Gerald Polley

Gerald A. Polley (January 29, 1947 – July 4, 2012) was an American political campaigner, singer, animator and alleged psychic who resided in Bismarck, North Dakota. He was married to Linda Polley, who shares his political and religious views.

Polley grew up in Maine, before moving to North Dakota in 1999.

The Polleys claimed to be in contact with God, Jesus and Muhammad, Patrick Troughton and Bach.

Gerald and Linda Polley created a body of work including songs, drawings and short animations, some of which they claimed was made while channelling the spirits of dead artists. Some of this work is political in nature: "Hussein's Butt Song", allegedly written by the spirit of John Lennon about Saddam Hussein, has lyrics such as "we kicked his butt before and we kicked his butt again, we got him in the heine, he knew he could not win". Joel Bjorling, a specialist in alternative religions, examined three of the Polleys' songs and concluded that one ("Don't Make Heaven Mad") resembled Lennon's songs while the other two resembled American folk songs almost note-for-note. In 2007, Polley decided to try to run as a Republican presidential candidate in the 2008 elections, taking pro-choice and anti-homosexual stances and calling for tougher laws against hiring illegal immigrants. North Dakota Republican Party Chairman Gary Emineth commented in 2007 that he was unsure that Polley was a suitable candidate.

The Polleys were the subject of a 2002 documentary by filmmaker Barney Snow, titled Where Has Eternity Gone? and also appeared on the 21 February 2004 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

Gerald Polley died of colon cancer on July 4, 2012 at the age of 65.