Talk:Jeff Dunham

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Contents

[edit] Start Over...

This article needs a complete rewrite. It's not an encyclopedia article. It's a ripoff/spoiler of his best jokes, and probably contains several MAJOR copyright violations. There is no mention of his history at all, and very little about his career, except recently. Did you know that he appeared on Johnny Carson in 1990? In fact, he was one of the few comedians that was ever invited to sit with Carson after his first performance! This is an honor "granted to only four other comics in Carson’s 30 years." Dunham appeared on the Carson show more times than any other ventriloquist.

Quit being so obsessive about the puppets. Geez... There's far more detail about his puppets than there is about him. A simple character description of the puppets (and maybe pictures) would suffice. Do NOT include ANY dialog from his shows! I can watch his DVDs if I want that. Information from extras on his DVD's would be far more interesting in an encylopedic article than a script of the DVD. See http://www.secondweddingdj.com/CLIPJDunham.pdf. Especially note the "Everyman" comment Jeff makes about Walter. That's the kind of thing that should appear in the article.

I would rewrite it from scratch myself, but someone will just revert it.

Rewrite. Somebody. Please. Robertwharvey (talk) 19:14, 8 April 2008 (UTC)

I don't think this article needs a complete rewrite but the sections on his puppets do need to be toned down a lot. I find it completely ridiculous that there's a huge section on his puppets while the section on his person life is only 4 sentences long. This article is mainly focused on his puppets and not Jeff Dunham himself. Not only that, but there's tons of original research in this article. I do agree that this article is in need of a cleanup but to get rid of everything and start from scratch is unnecessary. --On the other side Contribs|@ 00:49, 23 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Articles for each puppet?

I was wondering if we should have separate articles for each puppet of Dunham's. By that, I mean not every single puppet he's had but just the main ones (Walter, Peanut and Jose). Your thoughts? --Tuspm 23:15, 10 June 2006 (UTC)

Nah, there's really not enough to justify a full-blown article for each puppet. A list of his major pupppets and some quotes from them as part of this article would be sufficient. Willbyr (talk | contribs) 14:09, 12 June 2006 (UTC)

We need pics for each of the puppets

DEFINITELY second the notion for pics of each of the puppets. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 139.147.197.141 (talk) 23:21, 5 February 2008 (UTC)


, and definitively the most popular puppet, I think it's OK to give the pupper Achmed a seperate article. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Lilduff90 (talk • contribs) 16:50, 8 January 2008 (UTC)

I've uploaded an image for Walter, but I haven't added it to the article yet. Can someone tell me if the fair-use I've used is correct? Here's the image.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Walterdummy.PNG CardinalFangZERO 11:19, 7 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] merge Peanut

I have suggested merge of Peanut (puppet) into this article. As the above discussion mentions, it's simply not substantial enough for the puppet to have its own article. This article is barely existant as it is; a subsection on Peanut (or any other puppet one might want to add) would be quite sufficient, IMO. In addition, half of the trivia (that he's married, where he went to school) is notable biographical information and probably shouldn't He HAS been doing this a long time but there is no information about his or career or its beginnings.be reduced to mere trivia. TheHYPO 03:08, 1 August 2006 (UTC)

Support the merge, per the above discussion. Willbyr (talk | contribs) 03:39, 1 August 2006 (UTC)


[edit] first puppet

Can someone footnote/confirm that jose was his first puppet? I went to high school with Jeff and clearly recall him having some puppet he always used that wasn't 'jose jalapeno'.

He says it in the DVD commentary of Arguing with Myself. It was the first puppet he ever made. He had puppets before Jose but he didn't make them. --70.96.210.48 16:21, 11 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] New Puppets

On jeffdunham.com,the poster for the new Comedy Central special and DVD "Sparking Insanity" feature silhouettes of two new puppets. Please add them with citations, when available.

Thats melvin and Achmed--24.56.197.128 17:47, 15 April 2007 (UTC)

What about Sweeet Daddy Dee? 84.61.113.246 (talk) 14:01, 25 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] overkill

I'd like to suggest that the sections on each puppet contain an unnecessarily detailed play-by-play of specific bits involving those puppets which are both overkill, and spoiling. I suggest they be culled down to encyclopedic information and not synopses of DVD extras and whatnot TheHYPO 07:17, 20 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] introduction

The first sentence, "Jeff Dunham is a great ventriloquist and a great stand-up comedian." violates the basic premise of NPOv.

[edit] Neutrality

There is currently a tag saying the neutrslity of the article is disputed. However I see no conversations about this on the talk page, so I think it should be removed. BioYu-Gi! 16:26, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Biography?

There's currently no biography. I'm curious to see where Jeff Dunham is from, because I remember seeing a ventriloquist at the county fair in Viroqua, WI when I was a kid, the year must have been somewhere around 2000 or 2001, and I have a strong feeling that Jeff Dunham was the guy, but I'm not sure and a biography (including where he's from) could possibly help clear this up. --Josh1billion 04:10, 13 September 2007 (UTC)

Agreed. I do not see anything that talks about Jeff, as if his Puppets are more important than him. Place and date of birth, his early raising, his inspiration, and his early days, all these should be part of the biography. I am looking for this information, and once I find anything, I'll post it here. Aboosh 00:31, 9 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] New DVD

This page says his new DVD came out on 9/4/07, but Amazon, Walmart, and NewEgg all have the release date pegged for 9/18/07. His personal website says nothing (that I can find) about the release date. Can anyone find a definitive source for this information? --Bennybp 04:24, 13 September 2007 (UTC)

Nevermind, I found a definitive source at the DVD publisher's site here [1] and fixed it up. --Bennybp 04:37, 13 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] On a STEEK

I could swear I'd heard this routine a LONG time ago. He didn't originate the phrase, right? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.72.21.221 (talk) 02:39, 26 September 2007 (UTC)

what is *really* bothering me is almost the same thing -- the comedian I saw was a LONG time ago, and this whole article makes it sound like Dunham is a really recent comedian. I am certain that I saw another comedian -- I think on TV, am pretty sure it was not live, 'cos I wouldn't have been old enough to go to a club for the time frame that I am thinking of -- who did the 'on a steek' stuff with a jalapeno pepper, and also had the woozle (don't remember what this guy called it) who did the Over The Head move when someone in the audience didn't get the joke 'cos they were dumb. The guy being picked on by the comedian I am thinking of was named Bruno, and I remember laughing hysterically every time the woozle would deliver a joke and then turn to look towards Bruno (in the audience) and shout, 'HEY! Bruno! Viiing!'. And I am also practically certain that he said 'Ving', not 'Neeow'. Are we both thinking of a different comedian? The one I am talking about I had to have seen in the early nineties, possibly late eighties (doubtful), but we are talking about a window of about 1989 - 1994 for sure (a broad range, but it's something I saw on freaking TV, it's not like I went out to get a tattoo to commemorate the event). I know I am sure of this, 'cos I told my sister about it back then, and 'Hey! Bruno! Viing!' is a joke we occasionally make with each other (as well as 'on a steek'), and we have been doing it for way longer than five or seven years, I am pretty certain. So are there two comedians doing the same act, each claiming to have made it up??? Huh? Am I *that* screwed-up chronologically? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 172.130.142.105 (talk) 21:34, 28 September 2007 (UTC)
Back in the early '90s, there was a country music-themed variety show that used to run on NBC...can't remember the name of the show now for anything, but Jeff was a featured comedian on the show several times. Most of his bits were with Walter, but he used Peanut occasionally and may have even used Jose. This was my first exposure to him; is this what you're thinking of? Willbyr (talk | contribs) 15:55, 9 October 2007 (UTC)

Totally possible...if you could remember the name of the show, I might be able to say for sure. I have been thinking about it, and I am 100% certain I saw it on TV. I don't watch a lot of country music stuff, but eh...I might have. If the comedian was razzing a guy named Bruno, then yes -- that's the show. If that was Dunham, it has taken a long time for him to get some attention, and this article is written like he just came around within the past few years. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 172.133.69.230 (talk) 07:32, 11 October 2007 (UTC)

That was Jeff Dunham: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWThRmRW6GE Far2 15:23, 31 October 2007 (UTC)

Oh wow so he's been doing this for a LONG time then. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.72.21.221 (talk) 23:59, 7 November 2007 (UTC)

I recall seeing the On a STEEK comic routine on the Super Dave Osborne show. Unfortunately I never could remember who performed it, but Jeff Dunham's voice sounds awfully familiar. Bognus Hecken (talk) 19:12, 22 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Vandalism

There has been a few vandalisms on this page concerning the puppet Achmed the Dead Terrorist and Bubba J. I have reversed the vandalism but if anyone wishes to cancel it please leave a valid reason. Bognus Hecken (talk) 19:06, 22 November 2007 (UTC)


[edit] Racism/Stereotypes

Isn't it really irresponsible that this article makes no mention of how this idiot makes a living off of exploiting thousand year old stereotypes? Am I on the fringe when I'm offended? Or is the world just going to end? —Preceding unsigned comment added by El burito carlito (talk • contribs) 08:57, 24 November 2007 (UTC)

He is a comedian. Since time immemorial, comedians have tended to offend people with no sense of humor. --Storkk (talk) 13:52, 11 December 2007 (UTC)
Welcome to comedy. If you're going to get offended, you may just leave and never laugh again. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.60.170.23 (talk) 14:26, 15 December 2007 (UTC)
while im not offended by this 'comedian' i still think that his humour is unoriginal and not funny.

i think that ud have to be pretty soft to be offended, but you make a valid point. however its just an opinion and i doubt that ud find any sources or anything of the like to be able to add anything to the article. sux to be you 59.100.2.153 (talk) 07:11, 17 December 2007 (UTC)

As Mr. 193.60.170.23 said, welcome to comedy. I would like to see you try to find a comedian who has not been "racist" or "stereotypical". Let alone a VENTRILOQUIST! If you are offended, please speak with Jeff himself and say, "It is really irresponsible that yadda yadda yadda exploit stereotypes yadda yadda yadda..." I'm sure that he'll say, "Okay, i'll take all of the funny out of my show..." I mean, I am not offended by any of the stereotypes...but that's just me. The stereotypes are what make the show funny. I'm not insulted by Sweet Daddy Dee. You shouldn't be insulted. It's that simple. Meefinat0r (talk) 20:45, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Of course comedy can be offensive, that's not the bloody point. I think most reasonable people would, however, object to jokes about the holocaust, or the kind of jokes about African-Americans that used to be told in the Jim Crow south. Dunham's jokes are similarly immoral, particularly his anti-Arab racism, which comes at a time when Arabs in the United States face racist vigilante violence against them or anyone who white Americans think might be Arab. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.190.127.103 (talk) 16:11, 27 May 2008 (UTC)

My response is not intended as a personal attack so much as humor... here on a website concerning humor, the author of the previous post calls ethnic-based jokes immoral and in the SAME sentence stereotypes and attacks "white Americans." Now that's funny. Does the author have a citation for his claim? (p.s. that's a rhetorical question not expecting an answer) 24.56.229.246 (talk) 23:02, 3 June 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Achmed

The achmed section was a literary disgrace. No spaces, capitalising every word in the quotes, reptitive sue of "said". I've neatened it up a bit, but I'm really tired and not thinking straight right now, so someone else can touch it up if they feel the need. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.60.170.23 (talk) 14:36, 15 December 2007 (UTC)

I've touched it up a bit, but it still doesn't seem to flow with the rest of the article, as it features a more or less verbatim recital of the routine instead of just characteristics of the puppet (including the phrase, "audience laughs.") The Melvin section is also guilty of similar flaws. I only fixed the poor grammar, though; I didn't rewrite the entire section.
I reworded those parts, mixing them in with the rest of the article. I took out the dialogue completely; if people want to know the act, they should see the act. We don't want to be responsible for copyright violations. =David(talk)(contribs) 16:39, 22 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Fair use rationale for Image:Achmed.jpg

Image:Achmed.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images lacking such an explanation can be deleted one week after being tagged, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.

BetacommandBot (talk) 04:27, 12 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Criticism/Reviews

Does anyone have any references to review/criticism of Dunham's work? (83.13.39.98 (talk) 21:09, 15 February 2008 (UTC))


[edit] Melvin the Superhero

The last two sentences of this section seem to be conflicting. The first I know to be true, I dont know about the second--Omnipotence407 (talk) 03:29, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

Why is the subsection labeled "Melvin the Superhero Guy"? I've never heard the "Guy" part. In Spark of Insanity, it was always "Melvin the Superhero" or "the superhero, Melvin". Emperor001 (talk) 00:47, 12 April 2008 (UTC)

I think he called him "Melvin the Super Hero Guy" when Dunham was on Comedy Central Presents back in the early 2000's. --On the other side Contribs|@ 01:00, 23 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] So he makes his own puppets, then?

Somebody said Jose was the first puppet that Jeff made himself. I assume Peanut and Melvin are his handiwork as well. Can anybody confirm this?

Arguing with Myself DVD commentary confirms that Jose was his first puppet that he made. --On the other side Contribs|@ 00:43, 23 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Cut, cut, cut.

I took an axe to most of the quoted jokes, unsourced stuff and character descriptions of puppets, in the hope to help this article a little further towards an encyclopedic level. If people take offense, feel free to revert.  Channel ®    22:11, 4 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Walter and his powers

I think it should be mentioned in the article that according to both Melvin and Achmed, Walter has gas. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 189.149.72.45 (talk) 20:18, 17 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Walter

Was Walter originally named Gus? I just saw a Youtube video that looked kind of old and Walter was referred to as Gus. Emperor001 (talk) 03:21, 8 June 2008 (UTC)