Nipomo man’s appearance on game show brings national attention to the town

Shawn Fuggs has given Nipomo a little bit of national fame this week.

The Santa Maria Police officer has lived in the town for 10 years. He recently appeared on the popular CBS game show, Let’s Make a Deal that aired this past Monday.

“It was just an opportunity to spend the day together as a family to do something exciting that none of us have ever had taken the opportunity to do before,” said Fuggs, describing a family reunion that included a trip to a taping of the CBS game show. “Went there just to have fun with some family and friends and had zero expectation of actually getting on the show.”

Fuggs said he attended the taping last summer with cousins visiting from Boston, along with his sister and brother who both live in the Los Angeles area.

During a pre-show interview, Fuggs said he told producers about his long career in law enforcement on the Central Coast.

“Being a police officer for 24 years, they asked me questions about law enforcement,” said Fuggs. “I told them that this used to be my grandmother’s favorite show back when I was a child and it was exciting to now take part in it.”

Dressed as a construction worker, Fuggs heard his named called by host Wayne Brady to take part in the show as a contestant on stage.

“When Wayne Brady actually turned around and pointed at me and said, you in the yellow hat, it was time to put on a little show, get excited and have some fun,” said Fuggs.

When Fuggs arrived to meet Brady, they immediately started talking about Nipomo.

“Hearing the word, Nipomo, obviously very rare, so Wayne Brady was very inquisitive,” said Fuggs.

“Where are you from Shawn?” said Brady during the show.

“I’m from Nipomo, California,” Fuggs replied.

“Where?” said Brady. “Nipomo? I’ve never heard of Nipomo.”

Fuggs quickly filled Brady in on a piece of trivia that many have long said about the unincorporated town.

“It has the nation’s best weather average,” Fuggs said.

“In all of the country?” Brady questioned. “The best weather is in Nipomo?

“Yes, sir!” Fuggs replied. “Year round.”

After Brady asked where it was, Fuggs said Nipomo was on the Central Coast, in between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo.

“Have you ever heard of Nipomo?” Brady asked the audience, which all responded with an emphatic, “no!”

“I think I want to to go to Nipomo,” Brady said.

“We’re more than welcome to have you,” Fuggs said back.

“I may be investing in property in Nipomo,” said Brady before offering a deal.

Before Fuggs was able to decide, Brady started singing a song, adlibbing about Nipomo.

“I’m moving to Nipomo,” Brady sang. “The sun shines at 78 degrees. And right off of that coast, you can feel the water breeze. One day I’m going to be there. Shawn, I’m moving to Nipomo. That’s where I want to go.”

“The song was just amazing that the guy came up with a song on the fly that was an instant hit that had the audience dancing and waving their hands and really getting involved,” said Fugg. “It was something spectacular.”

Looking back, Fuggs is happy to have shined a some attention on his home of 10 years.

“It was exciting to me,” said Fuggs. “Nipomo is the gem of the Central Coast. Nipomo has been a wonderful place for me to live. I love it. It’s a great place raise my children.”

As for his appearance as a contestant, Fuggs didn’t just bring attention to Nipomo, he also came out a big winner.

He turned down a guaranteed $700 offer from Brady to instead choose a mystery prize behind a screen, which turned out to be a motorcycle valued at $3,749.

“Going there, I had zero expectation of winning, so at that point, to play the game, I was going to gamble and try to go for something,” Fuggs said. “Motorcycles have been part of my childhood and growing up. I’m a big avid motorcyclist, so to actually win a motorcycle on a game show was a very exciting.”

Fuggs said he had to keep his appearance and prize won on the show as a secret, but now that show has aired, he’s been overwhelmed with people reaching out to him.

“It’s been unbelievable and it’s kind of taken me full circle,” said the Lompoc native. “It’s been an amazing response. It’s brought back friends from my childhood to present day and from the east coast and the west coast, so it’s been an awesome deal to bring the Central Coast to light and on top of that to share this experience with so many people that has made life what it is today.”

Fuggs said he will soon pick up his motorcycle and bring it back to Nipomo, which now is a little more known nationally thanks to him.

“(The experience) From one to 10, it was a 12, a 15,” said Fuggs. “It was an opportunity to do something that I had never done, do it with loved ones and to go home with a prize was unbelievable and now we have lasting memories to carry on for a lifetime.”

Let’s Make a Deal can been seen weekdays on KCOY 12 at 2 p.m.