Dennis Prager did a show on Irwin today and the bigger implications of it all. Toward the end of the show, he made the comment to the affect, why couldn't the TV world lose MTV instead Steve Irwin. Follow link to listen to his show.
http://www.townhall.com/talkradio/Show.aspx?RadioShowID=3
Steve really doesn't need defending. He only would have if he had tried to please everyone.