Posthumous Evel Knievel Slander
Evel Knievel died on Friday from a one-two punch combo of diabetes and pulmonary fibrosis. His death was not related to on-the-job hazards like jumping on his motorcycle over 13 buses in London or 14 Greyhound buses at King's Island in Cincinnati. (Therefore, crocodile hunter Steve Irwin wins the medal for horrible and yet not that surprising death due to on-the-job hazards.)
I wasn't even alive during his heyday in the mid-seventies, but he was definitely an icon whose legacy carried over into my eighties childhood and beyond. I vaguely remember an elementary school presentation on safety with a "bad example" guy named Evel Knievel who rode a scooter around the cafeteria/gymnasium and crashed to prove a safety point. I don't remember him jumping over any buses, though. What a lametard.
This AP article provides a eulogizing summary of the real E.K.'s life, and includes this quote from a television executive who was attacked by and had both of his arms shattered by Mr. Knievel:
"He was a true daredevil, but he basically was not a good human being."
Wow. I try not to care too much about what every single person on the planet thinks of me. But you can put "she was basically not a good human being" on my list of things that I hope aren't said about me while I'm alive or anytime after.
I wonder how the AP reporter(s) who captured that quote from Sheldon Saltman reacted when he said it. Did they nod with knowing approval? Did their jaws drop with astonishment? Did they whine, "No he wasn't, he was my hero!"
Interestingly, many similar articles don't include that particular quote. Maybe because stating that he was not a good human being only hours or days after his death is just. not. cool. At least wait until his family has given him a 21-engine-rev salute, dude.
