Q-and-A with a former gorilla
Posted: June 21, 2013
We had the chance to monkey around with Devin Nelson, DI, former mascot for the Phoenix Suns. Here’s what he had to say about this truly once-in-a-lifetime experience as The Gorilla.
Q: How did you get the job?
A: A career as a mascot was definitely not something I dreamed of. I’m the kind of person that used to make fun of the mascot. But, when I found out dressing up as the mascot at Brigham Young University would pay for my education, and free food was involved, I was in.
Before graduating, I was asked to fill in last minute as The Gorilla at a charity appearance in Utah. Unbeknownst to me, I was auditioning for a job. The Phoenix Suns needed a backup, and word spread I was perfect for the job. They called me, I tried out, and the job fell into my lap. It was my full-time job for six years. We did 45 home games per year and as many as 400 appearances.
Q: How do you think your career as a primate will translate to dentistry?
A: As The Gorilla, I had to learn how to captivate crowds on a one-on-one basis. Since l wasn’t allowed to talk, I learned how to read people and get my point across using body language and hand actions, which I believe are skills that can translate to dentistry. I’m pretty sure I won’t have a problem wearing a mask and gloves. As a mascot, kids either love you or hate you, so if I go into pediatric dentistry, I hope to not make as many kids cry as I did when I was the mascot.
Q: Why did you decide to trade in your gorilla head for a career in health and teeth?
A: Mascots have a career lifespan similar to those of professional athletes because our bodies can only do so much for so long. Many mascots don’t know what to do after they retire. I didn’t want to be in that position, so I went back to my original plan of becoming a dentist and found ATSU, whose mission aligns with how I was raised and who I want to be.
Q: What is one of your funniest mascot memories?
A: We had a school program where a player would read a story, and I would act it out. The story begins with The Gorilla waking up and getting out of bed to start his day; it ends with The Gorilla going to bed. A table was used as the bed. Sometimes I would pretend I wouldn’t want to get on the table and go to bed, but the person reading would scold me until I would run over to the table and lie down.
At one appearance, I ran to the table and jumped a little higher and harder than usual. I broke the table right in half, and it was hilarious! Everyone was laughing. The kids couldn’t stop laughing, the player reading couldn’t stop laughing, and I couldn’t stop. It took a while before we could begin again.