Always Right was right, too.

[Drammach]

Why is he referred to as "an illusionist," and not something like "a lion tamer?"

Serious answer..

Seigried and Roy are a Magic Act, primarily, intersperced with other, related entertainment, but a Fancy Magic Act..

The Tigers, and other Felines, Canines, Equines, etc.. are the "gimmick".. That makes their act stand out from among the myriad of other Magic Acts vying for top billing..
But, especially, the White Siberian Tigers.. It is their "trademark", that makes them "different" from all the other magic acts...
They do the same magic tricks and "illusions" as all the others do, but with tigers..

[John Beresford Tipton]

Thanks to you all, I always wondered.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

[atomicpossum]

He looks like a "lion tamer," but that is just an "illusion."

[Al Simmons]

"A serious question.
(Only serious replies are invited)

Why is he referred to as "an illusionist,"
and not something like "a lion tamer?" "

Ummm...because he is actually a FLAMING Illusionist?? ;0)

[dfwgator]

Counsellor: Well, do you have any idea of what you want to do?

Anchovy: Yes, yes I have.

Counsellor: What?

Anchovy: (boldly) Lion taming.

Counsellor: Well yes. Yes. Of course, it's a bit of a jump isn't it? I mean, er, chartered accountancy to lion taming in one go. You don't think it might be better if you worked your way toward lion taming, say, via banking...

Anchovy: No, no, no, no. No, I donít want to wait. At nine oíclock tomorrow I want to be in there, taming.

Counsellor: Fine, fine. But do you, do you have any qualifications?

Anchovy: Yes, I've got a hat

Counsellor: A hat?

Anchovy: Yes, a hat. A lion taming hat. A hat with 'lion tamer' on it. I got it at Harrods. And it lights up saying 'lion tamer' in great big neon letters, so that you can tame them after dark when they're less stroppy.

Counsellor: I see, I see.

Anchovy: And you can switch it off during the day time, and claim reasonable wear and tear as allowable professional expenses under paragraph 335C ...

Counsellor: Yes, yes, yes, I do follow, Mr Anchovy, but you see the snag is ... if I now call Mr Chipperfield and say to him, 'look here, I've got a forty-five-year-old chartered accountant with me who wants to become a lion tamer', his first question is not going to be 'does he have his own hat?' He's going to ask what sort of experience you've had with lions.

Anchovy: Well I ... I've seen them at the zoo.

Counsellor: Good, good, good.

Anchovy: Little brown furry things with short stumpy legs and great long noses. I don't know what all the fuss is about, I could tame one of those. They look pretty tame to start with.

Counsellor: And these, er, these lions ... how high are they?

Anchovy: (indicating a height of onefoot) Well they're about so high, you know. They don't frighten me at all.

Counsellor: Really. And do these lions eat ants?

Anchovy: Yes, that's right.

Counsellor: Er, well, Mr Anchovy ... I'm afraid what you've got hold of there is an anteater.

Anchovy: A what?

Counsellor: An anteater. Not a lion. You see a lion is a huge savage beast, about five feet high, ten feet long, weighing about four hundred pounds, running forty miles per hour, with masses of sharp pointed teeth and nasty long razor-sharp claws that can rip your belly open before you can say 'Eric Robinson', and they look like this.

The Counsellor produces large picture of a lion and shows to Mr Anchovy who screams and passes out.

Counsellor: Time enough I think for a piece of wood.

CAPTION: 'THE LARCH'

Picture of a tree.

Voice Over (TERRY J) The larch.

Cut back to office: Mr Anchovy sits up with a start.

Counsellor Now, shall I call Mr Chipperfield?

Anchovy: Er, no, no, no. I think your idea of making the transition to lion taming via easy stages, say via insurance ...

Counsellor: Or banking.

Anchovy: Or banking, yes, yes, banking that's a man's life, isn't it? Banking, travel, excitement, adventure, thrills, decisions affecting people's lives.

Counsellor: Jolly good, well, er, shall I put you in touch with a bank?

Anchovy: Yes.

Counsellor: Fine.

Anchovy: Er ... no, no, no. Look, er, it's a big decision, I'd like a couple of weeks to think about it ... er ... you know, don't want to jump into it too quickly. Maybe three weeks. I could let you know definitely then, I just don't want to make this definite decision. I'm er ... (continues muttering nervously to himself)

Counsellor: (turning to camera) Well this is just one of the all too many cases on our books of chartered accountancy. The only way that we can fight this terrible debilitating social disease, is by informing the general public of its consequences by showing young people that it's just not worth it. So, so please ... give generously ... to this address: The League for Fighting Chartered Accountancy, 55 Lincoln House, Basil Street, London SW3.

[SF Republican]

The wound on his neck should tell you why they don't call him a lion tamer. that is sooooo funny

[Always Right]

oh lighten up, Siegfried was making light of Roy's wound.

[SF Republican]

I did not mean to be sarcastic; I thought it was a great line