Essay 4780

Weekend rollout in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Evel Knievel made his final jump—to The Great Beyond. The iconic motorcycle daredevil passed away on Friday at age 69. Knievel recently settled a trademark infringement lawsuit with rapper Kanye West (see Essay 4765). “They started out watching me bust my ass, and I became part of their lives,” said Knievel. “People wanted to associate with a winner, not a loser. They wanted to associate with someone who kept trying to be a winner.”

• Shock jock Don Imus returns to the airwaves on Monday, and the New York Post reported he’ll have a Black cohort on the show. The new teammate’s identity remains a secret. But if it works out, look for Dog the Bounty Hunter to relaunch his program in South Central.

• Just in time for the holidays, you’ll have an opportunity to purchase items from the estate of late singer Luther Vandross. Over 1,000 things will be available for auction next week, collectively valued at $800,000. Wonder if Don Imus will be bidding.

• Rapper Akon is facing charges for throwing a kid into the crowd during a June 3 concert, allegedly causing a concussion to another fan. Looks like Akon must now throw a concussion-causing pile of money at the injured spectator.

• In Bangkok, Thailand, political campaign workers recently secured support by distributing Viagra to older voters. However, the men were advised to seek medical attention for elections lasting longer than 6 hours.

• The Coalition of Immokalee Workers protested at Burger King’s Miami headquarters, arguing over the unfair wages and conditions in fields where tomatoes are picked for the fast feeder. “Thanks to this big giant, all of us are here today to demand change,” said the coalition co-founder. “This is a big giant, but the bigger they are the harder they fall.” No word if any tomatoes were thrown.