| Boom Boom Benny informed me, "I am look for | | | | time I did the Jay Leno Show was on 3/3/04 |
| a young attractive female to teach the mystery | | | | along with Carmen Electra. I'll never tell what she |
| of the trick I stole from a Russian. I have at | | | | whispered in my ear... |
| times wished I'd given it back. In my daredevil | | | | "While on tour at the Canadian National Expose in |
| stunt driver days and while manager of the world | | | | Toronto, my agent called me to go pick up |
| famous Hollywood Death Dodgers Thrill Show out | | | | another of his clients at the airport. It was Red |
| of Chicago, while on tour in Canada, I saw that | | | | Skelton. I had heard something about a recent big |
| Russian who changed my life. | | | | loss in his life and we talked local stuff on our |
| "He blew himself up in a chair and I knew | | | | way to the show. After Red performed he took |
| immediately that I had discovered my way to | | | | off in a limo and I stood on the stage. I still |
| make a bigger noise in the thrill field. The very | | | | remember that little kid, no more than seven who |
| first time I tried it I nearly died. I couldn't hear a | | | | darted out on the field. That kid chased the limo |
| thing for a week, and then all I heard was a | | | | until Red stopped it and rolled down his window. |
| doorbell ringing in my head. | | | | Red stopped to give that kid an autograph... |
| "But before all that and fifteen years before | | | | "In the early years I would blow myself up in |
| anyone even heard of Evil Knievel, I was jumping | | | | coffins I constructed from two by six feet long |
| ramps, making firewalls with go carts, crashing | | | | insulation boards that I would buy by the bundle |
| head onto junker cars going sixty miles per hour. | | | | and carry in my van. I learned that if I placed the |
| "As a kid I wanted to be a big-time stock car | | | | charges in a certain manner, the explosions would |
| racer but I went into the daredevil business | | | | go over my head and outwards. Most of that |
| instead. I had a neighbor who shot himself out of | | | | time, that is. I have been burned, broken bones, |
| canons and another who was an auto stunt man. | | | | had my chest blown open, but it's better than any |
| Being a daredevil is who I am and I have been | | | | nine to five job I can imagine. |
| hospitalized more times than I care to recall. | | | | "One day while in Las Vegas, a guy proposed to |
| "I had life insurance until they found out what I | | | | me that I should blow myself up in a car instead |
| did. Lloyds of London made me an offer back in | | | | of a box or coffin. I thought that he was crazy |
| the1970's but it was more than I could afford. | | | | but I was also intrigued. After contemplating the |
| Back then, I carried $300,000 insurance for | | | | suggestion, I decided that it was a stunt I wanted |
| spectators and $250,000 for the grounds. Today; | | | | to attempt. |
| it's a whole other world after 9/11. Everything is | | | | "The very first day that I was going to blow |
| out of proportion and it keeps getting tougher to | | | | myself up, just as I was getting into the car, |
| make a living." | | | | someone suggested we should test the trick first. |
| Boom Boom Benny, was still known as Benny | | | | It was a good thing, because it was a heck of an |
| Koske; Captain Dynamite when the Chicago Daily | | | | explosion. Somebody was certainly looking out for |
| News reported on November 12, 1974, "A SMALL | | | | me that day because if I had gotten into that car, |
| MAN with the lean build of a dynamite stick | | | | I wouldn't be talking with you now." |
| comes from Palm Bay, Fl., 30 miles south of Cape | | | | Benny maintains that it is his calm, systematic |
| Canaveral, where the only big noise is on U.S.1." | | | | approach that has allowed him to perform for so |
| During the race car circuit off season, Benny | | | | long. |
| usually hangs out at JD's not too far from | | | | "I get the feeling that I am in the eye of a |
| Roonie's Tavern in Palm Bay. The walls of both | | | | hurricane; there is stuff going on all around me but |
| establishments are adorned with photos of Boom | | | | I remain calm because I only have 15 seconds to |
| Boom Benny with Jay Leno, David Frost, and Mike | | | | make my escape before my suit can no longer |
| Douglas, but none of the T-Bone Crash. | | | | take the heat and my body becomes disoriented |
| "Before I began to blow myself up, I did the | | | | from the fumes." |
| most dangerous stunt trick there was; the | | | | "If the crowd is too close to the track, they will |
| T-Bone Crash. I'd floor my car, jump a ramp and | | | | feel the heat of the explosion because the car |
| land T-bone style into a pair of parked autos. | | | | goes up in a big ball of fire before I escape. The |
| Many who tried it, never walked away. | | | | fire and noise are spectacular. The hood, trunk |
| "The first time I tried blowing myself up, I nearly | | | | deck, and doors all go flying off. People love |
| died. The second time I tried it, it took the most | | | | seeing things blow things up so, I am confident |
| nerve. Every blast is different and I have blown | | | | that I will find a young lady to learn my Russian |
| myself up thousands of times. Even after the | | | | Mystery Trick. |
| first eight years, I still hadn't perfected the | | | | "She must know about motorcycles and cars, but |
| technique, but I got better fast because I learned | | | | no biker chicks, and no tattoos allowed. I am |
| a lot more about short sticks of high explosives. | | | | looking for a woman like the one in that Miller |
| "I began at state fairs, race tracks and I've been | | | | commercial who walks into a bar after a race and |
| everywhere and have met many people. I've | | | | pulls off her helmet. Her hair tumbles out and she |
| been to Reno, Chicago, Fargo, Minnesota, Buffalo, | | | | is drop dead gorgeous. That's what I am looking |
| Toronto, Winslow, Sarasota, Wichita, Tulsa, | | | | for, someone like that to learn the Russian |
| Ottawa, Oklahoma, and Tampa where I was born. | | | | Mystery Trick of Boom Boom Benny." |
| I lived a while in Nebraska, but home is Palm Bay, | | | | TOUR DATES: |
| Florida. | | | | May 24, 2008: THUNDER JAM, Green Bay, |
| "I was once closing act at the closing show for | | | | Wisconsin |
| the Rolling Stones in Buffalo, New York. The last | | | | May 30-31, 2008: Bristol, Tenn. |