For 68-year-old Evel Knievel’s next stunt, he will attempt to win a lawsuit against rapper Kanye West for biting his persona in his extravagant video for "Touch the Sky."
Filed Monday in a Tampa, Fla. federal court, the lawsuit from Robert Craig Knievel claims that West’s Evel Kanyevel character in the video is an "infringement on his trademark name and likeness."
He also claims the "vulgar and offensive" images depicted in the video – including a kiss with Pamela Anderson and an attempt to jump a rocket-powered motorcycle over a canyon that results in a fiery crash – has damaged his reputation.
"That video that Kanye West put out is the most worthless piece of crap I've ever seen in my life, and he uses my image to catapult himself on the public," the ailing daredevil told AP Tuesday.
In the video, West wears the infamous Knievel star-studded jumpsuit and uses a motorcycle "visually indistinguishable" from the one Knievel used in his failed attempt to jump the Snake River Canyon in Idaho in 1974, the lawsuit said.
Knievel also takes issue with the scenes involving Anderson, who plays West’s girlfriend. He says the clip contains “vulgar and offensive sexual images, language and conduct involving `Evel Kanyevel' and women apparently trying to gain his sexual interest," according to the lawsuit.
"The guy just went too far using me to promote his filth to the world," said Knievel, who lives in Clearwater, Fla. and has been in poor health in recent years, according to AP. "I'm not in any way that kind of a person."
The lawsuit, which seeks damages and a halt to the video’s distribution, also names Roc-A-Fella Records, video director Chris Milk and AOL for distributing it.
Filed Monday in a Tampa, Fla. federal court, the lawsuit from Robert Craig Knievel claims that West’s Evel Kanyevel character in the video is an "infringement on his trademark name and likeness."
He also claims the "vulgar and offensive" images depicted in the video – including a kiss with Pamela Anderson and an attempt to jump a rocket-powered motorcycle over a canyon that results in a fiery crash – has damaged his reputation.
"That video that Kanye West put out is the most worthless piece of crap I've ever seen in my life, and he uses my image to catapult himself on the public," the ailing daredevil told AP Tuesday.
In the video, West wears the infamous Knievel star-studded jumpsuit and uses a motorcycle "visually indistinguishable" from the one Knievel used in his failed attempt to jump the Snake River Canyon in Idaho in 1974, the lawsuit said.
Knievel also takes issue with the scenes involving Anderson, who plays West’s girlfriend. He says the clip contains “vulgar and offensive sexual images, language and conduct involving `Evel Kanyevel' and women apparently trying to gain his sexual interest," according to the lawsuit.
"The guy just went too far using me to promote his filth to the world," said Knievel, who lives in Clearwater, Fla. and has been in poor health in recent years, according to AP. "I'm not in any way that kind of a person."
The lawsuit, which seeks damages and a halt to the video’s distribution, also names Roc-A-Fella Records, video director Chris Milk and AOL for distributing it.
