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Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Shain Gandee Asphyxiated: Mud, Booze and Stupidity a Lethal Cocktail

Buckwild, beer-guzzling reality star Shain Gandee has experienced a reality check himself this week. Unfortunately it's not a lesson the young man can put to any good use now, as it also cost him his life.

Sadly, two companions perished alongside the notoriously reckless 21-year-old, in one final act of drunken stupidity that can only be viewed as the fulfillment of a full-blown death wish or Darwinian destiny.

Gandee, his uncle and a friend are said to have all slowly asphyxiated when a truck they were ramming across off-road terrain sunk to its doors in a mud pit, inadvertently blocking the tailpipe and filling the vehicle's passenger space with deadly carbon monoxide fumes.

The doomed trio had been seen pounding down alcohol in a local bar until three in the morning before heading off to the backcountry for what would prove to be their last joyride together.

Obviously, their judgment and reaction time in such a catastrophic event was gravely impaired through intoxication.

Told you so

Critics have routinely slammed the popular MTV show 'Buckwild' which launched the now-dead youth to fame by capitalizing on the hipster hick's drinking and dangerous exploits.

Many have been concerned that the show not only encouraged Gandee and his friends to engage in a risky lifestyle that included drugs and lawlessness, but also negatively portrayed citizens of rural West Virginia in general.

The state's democratic senator, Joe Manchin, in fact was so offended by the series he demanded it be terminated, calling it "repulsive" and a "travesty" which "plays to ugly, inaccurate stereotypes."

Buckwild's promoters and fans alike shrugged off that criticism though, and the show's producers were in the process of filming a second season this year when the totally predictable predictably occurred.

In a sudden and self-conscious move, production and the show itself was then promptly canceled yesterday on the news that its star cast member had finally done himself in.

For the record then: mud, booze, carbon monoxide and sheer lunacy is not entertainment. It's a highly toxic mix.

Don't try this at home

Reporters have been pressing West Virginian authorities for details of the Gandee crime scene, particularly for descriptions of what condition the bodies were found in that would so quickly convince investigators no foul play was involved and that the deaths were indeed due to carbon monoxide poisoning.


 
But since the coroner just confirmed that's how the men met their demise, then it wouldn't have posed too big a mystery for first responders either: Swollen tongues, bloodshot eyes, blue lips, pink frothing, bright red cheeks—asphyxiation by this method is fairly easy to gauge, even without autopsies.

It would also be relatively fast considering the small enclosure the three were confined in, and, even sober, they likely wouldn't have been aware that the truck's cabin was filling up with the killer gas because it has no odor or taste.

Of course, if they hadn't been so blasted, then they would've realized the potential hazard existed and merely rolled the windows down to prevent it.

As to which of the deceased men was actually found in the driver's seat. It was Shain Gandee who commandeered their coffin on wheels.
 
 

19 comments:

  1. What a horribly written story. Ya it was a dumb move, but honestly how insensitive are you? Think of the family and what a huge loss.... I hope you don't lose anyone in a horrible accident and someone rights a story as ignorant as this one.

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  2. Get ur damn story right I hope his parents sue the hell outta u!! And u wanna talk shit back let me know just look me up jennifer lynn! U should be ashamed if urself for posting this u don't know shain he was an amazing person

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  3. Seriously ER what is up with you lately? I used to recommend your blog to lots of ppl but lately it seems you are just going out of your way to offend others. You've got me confused. Imagine if his mom or dad read this. I mean,what exactly is your point?

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    1. try to help others not to do such a thing, dont follow shain

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    2. Exactly right. But most of these posters are just children and this guy their hero, so they can't look past his semi-intentional death and see that he also killed two others while he was at it.

      That means if Gandee had somehow survived his most recent drunken escapade, he would have not only been arrested for a host of DWI-related charges, but for variations of vehicular manslaughter as well.

      Another crime I see falls not only in the arena of parental neglect (clearly this young man was consuming alcohol at an age when the law forbid it--he didn't just become an alcoholic at 21), but on the shoulders of MTV and its management:

      It is said now that Gandee and his family has virtually no money and are trying to raise some cash in a hurry for his burial. Yet you can be certain that MTV pocketed a nice little fortune exploiting this under-privileged, suicidal boy's dangerous antics. And they can't deny that because there's no way he would have hundreds of thousands of fans if he didn't deliver millions of viewers for them.

      I think that travesty should be looked into pronto, and believe his grieving followers should lean on MTV's high paid execs to fork over some of those profits now.

      Adults, who can better understand the myriad of crimes this case presents, should demand studio accountability together with responsible programming that educates as opposed to endangers the young and impressionable.

      Thanks everyone for posting, venting, whatever--
      E.R.

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    3. It's a shame how MTV has sunk since the 80s, an era when the focus was actually on the music and pop culture was ancillary/complementary. At some point in the 90s that all changed (no doubt a comprehensive decision was made in relation to the prospect of higher profits from a growing dimwitted viewership), and exploitation by way of appealing to the lowest common denominator became the norm.

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  4. You should re-write this article with some more respect

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  5. To pile on in a diversionary way, this is that political hack Manchin's key demographic, I don't understand why he's upset at the portrayal.

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  6. I don't see a thing wrong with the writing of this post. In fact, I agree with it and not a single F was given in my part at his passing. The others... yes, but even then only to a certain extent. It is without a doubt that he had been drinking and driving and the other two allowed him to do so.

    Do I feel sorry for his parents at the loss of a child? Yes. But not a single bit of sorrow for someone who chooses to get behind a wheel after they've been drinking.

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    1. fucking punk bitch i would punch u right in the throat if i was standing near u!!!!

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  7. I agree with this article. Thank you for writing it because Americans now glorify people who make insanely stupid decisions wihtout regard for their life or the lives of others. my brothers are serving in Afghanistan and with the death toll rising there daily, it makes me wonder why nobody pays as much attention to the brave soldiers as they do drunken idiots portrayed on MTV. What happened to good old fashioned values?I don't want to raise children in a world where these types of characters are glorified. Keep writing please.

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    1. Thank you, and thanks for dropping by and weighing in, too.

      Frankly, I don't find my stance here inconsistent in any way with ones I've taken in the past, and I'll even wager I've written far more scathing pieces, particularly about the crimes of certain police departments, like Indianapolis' and Milwaukee's and Steubenville's, just to name a few rogue elements out there.

      Professionally, I cover and comment on crime and can't flip-flop just because I do or don't like a particular perpetrator.

      Gandee's death (and how he inadvertently killed his own uncle and friend in the process) presents a plethora of wrongdoing even at the contractual stage, so it's worthy of calling attention to.

      As to that, I'd be very interested in seeing MTV's contract with this youth because, as someone who's familiar with licensing, contracting, etc., I know how long it can take to negotiate complete agreements...

      Meaning, the studio HAD TO BE entering into agreements with this young man--dead upon reaching the age of his majority--when he was but a minor.

      So his parent or legal guardian or appointed custodian had to sign for him and, in so doing, knowingly placing him in harm's way.

      Regardless of the legitimacy of their signature or of any other parties, such a contract would, as a matter of black letter law, be null and void. Why? Because it is predicated on something utterly illegal and non-negotiable: Namely, endangering the welfare of a minor, and/or contributing to his delinquency.

      It is additionally unconcionable on MTV's part that the value they placed on this boy's life and that of his cohorts was a measly $1000 per episode, when, rest assured, they made millions in ad revenue and whatnot.

      Moreover, one has to question the integrity of any child's rep who would be satisfied with that meager exchange when the advance (or option fee) was prolly only equal to a couple grand!

      So this is a complex criminal and civil matter that we definitely should be watching. But we should also be wondering and worrying about why this young man felt his life so completely worthless.

      Gandee took that dark secret to his grave, yet, somehow, I think it may resurface again.

      In any event, I hope he knew at the last minute of his existence that he was graced, and that at least his fans did love him to the best of their capacity.

      I don't doubt that, to be honest, and I think in such truly tragic cases as his clearly was, that might be enough to rest in peace.

      E.R.

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    2. Dear E.R.:
      Your point on the contract was "spot on." Here, other posters want to chew you out yet it was his parents who must have signed the contract and placed him in harms way. This young man apparently did not have the proper, parental role models. Hey: here's an idea for all of the MTV whackoffs out there. How about church or synagogue? Really. Try it a few times. You might even try Christian Science. It'll help keep you off of drugs and the off of the sauce so you don't end up like Dandee Mr. Gandee. "Stupid is as stupid does..."

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    3. @Anonymous April 3, 2013 at 3:01 PM

      And I don't want to raise children in a world where murdering pawns are glorified as "brave soldiers".
      Do your brothers a favor and tell them to get themselves discharged ASAP before they end up dead, or end up participating in (or inadvertently supporting) the murder of innocent men, women and children.

      Delete
  8. Milwaukee police department does suck. I live here. Im going to look for your articles on that. A link would be cool in case I cant find it. I didnt particularly enjoy this article because frankly its rude and disrespectful. The kid wasnt suicidal. He was just a kid. A kid that didnt rely on the internet or cellphones to have a good time. A kid that would spend his whole saturday taking the neighborhood kids on four wheel rides just to give them something to do and give their parents a break. He made a mistake by driving that night and even you said him being sober might have not even made a difference. Shitty things happen all the time.. this could have been your brother or cousin. Shain was a good guy. And to pull the where were the parents card? My parents were great parents who were extremely strict about going out places, drinking etc and tried their hardest to stop me from doing these things but that didnt stop me from sneakin out and doing them anyways. Cause I was a kid whose only intention was to just have fun. I got my chance to settle down look back and realize life isnt about partying all the time. Shains mistake was fatal and he does not have that chance to settle down and look back at his dumb days and be thankful for all that hes learned from them.. That makes me sad. Venting I guess. Nicely written article though.

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  9. Should I be upset that the world now has three fewer violent, brainless rednecks?

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  10. hey my email is tenneguy@gmail.com if you need to reach me. I may possibly want to contact you in a hurry sometime but can not promise anything. I intentionally posted this on an older post.Am not going to say more where any one can read what i write

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  11. U better be good to us rednecks because on day we will be savings ur ass if this was ur child everyone was talking about u would be mad as hell now get ur pea brain together an think about what ur saying

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