Someone doesn't have to be "important" to be iconic
No, someone doesn't have to cure an illness, end a reign of violence, save lives or otherwise make some "serious contribution to society" to reach iconic status. Sure, it helps if you bother to do these things along the way .... well, most of the time.
In the end, all you have to do is something — anything, really — better or bigger or louder or faster than your next closest equivalent. Then you, too, could be an icon of some sort or another.
Take for example the newly deceased Evel Knievel. Just what did the man christened Robert Knievel Jr. do to deserve the status of legendary daredevil and American icon?
Well, Knievel had the self-centered and braggadocios persona to draw worldwide attention to one of the dumbest concepts in mass-market entertainment — motorcycle jumps. Stunt riding and leaping over cars .... that's it, nothing more.
But he upped the stakes every time with more and more dangerous obstacles and challenges. And it was just that heightened sense of danger ("He's not going to make it this time") with each new stunt that made them come back for more. He often unwittingly accommodated the crowds by giving them spectacular, limb-smashing crashes to seal the deal.
In short, Evel Knievel pioneered a now billion-dollar industry dubbed "extreme sports." I mean think about it; no Evel Knievel and a few others after him, none of the new gravity-defying antics from hundreds of "athletes" around the world. He is (was) the father of the showboating superstar with a gift for manipulating physical tools to grab attention.
In another sense, Evel was kind of like a nouveau cowboy, wasn't he? A corporate-packaged "outlaw" with the skills to pay the bills .... a common guy with a taste for danger and a killer cycle to "fly" over some untold number of vehicles. The ultimately "rebel" of the Vegas vein, he was the "ugly American" with the implied and/or stated desire to punch you in the mouth if you thought otherwise.
There you go — a mythology, a character, a venue and a willing audience. The perfect ingredients for an icon. Oh, and don't forget the embossed tin lunch box screaming a red, white and blue hero practically wrapped in the flag. Perfecto.
Now there really aren't any more "Evel Knievels" out there. All the modern runner-ups are way too commercial and they make no bones about being for sale to the highest bidder. You cannot possibly find a place on their person, their vehicle or their family's lives where it's not appropriate to push goods and services. Everything about them is for sale and priced to MOVE MOVE MOVE!!!!
The greatest contribution to humanity that Evel Knievel made was thrilling entertainment, a few bad films and some great toys. For that, we're grateful.
Adios .... and keep the shiny side up.
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