Arguing with Myself

Jeff Dunham took a gamble that single-handedly revived ventriloquism as a mainstream comedy genre. Playing the exasperated straight man to a trunk full of foam and fiberglass, he carries out rapid-fire, multi-character banter with a technical precision that obscures the fact only one person is speaking. The staging is purely traditional stand-up, but the punchlines are delivered by an ensemble cast of his own making.

After a successful half-hour spot in 2003, network executives hesitated to give him a larger platform. Dunham self-financed this 70-minute set, taping it in Santa Ana, California. The bet paid off when it eventually aired on television in 2006, pulling two million viewers and moving another two million units on DVD. The setlist features the core lineup that would turn him into a touring juggernaut. He brings out Walter, a perpetually annoyed retiree; Bubba J, a beer-drinking NASCAR fan; and Sweet Daddy Dee, a fast-talking manager. The hour closes out with the chaotic, three-way interplay between the comic, a hyperactive purple creature named Peanut, and José Jalapeño on a Stick.