I’m not really big on Mickey Rourke, but I damn near tear up every time this video of his Golden Globes acceptance speech pops up on MSNB:

After a rather heartfelt speech, Rourke concludes by recognizing his dogs: “I’d like to thank all my dogs…the ones who are here, and the ones who aren’t here anymore. Because, sometimes when a man’s alone, all you got is your dog and they meant the world to me.”

The St. Louis Examiner, writing about Rourke’s (unfortunately) unusual speech, includes a video of Rourke taken at the Venice Film Festival last year. Rourke’s Chihuahua/terrier mix, Loki, accompanied him onto the red carpet. Rourke explained, “My dog is very old, she is 16 and she is not going to be around for long so I want to spend every moment with her.”

Blub.

And:

Rourke has been quoted as saying about Loki: “She’s like a giant Xanax, you know? I’m not going to get religious on your ass, but I truly believe God created dogs for a cause. They are the greatest companions a man could ever have.” [...]

One reporter wrote that Rourke brought Loki with him to a press interview at the Chateau Marmont and asked the waitress (nicely) for a little bowl of water for his dog. According to another report by contactmusic.com, Rourke’s pet Chihuahua, Beau Jack, passed away in 2002. Rourke is quoted as saying, “I gave him mouth-to-mouth for 45 minutes before they peeled me off. Depressed? He died at my home, and I didn’t go back for two weeks.”

Double blub.

On the downside, Loki is reportedly the daughter of Beau Jack, and Rourke currently “owns” seven Chihuahuas. Sigh. Mickey Rourke…hobby breeder? If so, triple blubs.

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare mickey rourke pet companion animal dog canine golden globes quotes video video blogging pop culture