In a bit of a switch-up, the state fair will welcome world renown ventriloquist, comedian, and actor, Jeff Dunham, on the last Friday, August 15 for a performance that you may not want to miss.
Dunham is one of the more recognizable comedians in the country. At 63, years of age, he was born in Dallas, Texas and something shocking is that Dunham actually got started in his career in 1976, but he really didn’t take off on a national scene until the mid to early 2000s.
Dunham has seven specials that play on Comedy Central and two Netflix exclusives, ‘Beside Himself’ and ‘Relative Disaster.’
A comedian by nature, Dunham used his funny abilities to create what he is known for now, his ventriloquism. He has characters that have become extremely popular and includes:
Walter: a retired, grumpy old man who always sits with his arms crossed while staying aggravated by almost everything.
Peanut: described as a purple-skinned woozle, he is hyper, loud, excited, and hilarious. He has green hair and wears one shoe. Peanut mashes his head up and down a lot and his voice changes from a low tone to a high-pitch screech all while picking on Jeff.
Jose’ Jalapeno on a Stick: a talking pepper held up by a stick, Jose usually comes on stage while Peanut is on as well. Jose speaks with a thick Spanish accent and Peanut likes to make fun of him being on a stick. Jose Jalapeno is the first puppet Dunham created himself.
Bubba J: a goofy, beer drinking redneck, as Dunham calls him, Bubba J is used as a way to poke fun at certain stereotypes. Bubba has explained he met his wife at the family reunion, he loves beer and Nascar, and agrees with Dunham that his IQ is very low.
Achmed the Dead Terrorist: the skeletal corpse of a suicide bomber gone wrong, Achmed delivers hilarious one-liners. His most famous saying is “Silence, I keel you!” He will say that when the audience laughs at something he says yet disagrees with the laughter.
There is not much to say about Dunham that hasn’t been said before, but fans are anxious to see him on stage at the fair. Tickets are going fast and if you want your chance to see him in person, the State Fair of WV may be the best opportunity to do just that.
