By Michael Taszarek ’18
THE ROUNDUP
His name is Shamon Ingram.
Anyone who drives on Camelback Road often has seen him before. Some may have even danced with him.
Ingram is the sign flipper who works on the southwest corner of 20th Street and Camelback Road. The Flagstaff, Arizona native, who is also known as “Arizona Bamm,” is very popular among Brophy students who drive home from school on Camelback Road.
He gets attention for his enthusiasm for a job that many don’t seem to have much enthusiasm for.
“I love the job,” Ingram said in a recent interview at a shopping center on the northeast corner of Indian School and Miller Roads in Scottsdale.
“I’ve had a hard life, I’ve done a lot of jobs,” Ingram said. “I’ve built houses, I’ve flipped burgers, but dancing is something that I have done since I was a little kid, and in the household I grew up in it was the way that I escaped a lot of stuff. For me, dancing is something I love to do, and now I get paid to do it.”
Ingram isn’t only noticeable different because of his enthusiasm on the job, but is also noticeable because of his unique style. Ingram is frequently seen wearing an oversized cowboy hat and different jerseys for local sports teams.
“The hat is my trademark,” Ingram said. “Halloween last year I had the orange hat I used to wear and everybody loved it so much.”
This is not the first time that Ingram has been approached for an interview.
“I’ve been on ABC 15 just before Christmas, they did a little special on me,” he said. “If you look me up on Facebook, which is just Arizona Bamm, you will see it.”
Recently, Ingram has not been flipping signs at 20th Street and Camelback, but he can still be seen on other street corners around Phoenix and Scottsdale.
Ingram noted that he misses flipping at 20th Street and Camelback, and he said that he is trying to get back to that corner. Until then, he says he is flipping at the northeast corner of Indian School and Miller Roads Tuesday through Saturday if you want to see him.
“I love him,” said Jackson Holinger ’18. “I want him back, I want him back more than anything. He made my days after school.”
Michael Collins ’18 has similar feelings about Ingram.
“I think he’s a man that gave it his all day in and day out and pulled out some wild moves that inspired everyone that drove by him,” Collins said.