Dammit, I wish I would've found this before I got caught up in my Evel Knievel nostalgic posting spree. Because really, nothing takes the gleam off a childhood hero like hearing him make casual homophobic rape jokes about his own licensed toys:
Next year the Ideal Toy Company is going to make a lot of Evel Knievel toys. ... One toy I'd like them to make is my own idea; I think it's the most super toy in the world. You wind it up, it goes like a little bugger, goes across the floor, grabs this little Barbie doll, throws her on the floor, gives her a little lovin', jumps back on the motorcycle and goes whizzing out the door screaming, "G.I. Joe is a faggot!" -- Evel Knievel[via ratiosemper]
Oh, and he beat his wife and kids, and he pummeled the biographer who said so with an aluminum baseball bat? Sheesh. Back into the swamp of memory with you, D-bag.
Evel Knievel | Toys [ratiosemper]
Evel Knievel's wikipedia entry [wikipedia]
I had an Evel Knievel 10-speed when I was a kid in the late '70s. In fact, I think it's the exact model that he's holding in his Wikipedia picture. Ironically, though, I didn't learn to ride until I was in 4th grade, and never went on to jump anything at all.
Though my son didn't learn to ride until last month, and he'll be going into 6th grade. However, the day after he learned to ride, he figured he'd teach himself to ride *faster*. We spent the rest of the day at the childrens' hospital ER, but he only broke two fingers. He's got a good couple dozen to go before he reaches the Knievel level.