Jeff Dunham

Comes to The Theatre at the Frank Erwin Center with His Gang of Comedic "Friends"

Jeff Dunham, or Jefufah Dun-ham as his puppet Peanut calls him, is set to bring his act and his trunk of uproarious friends to The Theatre at the Frank Erwin Center on October 2! Jeff is a comic ventriloquist that has an arsenal of puppets that can appeal to every audience. Dunham keeps his acts fresh by altering his acts to different people and situations.

His puppet Peanut is a purple human-like being called a woozle, which comes from Micronesia and has a fast and frenzied personality. He dropped out of school, leaving him with the hilarious ability to misread words. Then there is Walter, an old retired Vietnam War veteran with a brash and sarcastic attitude towards everything, probably holding the title of the crudest personality. Walter continuously makes obscene comments and blames his long marriage for his general dislike of everything. Let’s not forget about José, a jalapeño pepper with a Mexican personality, a sombrero and a mustache. Oh, and he can sing. Often times Jeff has José and Peanut on stage at the same time and they argue with one another leaving Jeff to be the mediator. There’s Melvin, a mild-mannered, no-real-power superhero who wants to save our country from evil, but meanwhile he keeps getting locked inside the suitcase. He says that he would be a better superhero but his small stature and large nose get in the way. And finally there’s Achmed, the dead terrorist that allows Dunham to make jokes about the present issue of terrorism and keeps his comedy on the cutting edge. Achmed does not realize that he is dead until Jeff explains to him why. He is also terrified of going back into the trunk because “Walter’s gas is worse than Saddam’s Mustard Bomb.”

What really makes Jeff special is that when you watch him perform, you forget that it is only one person on stage. Jeff says, “If people walk away thinking, ‘Those guys were FUNNY,’ rather than ‘He was a great ventriloquist,’ then I’ve done my job.” Sometimes you get reminded during the act that they are the same person, like when Jeff and Peanut are arguing, Peanut yells at him, “We cannot talk at the same time! Focus!”

After watching a show, you can understand the title of Jeff Dunham’s first DVD Arguing with Myself. “These guys are my secret weapon,” says Dunham, “There’s some sort of unspoken rule that allows them to say things and make observations that no mere human could ever get away with, and it’s all under the guise of comedy.” Another reason for Dunham's success could be that he has been able to create truly subjective comedy and multi-generational entertainment where every age group comes away with their own quotable comic jewels that are relatable and easily become part of people’s vernacular. Achmed’s famous, “Silence! I kill you,” is probably most quoted by people. Dunham states, “You really have to have been there to understand it when folks walk out of a comedy show saying to each other, “I KILL YOU!”

Dunham has won the "Ventriloquist of the Year" award two times, a feat that has not been matched by anyone. This is because of his impeccable technique, flawless timing, comedic talent and sleight of hand. Praise seems to be quite common for Dunham. According to the Denver Post, “Despite being almost limp from laughter, his audience gave comedian Jeff Dunham a standing ovation after his opening set last night... His show combined prepared material with off-the-cuff witticism that shows him to be one of the funniest comics working.” Adding to his accolades, Dunham was also voted “Funniest Male Stand-Up Comic”’ at the American Comedy Awards, an honor shared with some of the comedic legends of this generation.

His genius is relived by many through his two DVDs, Arguing with Myself and Spark of Insanity. His one hour special on Comedy Central is one of the highest rated standup specials ever and his standup DVD has sold over 500,000 copies in the past year. This is amazing considering that the average comedy DVD sells about 25,000 copies. He also appeared in the 2007 movie, Delta Farce, where his character José makes his silver screen debut. Dunham has also appeared on many episodes of The Tonight Show, with hosts Jay Leno and Johnny Carson. He’s made more appearances on The Tonight Show than any other ventriloquist in history. The comedian and his grumpy old-man partner, Walter, have made several appearances on Fox Sports Net’s Best Damn Sports Show. They kept the hosts and audience rolling with quick and witty responses to all issues, showing his ability to tailor his and his puppets acts to any situation. They also have been featured on such television shows as Hollywood Squares, Entertainment Tonight and Good Morning America.

Dunham also likes to make friends, literally. He has made all of his dummies himself and on his second DVD, Spark of Insanity, you even get to watch Jeff build Melvin the Superhero from beginning to end. But Jeff does not only build his characters, he built himself his own full-sized personal helicopter. Jeff recalls, “One of my oldest friends said to me once when he was in the passenger seat at 1200 feet, ‘I just realized I’m flying in a helicopter built by the same guy who built WALTER.’”

Don’t miss this opportunity to see Jeff Dunham and his side-splitting friends take the stage at The Theatre at the Frank Erwin Center on October 2 at 8 p.m.