Goodbye Mr. Benihana

July 13, 2008 2:26 AM

Hiroaki "Rocky" Aoki, founder of Benihana restaurants and father of Devon Aoki, died from cancer complications on Friday. He was also an olympic wrestler, balloonist, backgammon player, and more.
posted by CuJoe (14 comments total)

Steve Aoki, DJ/Producer and founder of Dim Mak Records, is another one of Rocki Aoki's children.
posted by strangecargo at 5:00 AM on July 13, 2008

*tosses period in air with knife, spins around and catches it in toque blanche*
posted by TedW at 5:14 AM on July 13, 2008 [2 favorites]

Dim Mak Records ... hehhe-he ...
posted by RavinDave at 6:51 AM on July 13, 2008

Prolly makes more sense with a link.
posted by RavinDave at 6:52 AM on July 13, 2008

I'm sure Dr. DeBakey, Tony Snow and Rocky Aoki are together in heaven now, sharing a good laugh.
posted by hal9k at 6:54 AM on July 13, 2008

Godspeed, Rocky. He will be cremated and have his ashes set in an onion volcano which will be filled with alcohol and ignited.
posted by Frank Grimes at 8:15 AM on July 13, 2008

Holy crap. Here's a guy who knew how to live life, and he had the health problems and kids to prove it. Here's to you, Rocky, the man who showed me what heaven could taste like.

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posted by infinitewindow at 8:42 AM on July 13, 2008

Man, that last link made the post. I'd pull quotes from it, but there is just waaaaayyy too much crazy goodness in there.
posted by miss lynnster at 9:13 AM on July 13, 2008

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posted by SPrintF at 9:47 AM on July 13, 2008

“I’m completely naked, tube in my penis. I see my wife standing over me, on one side. On other side, I see my girlfriend…. I say, ‘Ohhh … shiiit!’ ”

This is gold.
posted by sour cream at 11:08 AM on July 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

I approve of this Obit thread (if anyone cares).

No Benihana chef ever used his sharp knives to hurt another human being (intentionally).

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posted by wendell at 11:14 AM on July 13, 2008

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Benihaha is such a fond childhood memory, I had no idea he was such an adventurous guy!
posted by DenOfSizer at 11:43 AM on July 13, 2008

The yet in another long line of model-turned-shitty-actor Devon Aoki? The Devon Aoki who perpetually looks fourteen, Devon Aoki? The Devon Aoki who obviously can't speak a lick of Japanese and massacred that language so much in the movie War any non-native speaker could tell thus she should not take any speaking roles in movies at all Devon Aoki?

Aside from from spawning that demon this guy lived through some crazy crap!

Rocky splashed down with a broken arm, a shattered leg, a torn aorta, and his liver sliced in half. He was helicoptered to a nearby hospital, where doctors removed his spleen and gall bladder and cut open his chest to perform a ten-hour coronary bypass. “Three days, unconscious,” he says.

in the past, he had suffered from diabetes and cirrhosis of the liver, as well as hepatitis C.

Here's to hoping I accomplish half as much!

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posted by P.o.B. at 12:09 PM on July 13, 2008

In tribute to his life-loving ways, I toasted him with some plum wine on Friday when I heard. I shall repeat said toast at my wedding reception next month, to be held at Benihana.

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/except with loads of sake
//here comes the drunken bride.....
posted by arishaun at 11:36 PM on July 13, 2008