Ventriloquism 101.com "VenTips" Blog

One Question - #3 - How do I Write Funny Material?

2012-02-25T07:16:00.017-08:00

Today's "One Question" series inquiry comes from Tom Farrell and his question is one I hear often:

"I really need help in writing funny material."

That's a tough one to answer as there are so many pieces to this, but let me give it a shot.

First, I think you really have to have some sort of a sense of humor, or a "funny bone" to be funny in your comedy. If you have a good sense of humor, chances are that you can develop that into good comedy writing technique and write the majority of your own material.

Or, you can purchase some pre-written comedy vent routines (there are several good selections on my website) and the key here is to alter the routines to fit your personality and THE CHARACTER of the puppet. Don't purchase a script book and just do it word for word. You must interject your own style into the routine.

There are also lots of comedy writers out there who you can hire to write custom routines for you. Be careful, though. Since these writers won't know you, your act, your personality, or the character of the puppets you are using, they may not write something that fits you and you'll end up with a routine that may be funny if the person who wrote it performed it, but not work for you. If you hire a writer to pen a custom routine for you, make sure they are asking you questions about you, your style and the kind of show you do. A good writer will ask you a lot of questions up front to make sure they are writing in a style that is "you."

When Jeff Dunham was ready to start writing his biography "All By My Selves" a couple of years ago, he tried working with some well respected ghost writers/co-authors. He found that what they wrote did not "sound" like Jeff, if you get what I mean. Jeff ended up writing the whole biography on his own and I think that's part of why it's such a good book. It's "Jeff."

If you are writing your own comedy and/or blending your own writings with jokes from other sources (joke books, the Internet, whatever) you want to have a "theme" in mind for the routine. Do not just hook a bunch of unrelated jokes together into a script. There has to be a common thread to the various parts of the routine. And find a re-occurring call back hook/comment/bit you can return to from time to time during the act.

Use only material that sounds funny to you. If you hear or read a joke that doesn't make you laugh, don't use it just because it fits the theme of your routine. If you don't really find the joke funny, you won't have your heart in it when you perform it and it probably won't get a good response.

Good jokes have a set up and a "punch." The trick is to take the audience down a certain path with the set up (where they think they know where you are going with the joke) and then POW! go a different direction and catch them off guard with the punch.

For example:

Setup: "My brother is so stupid. He stole a car. Really stupid..."

You think the joke is taking you down the road of then talking about how the brother got into trouble with the law, went to jail, or something to that effect. But taking the punch down a different alternate road that the audience doesn't expect will really make the joke funnier.

Setup: " My brother is so stupid. He stole a car...Really stupid..."
Punch: "...he kept making the payments on it."

Here's another:

Setup: " I walked into a bar last night and saw some poor guy on the floor getting the crap kicked out of him by a bunch of big dudes. I asked the bartender why he didn't call a cop."

You think this is going down a road where the bartender will say "they're busy writing parking tickets" or "they're down at the doughnut shop for free coffee night" or something like that. The typical stereotype of police. Let's take it a different way.

Setup: "I walked into a bar last night and saw some poor guy on the floor getting the crap kicked out of him by a bunch of big dudes. I asked the bartender why he didn't call a cop."
Punch: "He said, 'Are you crazy? After the beating they just gave that one?'"

See how we took the setup one way and then went in a completely different direction? Try this technique. It will really help you write funnier material.

Try to write from personal experiences. If you really think about it, there are all kinds of really funny things you've experienced in your day to day life that either have happened to you (that in hindsight seem funny to you now, even if it may not have appeared so at the time), or something you witnessed that happened to someone else.

People love personal experience comedy. It easy for an audience to laugh at things that probably may even have happened to them or someone they know.

Look at news stories and find topical subjects that you can put the setup/punch spin on as described above.

I personally recommend taking it easy on corny puns.

"So, you like girls, I gather."
"No, I like girls I gather."

"I see you're a chicken. Do you lead an egg-citing life?"

One in as show may be OK, but in my opinion, a routine full of puns just isn't funny. It's egg-scruciating to listen to.

Get my point?

Once you get a routine or bit put together, try it out on a few friends or other professional performers and see how it goes over. Be willing take criticism. Re-write parts if necessary and fine tune it a bit before performing it before an audience. Don't try out a brand new routine at a really important gig. Perform it at some smaller venues first and work the kinks out before doing the bit at a big deal show.

If you feel you really have a funny bit that doesn't go over the first time you do it, don't toss it out right away. Try re-wording it, changing it around in, etc. and see if it gets a better response.

Writing comedy is not easy. Wait. Let me rephrase that. Writing GOOD comedy is not easy. Anyone can string a bunch of corny jokes together and write a lame routine. Those performers either won't be working often (no one will re-book them) or not for long (because they'll get frustrated and quit).

Really push yourself to be unique in your comedy and work hard on crafting a truly funny routine.

Once you have a solid routine, you'll know it's going to be fun to perform because you'll know when and where folks will laugh.

But, like any other skill worth learning, writing good comedy takes practice.

Some of the best resources I've seen for comedy and writing comedy are books by Greg Dean ("Step by Step to Stand-Up Comedy") and anything put out by Tom Ladshaw (both pre-written material and "how to" comedy writing resources), Bill DeMar and Al Stevens. Greg's book is available from amazon.com and I carry the others books on my website.

http://www.ventriloquism101.com/

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One Question - #2 - How Do I Create Character Voices?

2012-02-14T15:15:00.001-08:00

Continuing my series called "One Question" where I try to answer challenges vents and performers have, this question was sent in by Gene Pritchard:

"OK, I believe my biggest challenge in this business is "Voices"... maintaining a voice for each
member of my "family."

Here is how I approach character voices and what I find easiest.

First, I don't purchase a new figure unless I feel in my gut that I have a character in mind for the puppet. There are so many vents who look around on eBay, or in the ventriloquist convention dealer's rooms and see a figure or soft puppet that looks cool, but don't really have an idea in mind as to what to do with it. In the frenzy of wanting a new puppet, they pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for the puppet and it ends up sitting on a shelf in the closet at home and eventually ends up being sold off.

As you search for a new character and are looking at all of the choices out there, take your time. Really look at the features of the puppet and envision in your mind using the puppet. And, try to think of a personality for the character. If you can't, don't buy it.

Chances are you will struggle with finding a character and voice for the dummy and it won't get used.

When you see a puppet that is "right" for you, you'll know it. Ideas will start to come to mind immediately to you as you look at and/or handle the figure (if you're at a convention or some other place where you can physically hold the puppet). And, a voice that suits the character will also some to mind.

Be sure to choose a voice that fits the look of the character. If you have a goofball, kind of backwards puppet, don't use a sophisticated English gentleman voice. Pick a style of voice that matches the facial features of the puppet.

As far as ideas for voice types, I always look to cartoon characters to model my puppet voices after. My favorites are the original Looney Tunes voices - Bugs Bunny, Foghorn Leghorn, Yosemite Sam, Marvin Martian, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd and the list goes on and on. Looney Tunes are my favorite cartoons from the past and you can model (not exactly copy) a voice for you character after one of these classic cartoon voices.

There were also some excellent voices on the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoon show.

You can ususally find segments of these cartoons on YouTube.

Or, think of people you know - either friends and family, or celebrities that have unusual or unique voices. Those can be made into great puppet voices as well.

Try several voices and see which ones work best for the character you have in mind. Be sure to pick a voice you can do easily.

Good luck!

One Question - #1 - Learning Routines and Finding Time To Practice

2012-02-04T07:49:00.002-08:00

Several months ago I emailed subscribers of my VenTips email newsletter and asked them to submit their toughest "One Question" that was a challenge to them in regard to ventriloquism, writing, marketing, comedy, whatever.

I received a lot of really good questions and I'm now going to start posting the questions here and answer them as best I can. I'm calling the series, "One Question." (imagine that!)

The first question is kind of a two-parter, but the topics tie together.

The question comes from Will Jacobson from Lexington, KY:

"I have a hard time learning routines and finding time to practice. Any suggestions?"

Here is how I've always approached practicing and learning a new (or brushing up on) a routine. First, once I have my script written for me and my puppet, I record it using a microphone connected to my computer and the free audio software, Audicity and read the routine as I record it. Then I either burn a CD of the routine or put it on my iPod. Then I listen to it over and over at home, in my car, whenever I get the chance.

It works the same as when you hear a song on the radio over and over. Soon you can't get it out of your head (sometimes that's a good thing...other times not!) and before you know it, you can sing along and have all of the lyrics memorized.

Do the same thing with your vent routines. Listening to it on a recording, then talking along with it, then doing it without the recording can cut 60% off of the time it would take you to memorize a script if you were just trying to learn it from paper.

As an aside, I know a lot of people don't memorize routines. They use cue cards or cheat sheet reminders hidden on their set somewhere on stage. In my opinion, and again, this is just my opinion and the way I personally do it, I've always memorized my routines. It's just the way I've always done it.

When I know I have a script memorized, I always have a lot more confidence with my act while on stage. When I am in command of my routine, it allows me to ad-lib some, get side tracked and still be able to get right back into the script again.

Another benefit of memorizing a script is that it is very easy to brush up and recall it if you don't do that same routine for a while. Just like you remember certain song lyrics forever, you'll find once you've committed a script to memory, it comes back to you quickly when you need it again.

As a test, I pulled out the written copy to a routine I haven't done for over 2 years this week as I was perparing to write this post. I read the opening two or three exchanges between myself and my figure and then I put the paper down to see how much I could remember. I was able to do about 80% of the routine that I had not done in over 2 years on my first try. I could spend 20 minutes looking over it, or listen to the recording once or twice and it would all come back to me.

I have all of my routines on CD, my iPod and my PC so I'll always have them to reference when I need them. Again, the key is that they are on audio and listening greatly speeds up the learning of the routine! Try it!

As far as finding time to practice - I know how hard that can be with everything else going on in our lives.

I use a variety of techniques. First, I always consider practice time fun - not a chore. And I try to practice short periods of time more often than trying to do one really long practice session a week. So, I'd opt to do 10 minutes of practice a day rather than an hour once a week.

I try to practice at home the same time every day so it becomes a habit to do it.

And I practice whenever I am in my car. When you realize how much time you spend driving around during the day, it 's a perfect opportunity to work on your routine and voices. You CAN fit in a consistant practice regiment it you think of ways to do it!

I hope this information is helpful to you. Look for the next installment of "One Question" soon!

If you have any vent friends you feel would like this blog, please tell them about it!

And, if you're not a subscriber to my VenTips weekly email newletter, you can sign up on the

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Maher Studios Workshop Pro Figures - 30 Years Ago

2011-12-18T11:13:00.001-08:00

I received my first set of Maher Studios Workshop figure catalogs around 1979. At the time, CJ (Craig) Lovik was the Director and creator of the professional figures offered by Maher Studios. His workshop was in California. I can recall spending hours looking over these catalogs and reading the descriptions of each dummy.

I thought you might like to see the catalogs and the available characters at that time...both the "composition" and basswood offerings.

Both complete catalogs are shown here...and check out the price list at the end! Wow!

I purchased an "Archie" figure and still have one to this day.

And NO, Maher Workshop is no longer in business. Don't call the number!

You can click on the pictures to enlarge them.

Enjoy.

Making Your Puppet Look Alive - Part 1

2011-11-15T11:21:00.000-08:00

I'd like to cover some tips on puppet manipulation.

"Manipulation" is making the puppet, figure, dummy(same thing) look alive.

This is harder than itseems. Especially for new ventriloquists. It takes a fair amount of practice to be able to "think" for at least 2 characters at same time - you and your puppet. It is very easy to forget to keep the figure "alive" when you are saying your lines.

The biggest mistake vents make is that while they are speaking, the dummy sits unmoving. It then comes to life when he says his lines and then is still again when the vent speaks. You do NOT want this to be you. You need to keep your puppet "alive" at all times! You want to be able to work the figure almost without thinking about it.

If you drive, you probably had a hard time remembering how to watch the road, steer, work the gas pedal and the brake, use the turn signals, etc...all at the same time, when you were first learning. However, after a short while you were able to do all of this, plus talk on your cell phone (not recommended), eat a sandwich and drive without even thinking about it.

Again, probably not a great idea, but you subconsciously are now able to perform all of these driving tasks as a result of practice.

That's the same for ventriloquism. You need to practice puppet manipulation until it becomes second nature to you.

Here are a few specific tips to help you with yourpuppet manipulation:

1.) Keep your figure moving at all times, especially when you are saying your lines. Now don't go overboard and have your puppet whipping his head around or making really big movements. But, have him look gently at you and the audience as you are talking. Do NOT have the figure sit still like a dead piece of wood. He needs to have some degree of life at all times.

2.) Use a video camera and record yourself practicing. Watch the video and you will probably be shocked at how often your puppet is "lifeless." Use the video camera to help you see how you can improve the manipulation of your puppet.

3.) To make your figure laugh, open his mouth and then"bob" the head up and down while you use your vent voice to make him laugh.

4.) Watch other ventriloquists on video, TV, etc...and turn the sound down on your TV as you watch. Pay attention to just the manipulation of the puppet(s) without sound. Is the vent able to make the puppet look alive, even with no sound?

5.) Practice. Practice. Practice!

More on this on my next blog post.

Vent Haven ConVENTion 2011 Recap and Photos!

2011-10-18T13:53:00.000-07:00

Annie Roberts has posted a great write-up of the 2011 Vent Haven ConVENTion and posted a lot of terrific photos.

You can read and see everything here:

http://www.venthaven.com/

This was the 35th convention and had the biggest turnout ever - over 500 attendees. And I know the main reason for the huge crowd was because of it being a celebration of legendary ventriloquist Jimmy Nelson's 70 years in show business.

It was the best convention I've been to over the course of 30 years that I've attended.

The Dummy Shoppe - Puppets by JET

2011-08-30T17:56:00.000-07:00

At the Vent Haven international ventriloquist convention in July it was my great pleasure to have my dealer's table right next to The Dummy Shoppe - Puppets by JET table.

The following comments are not any type of paid testimonial. These are opinions I formed after spending 4 days working alongside JET and getting a really good idea of how they conduct their business.

Click to enlarge

I got to spend a lot of time looking at the wonderful assortment of great characters and to chat with the owners.

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The Dummy Shoppe - Puppets by JET is sort of the "new kid on the block" when it comes to professional (and I do mean professional) soft sculpted puppets. But they are fast becoming a force in the world of puppet makers.

Many of the professional vents at the convention spent a lot of time at the Dummy Shoppe table trying out the selection.

Each made-by-hand puppet is custom and no two are alike. If a performer purchases a puppet, the pattern for that puppet (if purchased directly from The Dummy Shoppe) gets filed away so if a duplicate puppet is required by the original purchaser, one can be made. But identical copies of the puppet are not made and offered to any new purchasers. For the modest price paid (for a professional puppet), that is a really great benefit.

While JET does offer an ever changing inventory of puppets which have already been made and are available from their website:

http://www.thedummyshoppe.com/

they also love to work one-on-one with clients to create unique customized characters.

Part of The Dummy Shoppe's mission statement reads:

"We want each of our friends to have unique puppets that set them apart from all other vents, so that when they perform, the audience knows ahead of time that they are in for a special entertaining treat. We want every puppet we create to be constructed in such a way that their quality alone sets them apart from all other puppets in the market."

And again, I can attest to the quality of these puppets.

In my opinion (and I've been a ventriloquist and around puppets for over 40 years), JET's puppets are in the same league as the amazing soft sculpted puppet makers Verna Finley and Mary Ann Taylor. (and I love Verna and MAT puppets).

I handled many of the puppets while at the convention and immediately noticed the high quality craftsmanship in each one. The faces have a lot of detail and the puppets are very roomy and comfortable to operate. Many of you know I'm a pretty big guy at 6' 9" and my hand fit easily in all of the puppets I tried out.

I have always been a traditional "hard figure" user, but I really was interested in a couple of these really nice characters.

So, I ended up just having to purchase this fantastic "Professor" puppet. Doesn't that face make you laugh just looking at it?

Click to enlarge

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I have an idea in mind for the personality of this puppet that was easy to come up with just based on it's look. That rarely happens so effortlessly.

Please visit The Dummy Shoppe website - even if you're not in the market right now for a new puppet. You'll have a LOT of fun just looking at all of the photos on the website.

If you are looking for a truly professional, unique character soft puppet, consider The Dummy Shoppe. They not only make great puppets at great prices, but they are ethical, honest and deliver when they say they will.

http://www.thedummyshoppe.com/

I highly recommend The Dummy Shoppe - Puppets by JET.

Brand New Book from Pro Al Stevens!

2011-05-06T18:53:00.000-07:00

My good friend Al Stevens has just released a great new book on the subject of ventriloquism.

It's called "Ventriloquism: Art, Craft and Profession." It's nearly 300 pages packed with everything you could think of in becoming not just a great ventriloquist, but also a first rate performer.

Al has been a working pro for over 50 years and covers topics never before seen in any other book on the subject.

I consider this one of the finest books on the art of vent and the "business" of show business I've ever read.

You can read a complete review on my website HERE.

Great Advice from Professional Vent Ken Groves

2011-03-29T09:55:00.001-07:00

I WANT YOU TO LOOK GOOD! by Ken Groves

A Note to the Client:

When you hire an entertainer, your image and maybe your job is on the line. I want to make you look good. These five things will make you look great!

1. Hire Professional Entertainers
Professional entertainers use contracts to protect you and them. Professional entertainment increases your attendance. Increased attendance pays for the professional entertainer. Entertainment should be the "icing on the cake" of a great event.

2. Entertainer is not a Babysitter
Nothing will ruin your event quicker than having the kids come down front so they can see. Please keep families together and the show will be a success. Set the room up correctly and everyone will be able to see the entertainer.

3. Set up the Room for a Great Show
You must take control of this and have the room set up correctly. The hotel/convention center will have no clue how to do this.

The audience must be able to SEE the entertainer. Never put tables behind an entertainer. Never leave an open dance floor or buffet tables in front of an entertainer. If you have to have a dance floor in front of an entertainer, please put chairs on it and then remove the chairs for dancing.

The audience must be able to see the entertainer. The audience must be able to hear the entertainer. This is very different from a band.

4. Introduce the Show
It's your job to get the audience's attention and get them all to focus on the show area.

DO NOT give the audience a restroom break before the show, many people will leave, making you look bad. All you have to do is get their attention. WAIT for the chatter to subside ... thank them for coming out to the event. Now just read the introduction provided by the entertainer. Then sit back and enjoy the show!

5. Know What the Entertainer Needs
Have a spot for the entertainer to park so they are not schlepping equipment from two blocks away in the rain. Make sure of: time, date, day, location and directions, show length, dollar amount, type of payment. Be crystal clear on all of this so there is no reason for panic on your big day.

Have a place for the entertainer to change in and get ready for show -- not a public restroom. The entertainment can make you money. People only remember the food and the entertainment. Have a great show!

I send this out to the people I contract with for a show. It really helps most of the time. Feel free to improve on it. **********************************************************************************
This information is also included in Ken's great teaching course: "Breaking Down the Brick Walls of Show Biz" program. You can find out all of the details here:
http://www.showbizwalls.com/

Wisdom from Bill DeMar - Breath Control and Ventriloquism

2011-02-05T18:31:00.001-08:00

Here is some great advice from my good friend and professional ventriloquist for over 60 years, Bill DeMar:

As a working ventriloquist, you should have a large lung capacity. A vent should be able to
give a lot of power to the figures voice. A vent should NOT have to take a breath in the middle of a word OR sentence.

Find out what your lung capacity is right now. You can do that simply by timing how long you can hold your breath.

Then, do a physically demanding exercise, like deep knee bends, followed by pushups, for example. Do these exercises back to back until you’re panting and out of breath. Then rest. Then do it again.

After a few weeks, test how long you can hold your breath again. I'll bet it will be longer than the first time you tried. And the longer you can hold your breath, the more lung capacity you have.

As I said last year or the year before....comedy is not whispered or mumbled, it's presented loud and bold.

Watch and listen to any cartoon show or sitcom and you can't help but notice that it's LOUD, CLEAR AND DISTINCT. PUNCH those punch lines, don't let them fade and fall on the floor like so many people that I hear.

I'll bet you Terry Fator can hold his breath longer than you can and can hold a note longer then you can and make his figure talk louder than yours.

How long can YOU hold your breath? 20 seconds? 35 seconds? 60 seconds? More?

I'm so out of shape it's not funny. I haven't done anything, and I mean anything for several years. I can only hold for 70 seconds. (on the first try)

When I was younger and did vent on a regular basis, I had the capacity to swim under water for long periods of time.

Book Review: Jeff Dunham: All By My Selves

2010-11-06T04:15:00.000-07:00

This new book by Jeff Dunham could be subtitled "the true story of how a kid with a puppet and a dream made it to the top of the comedy world."

For starters, let me say that Jeff's new book is a great read for anyone and everyone. It's NOT just for people interested in ventriloquism and comedy.

Sure, the book is packed with funny stories about Jeff and his puppets, but it's also an amazing account of hard work, determination and personal sacrifice of someone who refused to give up on his dream, despite professional and personal setbacks that would make most people say "I quit."

The writing style is all Jeff - literally. Most biographies are written by the subject (in this case Jeff) and a co-author, who tries to make revisions to the book to make it more well written.

Jeff found using a co-author made his words not "sound" like him. So, Jeff did what most do not. He wrote the entire book by himself. The process took over a year. But the result is an in depth, candid biography told in Jeff's own words. As you read the book, it almost seems like Jeff is sitting across from you telling you the story of his life. I've known Jeff for 30 years and this book 'is" Jeff.

I found the book very engaging to read and easy to keep turning the pages to see what happens next. The book is 356 pages and I finished it in two evenings.

The story covers Jeff from the beginning of his interest in ventriloquism when he received his first "dummy" as a Christmas gift from his life long supportive parents at age 8. Him getting the puppet in the first place almost happened by accident.

For most of you reading this, you know of Jeff and his current status as one of, if not the most popular stand up comedian in the world. And yes, Jeff considers himself a comedian who just happens to use puppets as a tool to get laughs. But, many of you probably don't know that it took Jeff nearly 30 years to become the "overnight success" many people think he became after he broke all of the ratings records with his Comedy Central specials, TV series and DVD sales beginning in 2006.

The journey of how Jeff reached the top is filled with great stories of successes and failures, his years of trying to get booked on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and being told "no" over and over, but never giving up, the celebrities he has worked with over the years, how he came up with the ideas and created his now household name characters - Walter, Peanut, Jose (on a steek!), Bubba J, Achmed, Sweet Daddy Dee, Melvin the Superhero Guy and the not so successful characters that ended up in his garage on a shelf...like a 3' pizza with talking toppings.

Jeff candidly and openly talks about the good and bad of show business and how it affected his marriage and children. The book will certainly make you laugh, but it will also put a lump in your throat and tear in your eye. He has left nothing out of the story which shaped him into the genuine, honest and funny person you see on stage and TV.

He also talks about the long, lonely night after night shows going from town to town, year after year, working up to 250 shows per year. A lot of the accommodations in these towns and cities (hotels, motels, etc) were places you and I would never stay in because they were so run down and disgustingly filthy.

He talks about the venues he's played - starting with the small shows, to clubs, to theaters and to 16,000 seat arenas. And, the people who helped him along the way.

The book is also peppered with great exchanges between Jeff and his characters as they "help" him tell the story.

And, Jeff tells a lot of things you've never heard about him and his life. His love of a certain TV show, of building his own helicopters and other really cool stuff about him.

This is one of the best biography books I've ever read and I'm certainly not saying that because I know Jeff. If it were not a good book, I would tell you. But, it is extremely well written and is one of the rare biography books I will read more than once.

The book is also packed with many never before seen color photos of Jeff throughout his career.

You will walk away after reading this book feeling uplifted. It may even motivate and inspire you to also do something great with your own life. And you will laugh as you read - a lot.

I have a feeling we will be seeing Jeff on stage and on the cutting edge of comedy for many years to come.

Do yourself, friend or fan a huge favor and purchase this book. You'll love it.

Available at most bookstores and online at

amazon.com

"I'm No Dummy" Now Available from Ventriloquism 101!

2010-04-30T16:02:00.000-07:00

First things first.

This fantastic new DVD is NOT a video full of stand up ventriloquism performances.

Sure, it has a lot of hilarious bits and pieces of routines from professional, top of their field vents Jeff Dunham, Jay Johnson and Lynn Trefzgler.

But this film goes way beyond just performances.

It's an amazing, fast paced and side-splitting documentary about the fun and entertaining art of ventriloquism.

"I'm No Dummy" is jammed packed with commentary from a who's who in the world of entertainment and ventriloquism and blows the lid off of the absurd notion that ventriloquism is a dying art form.

Beautifully produced by award winning director and film maker, Bryan W. Symon. Associate Producer, Tom Ladshaw - the leading authority in the world on the history of ventriloquism.

Interviews and commentary from:

-Kelly Asbury

-Allan Blumenstyk

-Burt Dubrow

-Dr. David Goldblatt

-Ken Groves

-Mary Kingsley

-Tom Ladshaw

-Mallory Lewis

-Ronn Lucas

-Jimmy Nelson

-Norm Nielsen

-Otto Petersen

-Stevo Schüling

-Lisa Sweasy

-Willie Tyler

-Vonda Kay Van Dyke

If you have a love for ventriloquism (you must have, or you probably wouldn't be on this website. If you're looking for the Sham-Wow!, you'll need to look elsewhere), you gotta get this DVD!

Order here:

http://www.ventriloquism101.com/products/videos.htm#imnodummy

Vent Haven 2010 Workshop...featuring...Me!

2010-04-17T14:51:00.000-07:00

I want to invite all of you going to the convention this year to attend a
workshop I am presenting called, "Videography Ninja: Creating and Making Money
with Promotional and Performance Videos."

Many of you know my background is in TV and video production. I've been
producing all kinds of promotional, corporate, training and event videos for
nearly 20 years.My degree is in television and film production.

My goal is to make this a fun presentation without a bunch of
techno-mumbo-jumbo.

You'll learn how to make professional looking demo videos to generate more
bookings and revenue, and show videos you can sell after your performances or
from your website.

All without spending tons of money to create.

Hope to see you in July!

On another note, I am now carrying a nice hand made wooden vent and dummy desk
pen gift set on my website. You can check it out here:

http://www.ventriloquism101.com/products/specials.htm#woodvent

New DVD's and Book From Jeff Dunham

2010-03-27T12:41:00.001-07:00

A quick update.

Jeff has a few new items coming out over the next few weeks and months.

First is the "Jeff Dunham Show" DVD, which includes all 7 episodes of Jeff's series that ran on Comedy Central in 2009. Great stuff:

Secondly, Jeff's autobiography book, "All By My Selves: Walter, Achmed, Peanut and Me." This is the story of Jeff's long and illustrious career in the comedy business:

Check 'em all out!

Vent Haven ConVENTion 2010 Fast Approaching

2010-03-06T15:24:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that the 2010 Vent Haven International
Ventriloquist Convention is only 4 months away.

Now, you may be aware of what the convention is all about, but
if not, let me give you an overview.

The event is a nearly 4 day event that runs this year from
July 14th to July 17th.

It's held at the Drawbridge Convention Center in Ft. Mitchell,
Kentucky. I believe this is the 35th year for the convention.

It's four days filled with workshops, lectures, 3 stage
shows, open mic sessions, 2 jammed-packed full dealer's
rooms and free trips to the Vent Haven Ventriloquist
Museum.

I attended my first convention in 1981, where I met Jeff Dunham
for the first time. He was just a punk teenager, but I knew
even back then that he would be a big star someday.

Here are a few of the pros scheduled to perform and/or
lecture this year:

-Jeff Dunham
-Mark Wade
-Bob Hamill
-David Crone
-Tom Crowl
-Steve Axtell
-Brad Cummings
-Sylvia Fletcher
-Dan Horn
-Jerry Layne
-Sammy King
-Todd Oliver
-Bob Rumba
-Lee Cornell
-Jimmy Nelson
-Joe Lefler
-Stevo Schuling
-Tino Valentino
-Jae Woo An
-Jann-Robert Henrikson
-Pete Michaels

If you want to become a better ventriloquist, make tons
of new friends and hang out with the professionals in the
business, you simply must attend!

And, at only $125 for registration for all 4 days and
admittance to all of the shows and events, it a tremendous
value.

Don't be a headstick!

Check out the details at the Vent Haven website:

www.venthaven.com

Hope to see a lot of you there! Stop by my dealer's
table and say hello.

Have a great week.

Keep venting!

Regards,

Lee

Lee Cornell
www.ventriloquism101.com
109 Inni Way
Greenwood, IN 46142 USA
(317) 865-9243

Ventriloquist David Crone's New Show DVD

2009-11-08T18:56:00.001-08:00

Ventriloquist David Crone has released a new DVD of a live performance of his show.

The DVD, titled "David Crone - He's Big in Zanesville" is a very entertaining show that is "family friendly."

Mixing magic with his cast of characters, David's show is fast paced and has plenty of laughs.

He has been performing for over 25 years. Excellent voices for his characters and great puppet "manipulation" really gives life to David's sidekicks.

David is also one of the official convention photographers for the Vent Haven International Ventriloquist conVENTion.

You can purchase a copy of David's DVD directly from him:

David Crone
I'm No Dummy Productions
Spreading Laughter Faster Than The Common Cold!
http://www.imnodummy.com/
David@ImNoDummy.com
614-453-2023

Vent Haven Convention - 28 Years Ago

2009-08-25T09:41:00.001-07:00

I came across my program for the 1981 Vent Haven conVENTion this morning. I thought I would post it for you to take a look at to see the lecture topics, show info, etc.

Click to Enlarge

Click to enlarge

The convention I attended this past July was the 33rd one.

The 1981 convention was the 7th. Man, where does the time go?

Back in 1981, the convention had contests and trophies were awarded to 1st and 2nd place winners in the Junior and Senior performance catagory.

Other awards were the Bill Boley Distant Voice Award, Bill DeMar Manipulation Award, a John Arvitas figure to the most deserving young vent and the W.S. Berger Ventriloquist of the Year Award. Johnny Main won in 1981.

If I recall, there was also a luncheon or dinner included as part of the convention.

Vent Haven Convention 2009 - From My Perspective

2009-08-12T13:51:00.000-07:00

Well, the 33rd Vent Haven ventriloquist convention took place July 15th - July 18th and I have to say this was probably the best one I've ever attended over the course of the past 28 years when I've gone.

I certainly remember my first convention in 1981. I think I was like a lot of first time attendees. I kind of stayed in the background, didn't approach any of the "stars" of the day. I attended every lecture and show during the event. And I drooled over all of the vent figures in the dealer's room.

I remember Jeff Dunham, Jimmy Nelson, Bill DeMar, Bill Boley, Mark Wade, Alan Semok and Johnny Main were there that year. I was afraid to talk to any of them, except for Jeff, and we only spoke briefly. He was probably 17 then and I knew he was going to be a huge success someday, just from watching him perform on the Saturday night show that year.

Here is the group photo from 1981. Recognize anyone?

Click to enlarge

During the down times between scheduled activities, I really kept to myself and didn't make a lot of friends that first year.

Fast forward to this year. Going to the convention now is more like an annual family reunion and homecoming to me. It's a chance to visit with old friends and make new ones.

I know how valuable the workshops and lectures are for new people attending and for those who want to focus in on growing in their performing abilities.

However, I personally spend a great deal of my time at the convention visiting with the friends I've met over the years.

What made this year special for me was not only seeing my long-time friends (like Tom Ladshaw, Jeff, Bill DeMar, Bob Isaacson, Mark Wade, Dan Horn, Pete Michaels, Ken Groves and too many more to mention), but meeting a lot of people from the WorldVents email list, some of my ventriloquism101.com customers, as well as some of the pros that I have never seen at a convention.

I have been a big Jay Johnson fan since I first saw him on ABC television's sitcom "Soap" in 1977.

This July I finally had the opportunity to meet him and get to know him a bit. Seeing him perform a portion of his Broadway hit "The Two and Only" stage show was a real treat.

I also met Kevin Johnson, who was one of the contestants on America's Got Talent and also appeared on Ventriloquist Week with David Letterman. He performed on the Saturday night All-Star show and is a great talent.

Other full-time pros I finally had the chance to meet included Brad Cummings (who also appeared on Dave Letterman's Ventriloquist Week), Las Vegas legend Sammy King, Nina Conti and Sylvia Fletcher.

with Brad Cummings

with Sammy King

with Nina Conti

with Sylvia Fletcher

I spent a lot of time during lunches, dinner and at my dealer's table listening to and learning about the careers of these performers.

There are a lot more photos of the convention on my website here:

http://www.ventriloquism101.com/gallery/venthaven2009.htm

I was so busy talking with so many people this year, that I didn't even make it over to the museum.

Even though I personally don't go to a lot of the workshops anymore, there certainly was a wide range of lectures available again this year.

Some of the topics included creativity, marketing, working fairs, adding punch to your comedy and a "clinic" for kid show performers. Plus 3 shows, panel discussions, the annual raffle and a lot more.

I still claim that the nearly 4 day convention is one of the best values in the entertainment industry as far as content for the money invested.

If you've never attended a convention, you really need to go. Most people who attend once return year after year.

I know I'll be back next year.

Another Dunham Sighting

2009-08-04T14:33:00.000-07:00

Had the chance to take my wife's sister and her husband to see Jeff's show in Columbus, OH on July 30th. It was the first time they had seen his show.

Tom Ladshaw, Mark Wade and Lisa Sweasy were also in attendance.

A good time was had by all.

Click photos to enlarge:

Lee, Cheryl, Jeff, Terri, Brian

Lisa Sweasy, Tom Ladshaw, Lee, Mark Wade, Jeff

New Selberg Figure

2009-08-02T14:51:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos of the new Selberg figure I won in the raffle at the Vent Haven convention.

It's a small figure (probably 26" or so), has moving mouth, ball and socket neck on the headstick and look-up and closing eyes. Very clever single control works both of the eye movements.

Usual beautiful Selberg paint job.

Wig needs cut, but I'll get around to that later. And, I'll probably ditch the sailor suit at some point.

Click on photos for larger views:

Conrad Hartz Visit

2009-06-15T11:31:00.000-07:00

What a great visit I had today with my friend, figuremaker Conrad Hartz at his home in Beaufort, SC.

I had not seen him since the 2004 Vent Haven convention, so it was good to spend the afternoon with him.

I've been coming to Hilton Head Island nearly every year for the past 12 years for our family vacation.

View from our condo balcony-Click to enlarge

I can't remember how many times I've told Conrad I would try to stop by and see him.

I never had, until today.

We spent the afternoon sharing stories about vents we've known over the past 30+ years. He showed me a couple of completed figures he built recently.

Click for larger view

and even more interesting to me was being able to see one of his figure heads in the process of being built.

Click for larger view

Conrad shared with me how he assembles the basswood pieces, carves out the face and some of his "secrets" to installing mechanics and finishing the head.

I left a figure of mine with Conrad which he is going to make a dwarf body for.

We spent a fair amount of time on the topic of Howdy Doody and Conrad told me the story of Howdy and Bob Smith's visit to a "mini-convention" he organized in 1995.

And yes, Conrad did take me into his extremely well organized, brightly lit, air conditioned, large workshop.... .Riiiiiiiiiight. Here is a photo of his shop. Amazingly, he only needs 4 tools and a bandsaw to build his figures, so who knows what all the rest of the stuff in there is for...

Click for larger view

Hard to believe a figure maker with this much talent can create such beautiful figures in such a small space.

The "break away" marionette King puppet Conrad carved was amazing. I had no idea what he was going to do with it. This single puppet instantly turned into a Queen marionette and 4 "kids" all hanging from the original set of strings the King was attached to just a second before.

Before-The King-Click for larger view

After-This is the King puppet after it breaks away into
pieces, transforming into a Queen and 4 children-
Click for larger view

He also demonstrated a clown marionette that he had rigged with a clear piece of tubing going up to Conrad's mouth. This allowed the clown to be able to blow up a balloon. Clever.

Click for larger view

You can see more of Conrad's work here:

http://bellsouthpwp.net/g/k/gkoepke/hartz/

In my opinion (and many others), Conrad is one of the top figuremakers in the business. All hand carved out of basswood. 100% built, painted and finished by him.

He also is indeed a real gentleman and I only wish I had stopped by in years past. The afternoon went by much too quickly. Thanks Conrad.

New Bill DeMar Biography Video!

2009-06-10T20:57:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note...

I've just released a new DVD biography of 60 year veteran professional ventriloquist, Bill DeMar.

Bill is one of the most talented vents and entertainers I've ever had the pleasure of knowing.

You can read about his new DVD here:

http://www.ventriloquism101.com/products/videos.htm

I'm leaving for vacation to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina on Friday and also plan on visiting master figure maker Conrad Hartz, who lives nearby in Beaufort, SC.

Another one of Conrad's creations

Jeff in Forbes Magazine - Wow...

2009-06-03T17:15:00.000-07:00

Unbelievable.

Jeff continues into the stratosphere as the most popular comedian on the planet. Earlier this week he was featured in Time magazine. Today there is another great write-up about Jeff in Forbes.

Check it out here:

http://tinyurl.com/qvch6g

Jeff is almost single-handedly bringing ventriloquism back into the mainstream.

Keep rollin' on, my friend.

Jeff Dunham in Time Magazine

2009-05-29T22:02:00.001-07:00

Just a quick post today. Jeff has taken another step into comedy superstardom.

He is featured in Time magazine the week of June 1st, 2009. After 30 years of hard work, Jeff is really hitting the big time. History is being made.

Pick up a copy of the magazine next week as a keepsake. You can read the article online here:

http://tinyurl.com/myuda8

Way to go, Jeff. Congrats!

"Guitar Guy" Brian Haner

2009-05-23T18:19:00.000-07:00

I'm sure most of you have by now heard of "Guitar Guy" in Jeff Dunham's show.

You may not know his name is Brian Haner. Brian is one of the best guitar players I've ever heard.

I've played guitar for almost 40 years (many professionally), but I am nowhere near his talent level.

Brian came into the spotlight on YouTube as part of Jeff and Achmed's song bit "Jingle Bombs."

Over the past couple of years, Brian has become a star in his own right. He opens for Jeff on tour and the two of them are pulling in 10,000+ people for their shows. If you have not seen Brian perform his stand alone routine, you are missing a great talent.

Plus, he has a "hook"that makes him unique. I mentioned it above. He is a premier guitar player AND an extremely funny stand-up comedian. He combines the two and just absolutely kills when he performs.

During his routine, he goes back in time and plays various hit songs from the 1960's to today and tags on very funny comedy dialog in conjunction with his astounding guitar technique.

I laugh as much at his set as I do Jeff's show. They make a great, hip comedy team. No wonder people are lining up to see their show. You get to see two headliner quality comedians for one ticket price.

Brian also has two great comedy products (other than his appearances on Jeff's DVDs). First, his comedy CD - "Cougar Bait." 13 great songs with a unique comedy twist. Hilarious! One of the funniest comedy albums I've ever heard.

Second, his book "Carney Man." A combination of humor and drama. Unusual combination (that's why I liked it), but a great story with a real twist at the end.

If you only know of Brian from his association with Jeff, you're missing a lot.

Check out Brian's CD and book here:

http://www.brianhaner.com/

I highly recommend them both.

I always tell people who are trying to get better at comedy to study really funny people. Don't copy them, but pick up ideas on technique from great comedians.

Brian falls into that category.

Creating a Demo Video - Part 3

2009-04-17T16:35:00.000-07:00

Let's finish up with part 3 of how to create a demo video that people won't run out of the room screaming that they would rather see Cloris Leachman naked than watch your video.

In the previous two posts we talked about the technical aspects, equipment and techniques of shooting a good video.

In this post we'll cover some tips as to what you need to do as a performer and editor to have a finished video that will get you booked.

1.) When editing your video, keep it short. Your demo reel should only be between 5-8 minutes.

DO NOT put a full show on the demo DVD. No one wants to see your whole act in your first promo pack. If they like what they see in your short video, they will contact you to either request a full length video, or they will want to come and see your show in person.

2.) On your video, try to have some shots of the audience laughing. And, this needs to be real laughter. Do not edit laughter into your demo video. First of all, a client generally can tell if what you are doing on the demo is indeed funny or not. If you tell a stupid pun and the sound track is a roaring laughter, they'll know you faked it.

Second, if they aren't able to figure out it is a laugh track on the video, how are you going to explain the crickets chirping and tumbleweeds blowing across your stage area if they come to see your show in person and hear the same joke that got the huge laugh on the demo?

3.) Be sure you have a truly solid act. It's very easy to take a bunch of show videos that may have a lot of mistakes in them at different places and put together an edited version that makes you look great. Again, don't fake it with an edit. If they come to see you in person before they book you, you'll be toast.

If they hire you without coming to see you, they'll really be ticked if you ruin their event.

Even worse, since most people are generally non-confrontational and may not want to cause a scene after your show, they may not tell you what they really think. They might decide instead to just tell you quickly "nice show", give you your check and walk away.

You'll never even really know that they were not happy with your act - other than that they never book you again, tell everyone they know that you were bad and maybe even post a poor review of your show on the booking company's (if they used one, like Gig Masters, etc.) website.

If you do read a bad review about yourself on a booking providers website, you can be certain that those are their true feelings.

Have a good act!

4.) Have a nice presentation of the DVD you send. Have a nice color computer label on the DVD. Don't write on the DVD with a Sharpie marker. Don't laugh. I've seen people do it. Have a nice color DVD cover insert on the case.

Your demo video should make you look like a professional as soon as they take the DVD out of the mailer. It costs next to nothing to make a nice label and cover insert for your DVD on your home PC and printer.

5). Include some REAL testimonials of people who have seen and enjoyed your show, listed on a sheet of paper. Nothing, and I mean nothing, sells your show better than having a ton of testimonials from satisfied clients in the promo package.

To wrap up, the whole underlying point of these past 3 posts is to have a great act and to present yourself in a professional manner in everything that pertains to your show. Your act, your promo materials, your demo DVD, the way you treat clients are all part of being a professional - no matter what market you work in.

If you want to know more about how to promote yourself, take a look at this great course from full-time performer Ken Groves:

http://www.ventriloquism101.com/products/videos.htm

Good luck!

Creating a Demo Video - Part 2

2009-04-17T16:25:00.000-07:00

Let's move on to some other tips for making a great demo video.

1.) Avoid zooming in and out excessively. This is probably one of the most frequent mistakes I see on amateur videos. ZOOM IN! ZOOM OUT! ZOOM IN! ZOOM OUT! Man, that's annoying (almost as annoying as reading ZOOM IN! ZOOM OUT! over and over).

Zooming in and out should be used very sparingly. Keep the camera zoomed where it should be and stay on that shot until the action on stage dictates that you need to zoom in or out.

When you do zoom, do so very slowly. Your goal as a person working the camera is to make the viewers NOT see all of the zooming and panning side to side. Your video should look smooth and steady.

2.) If you have the option to use manual focus on your camcorder, do it. Turn the auto focus off and focus your camera manually. Here's why:

When you have auto focus turned on, your camera wants to focus on whatever is being seen closest to the lens.

If someone walks in front of the camera, or you are in a room where people are smoking and smoke drifts in front of your camera, the camera will focus on the person in front of the lens, or will focus on the smoke. Then the camera will try to focus on you on the stage once the objects closer to the lens are out of the way.

This may take several seconds and the camera will drift in and out of focus during this time. This is another sign of an amateur video.

If you can focus your camera manually, zoom in to as close of a shot as you can (before you start the actual taping). Manually focus the camera. Now zoom out to where you want your shot to be. Keep the camera on manual focus, If someone or something now gets in front of your lens, the camera will not drift out of focus. It will stay in focus throughout the whole zoom-in range of the camera.

3.) If you have a manual "white balance" option on your camera, use it. Most consumer camcorders have some pre-sets for white balance, which is the way camera sees whites and adjusts colors under different lighting conditions.

Some room lights make your camera see a red tint. Other lighting causes a blue tint and still others, a green tint to your video. I'm sure you've seen this before on some of your videos when you've recorded in certain lighting conditions.

If all you have is automatic white balance or some white balance pre-sets (usually an indoor or outdoor setting), try them both to see what reproduces more accurate colors.

If you do have the ability to manually white balance your camcorder, here's how to do it.

-Find a piece of white paper, poster board, etc. and place it in the area on the stage where the light will be hitting you.
-Zoom your camcorder onto the white card until white fills up your screen.
-Push the manual white balance button on your camera.
-Your camera will make the white look white in whatever light you are in. If white is balanced correctly, all of the other colors will be correct as well.

There you have it. Some of the biggest "technical" things you can do to help you make a visually good looking demo DVD video.

As I mentioned in the last post, the MOST important thing is to have a good act! Be honest with yourself. Have others give you feedback on your show before you waste time (and perhaps money) putting together a demo. If your act blows, no video is going to help that. (unless you're Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie).

Creating a Demo Video - Part 1

2009-03-01T09:30:00.000-08:00

Today let me offer you a few tips on how to create a demo video that someone will actually want to watch.

If you are wanting to get work as a performer and you desire to provide potential clients with a video, it had better look good.

What they see on that video is a direct reflection on your reputation. You may have a great act, but if no one can stand watching more than a few seconds of a video because it is so poorly produced, you've just lost that client.

I'm sure all of you have seen home made videos (perhaps you've even been guilty of making some like this) where the color looks bad, the image is shaky, the focus goes in and out, the audio is terrible, etc.

I see DVD's like that made by people and sent to me all of the time. Let's discuss how to avoid these issues and how to put together a more professional looking video.

My college degree is in television and film production, so I am hopeful that these tips will help you.

First and easiest is to hire someone that knows what they are doing when it comes to shooting and editing video.

It's a good thing that video camera prices and computer based editing equipment have come down in price over the years to make it possible for nearly everyone to be able to create a video.

However, just because one has a camcorder and software on their PC to edit video does not necessarily make one good at making a decent one.

There are general rules to follow...which most amateurs don't.

So, option one is to hire a videographer to create a finished, edited video for you, if you don't want to take the time to learn how to do it the right way.

This, however, can be expensive if you are on a tight budget.

The second option would be to go to a local college in your area that has video course offerings and hire a student who has experience. You can save a ton of money by hiring a student and they are always looking for projects to do for class credit. Plus, they usually have access to equipment they can use.

Using option one or two will probably give you a good finished video.

There also is the option of doing it yourself. I'll list some ideas that should help you make your own video.

1.) Have someone record your show for you using your gear.
Don't try to do this yourself by setting a camcorder up on a tripod with the zoom all the way out, pressing "record" on the camera and then doing your show with the camera in this one position and one wide shot. You need to have someone who can zoom in and move the camera side to side (panning) and up and down (tilting) as needed during your show.

2.) Make sure the person running the camera knows how it works.
Don't have someone operate the camcorder if they've never used it before. Show them how to operate the camera a few days before the recording and let them get comfortable with the camera.

3.) Use a "fluid head" tripod TRULY designed for video cameras.
Most all of the tripods you see at Best Buy or other consumer electronic stores (even though they say "fluid head" video tripod) are not really designed for video. They generally are only good for static shots. If you try to pan or tilt them, they jerk, shake and jump.

The tripod head movement should be silky smooth when panned or tilted, and should have different degrees of "drag" (how tight or loose the movement) you can adjust.

I have never seen a tripod at a consumer electronic store that I would ever use for an important video production.

You can get a nice Bogen or Manfrotto fluid head video camera tripod for around $300. Sometimes less on eBay.

Having a steady and smooth image on your video is one of the most important things you can do.

4.) Use a camcorder with an audio input and headphone connection on it.

Good audio on a video is as important as good video. The microphone built into most all camcorders is only good for sound pickup for a distance of about 6 to 8 feet. Beyond that, the microphone also starts picking up all of the ambient audio noise in the room and you'll have a hard time hearing what the performer is saying.

If you have a camcorder with an audio input on it, you can wear a wireless lapel microphone and have the receiver to that microphone plugged into the audio input on the camera and get fantastic audio.

Use the headphone jack and wear headphones to monitor the sound going into the camera. You should ALWAYS monitor your audio. There is nothing worse than recording a program (and not using headphones) only to find that the audio isn't there or it sounds like crap after the taping.

5.) You need good stage lighting if you are going to make a video recording.

FORGET all of the marketing hype you read about the "SUPER low-light camera! You can record in total darkness!!"

That, quite frankly, is mostly BS.

There is a huge difference between a camera that produces an IMAGE in low light and a HIGH QUALITY image. The ONLY way to insure a great picture is to have enough light on you. Yes, you will get a recording in very poor light with a low light camera, but it will be grainy and have poor focus and colors. Is that what you want to give to a potential client?

I will stack up a $500 consumer camcorder shooting in good light against a $10,000 camera shooting in darkness any day of the week.

I have a lot more to discuss. So, I think I'll post a "Part 2" to this soon.

Oh, and I almost forgot. The MOST important thing is to have a good act! Be honest with yourself. Have others give you feedback on your show before you put together a demo video. If you stink, no video is going to help that.

Lunch With Dunham and Haner

2009-02-28T15:17:00.001-08:00

Brian Haner (Guitar Guy), Lee, Heather, Jeff (Click to Enlarge)

Just a quick note today.

Jeff was in Indianapolis at Conseco Fieldhouse for a show Thursday night. I wasn't able to attend.

He was kind enough to give me a call and invite me to lunch on Friday. As a surprise, I picked up my 13 year old daughter Heather from school, only telling her I was taking her to lunch. I didn't mention we were meeting Jeff.

We arrived at his hotel downtown and Heather pretty much froze up in awe for the first 10 minutes after meeting him.

We had a great lunch at Shula's restaurant with Jeff, Brian Haner (Guitar Guy), Jeff's manager Robin and a couple of other members of Jeff's traveling group.

As usual, the show on Thursday night was a sell-out, with about 10,000 in attendance.

The Real Truth About Jeff Dunham

2009-02-05T07:23:00.000-08:00

Achmed, Jeff and Lee

I've had several people email me recently to ask if I knew how Jeff Dunham had become such an "overnight success."

He's been all over the TV lately on Comedy Central, is selling out 10,000 seat stadiums, selling millions of DVD's and is pretty much the hottest comedian working right now.

His Christmas special on Comedy Central was the most watched show on that network in its history.

So, exactly how did Jeff achieve this "overnight" fame and fortune. Well, I'll tell you.

A lot of people who think Jeff made it big in a short period of time probably did not know much about him until his first huge Comedy Central hit "Arguing With Myself" which aired a couple of years ago. Many think that's when Jeff's career took off.

Here's the deal.

Jeff has been at this for nearly 30 years. His "overnight" success is the result of constantly working in all venues - comedy clubs, private events, corporate functions, television, etc. since the early 1980's.

I met Jeff for the first time when he was a teenager in 1981 at the Vent Haven convention. He certainly doesn't remember me from back then (even though we have become friends over the past few years), but I certainly remember Jeff. His routine back then was very funny and his technique was flawless.

He was extremely well known in the small fraternity of ventriloquists, but not so much to the general public. Jeff used the more traditional "cheeky boy" hard figure back in those days and he had an amazing bit where he carried on a 4 voice conversation with 3 characters.

I remember almost the whole routine word for word even after all of these years. I can honestly say that even at that time I knew Jeff would become a big name superstar comedian someday.

Jeff continued to work on his material, his comedy and on character development. He wanted to appeal to a wider range of audience and he felt he would best be able to do that by moving away from the traditional ventriloquist dummy to more unique characters.

Jose, Peanut and Walter were the result and have been the core of his show for many years.

Jeff's reputation as a really funny headliner act began to grow. His fan base began to grow.

All the while Jeff continued to work and work on being the funniest performer he could be. Comedy is his forte. The puppets are only the vehicle he uses to express his humor.

By the time Jeff struck a deal with Comedy Central for his first special he was extremely successful in the comedy club circuit. He had honed his skills by working nearly non-stop for 25 years. He was ready.

The first special was a smash. His first DVD was the best selling comedy DVD of all time. It sold over a million copies. Jeff became a household name. People began coming up to me and asking if I'd heard of this "new" comedian puppet guy Jeff Dunham. I just smiled and nodded (I still do).

Over the past 2 years Jeff has eclipsed every previous level of success he's achieved. He has made ventriloquism "cool" again. He makes all of the rest of us strive to be funnier and better performers. He has added even more characters that have become famous in their own right. Namely Bubba J. and Achmed.

Jeff is the Edgar Bergen, Jimmy Nelson, Paul Winchell of our generation.

I don't think Jeff has peaked yet. I know he has lots of other ideas he wants to try.

So...Jeff Dunham "overnight" success? Hardly. He's put in the time and effort most are not willing to do. He deserves all of the success he is now enjoying.

If you are a vent, take Jeff's biggest piece of advice. BE FUNNY. Learn how to truly make people laugh.

Put away the puns and the stupid corn ball jokes. Work on developing your own unique characters. And practice as much as you can on putting together a routine that will keep the audience laughing.

That's what its all about.

A Visit to Tom Ladshaw's "Museum"

2008-11-04T10:13:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I took a drive to visit my friend Tom Ladshaw at his home in Covington, KY.

Tom Ladshaw with Stanley Hillman

As you may know, Tom is not only a professional magician, ventriloquist, comedian, author, publisher and creator of tricks and props, but he is recognized around the world as perhaps the most knowledgeable historian when it comes to anything pertaining to ventriloquism.

He has also been an avid collector of ventriloquism related items for over 30 years.

I knew Tom owned a sizable collection (based on the huge quantity of rare collectibles he brings to the Vent Haven Convention each year) and I was very excited to see what other goodies he had in store for me to see at his home.

I was nowhere near prepared as to what I was going to see.

Upon entering Tom's home, I first noticed many framed original movie and promotional posters on the walls.