Ventriloquist Jeff Dunham Is On Tour

Ventriloquist Jeff Dunham is on tour.  He's playing a slew of shows between now and the end of April.  Fans can catch the Comedy Central star in Atlanta, Las Vegas, Nashville, Phoenix and Toronto.  

The comedian will also be selling tickets for Jeff Dunham shows in Australia and the UK.  

I know what you're saying, "aren't you burying the lead."  The words "ventriloquist," "comedy," and "tour" were all used in the same paragraph.

Relax, the time-space continuum, as well as comedy, is fine.  It's just so happens that Jeff Dunham is both extremely hilarious and can throw his voice.  Thanks to him, a "funny ventriloquist" is no longer an oxymoron.

For those that have seen the 47-year old ventriloquist, say at a Jeff Dunham show in Buffalo or a Jeff Dunham show in Pittsburgh, know what I'm talking about.  For those that haven't seen Duham live, what are you waiting for dummy?

You can catch the irreverent comedian and his cast of dummies on the road this winter and spring in places like Hartford, Reno, and Tacoma.

Some of Dunham's hilarious characters include Walter, Peanut, Bubba J, and Achmed the Dead Terrorist.  Sure, Dunham has been called racist, vulgar, and immature but who hasn't?

If you're still having a hard time wrapping your head around paying to see a ventriloquist, here are three great reasons to see Dunham live.

Last year on Forbes Celebrity 100 list of top entertainers, Dunham was the third highest ranked comedian.   His $30 million income was only surpassed by Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld.   Yes, that's right.  Dunham out-earned "cool" comedians like Lewis Black, Dane Cook, David Cross, Louis CK, and Sarah Silverman.

Secondly, Dunham's DVD, "Very Special Christmas Special" set ratings records for Comedy Central and clips have garnered more than 350 million hits on YouTube.

Finally, the October premiere of "The Jeff Dunham Show" was the most watched debut in Comedy Central history.  The show was viewed by more than 5.3 million fans.  If you include the same night replays the viewership jumps to 7.9 million.  

More people watched Dunham's comedy show than watched his guest appearance on a recent episode of 30 Rock.

Dunham's Comedy Central show doesn't have a message.  It doesn't try to be pithy, or edgy, or pioneering.   As he says it "has no socially redeeming value whatsoever."

The critics hated it and they called people who watched it, or wanted to watch it, stupid.  Those are harsh reviews but they don't seem to bother Dunham.

"You're not going to learn anything," Dunham said of his show. "All you're going to do is have a big goofy time and escape your problems for a while."

So Dunham provides escapism humor and he looks like the manager of the cellular department at the Best Buys in Stockton.  That alone is enough to garner the ire of comedy snobs—yes, there are comedy snobs.  

However, Dunham really had the dander of comedy snobs long before he was selling out arenas and producing a highly rated Comedy Central program.  No, Dunham was hated by comedy snobs the second he picked up a ventriloquist dummy and starting throwing his voice.  

That's because comedy snobs hate ventriloquism.  To them it's anathema to their narrow minded view of what is, and what isn't, funny.

Furthermore, comedy snobs are petrified when people stick arms up dummies' back sides.  They worry that they might be next.

So seeing Dunham perform live is really a blow to comedy snobs everywhere.  And what's better than sticking it to comedy snobs?