Posted on 11/05/2009 7:15:27 AM PST by rightwingintelligentsia
These days, it seems you can't turn around without hearing about comedian Jeff Dunham, arguably the most popular ventriloquist since Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop -- and lot more polarizing.
In case you don't know Dunham, he's been a ventriloquist for 25 years, has generated 350 million hits on YouTube and, according to Forbes, earned $30 million last year (placing him just behind Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock as America's richest comedian). He also earned record-breaking ratings last week for the the premiere of 'The Jeff Dunham Show' on Comedy Central.
But he's also got plenty of detractors, and a Dunham backlash seems to be gathering steam.
I'd had limited exposure to Dunham thus far, but after catching his guest appearance on '30 Rock,' I was curious as to how others respond to his act -- which is politically incorrect, to say the least. Sure, he's got a ton of fans; on the other hand, EW readers apparently can't stand him, and Videogum called his show "the worst thing in the entire world."
--snip--
In his act, five of the seven puppets in his cast of characters are based on racial or cultural stereotypes (José, the jalepeño pepper; Sweet Daddy Dee, the jive-talking pimp; Bubba J, the beer-guzzling redneck), and although Dunham claims he skewers everyone equally, the skewering doesn't seem intended to bridge racial and cultrual divides.
(Excerpt) Read more at insidetv.aol.com ...
I saw that this morning. There’s a poll, and last time I looked, 90-something percent said Dunham is funny.
Ummm... he's a COMEDIAN!!! WHY THE HELL SHOULD IT BE BRIDGING DIVIDES??? IT SHOULD be making folks laugh, he's a comedian not a social activist. What a flipping buffoon.
Ummm... he's a COMEDIAN!!! WHY THE HELL SHOULD IT BE BRIDGING DIVIDES??? IT SHOULD be making folks laugh, he's a comedian not a social activist. What a flipping buffoon.
Wonder if he’s related to Stanley Ann Dunham ??
Exactly.
Comedy isn’t supposed to “heal”.
It’s supposed to drive a wedge into a festering wound and induce uncomfortable laughter. The kind where you put your hand over your mouth and look around for a black person.
Seriously.
If you don’t cringe a little, it’s not that funny.
I wonder if he will be one of the first targets of the new hate speech law.
He’s funny, but too risque for my family (still have younguns at home).
Have these Dunham haters ever watched some of the black comedians on Comedy Central? Some of them take racial stereotyping and white-bashing to a new level. But, nothing to see there, folks, move on...
He would not be wecome in most muzzie countries,but Achmed the Dead Terrorist is a scream
Well then, the tolerence brigade will deal with him the ‘progressive’ way-harrass, sue, deny him work ,prosecute and shut him up.
Well then, the tolerence brigade will deal with him the ‘progressive’ way-harrass, sue, deny him work ,prosecute and shut him up.
“Wonder if he’s related to Stanley Ann Dunham ??”
wiki:
Dunham was born in Dallas, Texas in 1962,[6][7] an only child.[8] He began ventriloquism at age eight. He considers it a learned skill, similar to juggling, that anyone with a normal speaking voice can acquire. Although he graduated from Baylor University in Waco, Texas in 1986,[9] according to Dunham, he never had a “real job.”[1][10]
Let’s make sure his show gets gangbusters ratings so we can shut the idiots at Time Warner up.
He’s funny as hell. I love Acccchhhhmed the dead terrorist!
Why is he funny? BECAUSE THE STEREOTYPES ARE TRUTHFUL...and anyone without a stick up their a$$ can admit that!
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