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Interview:
Jay Kamhi, Creator & CEO, Kamhi World & TOTAL
RECALL:
14th October 2003
What's your background?
I
design toys, novelties, fad products and distribute
them to the mass retail market
How
did the card deal come to pass?
I
had made a previous deck called US Military Heroes
Playing Cards which did spectacular. The recall seemed
a natural for this type of deck since there were so
many candidates and nobody had a clue about most of
them. I looked at it as a public service to educate
people on the different candidates, while at the same
time providing a visual editorial on the ineffectiveness
of Davis, ie. the terminated stamp on the forehead
and the Arnold/Davis face-off on the display box.
Were
do you get your ideas from?
Mostly
from current events and my weird imagination. Sometimes
there will be a product on the market created by someone
else that is just not cutting it, and in those cases
I partner up with the creator, re-work the product
so that it is effective, and the result is another
"new" product.
Who
are your mentors?
Joeseph
E. Cossman, who made the Spud Gun famous back in the
1970s. This gun used potatoes as "bullets"
and kids loved to play with it. Mother's across the
USA were scolding there kids: "Don't shoot your
food!" This guy created and marketed lots of
products that were major successes. Another guy I
admire is Paul Hartunian who basically wrote the book
on how to get media coverage. He's famous for buying
the wooden pedestrian walkway of the Brooklyn Bridge
that was being discarded by the city because it was
rotting. He bought it for $500 and cut it up in little
pieces, framed it, and sold pieces of the Brooklyn
Bridge to millions of people. In the USA there is
a saying: "If you believe that, then I'll sell
you the Brooklyn Bridge" meaning the person is
gullible. So this guy actually did sell the bridge
and was on the Johnny Carson show and every other
media outlet.
What
media coverage have you garnered?
For
the cards I've gotten Jay Leno, CNN, USA Today, and
dozens of other radio, TV and newspaper articles too
numerous to list. I even get calls from the German
and Austrian media since Arnold was our ace.
How
has the internet helped you?
People
can SEE the cards immediately because of the net.
It allows FAST communication worldwide that other
wise might take weeks. Projects get completed much
faster and fortunes can be made.)
What
are your current projects?
I've
got a series of talking dolls that are very funny.
We've gotten some great international interest on
them and I'm sure they'll be in Australia soon. I'm
also working on more card decks for some special events.
(One closing note: I really like partnering up with
people who have good ideas. If any of your readers
have ideas for visual or talking products, I'd like
to hear from them.
Links:
California
TOTAL RECALL official website
KamhiWorld.com
Spice
Mice official website
Media
Man Australia: Online Shop
Australian
Sports and Entertainment Portal: Online Shop
Article:
The New Breed of Politicians, by Greg Tingle
California
TOTAL RECALL official website
Contact:
Jay
Kamhi
Kamhi
World
13584
49 Street N
Suite 11Clearwater, FL 33762
T- 727-556-0763
F- 727-556-0752
Editors
note: The cards need to be seen, let alone played,
to be believed. Having interviewed many of the
"polies" for the CA election, the cards
have special meaning. A true collectors item,
and they are great to have a beer with also!
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