Yakima Canutt

Cowboy Stuntman Yakima Canutt - Deborah J. Lightfoot (a.k.a. ...

Yakima Canutt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I remember appearing on the Merv Griffin Show in 1984(with Singer Tom Jones and Olympic Gold Medalist Greg Louganis) with Madras and Tila. Before the interview, while sitting in the "green room" a secretary/assistant was making sure I realized how lucky I was to be in Merv's presence, and that "it will probably be the best day of my life." She asked whom I thought was the most famous person he had interviewed and when I said Yakima Canutt, she looked at me blankly and had to go out in the hall and ask someone who Yakima Canutt was, and had Merv interviewed him. What a nitwit!!! I suppose we all have our own idea of "what is great/who is famous." (Note how Merv pronounces this great mans name) A bit later, I found out Merv liked to pull a gag on folks, but that he didn't like being the fall guy and having a gag pulled on him. In short, "you don't make Merv look goofy" I was told as I was shown the door. At one point in the interview he asked me, "could they(the tigers) be released back into the wild in Africa someday when they are grown up?" I looked at him, chuckled and said, "probably not because they are from Asia. There has never been a tiger in Africa," as the audience exploded in laughter. The show never asked me to come back. I wonder why? Maybe it was one of those bowl of cherries actually being a jar full of jalapenos deal?