TAXI TRAGEDY
Man struck and killed was ‘Unplugged’ creator
THE CO-CREATOR of the television series “MTV Unplugged” has died after being struck by a taxi while walking his beloved dog near his Upper East Side home, cops said Wednesday.
Jim Burns, 65, was crossing Fifth Ave. with his therapy dog, a King Charles—Maltese mix named Jules, when a yellow cab turning off E. 87th St. slammed into him about 9:30 a.m. Saturday, officials said.
The pair were on their way to Central Park, friends said.
Burns suffered a massive head injury when he was knocked to the ground. He was rushed to New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center in critical condition. He died on Tuesday, police said.
The 65-year-old taxi driver remained at the scene and no charges were filed, police said.
Burns’ dog Jules wasn’t hit and is now being cared for by a neighbor, longtime friend and co-worker Paul Ward said.
“I had the pleasure of working closely with Jim for about 20 years,” Ward said. “His hearty laugh, quick wit and easy demeanor made him friends everywhere he went.”
Ward said Burns’ love of New York was only matched by his love for Jules.
“Many of his friends have taken comfort in knowing that the end of his life came doing his favorite thing . . . walking Jules to Central Park,” Ward said.
Burns, a longtime writer and executive producer for MTV, created “Unplugged” in 1989 with Robert Small.
Nirvana, Aerosmith, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Mariah Carey and Alice In Chains were among the stars who famously performed stripped-down acoustic versions of their chart-topping hits on the show.
Clapton’s “Unplugged” album earned the singer six Grammy Awards, including best album, record and song of the year. Nirvana also won a Grammy for best alternative music performance for their “Unplugged” album. The popular series was revived twice on MTV, most recently this year with Shawn Mendes serving as its first artist.
Despite Burns’ death, pedestrian fatalities have dropped dramatically in 2017, according to NYPD records.
As of Tuesday, 98 pedestrians have been killed by vehicles citywide this year, compared to 144 during the same period last year, according to NYPD stats.