The witty Irish playwright Oscar Wilde was a genius – he had a phenomenal ability to incorporate aspects of both fantasy and realism into his works. Through thoughtful imagery and realistic dialect, he successfully merged two contradicting genres into a fascinatingly morbid tale.
He was said to have authored many profound quotes in his lifetime, perhaps his most famous of all being “Be yourself – everyone else is already taken”
I bet Oscar would’ve come up in some heated conversation in the Evel Knievel household recently. It seems Evels’ son, Kelly is not happy that Wilde’s talent of merging fantasy with realism has gone waaaay beyond what the Knievels consider acceptable – and Walt Disney needs to be taught a lesson or two…
Yes, Walt Disney I said!
The son of world-famous daredevil, Evel Knievel is suing Disney-owned Pixar – and just as Mickey Mouse celebrates his 92nd birthday as well (what a party pooper Kelly is hey!?)
Apparently, Evel’s son has a bee in his bonnet over a daredevil character called Duke Caboom, who appears in what happens to be my all-time favourite Disney film – Toy Story 4.
Duke rides a motorbike and is famously known as ‘Canada’s greatest stuntman’ in the movie, which according to Kelly Knievel, is equal to Disney stealing his father’s identity without his permission!
He’s held the publicity rights to his father’s name since 1998 and the federal trademark infringement lawsuit claims that Disney-owned Pixar did not seek approval to use Evel’s likeness when creating the character, Duke Caboom.
Knievel is seeking damages of more than £235,000 over the allegations, including false endorsement and unjust enrichment. The 60 year old said: “Evel Knievel did not thrill millions around the world, break his bones and spill his blood, just so Disney could make a bunch of money.”
Yeh, coz the Walt Empire really needs to make some cash in this dodgy way to get through this financially turbulent time, don’t you know!?
Of course, I’m not belittling the talent of Knievel, who performed over 75 eye-watering stunts in his lifetime, most famously remembered for his terrifying motorbike jump over a row of London buses at Wembley Stadium in 1975.
But seriously….suing Disney for mimicking a famous stuntman in a CGI movie by way of a Canadian motorbike rider in Toy Story 4 by the name of Duke Caboom – that warrants a £235k lawsuit claim?
An Evel Knievel toy was actually released in 1973, with the toy donning a white helmet and jumpsuit, riding a motorbike that could be propelled with a wind-up device – and no one batted an eyelid.
Disney created a similar Duke Caboom toy, when they released Toy Story 4 AND the toy also featured in McDonald’s Happy Meals for a time too – and was accepted without fuss as well.
But the lawsuit claims that movie-goers and film reviewers ‘universally caught on to the connection to Evel Knievel’ and that Kelly had never given his permission or approval to use his father’s identity and THAT’S what his beef is all about.!
Laughable really – I mean, Duke Caboom was a FICTIONAL Disney character for goodness sake. Just as Woody said to Buzz in Toy Story 1….“you’re not the real Buzz Lightyear, you are a T—O—Y” So, let’s not carried away here Kelly Knievel.
Bring us back to real-life and try passing yourself off as someone or something you’re not – now that’s a whole different ball game.
I get why someone would be miffed if you stole their limelight or took the credit for something spectacular they had actually produced or an amazing idea they’d shared in secret with you, which you then authored as your own.
It’s actually really important that we each have our own identities and stay true to ourselves. You don’t need to mimic others or follow the crowd, just because it appears the right or normal thing to do. You don’t have to adopt the same thoughts or views or opinions of your colleagues or friends or even the media, just so you’re seen to go with the flow.
I mean, why try to fit in – when you were born to stand out?
George Carlin once quoted “never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups” and I think what he meant is that the herd mentality isn’t always the right approach to adopt.
This mad crazy pandemic has given us all an opportunity to reflect and review and revise every facet of our lives – from who and what we should pay attention to, through to whether or not we want to continue to go with the flow or jump on the bandwagon with all the naysayers.
And it seems it would be a good time to take a look at your own Personal Brand and find ways to show up and stand out from others in the crowd, while you have the time to do that.
Don’t try to be someone or something you’re not, just because that’s who or what everyone else is being right now.
Be like Oscar – just be yourself (everyone else is taken anyway!)
Until next time – stay safe and keep FIT!
Best regs Marie X
