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Breathing
life into an elderly curmudgeon, or a purple human-like creature
from the Micronesian islands, or even a self-effacing, talking
jalapeno-on-a-stick, Jeff Dunham is straight man to some
of the funniest partners in show business. He has amassed legions
of loyal fans throughout the United States and abroad with thousands
of sold-out theater and comedy club performances, countless television
guest spots - including numerous Tonight Show appearances
with both Leno and Carson- and with two top-rated specials on
Comedy Central. He continues to win great accolades and success
for one simple reason: He and his buddies are funny as hell. Oh,
and by the way… Jeff Dunham is a ventriloquist.
Dunham's
comedic skill, impeccable technique, and sleight of hand make
him a master of his craft. In fact, audiences often forget there
is a person behind the puppets. "What makes this performer
the best at what he does is the believability factor," one
reviewer wrote. "Dunham's characters have more personality
than a lot of people I know."
His
talent has parlayed him to the top of his game with multiple critical
achievements and television appearances, including a recent profile
on CBS's 60 Minutes II. The comic was interviewed by correspondent
and actress Candice Bergen, daughter of the legendary ventriloquist
Edgar Bergen. Between jokes and laughs, Ms. Bergen called Dunham
"...flat out FUNNY!"
Dunham
was also voted "Funniest Male Stand-Up Comic"' at the
American Comedy Awards, an honor shared with the likes of Jerry
Seinfeld, Jeff Foxworthy, and Robin Williams. Additionally, viewers
recently voted Dunham to third place (for the second time in two
years!) in Comedy Central's "Standup Showdown." The
comedian and his grumpy old-man partner, Walter, have made several
appearances on Fox Sports Net's Best Damn Sports Show,
and they've been featured on such television shows as Hollywood
Squares, Entertainment Tonight, and Good Morning
America. Also, in a near-legendary television appearance,
Dunham and Walter brought the house down with a sketch on an episode
of the WB's Blue Collar TV.
Dunham
is a true veteran of the comedic stage, and has more than honed
his craft: Performing 40 weeks and 250 dates a year in concert
venues, comedy clubs, and countless private corporate appearances,
he is one of the most sought-after entertainers working today.
While he has never held a "real job," he has compiled
an impressive resume: He is the only person ever to win the prestigious
"Ventriloquist of the Year" award twice, and he was
recently nominated "Comedian of the Year" by the TNN
Music City News Country Awards.
Jeff
Dunham's seemingly most significant stamp of approval, however,
will always be when Johnny Carson invited the ventriloquist to
the couch on his very first Tonight Show appearance. This
is an honor Dunham shares with only four other comedians during
Carson's 30-year tenure. An extraordinary comedy moment erupted
when Walter had the audacity to respond to Carson's invitation
for another appearance with, "It'll be a cold day in hell
before I come back here." Carson laughed heartily, the audience
howled, and the young comedian's career was launched to a new
level. And a side note: Dunham has appeared on the Tonight
Show more than any ventriloquist in history.
Anyone
who has experienced an evening with Dunham knows, however, that
the real stars of the show are his partners in comedy, and it's
the humor and the believability of his characters, Peanut, Walter,
and José Jalapeño…on a STEEK! that endear them
to audiences everywhere. Recently joining the roster and adding
even more spark to Dunham's menagerie are two new co-stars: First,
there's Sweet Daddy Dee, he's the new showbiz manager of the bunch,
wearing more bling than Snoop Dogg, and keeping Dunham confused
with his street-savvy and hip-hop talk. On the other end of the
spectrum is Bubba J, white trash and buck-toothed, he makes NASCAR
his second religion.
With
material suited and customized for the audience at hand, Dunham's
fans range the gamut: From bikers to surgeons, singles to families,
young to old, and hip to geek, people return over and over, year
after year to see the antics of one man, who seems like many.
And Dunham's characters are so vivid and memorable that the comedian
usually opens with ten minutes of his own solo stand-up, simply
to establish himself as the hub of the wheel. "If people
walk away thinking, 'Those guys were FUNNY,' rather than 'He was
a great ventriloquist,' then I've done my job," says Dunham.
contact:
Gail A. Stocker
1025 N. Kings Rd Suite 113
Los Angeles CA 90069
323.654.4015 phone
323.654.1150 fax
gail@comedycontact.com
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