Evel Knievel Story

Evel Knievel and Kanye West think they can work it out. The iconic motorcycle daredevil and the 29-year-old rapper notified a federal judge Tuesday they will use a mediator to try to settle a lawsuit Knievel filed over the use of his trademarked image in a popular West video.

The 68-year-old Knievel was baptized during the Reverend Robert Schuller's "Hour of Power" service at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove. Knievel spoke for about 20 minutes to more than 4,000 people who gathered inside the Crystal Cathedral for services, telling them how he'd been a sinner all his life and now things had changed.

Legendary stuntman/hero to the kids Evel Knievel is worried Kanye West may destroy Knievel’s $300 million-a-year merch-hawking industry. Knievel, who markets himself as a wholesome daredevil, is suing the rapper for trademark infringement based on what Knievel claims is the tarnishing of his image by West’s “vulgar, sexual and racially charged” appropriation of the stuntman’s image for his “Touch The Sky” video.

The former professional daredevil, best known for his motorcycle jumps (although none was over an orchestra pit), has given a Los Angeles composer exclusive rights to his life story.

Evel Knievel wants to jump his motorcycle again. That's right. At 63, he wants to stage one last spectacular leap to open something called the Evel Knievel Xperience Café, which Reuters describes as "an ode to his life and truck stop,'' scheduled for completion next spring in Primm, Nevada.

Evel Knievel was the forerunner to today's daredevil. In an excerpt from an exclusive interview conducted for the Wide World of Sports 40th Anniversary, Mr. Knievel talked about the importance of keeping his word to his sponsors and fans.

Evel Knievel has undergone a liver transplant operation. The former motorcycle daredevil had the surgery at Tampa General Hospital on Tuesday night, according to his Web site. "He's in stable condition," spokesman John Dunn said, confirming Knievel's transplant.

Evel Knievel made his name jumping buses, jumping fountains and generally cheating death. But his newest challenge is no stunt. The iconic daredevil has liver cancer. Doctors say he's got three to six months to live, unless he receives a liver transplant.

Despite the 50 broken bones he had already suffered as a motorcycle stunt man, Evel Knievel was back last week, hurtling his way to fame, fortune and another hospital bed. Knievel came to London's Wembley Stadium to attempt a leap over 13 single-decker buses. Twelve might have been better.

Evel Knievel failed today in an attempt to rocket 1,600 feet across the Snake River Canyon when a tail parachute deployed prematurely on the take-off of his vehicle.