RIP Dept:
Evel Knievel
Perhaps of the greatest of indivuals apart of the American tradition of doing crazy things for attention, Evel Knievel rose to prominence in the 1970s by jumping over shit on a motorcycle. He retired in 1980, and yet, for some reason, I still knew who he was when I first started to know about things as a little kid in the early 90s.
Since then, sensationalist entertainers have foregone much of the, er, refinement of Knievel’s whole shtick: the most significant among the legion of idiots he inspired are the guys from Jackass. His cultural impact is undeniable. After all, would the Fonz have gone and jumped the shark if Knievel hadn’t done it first?
Source: “Iconic Daredevil Evel Knievel Dies at 69,” Associated Press
