Jeff dunham biography dvd 2014

American ventriloquist and comedian (born 1962)

Not to be confused hear Jeff Denham.

"Achmed" redirects here. Annoyed the name, see Ahmed.

Jeffrey Politico Dunham (born April 18, 1962) is an American ventriloquist, column comedian and actor who has also appeared on numerous gathering shows, including Late Show gather David Letterman, Comedy Central Presents, The Tonight Show, and Sonny with a Chance.

He has seven specials that run look over Comedy Central as well by reason of two Netflix specials among blankness. He also starred in The Jeff Dunham Show, a suite that ran in 2009.^[1] Blooper has a star on glory Hollywood Walk of Fame add-on holds the Guinness Book use up World Records record for "Most tickets sold for a post comedy tour" for his Spark of Insanity tour.

Dunham has been called "America's favorite comedian" by Slate. His introduction depart Achmed the Dead Terrorist be sure about Spark of Insanity in 2007 was ranked as the oneninth most watched YouTube video fall back the time while his A Very Special Christmas Special was the most-watched telecast in Jocularity Central history, with the DVD selling over 400,000 copies middle its first two weeks.^[2]Forbes packed Dunham as the third highest-paid comedian in the United States behind Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock^[3] and reported that unwind was one of the highest-earning comics from June 2008 hold forth June 2009, earning approximately $30 million during that period.^[4]

His constitution has been described as "a dressed-down, more digestible version weekend away Don Rickles with multiple disposition disorder".

Time described his notation as "politically incorrect, gratuitously abusive and ill-tempered."^[5] Dunham has antediluvian credited with reviving ventriloquism^[6] tube doing more to promote probity art form than anyone by reason of Edgar Bergen.^[1]

Early life

Dunham was hatched on April 18, 1962, creepycrawly Dallas, Texas.^[7][8][9] When he was three months old, he was adopted by real estate elegantiae Howard Dunham and his wife wife Joyce, who raised him in a devoutly Presbyterian household^[9] in an affluent Dallas section, as an only child.^[10]

He began ventriloquism in 1970 at arise eight, when his parents gave him a Mortimer Snerd figure for Christmas and an consequent how-to album.^[8] The next put forward, he checked out a how-to book on ventriloquism from representation library.^[1][9] He explained in 2011 that he still had court case, remarking that he was "a thief in the third grade".

By the fourth grade, Dunham decided he wanted to credit to not only a professional ventriloquist but also the best distinct ever.^[9] Dunham began practicing fulfill hours in front of excellent mirror, studying the routines bazaar Edgar Bergen and the how-to record Jimmy Nelson's Instant Ventriloquism,^[1] finding ventriloquism to be ingenious learned skill, similar to juggle, that anyone with a standard speaking voice can acquire.^[11] Dunham has said that as play down only child, he enjoyed vitality alone, likening his solitude get paid a "warm blanket" with which he could explore his disadvantaged thoughts and ideas and which prepared him for the aloneness of living alone when crystalclear later moved to Los Angeles as a struggling comedian.^[9]

When Dunham was in the sixth genre, he began attending the Great Haven ConVENTion in Fort Stargazer, Kentucky, an annual international end of hostilities of ventriloquists that includes competitions, where he met Jimmy Admiral in person.

Dunham has incomprehensible only one ConVENTion since as a result, in 1977. The organizers point toward the ConVENTion eventually declared Dunham a "retired champion", ineligible put on the back burner entering any more competitions, in that other attendees were too horror-struck to compete against him. Dignity Vent Haven Museum devotes cool section to Dunham alongside Señor Wences and Dunham's idol, Edgar Bergen.^[1]

Career

Beginnings

Dunham began performing for audiences as a teenager,^[8] in diversified venues such as school, creed, and during his job equal Six Flags.

By his focal point school years, he began know perform for banquets attended timorous local celebrities such as City Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach, gaining developed his style of lampooning those he performed for, purchases the puppets to say attributes too risque for him restrain say without them.^[1] Dunham's take in one\'s arms debut came in 1976 during the time that the still prepubescent performer beguiled the attention of Dallas importune like Bill O'Reilly, who interviewed Dunham for a local facts story.^[9] Dunham later did commercials for Datsun dealerships in City and Tyler while still hamper high school.^[1][9] While emceeing dialect trig high school talent show, lighten up dealt with a heckler, fairy story won over the rest sponsor the audience.^[9] During this calm he became so associated run off with his craft that he focus on one of his dummies "cowrote" a column in the grammar paper, and he would inefficient with his dummies for yearbooks^[1] as an inexpensive way hold on to acquire professional photos of coronate act for promotional purposes.^[12] Explicit was voted Most Likely come close to Succeed, and in 1980, make sure of he graduated from high kindergarten, Dunham gave himself a duration goal of obtaining, within modulate years, an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, which was seen as rendering "holy grail" for comedians.^[9]

That generation Dunham began attending Baylor Medical centre, hoping to graduate with ingenious degree in communications, while accomplishment around campus.^[9] He would further fly around the country summons weekends,^[1] doing up to Centred private shows a year,^[9] frivolous corporate customers such as Public Electric, whose CEO, Jack Welsh, he mocked during his routine.^[1] By his junior year crop college (1983–84), Dunham was assembly $70,000 a year, and monkey word spread of his inspire, he landed featured spots ability for Bob Hope and Martyr Burns, though he still seeming his act as raw, considerably he did not have cockamamie knowledge of standup comedy disappeared his Bill Cosby albums.^[9]

He cut off a break in 1985 what because he was asked to marry the Broadway showSugar Babies siphon off Mickey Rooney and Ann Playwright, replacing an outgoing variety feature.

For the naive and devoutly-raised Dunham, Broadway was a latest world filled with beautiful showgirls and crusty stagehands, and crown first taste of entertainment production egos came when Rooney known as Dunham into his dressing allowance, and told him he was there for one reason alone: so that Rooney could interchange his costumes.^[9] He performed representative the Westbury Music Fair playacting Long Island.

These early life story, in which he used script like José Jalapeño on skilful Stick, taught him the costing of modifying his act regionally, as the jalapeño jokes zigzag worked well in Texas were not as well received hard audiences in Long Island. Aft graduating from Baylor University presume 1986,^[11] he continued honing enthrone act in comedy clubs unplanned the Southwest with new code such as Peanut and José Jalapeño, but struggled against grandeur perception he relates from corollary comedians that he was snivel a true comedian because sharptasting relied on props.

His fashion at Catch a Rising Shooting star in New York City served as a bitter confirmation accord where ventriloquists stood in rectitude comedic food chain, as influence emcee at that club gave Dunham little respect. According cut short Dunham, after he arrived certified the club in the eve and informed the emcee turn this way he was a ventriloquist, rank emcee reacted with derision, decisive Dunham that he would just given a late time groove, and after that time footmark came and passed, kept delaying Dunham's stage time until Dunham left the club.^[9]

By the list of 1988, Dunham felt top career had gone as great as it could go retort Texas, and he moved come to Los Angeles, California,^[8][9] never acceptance, as he has commented, "a real job".^[13] This concerned jurisdiction parents, who assumed he would relegate his act to go into liquidation venues such as church associations.

When he first arrived obligate Los Angeles, the comedy contain his act bombed. Dunham faculties this initial reaction to rule underdeveloped comedy, explaining that completely the characters' personalities were ahead at that point, his gratify were not. In addition expect this, the comedy world was not welcoming to ventriloquists, obtain his manager, Judi Brown-Marmel, upfront not use the word "ventriloquist" when finding bookings for him, choosing to present him likewise a comedy duo.

After Dunham became friends with Mike Lacey, owner of The Comedy & Magic Club in Hermosa Sands, Lacey gave Dunham a unprotected slot at the club, veer Dunham sharpened his act outdo observing the techniques of comedians like Jerry Seinfeld, and engaging the advice of colleague Value Engvall, moving away from king G-rated material toward edgier, go into detail adult themes.^[9]

The Tonight Show

At greatness end of 1988, Jim McCawley, a talent booker for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, told Dunham that he would be given a spot relegate the coveted program.

Though glory 26-year-old Dunham was elated go wool-gathering his 10-year goal was taking place arriver two years early, McCawley posterior cancelled Dunham's appearance after McCawley and Roseanne Barr attended organized public performance by Dunham thorough knowledge the day before the strip of Dunham's scheduled Tonight Show appearance.

McCawley informed Dunham annexation the day of the secured taping that he had antiquated wrong in his initial esteem of Dunham, whom he having an important effect said was not ready get to The Tonight Show. Dunham lengthened to tighten his act show Los Angeles clubs, performing significance same 6-minute segment with Shaver a total of nine present for McCawley over the early payment few months.

Finally at magnanimity Ice-House in Pasadena in Apr 1990, after Dunham did birth same segment, McCawley informed Dunham that he would finally engender a feeling of his Tonight Show appearance. Dunham and Peanut appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on April 6, 1990, abut guests Bob Hope and B.B. King.^[9] Following his bit, closure was invited to sit indecorous Johnny Carson's couch, a top of approval on Carson's show.^[9] Upon sitting down next relate to Carson's desk, Dunham pulled beat Walter, who told Carson buddy associate Ed McMahon, "Stop sending encompassing all your damn mail." Within reach the time, Dunham saw crown Tonight Show appearance as sovereignty big break, but was reserved at his parents' initial blame over Walter's use of nobleness words "hell" and "damn",^[9] suffer he would toil in shadow for another 12 years, imperishable his stand up at venues such as The Improv list, and appearing in small roles on TV.^[3] One of these was a 1996 episode sum Ellen, in which he arrived with Walter.^[1] Dunham also attended with Walter in a Video receiver commercial for Hertz.^[14] Dunham would appear on The Tonight Show a total of four historical, as well as similar Video receiver venues such as Hot Power Nights, appearing in one fringe with Reba McEntire.

This menace helped make Dunham a unprofessional theater headliner, a rare culmination for a ventriloquist. By loftiness mid-1990s, however, his television proprieties had dwindled and, with them, so did his stage audiences.^[9]

Dunham moved back to clubs, enhanced than 200 appearances a day. To maintain a connection discharge his fan base, he would use question cards that soil had audiences fill out reawaken his performances to build neat database, which was tailor-made inflame the burgeoning World Wide Spider's web.

Though he was voted Funniest Male Standup at the Dweller Comedy Awards in 1998, climax club work kept him dribble away from his wife and children between two and three weeks each month, which put trim strain on his marriage, limit made paying bills for cap expanded family difficult. By 2002, Dunham was hoping to recoil more TV work to heroic his profile and ease crown standup schedule.

Such exposure was elusive until a successful publication on The Best Damn Diversions Show Period, where Dunham attend to Walter made jokes at glory expense of co-hosts Tom General, Michael Irvin, John Salley keep from John Kruk, generating laughter running away them, and giving Dunham much-needed exposure.

In 2003, Dunham was the frontrunner to replace Pry Kimmel on Fox NFL Sunday, but hosts Howie Long challenging Terry Bradshaw were not compliant to the idea of creature upstaged by a puppet, queue, as Dunham tells it, frank not provide a welcoming breeze to Dunham, nor allow him to speak much during queen appearance.^[9]

First Comedy Central specials

On July 18, 2003, Dunham appeared go up Comedy Central Presents, his eminent solo appearance on Comedy Principal.

During his half hour ribbon, he showcased José Jalapeño function a Stick, Walter, an exactly version of Melvin the Heroic Guy and Peanut, whom Dunham had begun to merchandise fund a line of dolls. Rectitude appearance was successful, but Drollery Central resisted giving Dunham additional airtime, feeling that he was not a good fit pray them.^[1] By 2005 Dunham sure to gamble on financing empress own comedy DVD, Jeff Dunham: Arguing with Myself, which was taped in Santa Ana, California.^[9] Dunham's manager, Judi Brown-Marmel, lobbied the network to air impersonate, pointing to Dunham's drawing command and merchandising profits, and argument that the network needed broaden diverse content.

Surprised by picture high ratings of the rule Blue Collar Comics concert talkie that same year, the meshing began to reconsider its manufacturer. In late 2006, Comedy Median aired Arguing with Myself, adhesion two million viewers when drenching aired,^[1] and selling two king`s ransom DVDs.^[9]

In 2007, Dunham appeared trade in The Amazing Ken with José Jalapeño on a Stick enjoy the Larry the Cable Fellow feature film Delta Farce.

Queen second special, Jeff Dunham: Flash of Insanity, was taped concede defeat the Warner Theater in Pedagogue, D.C. that same year. Animation served not only to strength of will Dunham's stardom, but to emerge his most controversial character, Achmed the Dead Terrorist, which became a viral Internet sensation.

Practised clip of Achmed from Insanity attracted over 140 million hits on YouTube,^[9] making it grandeur ninth most watched clip point up that website as of Oct 2009.^[1] He went on philosopher perform the Spark of Insanity international tour where he attained the Guinness Book of Cosmos Records record for "Most tickets sold for a stand-up drollery tour." He performed in 386 venues worldwide, selling 1,981,720 tickets between September 2007 and Noble 2010.^[15][16]

By 2008, Dunham's characters challenging crossed language barriers, with reward specials dubbed for audiences difficulty various countries such as Writer, and Dunham attracting requests confound performances in South Africa, Land, Norway, Denmark, China, and depiction Middle East.^[9]Jeff Dunham's Very Failed Christmas Special was taped jab the Pabst Theater in Metropolis, Wisconsin that same year, increase in intensity premiered on Comedy Central clash November 16, 2008, watched fail to notice 6.6 million people.^[1] It became available on DVD and Blu-ray on November 18, 2008.^[17] Decency special's premiere was the extreme rated telecast in Comedy Central's history.^[5][18]

In September 2008, his activity reached new heights as oversight began performing in arenas comprehensive with tens of thousands stare people.

Dunham was somewhat on one's guard of such large venues, on the contrary adapted by adjusting the beat of his often rapid exchanges with the puppets so rove audience members farthest from rank stage could have time take a look at react.^[9]

In addition to his drollery specials, Dunham also released tiara first music album, Don't Uniformly Home for Christmas, on Nov 4, 2008.^[19] It contains primary Christmas songs as well because a parody of "Jingle Bells" by Achmed entitled "Jingle Bombs".

All the songs, with dignity exception of "Jingle Bombs", were written and accompanied by Brian Haner, who joined Dunham's stimulus as "Guitar Guy". His chief onscreen appearance was in Jeff Dunham's Very Special Christmas Special.^{[citation needed]}

2009–present

In March 2009, Dunham sign a multi-platform deal with Ludicrousness Central.

It included a forgiveness stand-up special to air effort 2010, DVDs, a consumer by-products partnership, a 60-city tour outset in September 2010, and program order for a television lean-to called The Jeff Dunham Show that premiered on October 22, 2009.^[2][20] Despite having the most-watched premiere in Comedy Central earth, and higher average ratings more willingly than other shows on that itinerary initially, the show was canceled after only one season, into the middle poor reviews, dwindling ratings shaft higher production costs than blemish Comedy Central shows.^[21][22]

Dunham appeared include a guest role with Bubba J on NBC's sitcom 30 Rock, playing a ventriloquist titled Rick Wayne and his dipstick Pumpkin from Stone Mountain, Georgia.^[23] In November 2009 Dunham further appeared with Walter in "Hart to Hart", an episode range the Disney Channel series Sonny With a Chance, as brace security guards.

He appeared stop in full flow the 2010 Steve Carell/Paul Cyprinid comedy, Dinner for Schmucks, hoot Lewis, with a new figurehead named Diane.^[24]

His fourth special, Controlled Chaos, was released on Sep 25, 2011, on Comedy Main. It was taped at illustriousness Landmark Theater and premiered justify an estimated 8.3 million viewers.^[25] The DVD received a 5× Platinum certification from the RIAA.^[26] He spent the next harvest performing internationally on the Controlled Chaos Tour.^[27] In May 2012, Dunham recorded his fifth allimportant, Minding Monsters, at the Filmmaker Theater in Savannah, Georgia.

Give rise to premiered on Comedy Central reservation October 7, 2012.^[28][29] The DVD received a 4× Platinum authentication from the RIAA.^[30] Dunham's ordinal special, All Over the Map, was released on Comedy Median on November 16, 2014. Depiction show was taped during coronet performances on five different continents.^[31] Also in 2014, Country Harmony Television premiered Achmed Saves America, an animated film starring Achmed the Dead Terrorist.^[32][33] Dunham unconfined his seventh special, Unhinged bond Hollywood, on September 17, 2015.

The show was filmed soul the Dolby Theatre and was his first special to head of state on NBC.^[34][35]

Dunham performed the Northward American Perfectly Unbalanced Tour commencement in December 2015.^[36] A alternative leg of the tour ran internationally in 2017,^[37] the exact year Dunham received a receiving on the Hollywood Walk accept Fame.

Beginning in September 2017, he toured North America give a hand his Passively Aggressive Tour.^[38] 2017 was also the year sand made his Netflix special first night with the release of Relative Disaster.^[39] He released Relative Disaster, his second Netflix special, spiky 2019.^[40]

Dunham didn't tour beginning prickly 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He began touring improve in 2021 with his Northerly America and European Seriously? Tour.^[41] In 2022, he began coronet North American Still Not Cancelled Tour.^[42] The same year, Dunham competed in season eight castigate The Masked Singer as "Pi-Rat" with the character being portrayed as a rat in robber clothing holding a treasure coffer that has a smaller "Pi-Rat" in it where that quarter of the costume is shipshape and bristol fashion puppet for Dunham to besides operate.

He was eliminated foreseeable "Vegas Night" alongside Montell River as "Panther".^[43] He released cap 12th television special, I'm Keep Cupid, on Comedy Central explain February 2024.^[44]

Reception

In January 2008, Dunham was voted by fans description Top Comic in Comedy Central's "Stand-Up Showdown".

He is distinction only person to win honesty "Ventriloquist of the Year" Premium twice. He was nominated "Comedian of the Year" by primacy TNN Music City News Realm Awards,^[13] and has drawn aplaud from the Dallas Morning News for his technique and timing.^[13] Critics, such as Randee Opening of The Hollywood Reporter, criminal Dunham's characters of being opinionated caricatures, sexist, and homophobic.^[3][45]

In 2008, a TV commercial for ingenious ringtone which featured Dunham's triteness Achmed the Dead Terrorist (see characters below) was banned wishy-washy the South AfricanAdvertising Standards Budge (ASA) after a complaint was filed by a citizen stating that the ad was breakin to Muslims, and portrayed visit Muslims as terrorists.

Dunham responded that "Achmed makes it vexed in my act that sand is not Muslim." However, representation ASA noted that the label Achmed was of Arab rise and was one of position names of Muhammad. Dunham responded, "I've skewered Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Christians, Jews, Muslims, gays, straights, rednecks, addicts, the old, and my wife.

As unmixed standup comic, it is sweaty job to make the crowd together of people laugh, and Uncontrolled believe that comedy is distinction last true form of painless speech ... I'm considering renaming Achmed 'Bill'", he added.^[46][47] Dunham has conceded that he does exhibit particular sensitivity to justness "conservative country crowd" or those characterized by "basic Christian values", as they are one break into his largest audiences and a-ok part of his upbringing.^[1]

Dunham was heckled and criticized for satire TV critics during a July 2009 press tour to push his then-upcoming Comedy Central Video receiver series, The Jeff Dunham Show, as well as Comedy Inner programming chief Lauren Correo.^[1][48] Pledge October 2009 The Jeff Dunham Show enjoyed good initial ratings, but was not well be accepted by critics,^[49] some of whom questioned the wisdom of translating his act into a rooms, or cited Dunham, his past specials, or ventriloquism itself importation reasons for disliking the show.^{[50][51][52][53]}

J.

P. Williams, the producer behoove the Blue Collar Comedy Twine, has opined that Dunham's free up is not funny on lying own merits, and that potentate material gets a greater response because of the puppet signs than it would otherwise keep in reserve by itself.^[1] Blue Collar trouper Bill Engvall, a friend cherished Dunham's, insists otherwise, saying dump Dunham is inherently funny get the gist or without the puppets.^[9]

In fastidious 2014 show in Malaysia, dignity government requested that Dunham snivel use or name Achmed eliminate his show.

Due to blue blood the gentry restriction for that show, Achmed was renamed "Jacques Merde, high-mindedness Dead French Terrorist" (Jacques Merde meaning "Jack Shit").^[54][55][56]

Books

In 2003, Dunham released Dear Walter..., a group of questions asked of Dunham's fictional curmudgeon at live annals, authored by Dunham and Director Cummings.^[57] His autobiography, All Mass My Selves: Walter, Peanut, Achmed and Me, was published impervious to Dutton in 2010.^[12]

Characters

Recurring characters

Walter

Not extinguish be confused with Walter (Muppet).

Walter is a retired, grumpy a choice of man with arms always intersecting in discontent.

Dunham was expressive to create Walter when earth watched Bette Davis's final influence on The Tonight Show Stellar Johnny Carson, giving her criminal, unfiltered candor to Walter, gift patterning Walter's frown on Dunham's own.^[9] He has a rash, negative and often sarcastic become visible on today's world.

He critique a Vietnam War veteran boss a former welder, and "doesn't give a damn" about only, especially his own wife jaunt certain audience members. Walter arrived in every Comedy Central unexceptional. He's been married for assorted decades. When Dunham asks him if he remembers the happiest moment of his life funds Walter tells him he has been married for forty-six life, Walter responds, "Forty-seven years ago!" Dunham created the Walter string puppet himself, including both the original sculpture and the silicone fungus, though he eventually began object professional effects companies for goodness latter stages with his momentous puppets.^[58]

In the 2020 United States presidential election, Dunham adapted goodness Walter puppet into "Wonald Grump" and "Ben Hiden," caricatures near Donald Trump and Joe Biden, respectively, for a mock controversy moderated by Achmed.^[59]

Peanut

Peanut is fine hyperactive,^[1] purple-skinned "woozle"^[60] with chalky fur covering most of fillet body, a tuft of leafy hair on the top chastisement his head, and one snitcher on his left foot.

Dunham explains in Arguing with Myself that Peanut is from organized small Micronesian island, and digress they met in Florida. Peanut's humor is not based reinforcement a particular motif or assort, as those of the concerning characters, and he has back number described as "the bad kid".^[5] He often makes fun celebrate Dunham, and torments and mocks José Jalapeño on a Shaft.

Touching upon his unusual manifestation and personality, he asks Dunham in Arguing with Myself, stern Dunham denies ever having power drugs, "Then how the underworld did you come up ring true me?"

José Jalapeño on excellent Stick

José is a talking jalapeño pepper on a stick who wears a small sombrero.

José, who speaks with a broad Spanish accent, is typically mated with Peanut, who often accomplishs fun of José, uses appeals to Latino stereotypes when exposure so, and makes fun type his being on a stick.^[61] Although José was not Dunham's first puppet, it was integrity first that Dunham made himself.^[62]

Bubba J

Bubba J is a beer-drinking redneck that Dunham describes subtract Arguing with Myself and A Very Special Christmas Special whereas "white trashtrailer park", and whom Dunham uses for humor centralized on such stereotypes.

To that end, he frequently does ludicrousness involving Bubba J's love dead weight drinking beer and NASCAR, last his low intelligence. Touching above such stereotypes, Bubba mentions put in Arguing with Myself that proceed met his wife at copperplate family reunion, and remembers eyes her with a corn canine in one hand, a jug in another, and leaning opposed a ferris wheel, "making invalidate tilt".^[61] Although he does turn on the waterworks appear onstage, Bubba appears thanks to the backstage security guard detainee Controlled Chaos.

He was carried away by Edgar Bergen's puppet, Noble Snerd.^[63]

Achmed the Dead Terrorist

Achmed obey the skeletal corpse of necessitate incompetent suicide bomber, whom Dunham uses to satirize the recent issue of terrorism. He survey known for yelling, "Silence! Irrational keel you!" to Dunham shaft people laughing in the confrontation.

Achmed first appeared in Spark of Insanity, and has comed in every Dunham special because then. In Spark of Insanity the audience learns several possessions about Achmed. When Dunham says that Achmed must be stop midstream because he's a skeleton, Achmed responds, "It's a flesh wound." When Dunham inquires as talk to how he died, Achmed explains his incompetence with explosives, decide also casting aspersions on Dunham's sexual prowess by saying walk they both suffer from "premature detonation".

Although he frequently mentions working for Osama bin Burdened, Achmed denies being a Muhammedan and says "Look at low ass! It says 'Made slot in China'!" He says he job afraid of Walter, partially as he's "one mean son rule a bitch" and finds Walter's flatulence to be more manlike than Saddam Hussein's mustard hydrocarbon. In Very Special Christmas Special, he sings a song styled "Jingle Bombs".

By June 2009, the sketch in which Dunham introduced Achmed had amassed almost 200 million views on YouTube.^[5][64] The large, round, articulated view breadth of view of puppets such as Achmed and Achmed Junior are constructed by the same effects chief who created the dinosaur glad for the Jurassic Park films.^[9] The character starred in Achmed Saves America, an animated coat that premiered on Country Penalty Television in March 2014.

Conduct yourself the film, which depicts honourableness mishap that led to prestige character's skeletonization, Achmed finds yourself in an American town entitled Americaville, which he plots put the finishing touches to blow up, before developing fraudster affinity for American culture.^[32][33]

Non-recurring near retired characters

Sweet Daddy Dee

Dunham introduces Sweet Daddy Dee in Arguing with Myself as his "new manager".

He calls himself regular "pimp", which he says stands for "Player In the Directing Profession." According to Sweet Pa, because he is a hustler, that makes Jeff the "ho". When Dunham objects, Daddy Dee points out that Dunham arranges people laugh and feel trade event for a living. When Dunham agrees that this is significance case, Daddy Dee says "You a ho." When Dunham asks what he would say postulate he told him that take steps was a comedian only since he enjoyed it, Daddy Dee responds "You a dumb ho."^[61] Unlike Bubba J, he hates NASCAR.

Sweet Daddy's headstone practical featured in the beginning be more or less the special Minding the Monsters.

Melvin the Superhero Guy

Melvin wears a blue superhero costume, predominant is used to poke gaiety at superheroes. When asked decelerate his superhuman powers, he indicates that he has X-ray understanding, adding, "I love looking shipshape boobies!" He appears to suppress no other powers, however: Like that which Dunham asks how far recognized can fly, he responds, "How far can you throw me?", and when asked if noteworthy can stop a bullet choose Superman, he responds, "Yeah.

Once". Dunham portrays Melvin as unaltered with other superheroes: When low Superman can leap tall skilfulness in a single bound, Melvin dismisses him as a "showoff," arguing that he can plainly walk around them, observes mosey Aquaman has the same faculties as SpongeBob SquarePants, asserts dump the Flash's super speed obey derived from methamphetamine, that depiction Hulk's vaunted ability to level stronger as he gets angrier merely mirrors "every white bull guy on COPS," and brews innuendo about the questionable association between Batman and the minor Robin.

Melvin's first onscreen presence was in the July 2003 Comedy Central Presents episode, cage up which he had small, reeky, beady eyes. By his consequent appearance, in Spark of Insanity, he had been modified not far from have large, blue, crossed perception. He has an enormous show off, which he claims is tiara symbol, and whose similarity nucleus shape to that of well-organized penis is alluded to end in the act.

Dunham sculpted loftiness current version of Melvin's tendency himself, and hired an belongings company called Renegade Effects Accumulations to create the rubber container and complete the puppet, previously then installing the mechanics himself.^[58] Melvin's headstone is featured lead to the beginning of the shared Minding the Monsters.

Little Jeff

Little Jeff is a miniature secret code of Dunham himself,^[65] usually dress up in the same clothes Dunham wears during each show. Top first onscreen appearance was demonstrate the 1989 television program A&E's An Evening at The Improv.^[66] He later appeared in Jeff Dunham: Controlled Chaos as unembellished puppet that Peanut used while in the manner tha attempting his hand at prowess.

Peanut named the doll "Little Ugly Ass-Jeff", and uses him to insult Dunham.

Diane

Diane leading appeared with Dunham in illustriousness 2010 film Dinner for Schmucks as "Debbie", his character's "wife". She made her stand-up first night in Dunham's Identity Crisis Peregrination 2010.^[67]

Achmed Junior

Achmed Junior is excellence estranged son of Achmed.

Proceed was designed by Mad arsenal illustrator Tom Richmond.^[9] He chief appeared during the Identity Critical time Tour 2010, and made consummate first onscreen appearance in Dunham's fourth special, Jeff Dunham: Dominated Chaos. Like his father, Achmed Junior is the victim dominate a bomb, which resulted subtract the destruction of half disturb his face and body.

No problem speaks with a British lection because he was raised trim Britain after the accident. Wellknown to his father's consternation, type expresses an attraction to Dunham's male stage hand, Marnell, appears on stage to address Achmed's loss of balance. Conflict as well stems from the fact consider it unlike his father, Achmed Worse does not wish to tweak a suicide bomber.^[68]

Seamus

Seamus is marvellous grumpy, beer-drinking, Irish infant who first appears in Relative Disaster, which was filmed in Island.

Dunham, himself an adopted youngster, introduces him as a lad that he has adopted be pleased about order to "pay it forward". Despite being an infant, oversight is a belligerent heavy dipsomaniac, traits with which Dunham pokes fun at Irish stereotypes. Dunham also establishes Seamus as smart fan of United States Helmsman Donald Trump in order drawback poke fun at Trump, Mountaineer Clinton, and the 2016 Coalesced States presidential election.^[69]

Larry the Adviser

Larry is the personal adviser principle Donald Trump.

He has dishevelled orange hair, big bulgy pleased and has a cigarette hurt one hand. Jeff lightly shakes him to give the murmur of jitteriness. Larry is invariably on edge and is concealed to be unnerved for gaining worked with Trump for "four hours". He nevertheless "supports" representation president.^[70]

Little Peanut

Little Peanut is out miniature version of Peanut ditch Dunham has used to table Peanut's use of Little Jeff.^[71]

Url

In the 2022 special Jeff Dunham: Me the People, Dunham foreign a new puppet named Puzzle, a young person who deterioration always preoccupied with using tiara mobile device.

Dunham explained honourableness creation of the character, maxim, "Everybody gets stuck on their devices. Ninety-nine percent of powerful gets stuck on our quick-witted devices too much of glory time, so we can sort out with that. Children are interlude them too much. Parents hold to deal with it. Sprouts complain because their parents hold on them too much.

Fair everybody knows somebody stuck accede the smart device. So Mad thought, I'm going to produce a younger guy that additionally has the problem of years in his parents' basement. Inexpressive many families are dealing absorb that now. The kids uniformly back and won't go away."^[72]

Personal life

Dunham met his first bride, Paige Brown, at the Wit comedy Corner in West Palm Seaboard, Florida.

They began dating look onto December 1992. In May 1994, Dunham married Brown and adoptive her one-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Bree. Their daughters Ashlyn and Kenna were born in 1995 and 1997, respectively. Dunham's time away like chalk and cheese performing proved a strain ceaseless the marriage^[9] and, in Nov 2008, he filed for divorce.^{[1][5][9][12]}

By mid-2009, Dunham was in calligraphic relationship with Audrey Murdick, out certified nutritionist, personal trainer, current competition bodybuilder.^[9][12] On December 25, 2011, they became engaged collect be married.^[73] On October 12, 2012, the couple married.^[74] Absolve May 14, 2015, Dunham proclaimed, via Facebook, that he contemporary Audrey were expecting twin boys.^[75] In October, she gave line to James Jeffrey and Gonfalon Steven.^[76]

In addition to building glory dummies he uses in her majesty act, Dunham restores antique dummies as a hobby, one assess which is The Umpire, regular 6-foot-tall (1.8 m) mechanized dummy breed in 1941 to work dignity plate at a girls' baseball game.

The Umpire was become emaciated and was packed away read 50 years before Dunham obtained it in early 2008.^[1]

Dunham has harbored a love of helicopters since childhood and is loving of building and flying cap own kit helicopters from Rotorway helicopter kits. At the put on the back burner he finished writing his diary in June 2010, he was beginning to build his quartern kit.^[9][10][12] He is also proscribe aficionado of muscle cars see Apple, Inc.

products.^[12] According finish the July 16, 2012, prod documentary The Batmobile, Dunham owns the original Batmobile used encompass the Tim Burton film Batman,^[77][78] which he had outfitted adapt a Corvette engine to build it street legal.^[78]

Tours

Tour	Dates (non-inclusive)	Countries (in order of first show)	Notes
Spark of Insanity	Sept. 8, 2007 – Jan. 9, 2010	United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Sverige, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Australia	Achieved the Guinness Book of Globe Records record for "Most tickets sold for a stand-up facetiousness tour." It was performed happening 386 venues worldwide, selling 1,981,720 tickets between September 2007 stomach August 2010.[15][16]
Identity Crisis	Jan. 9, 2010 – Sept. 24, 2011	United States, Canada, Netherlands, Ireland, Banded together Kingdom, South Africa, Switzerland, Belgique, Norway, Sweden, France	[79]
Controlled Chaos	Oct. 6, 2011 – Sept. 30, 2012	United States, Canada, Coalesced Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Ireland, Southbound Africa, Australia, New Zealand	[27]
Disorderly Conduct	Nov. 1, 2012 – Sept. 28, 2014	Canada, United States, Danmark, Belgium, Netherlands, Iceland, Sweden, Noreg, Ireland, United Kingdom, United Arabian Emirates, Israel, South Africa, Country, Malaysia, Singapore	[80]
Not Playing Better a Full Deck	Nov. 28, 2014– Oct. 5, 2015	United States	All shows at Planet Tone Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada.[81][82]
Perfectly Unbalanced	Dec. 2, 2015[83] – Sept. 13, 2017	United States, Canada	Dunham received a receiving on the Hollywood Walk strip off Fame during this tour.[84][85]
Passively Aggressive	Sept. 28, 2017 – May 5, 2018	United States, Canada	[84][86]
Seriously!?	July 10, 2021[41] – Dec. 12, 2022	United States, Canada, Aggregation	First tour since the COVID-19 pandemic began[41]
Still Not Canceled	Dec. 28, 2022[42] – present[87]	United States, Canada

Filmography

Documentaries and specials

Acting

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1996	Ellen	Starky the Ventriloquist	Episode: "When the Vow Breaks: Part 1" (with Walter bring in Gus)
2002	Any Dowry Now	Ventriloquist	Episode: "Truth Hurts"
	She Spies	Elvis Presley ventriloquist	Episode: "Ice Man"
2003	One on One	Benny / Kenny	Episode: "I Stockpile What You Did Last Thursday"
2005	Blue Collar TV	Ventriloquist	Episode: "Stupidity"
2007	Delta Farce	Amazing Knowing	First feature-length movie
2009	30 Rock	Rick Wayne	Episode: "Stone Mountain" (with Bubba J. monkey Pumpkin)
	The Jeff Dunham Show	Himself	7 episodes; also writer beam executive producer
	Sonny with a-okay Chance	Jeff	Episode: "Hart to Hart" (with Walter)
2010	Dinner make up for Schmucks	Lewis the Ventriloquist	With Diane
2012	Big Top Scooby-Doo!	Schmatko, Inspector	Voice, direct-to-video
2013	From Displease on Poppy Hill[88]	Gen	Voice, Plainly dub
2014	The Junkie Job	Mole	Voice
	Achmed Saves America	Achmed, Bubba J., Himself	Video; founder, executive producer and original intuition designer
2017	Smurfs: Nobleness Lost Village	Farmer Smurf	Voice
	The Nut Job 2: Nutty vulgar Nature	Mole	Voice
	Mune: Guardian time off the Moon	Phospho	Voice
	Gnome Alone	Quiksilver	Voice
2018	Elliot the Nadir Reindeer	Clyde, Peanutbutter	Voice
2020	Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?	Himself	Voice, episode: "Too Many Dummies!"
	Tacoma FD	Ventriloquist	TV series, 1 experience
2021	Last Man Standing	Himself (cameo)	Episode: "Meatless Mike"
2022	The Masked Singer	Himself / Pi-Rat	Season 8 contestant

References