Ups And Downs

UPS AND DOWNS

ROUNDUP

UP: To Robbie Knievel, not only for successfully jumping the fountains at Caesars Palace, but for making a show out of the stunt, as only a Knievel could. Showtime Entertainment Television aired the jump on a pay-per-view basis as part of a 90-minute show, and was “delighted" with the results, according to company exec Susan Couch. “The show brought in a lot of new people-viewers who had never paid to watch a live event before. From our preliminary research, we couldn't be happier."

Event publicist Irv Brodski says that since the jump. Robbie has become an overnight star, with talk shows lining up to book him for an appearance.

Even though the stunt was criticized within the industry for being the “wrong kind" of publicity, our hat still goes off to young Knievel, for doing it, and doing it right.

LONG OVERDUE

UP: To syndicated cartoonist John Long, whose comic-strip series Long Overdue featured the humorous blending of bovine and bike shown here.

DOWN: To Senator John H. Chaffee (R-Rhode Island), who has prepared draft legislation, which, if passed, would require all states to enact mandatory helmet laws or lose up to 10 percent of their federally provided highway construction money after 1992. This type of blackmail legislation, you may recall, is the same type used to force states to enact the 55-mph national speed limit in 1974. It also is a nearmirror image of mandatory helmet legislation defeated in 1975. A bad idea then, a bad idea now.

UP: To the heavymetal rock group Warrant, whose members advocate motorcycle safety in a new series of public service announcements distributed to 350 television stations nationwide. The announcements, sponsored by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation in an attempt to reach young riders, show band members taking an MSF rider course while their song “Down Boys" pounds away in the background. Lead singer Jani Lane then offers, “If you’re gonna ride, dress for it, because we want to see you at the next show."

DOWN: To Senator Orrin Hatch (RUtah), who reportedly is preparing legislation which would require mandatory health insurance for all motorcycle riders. Hatch, ranking minority member of the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee, is said to be preparing his proposed legislation as an alternative to proposed legislation being prepared by the Senate’s Democratic majority which would require all employers to provide health-care benefits to their employees. The committee claims that pregnancy costs and motorcycle accident cases consume a large percentage of the $8.5 billion in uncompensated health-care costs absorbed by taxpayers annually, hence Hatch’s interest.

It may be time to pick up pen and paper, and let Senator Hatch know how you feel about being part of a sport that gets singled out for such “preferential" treatment. ga