I'm Gumby Dammit!

I’m Gumby Dammit!   Tales of Ten Years in a Gumby Suit        by Michael West

         My small claim to fame is that from 1980 to 1990
I held the world’s only license to perform as Gumby.

         Exactly how did I receive such a posthumous honor?

         Prior to 1980 Gumby was one of those icons riding the fast lane into obscurity.  Basically one day I decided to make a Gumby suit, strange as this may sound, and I wore that Gumby suit in LA for a good portion of two years. IMHO Gumby’s resurgence was “helped along” as a direct result of my “product placement.”

        Once Gumby’s creator, Art Clokey, got wind of my “Alter Ego” and grateful for the windfalls, he gave me a 10 year International Contract to perform as Gumby!  The coming decade of “Gumbymania” included: New Gumby Shows, a Gumby Movie, and even a few shops that sold Gumby merchandise exclusively.  And let’s not forget the Parades honoring this Green Guy!

        An interesting note on all this is that a writer from SNL would see Gumby from time to time on the streets of West Wood Village and even hired me once for a special appearance. Well it just so happens that this SNL writer conceived of the Saturday Night Live parody with Eddie Murphy’s “I’m Gumby Dammit” from none other than me!

Yes it is a small claim to fame…But it is mine…Why am I coming out of Retirement?  To write this book…After all I'm Gumby Dammit!