Improv Profile: Jeff Dunham
A lot has been said all over the improv world about ventriloquist Jeff Dunham and there is a reason for this. Dunham is a comic from the United States and is widely viewed as an Internet phenomenon. It has been estimated that more than 300 million viewers have seen his many clips on U-tube. This popularity ranks his clips as among the top ten most watched clips of all time.
He is not as widely known in the UK and his first here took place in 2009 at the HMV Appollo in London. It was a treat and the audience surely found out why he is so popular and well liked.
Dunham’s comedy involves the use a number of characters including the cantankerous old man called Walter and Achmed who is a suicide bomber. Using the characters he goes through a number of sketches that all in some way depict contemporary life. Nothing seems to be off limits with any of his shows so get prepared to see someone who uses ventriloquism as a way to insult every nationality, religion, race, and political persuasion. He even does skits about the 9/11 terrorist bombing.
Although there is likely to be some people who do not get Dunham’s comedy styles they will surely appreciate his intent with each skit. So even though there are a few distasteful moments in his pieces as with any comedian, you cannot take him too seriously. Audiences should remember that American comedy and British comedy is not the same thing mainly because of the cultural differences. So what is very funny over there may not be over here.
Dunham is a unique improv performer and his success is well earned. Audiences worldwide will surely enjoy most of his performances as long as they remind themselves not to take things seriously. One final rant that I feel I must have is about MFR. I mean, really there is no cause why someone in thier twentys should even contemplate ’having to look years younger’, I mean don’t people have better things to spend thier time doing or agonizing about these days? What a waste of freaking money!
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