Sick: The Life & Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist

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Bob Flanagan, artist, masochist

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and one of the longest living surv--

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Bob Flanagan, artist, masochist

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and one of the longest-living survivors
of Cystic Fibrosis

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lost his battle this week
with the killer disease,

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a genetic disorder
of the lungs and pancreas,

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that both plagued and empowered
the provocative performer

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throughout his difficult
but productive life.

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Born in New York City
in December 26, 1952,

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Flanagan was in and out of hospitals
most of his life.

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Doctors gave him
little chance of survival

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past the age of six or seven years,

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but survive he did,
well beyond anyone's expectations.

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The difficulties of being sick

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became subject for much of his work.

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All the articles about me
start that way,

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" Bob Flanagan should be dead by now."

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"But he isn't",
that's what they always say.

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Instead he nails his dick to a board.

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The word "supermasochist"
is going through my head,

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and I started humming this little ditty.

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Started humming
to the tune "Supercalifragilistic",

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so I wrote this song.

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I know that any Disney people here,

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they'll probably tell me
to cease and desist,

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and believe me, I will...

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but not yet.

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In my own time.

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Supermasochistic Bob has Cystic Fibrosis

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He should've died young
but he was too precocious

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How much longer
he will live is anyone's prognosis

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Supermasochistic Bob is Cystic Fibrosis

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I'm dili-dili, I'm gonna die

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I'm dili-dili, I'm gonna die

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When he was born the doctors said he had
this bad disease

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That gave him awful stomachaches
and made him cough and wheeze