Interview by Mike Henderson (Winter 2004)

“Born in in the copper mining town of Butte, Montana October 17,1938, Robert Craig Knievel was raised by his grandparents. At the age of eight he saw Joey Chitwood’s Auto Daredevil Show which he credits for his later career choice to become a motorcycle daredevil.”

KROWN asked EVEL KNIEVEL, what he thought about todayʼs government and the presidential race.

EVEL KNIEVEL: Itʼs between two evils, Bush is like a schoolyard bully and Kerry is just plain weak. Bush, all he has done is, irritated a boil, like an anthill. Thatʼs the people that believe in a god, that they believe weʼll be sent to heaven if they kill an American. All heʼs done is irritated the boil, and he better do something about it or this country, if you think 9/11 was something, you wait until these bastards get a hold of a nuclear weapon. So the best and only way to show them, United States CANʼT put up with it, and you know what it calls for, “THE BOMBING” of the cities of Iraq, the cities of Iran, and the cities of Saudi Arabia where the terrorists are abundant. So we better hope Harry Truman comes back reincarnated, because if he doesnʼt weʼre in a lot of trouble….cause this president is just a schoolyard bully, and thatʼs all there is to it. And a vote for Kerry, in my opinion is a vote for weakness, I donʼt like Kerry; heʼs a Vietnam chicken shit. Our soldiers now are getting dis-honorably discharged, for making these prisoners strip down and taking photographs of them. Big goddamn deal, did we decapitate them, and before we decapitated them, we take photos of them? FUCK THESE IRAQUE PEOPLE, theyʼre a bunch of assholes, and thatʼs the way it is! So we donʼt have a president, right now that can do the job right now, and I donʼt think Bush is capable; heʼs just a goddamn schoolyard bully. If heʼs not, let himself prove otherwise, because this fucking guy has started something he canʼt finish. (YOU CAN QUOTE ME ON EVERY FUCKING WORD I SAID)

And Iʼll tell you what, people call Evel Knievel a HERO, Iʼm no fucking HERO, Iʼm a motorcycle daredevil. I might be a legend, but our heroʼs are in Iraq, our heroʼs are in Vietnam, and our heroʼs are in Korea. Our heroʼs fought the Japs. our heroʼs are Astronauts; Iʼm not an American hero. I wouldnʼt insult an American hero, I know what a hero is. And thank Christ, cause of the thousands from Vietnam and the oneʼs in Iraq that are over there. I want to tell you something, this goddamn George Bush son of a bitch, was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and no more deserves to be president in this country than I DO. I GUARANTEE IT, IF THEY MADE ME PRESIDENT FOR A DAY, IʼLL STRAIGHTEN THIS SON OF A BITCH OUT! Because Iʼll make some goddamn decisions to straighten this country out.

KROWN: Is it true your walking stick is filled up with bourbon?

EVEL KNIEVEL: Yes

KROWN: Some people said that you werenʼt scared before a jump?

EVEL KNIEVEL: Thatʼs bullshit, I was scared

KROWN: Is it true, to calm yourself down before a jump, you would have a shot of Wild Turkey?

EVEL KNIEVEL: DAMN RIGHT

Krownʼs favorite quote written about you:
“There were a couple of woman I should have screwed that I didnʼt, there were a couple of ramps I wish I had hit a bit faster. But apart from that, I have had a good life.”

EVEL KNIEVEL: Incidentally, Iʼve seen those women, damn they got a little older and a little fatter.