Jeff Dunham: Spark of Insanity

I first saw Jeff Dunham when I was in high school and all he had was Peanut and Jose Jalapeno. My sister and I were always saying the "zooom" Peanut does when someone doesn't get a joke - and actually, still do! When I saw him on Comedy Central a couple of years ago, I could not believe it had been about 15 years since I had seen him. I am so glad he still has Peanut and Jose Jalepeno (on a stick!) and absolutely love Walter. Luckily I was able to see him in Boca Raton last year and he was outstanding. It is impossible to not think the puppets are the ones who are actually alive - he is a truly gifted ventriloquist. Anxious to see what new characters he comes up with - Achmed is too funny. Can't wait to see him again!!!

I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to stand-up comics, but I don't think I've ever laughed harder at a single comedian than Jeff Dunham. The guy is a master. Watching his shows is a non-stop ticket to comedy heaven, and the acts do not get any less funny when watched repeatedly.

Jeff Dunham brings back some of his most popular puppets (Walter, Peanut, and Jose Jalepeno), and brings on two new ones (Achmed the Dead Terrorist and Melvin the Superhero Guy). Walter, my personal favorite, is funnier than ever. I was laughing so hard that I could hardly breathe. Unfortunately, Dunham brought back his weakest puppet, Peanut, who's worse than before. In "Arguing with Myself," Peanut boasted a few laughs. Here, he nearly brings the show to a dead stop. Dunham needs to take the hint and get rid of this irritating Muppet-wannabe. Have the somewhat funnier Jose the Jalepeno pair up with another puppet. Or better yet, get rid of him as well and bring back a funnier doll, like Sweet Daddy D.

His two new puppets are more successful. Achmed the Dead Terrorist is Dunham's most famous puppet, and there's a reason for it: he's hysterical. The inept ex-suicide bomber is almost as funny as Walter. Dunham risked a lot by putting such a controversial character into his show, but Dunham is never insulting to anyone (except terrorists).

Less successful is Melvin the Superhero Guy, but he can generate a few laughs. The big-nosed superhero isn't as funny as Walter or Achmed, but he's a lot more entertaining than Peanut.

The director, Michael Shannon, isn't as good as "Spark of Insanity's" Manny Rodriguez. Shannon frames Jeff and his puppets pretty well, but his sense of comic timing needs fine-tuning. Fortunately, Jeff is funny enough to not let this ruin the jokes.

If you thought "Arguing with Myself" was funny, don't miss this one!

It was a beautiful show, it was the first show of the dead puppet, I learned that from the show. I like political references on shows like this, well done.

I am a big fan of guys like Ralphie May, Gabriel Iglesias, Larry the Cable Guy, Ron White, etc, but Jeff Dunham absolutely is the most talented standup comic out there. It's simply amazing how the guy manages to give inanimate objects such diverse and strong personalities. It almost feels like if you saw one of them thrown out beside the highway some where you would yell- "Hey, there's Walter!" or "Oh my God, it's Achmed!" The thing that separates Dunham from any other comic out there is because most standup comics each have unique routines, but they mostly rely on a single catchphrase- like Blue Collar's "HERE'S YOUR SIGN!" But Jeff Dunham each gives the puppets a unique personality, and each and every one of them are hilarious in their own way. He even sticks out among other ventriloquists, as well as other standup comics.

I could say much, much more, but I will condense everything by saying simply Jeff Dunham is a genius!!!

Dunham has to be one of the funniest comedians working today, and note I didn't specify just as a ventriloquist. Having said that, I have to pause for a moment to reflect on something: Achmed the Dead Terrorist is hysterical, and it's probably better to laugh at your enemy than fear him, but I think Dunham pushes the envelope a little too far with this character. Ditto Jose Jalapeno. I am amazed Mexicans haven't risen up in revolt, except they have no voice yet in America. Jose reminds me of Bill Dana's Jose Jimenez character or for that matter, the Taco Bell dog. Or even Speedy Gonzalez and his siesta-loving buddies. So maybe Dnham is the equivalent of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog or Lisa Lampanelli, both of whom also push the envelope to the point of discomfort -- even while they have me bending over in spasms of laughter. But it's easy for me, a white, English-speaking, Christian male, to laugh at what in truth is thinly veiled racial humor. Imagine Achmed as a Jewish moneylender or Jose as an Italian organ grinder. Not so funny now, huh? Characters like Walter and Bubba, on th other hand, are right out of the Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy days, although I don't think I ever heard Bergen's puppets get that rude. Peanut is another matter entirely. One way or the other, I believe Dunham is a truly gifted performer even if his humor does get pretty vexsome. The guy is pulling in $30 million a year, so he must be doing something right. Someone here has suggested characters like Achmed and Jose Jalapeno are simply playing on American ignorance, which is exactly what Borat does. But I'm not so sure this is true in Dunham's case.