Big Tex Burned Down Today at the State Fair

I remember the first time I went to the State Fair on a field trip in elementary school. Big Tex was just scary/ugly looking in a bad art way. Hopefully the new one will be a little more realistic.

Stay hard, uhmmmm(?), former Keren's Santa Clause-BIG TEX........we had many a great memory under your visage.   So many crisp fall days in the sometimes near frozen, and sometimes balmy October air. 

R.I.P.

Maybe he got too hot under the collar at the exhorbitant price to see the stupid Chinese light show.

Cool down big guy. We'll get 'em next year!

I always thought Big Tex was creepy and now that I can see his skeleton, he's even creepier...

Now for the back story:  a Japanese film crew, awestruck by the fair in general and Big Tex particullarly, asks if Big Tex could predict how the Cowboys' season would go.  Ever the accomodating host and keenly aware of the language barrier, Big Tex said "I'll just demonstrate".  Well, things got out of hand but the Japanese loved it and it led the Tokyo news this morning!

an attempt to divert attention away from John Wiley Price's FBI investigation.

OBAMA'S RAGE SHOWS UP IN TEXAS....CLAIMS, "BUSH DID IT"....BIDEN GIGGLES AND GRINS ABOUT IT....SUSAN RICE CLAIMS IT WAS A RESULT OF AN ANTI FT. WORTH VIDEO ON YOUTUBE....DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ CLAIMS THAT IT PROVES THAT ROMNEY LIES AND OBAMA IS THE MESSIAH.

IT WAS AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE BIG TEX LOOK LIKE AN AFRICAN AMERICAN.

I thought fried jambalaya was the...   Never mind.

Celebrate the life and death of a Texas Legend. Big Tex was taken too soon. Goes to show, "Life Ain't Fair" http://www.bigtexshirt.com 

I thought the Burning Man Festival was in August!

Good.

@Dallas_Observer Boooo!!!!

Major bummmmmmmmmmmmer!!

always stop drop and roll

The Wicker Man lives. 

@KitVanArsdale Big Tex was posing as Ghost Rider for Halloween. Didn't work out so well. :(

Height of Big Tex skews scale but grassy knoll just north of Big Tex actually on other side of Red River. 

Kid you not the Condoms to Go store burned down an hour later. Owner was despondent after learning he lost his biggest customer. 

Self immolation. He learned it was mandatory deep fry at 65. 

Zombie Big Tex for Halloween? 

@laurenedoyle very sad day in TX :(

If you look carefully at picture notice grassy knoll to the left....

can we start a headline contest?

"Fair Officials Desperate Over Low Attendance Numbers Sacrifices Largest Virgin In Texas"

"Fair Turn Lemons into Lemonade: Deep Fried "Big-Tex Oysters" Newest Midway Food Hit"

"Elton John Eulogies Big Tex with Special Version "I'm A Candle In the Wind"

"Cake at 60, His Own Candle at 60 And a Day"

"Big Tex Learns Horrible Cost of Clothing Optional Lifestyle"

"Question Answered: Big Tex Commando All These Years"

Since only steel remains, can we have a midnight candlelight vigil?

he saw the Red River Game and got way too angry...

Man, they'll fry anything at the Texas State Fair!

"Free Tibet!"

Sometimes it takes a tragedy of this magnitude to bring us all together....

@pflores That was a sad story and picture.

Burning man is in Dallas now? cool.

@DoodyMac AMAZING! Er, I mean BUMMER! It really is beautiful...

@gorillavsbear jesus!!!

@jack_story the voice of big Tex - Bill Bragg used to work for EDS on the AA account and recently got let go by HP

Liar, liar...

@JessieJessup @Dallas_Observer wow...unbelievable!