Man Dies, “Gangnam Style”
The Telegraph reports that Eamonn Kilbride, 46, collapsed with chest pains in front of his wife at an office party while dancing to Psy’s popular hit song, “Gangnam Style.” Kilbride was rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead on arrival.
Kilbride was attending a Saturday-night office party for the Thwaites Brewery, held in Darwen, Lancashire. The man, an IT manager, was there with his wife, Julie, who was celebrating her birthday.
The coroner said the man suffered acute heart failure.
The man’s wife says, “We were having a fantastic time at the Christmas party and Eamonn had just finished dancing to ‘Gangnam Style.’ He was up on stage and entertaining everybody. He said he had a bit of a pain and just collapsed.”
Kilbride had three children: Laurajade, 22, Jack, 21, and Conor, 18, all off at college.
“Gangnam Style” has been said to parody the lives of rich people in Psy’s home country of South Korea, and is accompanied by vigorous dance moves that mimic riding a horse.
The dance has been widely performed and interpreted by various public figures, including Ai Weiwei, the Chinese dissident artist.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LAefTzSwWY%5D
Prior to his “Gangnam Style” success in the U.S. and around the world, Psy, back in 2004, performed a song that strongly protested the U.S.’s involvement in the Iraq War and, depending on the translation, may have called for American deaths in retribution. Nevertheless, the pop star recently performed at the White House’s “Christmas in Washington” concert at the invitation of President Obama, who shook his hand.