SAN FRANCISCO, California (Reuters) -- Motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel cannot sue a Web site that published a photo of him with two women above a caption reading "You're never too old to be a pimp," a U.S. appeals court ruled on Tuesday.

The term "pimp" was probably intended as a compliment, the court said. But Knievel said, "What good is law in the United States of America if five or six goddamn bimbos are going to rule against it?"

The Montana native sued after ESPN, a subsidiary of Walt Disney Co., published a photo of the famed stunt driver at the Action Sports and Music Awards in 2001 with his arms around his wife and a second young woman.

The photo on the EXPN.com Web site ran alongside that of other people with captions that, in the words of a lower court ruling, "contained loose, figurative, slang language."

The motorcycle rider, who gained notoriety jumping over rows of buses, trucks and other barriers in the 1960s and 1970s, sued, alleging the photo brought him and his wife "public disgrace and scandal."

After a Montana district court dismissed the case at the request of ESPN, Knievel appealed to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals based in San Francisco.

"Although the word 'pimp' may be reasonably capable of defamatory meaning when read in isolation, we agree with the district court's assessment that 'the term loses its meaning when considered in the context presented here,'" Judge Wallace Tashima wrote for the three-judge panel.

"The term 'pimp' as used on the EXPN.com Web site was not intended as a criminal accusation, nor was it reasonably susceptible to such a literal interpretation. Ironically, it was most likely intended as a compliment."

In a dissent that quoted William Shakespeare, Judge Carlos Bea backed Knievel. "Good name in man and woman, dear my lord, Is the immediate jewel of their souls," he wrote, quoting Shakespeare.

Then in his own voice, Bea wrote, "In my view, the word 'pimp' is reasonably susceptible to a defamatory meaning."

Informed of the decision by a telephone call to his home in Clearwater, Florida, Knievel responded angrily.

"They disregarded the goddamn law and they ought to be discharged, they ought to be ashamed of themselves," he told Reuters.

Knievel, 66, added that he would ask his lawyer to appeal the case to the Supreme Court.

The word "pimp" sure has changed. When I was a kid, it was a word that if used in front of mother, pretty much guarenteed an ass kicking by father. Now my kids use it as a slang term to describe any kid doing well with the ladies, and the young women use it as a term to describe a man as sexually desirable, as in "I love his nose ring, it makes him so pimp." Eviel may find more understanding in the geriactric SCOTUS.

Oh, those crazy young people these days, with all their crazy ideas, and that noise they call 'music'. Why, it's enough to drive a person to drink!

Doesn't he have a greyhoud to hop somewhere?


You would think someone who cheats death for a living would have thicker skin.

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'90 300SE 298k
-300K and it gets put into retirement.
'80 300D 255k Purchased new by family in 1980.

Had a:
1973 220 (gas)
1980 300SD
1992 400E

this may sound disrespectful, but since we are alll headed that direction also, it's worth noting that senectitude has prolly reduced him to stepping over a row of matchbox/hotwheels cars by now....though i'm sure, not without help from the ho's

No way -- I've met the man and his kid on several occasions. Evil is an egomaniac of nearly unparalleled proportions. Very, very smart man, but bordering on certifiable.

Parked cars, canyons and fountains can't call you 'pimp'

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

True dat. "Pimp-dogg E" is prolly juss fiszzin for some kizz-nash

I'd bet my bling bling on that.