Political sign parody turning heads in the Valley, supporting a good cause

PHOENIX — A joke that parodies the inundation of political signs on street corners during the election season is providing much more than a laugh.

Signs are beginning to pop up around the Valley that say “Tyler Watson is crossing his arms” with a picture of the 25-year-old crossing his arms.

“The real reason I did it was just to make my friends laugh,” Watson told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Gaydos and Chad Show on Thursday.

“I figured this is my hometown so someone is bound to run into it and I figured that’d be funny if I didn’t tell anyone about it and some people just came across it.”

The first person to come across it was his father’s friend, but they wouldn’t be the last.

A picture of the sign eventually made its way onto a Facebook group page for the city of Chandler, and people were so enthused by the joke that they wanted a sign for their own yard.

“My initial thought was if people are going to put my fake sign in their yard, that’s hilarious and I’m definitely going to do it,” Watson said.

“I was going to just charge people what it cost to make it, I wasn’t going to profit on anything or anything like that, but then I figured if people are going to buy it, I might as well raise money for charity. So that’s what I ultimately ended up doing.”

Watson said money raised by those who purchase his “political” signs go to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

He estimates around $1,000 has been raised so far.

“It’s been awesome,” Watson said of the attention the signs have received. “I’ve been trying to take advantage as much as I can of it just to raise money for St. Jude.”

A pitcher in the Oakland Athletics minor league system, Watson now spends his days on the mound and evenings driving around delivering signs for charity.

Those who wish to purchase their own sign can visit Watson’s website.

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