Wednesday, Apr 30, 2014
In high school, Jeff Dunham was voted most likely to succeed. At 52-years-old, he’s proved the predictions right — at least by most standards.
Bringing his ventriloquist act to du Forum, Yas Island in Abu Dhabi on May 1 and 2, Dunham is a globally-recognised force. Just last year, he snagged fourth placed on Forbes’ highest-earning comedians list, scoring below sitcom legend Jerry Seinfeld, fellow dummy-wielder Terry Fator and YouTube sensation Russell Peters.
But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Dunham. As a ventriloquist — an entertainer who makes his voice appear to come from a host of dummies — he faced a challenge that his pure stand-up counterparts didn’t: having to prove that his art form actually belonged in comedy.
“I’ve fought the scepticism from day one and never took it to heart,” Dunham told tabloid! ahead of his shows in the capital city. “There’s a disdain for ventriloquists — you’re lumped in with plate spinners, accordion players and mimes. It’s considered quite sad and dated.”
When he was 26 and still trying to get his name in neon lights, Dunham was given a golden opportunity that every comedian dreams of — one that he had promised himself he would achieve within ten years of leaving high school. He was invited to be on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. At first thought, this seemed like a fool-proof recipe for success, but for Dunham, it became a blow to his ego and a test of his perseverance. A day before the taping, the talent booker who had chosen Dunham for the Tonight Show attended a public appearance of his and, upon seeing Dunham’s act, rescinded his invitation to the show.
But Dunham didn’t give up. He kept honing his skill and improving his act and two years later, the same talent booker told him he was finally ready for his big break with Carson.
“I’ve been at it forever. I’ve been on the road for over 20 years, learning what makes people laugh, and writing my own material. I think comedians and the industry respect that,” he said of his following success.
Still, Dunham’s journey has been tainted with negative responses. Like many commercial comedians, his act relies on the exaggeration of certain identities in ways that are unapologetically — and indeed, deliberately — offensive. One of his most popular characters, named Achmed the Dead Terrorist, gained him online notoriety when a clip of Dunham’s second comedy special, Jeff Dunham: Spark of Insanity, became one of the most-watched YouTube videos of all time.
“Like I always say, my show has no socially redeeming value whatsoever — you’re not going to learn anything. All you’re going to do is come in, leave your problems at the door, and have a big goofy time,” Dunham said. “Achmed has garnered the international attention and has opened the doors for all my performances in some amazing places and other nations.”
His other characters include Walter, a Vietnam War veteran who’s known for his cynicism, sarcasm and being perpetually disgruntled; Peanut, the eccentric purple character with a tuft of green hair who often taunts and mocks Dunham and Dunham’s characters; and Jose Jalapeno on a Stick, who, in another show of unabashed stereotyping on Dunham’s part, is a jalapeno pepper on a stick who wears a sombrero and speaks with a pronounced Spanish accent.
Aside from his regulars, Dunham keeps a spot in his act that he rotates and changes every time, taking the trial-and-error route by experimenting with new characters.
“I’ve gone through the really nervous Y2K guy and Melvin the superhero. But for every one that’s succeeded, there’s one that I don’t know what I was thinking,” he said. “I have Tony the talking meatball, and that one never worked. There’s only one good joke that works with him: ‘Do you speak Italian? No, because I don’t have-a no hands.”
Tickets for the shows on May 1 and 2 range between Dh295-Dh795 and are available through ticketmaster.ae. Event begins at 7.30pm on both nights.
By Marwa Hamad, Staff Reporter
Gulf News 2014. All rights reserved.
