Better late than never, Evel Knievel sues Kanye West over the video for 'Touch The Sky'.
The music video was an unabashed tribute to the legendary stuntman, featuring "Kanyievel" in the classic star-spangled jumpsuit preparing for the defining Snake River Canyon jump. The clip also featured Pamela Anderson and reputedly cost a million dollars. These facts were not lost on the audience of the MTV Europe Awards in November when Kanye threw an onstage tantrum about not winning Best Video.MTV News reports that Knievel's attorney, the aptly named Richard Fee, said the incident was what drew the stuntman's attention to the video clip. Fee noted, "Mr. Knievel has a trademark on Evel Knievel and an extraordinarily well-recognized white jumpsuit. Kanye West and Roc-A-Fella records are undoubtedly familiar with intellectual property rights. Mr. Knieval is not too happy with it. He wants to be compensated for uses of his likeness and trademark."
The St.Petersburg Times quotes Knievel saying the clip tarnished his image with "vulgar, sexual and racially charged content" and that Knievel felt "disgraced". We look forward to West quipping on the next telethon "Evel Knievel hates black people".
