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Arguing with Myself

Jeff Dunham

Comedy Central · 2006 · 76 min

A ventriloquist banters with an unruly foam ensemble.

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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.

The set list

4 bits

  1. Walter the curmudgeonly Vietnam veteran gripes about his wife and answers pre-submitted audience questions.

    Delivers bitter, unfiltered, politically incorrect commentary on marriage and aging.

  2. Sweet Daddy Dee introduces himself as Dunham's new manager.

    Insists he is a 'Player In the Management Profession' (PIMP), designating Jeff as his 'ho' while trying to teach him to be 'street'.

  3. Trailer-park redneck Bubba J discusses his favorite pastimes.

    Plays on dim-witted rural stereotypes, discussing his ugly wife, NASCAR, and defining his favorite beer as 'an open one'.

  4. Peanut and José Jalapeño on a Stick trade insults.

    Peanut acts as a madcap, unhinged foil to José, who delivers dry observations in a thick Hispanic accent from atop his stick.

How it plays

Tone
Broad, silly, irreverent, and politically incorrect.
On stage
An agreeable, white-bread straight man serving as the conversational foil to his stable of rude, crude, eccentric puppet alter-egos.
Pace
Dynamic tempo shifting between conversational straight-man setups and madcap, high-energy puppet character banter, featuring varied vocal pitches and volumes.
About
marriage and aging, NASCAR and drinking, stereotypes, management and street culture

What the critics said

Praised for extraordinary ventriloquism, vocal mastery, and quick-witted crowd improvisation, successfully elevating broad, Vaudevillian jokes into a compelling character-driven act.

In the room: Rapturous, welcoming character entrances like familiar sitcom personalities and responding strongly to improvised audience interactions.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, thetvdb.com, owiki.org, dvdtalk.com, vulture.com, brianjnoggle.com, thefutoncritic.com.

Backstory

Comedy Central was initially resistant to Dunham's act, preferring younger, edgier comedians over puppetry, prompting Dunham to self-produce and finance the hour himself.

Details

Released
Taped
O.C. Pavilion, Santa Ana
Runtime
76 min
Where
Comedy Central
Director
Manny Rodriguez
Honors
RIAA Certified 20× Platinum (DVD)
Topics
Before
Comedy Central Presents (2003)
After
Spark of Insanity (2007)

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