Jeff Dunham canceled? Not likely, as enduring ventriloquist comic returns to Rupp Arena
The comedy of popular ventriloquist comedian Jeff Dunham has led to him bringing a cast of comic creations to life so many times on tour that it can eventually take a toll.
As one of the country’s most successful touring comics delivering occasionally controversial jokes through interactions with fan favorites puppets like Walter, Bubba J, Achmed and Peanut, he was giving his voice a much needed rest before he brings his “Still Not Canceled” tour to Rupp Arena on March 5.
During the email exchange, he did manage to give us some insight into the physical demands of his craft, puppets fails and the broad appeal of his comedy.
Herald-Leader: Part of the reason that we are opting for a Q&A email format for this interview is that your voice is completely shot after doing 10 shows in 12 days. Does the wear and tear on your voice have more to do with the frequency of your performances, the nature of your performances as a ventriloquist or a little bit of both? Is there a physically demanding element to your craft that most people don’t know about?
Jeff Dunham: Nothing odd about what I do compared to other voice work ... It’s just that my act is now two to two-and-a-half hours every night, and usually five nights in a row. So, like a singer or anyone seriously using their voice, I simply have to have vocal rest between shows. In the middle of those runs, I usually spend 21 hours a day never uttering a word to anyone; usually isolated on my tour bus working, or in a venue working out on the equipment we haul venue to venue. It’s not glamorous for sure.
HL: Most comics have a hard enough time coming up with an hour of new material but you have to not only come up with material but have it delivered by some of your popular creations. How do you decide which character gets what joke?
JD: Those hours of isolation on the bus are always put to good use, and that’s usually with writing the new material. With 11 specials in the past 15 years, that’s about 16 hours of material. All that comes from three different ways:
Sit down and write it, joke by joke, then work it out on stage.
Ad-libs on stage that I keep, then build longer bits off of.
Telling stories from real life and turning them into bits.
As for which characters get which jokes, most of the jokes are the characters responding to, or commenting on, whatever we’re discussing. So, the jokes are simply character-appropriate. Situational comedy, just in conversation, is some of the best stuff, if you ask me! (Not just joke-jokes.)
HL: I could be wrong but I’m guessing for every Walter or Jose the Jalapeno on a Stick, there have to be a few characters that have ended up on the cutting room floor or are still in the box. The same way that comedians have to try out their jokes at small clubs to see what works, do you have to do the same thing with your characters sometimes before you know you have a good one?
JD: You guessed right! I have a trunk full of dummies that I call the “What the hell was I thinking?” trunk. My favorite worst example came about when I was in college. Jose Jalapeno was a big hit. So, I thought, “The talking food thing is working!” Cut to my three-foot egg puppet that I named “Eggelbert Humptydink.” Yeah ... Never mind.
HL: You occupy a very interesting space in comedy because you have a specific niche but appeal to a VERY big audience. What is it about your comedy and approach that has allowed you to attract such a huge following?
JD: I think it boils down to well-defined, fun and relatable characters, presenting good and relatable comedy written for a general audience in a format that is unusual and, when performed in a believable manner, makes for great escapism. Growing up doing shows for Kiwanis Clubs, church groups, Boy Scout banquets and school talent shows all helped my instincts for what can make truly diverse audiences laugh.
Jeff Dunham’s “Still Not Canceled” Tour
When: Sunday, March 5, 3 p.m.
Where: Rupp Arena, 430 W. Vine St.
Tickets: $53, ticketmaster.com
Contact: 859-233-4567 or rupparena.com
