Earlier this morning I was reading the hard copy version of this week's Dallas Observer, when looking at the cover article about Fair Park in Dallas I looked at the photo you see here of Big Tex and thought he looked uncannily like Ted Cruz.
Big Tex got a makeover a couple years ago after an unfortunate fire incident. Did Ted Cruz model for the makeover?
Speaking of Ted Cruz, and who isn't? That is Ted Cruz at the lower left part of the screen cap from the Dallas Observer.
There has been so much embarrassing, scary video material with Cruz showing his reptilian-ness. I would have thought those videos would have laughing stocked him long ago. I thought the Cruz audition tape for The Simpsons would have been the end of him, but it was not.
On Facebook this morning I saw the above new explanation as to what set Big Tex on fire at this year's State Fair of Texas.
I've not read anything about any investigation into what caused Big Tex to go up in flames, other than it was some electrical malfunction. I have not read anything about why it was that Big Tex was constructed of such flammable material.
And what about the children? It had to be traumatic for a little kid at the fair, gawking at Big Tex, listening to him talk, watching him wave his arm and then to suddenly see Big Tex start to smoke, then burst into flames.
Fairgoers can get fairly close to Big Tex. On my last visit he was surrounded by a train and landscaping and a fence. When Big Tex burned up did the crowd run? Or did the conflagration happen so suddenly that Big Tex was toast before there was a chance to run away from the flames?
Is anyone suing the State Fair of Texas for traumatizing their little kid with a flammable Big Tex? How about those people who were stuck high in the air, on a Midway carnvial ride, for hours, on the same day Big Tex died?
This morning I was driving in Hurst, listening to the radio, when I heard the shocking news that the iconic symbol of the State Fair of Texas, Big Tex, had burst into flames, with Big Tex totally destroyed in the conflagration.
I later learned Big Tex met his end due to an electrical short in his neck that sparked the fire that quickly consumed Big Tex.
Why was Big Tex made out of what must have been very flammable material I can not help but wonder?
I also heard reports that the past few days Big Tex had been talking a little funny, suggesting that this electrical problem had been festering for awhile.
Big Tex was something like 60 years old. I suspect by the time the 2013 version of the State Fair of Texas is ready to open a new Big Tex will be ready to greet fairgoers.
If you never got to meet Big Tex and hear his booming voice, in his classic Texas accent, watch the video below that I made from my most recent visit to the State Fair of Texas. In the video I visit with Big Tex before wandering through the noisy State Fair of Texas Midway...
You are looking at the backside of Big Tex at the State Fair of Texas. Big Tex is real big. And he talks. Big Tex has a real good Texas drawl.
But not as good a Texas drawl as Gar the Texan's Texas drawl when he is in fighting mad mode.
Gar the Texan has never been to the State Fair of Texas. He was going to go to it with me this year, but then he changed his mind and decided to go to Germany, for a month, and go to Octoberfest in Munich, instead of the State Fair of Texasin Dallas.
It seems rude to me to tell someone you are going to the State Fair of Texaswith them and then go to Germany instead.
Speaking of being rude. Last weekend, Gar the Texan was at a Munich Octoberfest Beer Garten, sitting at a table with a bunch of guys from the Czech Republic, having himself a fine time, when the Czech guys left Gar the Texan guarding their seats, while they went to procure more beer. Then a group of German guys took the Czech seats despite Gar the Texan's profanity-laced protestations. Eventually the Gestapo showed up to advise Gar the Texan to cease with his profanity-laced protesting of this 2010 German occupation of Czech territory. When the Czech guys returned they quickly capitulated to the German Anschluss and left the Beer Garten. The Germans then suggested that Gar the Texan also leave their newly acquired territory and join the Czech exiles.
It seems Gar the Texan is finally coming to understand why I can't stand Germans. For the most part.
Well, enough of international relations for the day.
Below is a video I made of my last visit to the State Fair of Texas. In the video you will hear Big Tex verbalizing his hope that you have yourself a real fine time at the State Fair of Texas....
That is Big Tex waiting to get on a DART train at Mockingbird Station. Big Tex is heading to the State Fair of Texas where he stands tall all day long and talks to people.
To get to the Fair, Big Tex will need to switch to the DART Green Line at Pearl Station. The Green Line will take Big Tex directly to the State Fair.
Before getting on the DART train Big Tex went to Kroger where he bought a combo ticket to the Fair. For $16 Big Tex gets a ticket to the Fair and a Round Trip transport on DART.
For those not familiar with Dallas, DART is Dallas Area Rapid Transit. Dallas has about 50 miles of light rail. Each year seems to bring more miles of DART. There are currently 3 DART lines, the Red Line, the Blue Line and the Green Line. The Green Line will currently take you to the State Fair of Texas. By 2010 the Green Line will take you beyond the State Fair.
The Orange Line is under construction. It will take riders to Irving and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
I did not go to the State Fair of Texas last year. And the visit the year before was cut short due to physical ailments affecting myself and my co-fairgoer. Despite the pain, I still had fun.
Texas puts on good festivals and parades. At the State Fair of Texas you get both a good festival and a good parade.
The winners of the 20o9 Big Texas Choice Awards have not been announced, as far as I know. I could not eat any of last year's winners. The Best Taste winner was Texas Fried Cookie Dough. The Most Creative winner was Deep-Fried Latte. Then there was Fernie's Fried Chili Frito Burrito, B.W.'s Original Fried Banana Pudding, Zesty Fried Guacamole Bites, Country-Fried Peach Cobbler-on-a-Stick and Mama's Fried Sweet Potato Pie.
It all sounds real yummy.
In the YouTube video below I walk through the State Fair of Texas Midway. You'll likely see some of the food goodies mentioned above and you will hear Big Tex talk...
A few minutes ago I got an email from one of my Eyes on Texasviewers, Deborah Lane-Miller, very upset because she saw a news blurb that made her think that when the State Fair of Texas opens this Friday, September 26, that Big Tex will be standing next to what she called "Usurper of Big Tex."
Here's Miss Deborah's email....
I was horrified to see in the Quick news that in honor of the Tutankamun (?sp) exhibit there is a new statue standing NEXT TO BIG TEX! How inappropriate. If this is truly where it will be placed, I think this is absurd. Big Tex should not share his space or his limelight with anything else! I have been a faithful fair-goer for decades, as has my family. Please rethink this.
Regards, Deborah Lane-Miller
Well, I reassured Deborah that Big Tex was posing with "The Usurper" for a photo op only. That during the Fair "The Usurper" would be standing somewhere near the Fair's entrance.
What "The Usurper" actually is is a jackal-headed guardian of the dead called Anubis. Anubis is Egyptian. Anubis is at the State Fair of Texas to help promote the upcoming "Tutankhamen and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs" exhibit. He isn't here to usurp Big Tex.
Speaking of Big Tex, the big boy got new clothes this year, including a very bright yellow shirt.
