"To some, Evel Knievel is an icon. To most others, he's a joke.
As a footnote in the annals of oddball Americana, motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel is an easy target for comedians, satirists, talk-show hosts, comic strip artists and other purveyors of humor. His name alone practically begs for satire; consider Eva Knievel, Evil Cornevil, Evel Cownievel, Anal Knievel, Penile Knievel, Evel the Weevel, Evel Boll-Weevil, Weevil Knievel, Weeble Knievel, Weasel Knievel, Stevel Knievel, Medieval Knievel, Evel Cathedral, Evel O'Kneeful, Awful Knievel, Awful Knauffel, Orville Knorville, Stupid Ker-nupid, Rebus Caneebus, Shevil Knevils, Evel Knievelvis...
Moreover, his absurd line of work has made him a one-man punchline. According to columnist Clark Walworth of the Times-News in Twin Falls, Idaho -- site of Evel's Snake River fiasco -- "knievel" is local newspaper jargon for "a rare but hugely embarrassing error." Evel himself often participates in fun made at his own expense, though the humor usually seems lost on him. In many interviews he also recites jokes of his own, but they're not all that amusing.
In any case, here's a survey of mass-disseminated, Knievel-related humor. This includes Evel's son Robbie, whose own daredevil act is pretty much the same as his old man's; this does not include the multitudes of pets named after Evel, or Evel-related screennames, or anonymous folks on YouTube simply playing with Evel toys, or schmucks on America's Funniest Home Videos racking their nuts ("Here's Peoria's answer to Evel Knievel!").
Whether any of this is actually funny is up to you..."
So as a final tribute to the man himself, let us now get out our poorly made Stunt cyle toys and wind them up till our alcoholic parents wail in pain and have one final flying leap into the bookcase and break irreplaceable Hummel figures. The good ones-the ones that grandmother gave to the family, you know- on that one good Christmas when uncle our favorite uncle Willy just got on parole and he was still trying to get his act together and had yet to get back on the hard stuff.
The "Simpsons" Captain Lance Murdock: "It's always good to see young people taking an interest in danger.."
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