Big Tex Has Bad Day: It's Like 'Losing Santa'

Dallas' mayor vows Big Tex will be back "bigger and better" after the 52-foot statue that has towered over the Texas state fair for 60 years burned to a crisp yesterday, reports AP. It's not clear what happened, but officials suspect a mechanical glitch at the base started the blaze. "Got a rather tall cowboy with all his clothes burned off," said one dispatcher, and jokes have been flying on Twitter and elsewhere since. "Then there are those of us fuddy-duddies who find it hard to laugh," writes Lisa Falkenberg at the Houston Chronicle. No more "Howdee, folks!" It's "a little like losing Santa." Read her full piece here.