– Child’s Play (1988): Murderous doll comes to life, spawns many sequels – Magic (1978): Satanic dummy controls puppeteer Anthony Hopkins – Devil Doll (1964): Evil puppet turns on its master – Knock on Wood (1954): Danny Kaye is a ventriloquist who can’t control what his dummy says – The Great Gabbo (1929): Abusive ventriloquist murders his dummy, loses his mind But is the craft of the professional ventriloquist only about PRETENDING to have multiple personalities – or is there something deeper, more sinister going on?Ĭonsider the legacy of ventriloquists and their dummies in cinema: Clever! It’s having your comedy cake and eating it, too. They can say anything and Dunham never has to take responsibility for it. Same for all his other “characters” – Walter, Peanut, Jose Jalepeno on a Stick, Melvin the Superhero. He’s always there to tell himself when himself goes too far. Achmed the Dead Terrorist, for instance, has spewed out some pretty racist lines, plus a famous “controversial” ringtone: Silence! I kill you! But Dunham is a nice guy. Or to your wooden alter egos, which say things the puppet-master could never get away with. It really is a weird gig: Being the straight-man to yourself. Can’t do it, can you? That’s because there isn’t anybody else! Quick: name another puppeteer who can do arenas. He plays Rexall Place tonight – the big building. Maybe we should take those ‘learn to throw your voice’ ads in the comic books seriously – Jeff Dunham has hit the big time.
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