129-499: Jeffrey Douglas Dunham (born April 18, 1962) is an American ventriloquist , stand-up comedian and actor who has also appeared on numerous television shows, including Late Show with David Letterman , Comedy Central Presents , The Tonight Show , and Sonny with a Chance . He has seven specials that run on Comedy Central as well as two Netflix specials among others. He also starred in The Jeff Dunham Show ,
258-409: A Mortimer Snerd dummy for Christmas and an accompanying how-to album. The next day, he checked out a how-to book on ventriloquism from the library. He explained in 2011 that he still had it, remarking that he was "a thief in the third grade". By the fourth grade, Dunham decided he wanted to be not only a professional ventriloquist but also the best one ever. Dunham began practicing for hours in front of
387-521: A NASCAR Nextel Cup Series team, with fellow former Cowboy and hall-of-famer Troy Aikman , which began racing for the 2006 season . In 2009, Staubach was honored with the "Lombardi Award of Excellence" from the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation. The award was created to honor coach Lombardi 's legacy, and is awarded annually to an individual who exemplifies the "spirit" of the coach. On December 27, 2011, Staubach wrote
516-641: A Presidential Medal of Freedom . Staubach was born in Cincinnati, Ohio , the only child of Elizabeth (née Smyth) and Robert Staubach. His father was a shoe and leather salesman and his mother worked as a secretary for General Motors . He is of partial German descent , and grew up in Silverton , a northeastern suburb of Cincinnati. He was a Boy Scout as a youth, attended St. John the Evangelist Catholic School, and graduated from
645-549: A dumb ho." Unlike Bubba J, he hates NASCAR. Sweet Daddy's headstone is featured in the beginning of the special Minding the Monsters . Melvin wears a blue superhero costume, and is used to poke fun at superheroes . When asked about his superhuman powers, he indicates that he has X-ray vision , adding, "I love looking at boobies!" He appears to have no other powers, however: When Dunham asks how far he can fly, he responds, "How far can you throw me?", and when asked if he can stop
774-517: A "pimp", which he says stands for "Player In the Management Profession." According to Sweet Daddy, because he is a pimp, that makes Jeff the " ho ". When Dunham objects, Daddy Dee points out that Dunham makes people laugh and feel good for a living. When Dunham agrees that this is the case, Daddy Dee says "You a ho." When Dunham asks what he would say if he told him that he was a comedian only because he enjoyed it, Daddy Dee responds "You
903-595: A "retired champion", ineligible from entering any more competitions, because other attendees were too intimidated to compete against him. The Vent Haven Museum devotes a section to Dunham alongside Señor Wences and Dunham's idol, Edgar Bergen. Dunham began performing for audiences as a teenager, in various venues such as school, church, and during his job at Six Flags . By his middle school years, he began to perform for banquets attended by local celebrities such as Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach , having developed his style of lampooning those he performed for, using
1032-509: A .750 winning percentage. Staubach recorded the highest passer rating in the NFL in four seasons (1971, 1973, 1978, 1979) and led the league with 23 touchdown passes in 1973. He was an All-NFC choice five times and selected to play in six Pro Bowls (1971, 1975–1979). Staubach retired from football in March 1980 with the highest career passer rating in NFL history at the time, 83.4, and was voted into
1161-657: A 4X Platinum certification from the RIAA. Dunham's sixth special, All Over the Map , was released on Comedy Central on November 16, 2014. The show was taped during his performances on five different continents. Also in 2014, Country Music Television premiered Achmed Saves America , an animated film starring Achmed the Dead Terrorist. Dunham released his seventh special, Unhinged in Hollywood, on September 17, 2015. The show
1290-566: A Muslim and says "Look at my ass! It says ' Made in China '!" He says he is afraid of Walter, partially because he's "one mean son of a bitch" and finds Walter's flatulence to be more potent than Saddam Hussein's mustard gas . In Very Special Christmas Special , he sings a song called "Jingle Bombs". By June 2009, the sketch in which Dunham introduced Achmed had amassed nearly 200 million views on YouTube . The large, round, articulated eyes of puppets such as Achmed and Achmed Junior are constructed by
1419-678: A Stick in the Larry the Cable Guy feature film Delta Farce . His second special, Jeff Dunham: Spark of Insanity , was taped at the Warner Theater in Washington, D.C. that same year. It served not only to cement Dunham's stardom, but to introduce his most controversial character, Achmed the Dead Terrorist, which became a viral Internet sensation. A clip of Achmed from Insanity attracted over 140 million hits on YouTube , making it
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#17327918267261548-574: A Stick, Walter, an early version of Melvin the Superhero Guy and Peanut, whom Dunham had begun to merchandise into a line of dolls. The appearance was successful, but Comedy Central resisted giving Dunham more airtime, feeling that he was not a good fit for them. By 2005 Dunham decided to gamble on financing his own comedy DVD, Jeff Dunham: Arguing with Myself , which was taped in Santa Ana, California . Dunham's manager, Judi Brown-Marmel, lobbied
1677-576: A Stick, taught him the value of modifying his act regionally, as the jalapeño jokes that worked well in Texas were not as well received by audiences in Long Island. After graduating from Baylor University in 1986, he continued honing his act in comedy clubs in the Southwest with new characters such as Peanut and José Jalapeño, but struggled against the perception he relates from fellow comedians that he
1806-517: A Stick. Touching upon his unusual appearance and personality, he asks Dunham in Arguing with Myself , after Dunham denies ever having done drugs, "Then how the hell did you come up with me ?" José is a talking jalapeño pepper on a stick who wears a small sombrero . José, who speaks with a thick Spanish accent, is typically paired with Peanut, who often makes fun of José, uses appeals to Latino stereotypes when doing so, and makes fun of his being on
1935-511: A TV commercial for a ringtone which featured Dunham's character Achmed the Dead Terrorist (see characters below) was banned by the South African Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after a complaint was filed by a citizen stating that the ad was offensive to Muslims , and portrayed all Muslims as terrorists. Dunham responded that "Achmed makes it clear in my act that he is not Muslim." However,
2064-462: A bullet like Superman , he responds, "Yeah. Once". Dunham portrays Melvin as unimpressed with other superheroes: When told Superman can leap tall buildings in a single bound, Melvin dismisses him as a "showoff," arguing that he can simply walk around them, observes that Aquaman has the same powers as SpongeBob SquarePants , asserts that the Flash 's super speed is derived from methamphetamine , that
2193-549: A career goal of obtaining, within ten years, an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson , which was seen as the "holy grail" for comedians. That year Dunham began attending Baylor University , hoping to graduate with a degree in communications, while performing around campus. He would also fly around the country on weekends, doing up to 100 private shows a year, entertaining corporate customers such as General Electric , whose CEO, Jack Welch , he mocked during his routine. By his junior year in college (1983–84), Dunham
2322-418: A certified nutritionist, personal trainer, and competition bodybuilder. On December 25, 2011, they became engaged to be married. On October 12, 2012, the couple married. On May 14, 2015, Dunham announced, via Facebook, that he and Audrey were expecting twin boys. In October, she gave birth to James Jeffrey and Jack Steven. In addition to building the dummies he uses in his act, Dunham restores antique dummies as
2451-482: A comedy duo. After Dunham became friends with Mike Lacey, owner of The Comedy & Magic Club in Hermosa Beach , Lacey gave Dunham a steady slot at the club, where Dunham sharpened his act by observing the techniques of comedians like Jerry Seinfeld , and taking the advice of colleague Bill Engvall , moving away from his G-rated material toward edgier, more adult themes. At the end of 1988, James McCawley,
2580-458: A commercial real estate business, The Staubach Company, in partnership with Robert Holloway Jr., an associate of Henry S. Miller. He had prepared by working in the off-seasons from 1970 until 1977 for the Henry S. Miller Company . Staubach began working with real estate because "I couldn't have retired at my age and just played golf. First of all, they didn't pay quarterbacks what they do today. And I
2709-772: A desperate attempt to score a game-winning or tying touchdown is referred to as a "Hail Mary" pass . In 1976, Staubach received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement . Staubach was named The Walter Camp "Man of the Year" in 1983, and was awarded the Davey O'Brien Legends Award in 2001. On January 25, 2007, Staubach was named chairman of the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Bid Committee, whose goal
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#17327918267262838-404: A difference. Modern ventriloquists use multiple types of puppets in their presentations, ranging from soft cloth or foam puppets (Verna Finly's work is a pioneering example), flexible latex puppets (such as Steve Axtell's creations) and the traditional and familiar hard-headed knee figure ( Tim Selberg 's mechanized carvings). The classic dummies used by ventriloquists (the technical name for which
2967-477: A family reunion, and remembers seeing her with a corn dog in one hand, a beer in another, and leaning against a ferris wheel , "making it tilt". Although he does not appear onstage, Bubba appears as the backstage security guard in Controlled Chaos . He was inspired by Edgar Bergen 's puppet, Mortimer Snerd. Achmed is the skeletal corpse of an incompetent suicide bomber , whom Dunham uses to satirize
3096-466: A fan of United States President Donald Trump in order to poke fun at Trump, Hillary Clinton , and the 2016 United States presidential election . Larry is the personal adviser to Donald Trump. He has unkempt orange hair, big bulgy eyes and has a cigarette in one hand. Jeff lightly shakes him to give the feeling of jitteriness. Larry is constantly on edge and is implied to be unnerved for having worked with Trump for "four hours". He nevertheless "supports"
3225-721: A friend of Dunham's, insists otherwise, saying that Dunham is inherently funny with or without the puppets. In a 2014 show in Malaysia, the government requested that Dunham not use or name Achmed in his show. Due to the restriction for that show, Achmed was renamed "Jacques Merde, the Dead French Terrorist" ( Jacques Merde meaning "Jack Shit"). In 2003, Dunham released Dear Walter... , a collection of questions asked of Dunham's fictional curmudgeon at live performances, authored by Dunham and Walter Cummings. His autobiography, All By My Selves: Walter, Peanut, Achmed and Me ,
3354-424: A heckler, and won over the rest of the audience. During this period he became so associated with his craft that he and one of his dummies "cowrote" a column in the school paper, and he would pose with his dummies for yearbooks as an inexpensive way to acquire professional photos of his act for promotional purposes. He was voted Most Likely to Succeed, and in 1980, after he graduated from high school, Dunham gave himself
3483-511: A hobby, one of which is The Umpire, a 6-foot-tall (1.8 m) mechanized dummy built in 1941 to work the plate at a girls' softball game. The Umpire was unused and was packed away for 50 years before Dunham acquired it in early 2008. Dunham has harbored a love of helicopters since childhood and is fond of building and flying his own kit helicopters from Rotorway helicopter kits. At the time he finished writing his autobiography in June 2010, he
3612-504: A late time slot, and after that time slot came and passed, kept postponing Dunham's stage time until Dunham left the club. By the end of 1988, Dunham felt his career had gone as far as it could go in Texas, and he moved to Los Angeles, California , never having, as he has commented, "a real job". This concerned his parents, who assumed he would relegate his act to local venues such as church groups. When he first arrived in Los Angeles,
3741-416: A mirror, studying the routines of Edgar Bergen and the how-to record Jimmy Nelson's Instant Ventriloquism , finding ventriloquism to be a learned skill, similar to juggling, that anyone with a normal speaking voice can acquire. Dunham has said that as an only child, he enjoyed being alone, likening his solitude to a "warm blanket" with which he could explore his own thoughts and ideas and which prepared him for
3870-510: A penchant for leading scoring drives which gave the Cowboys improbable victories. He led the Cowboys to 23 game-winning drives (15 comebacks) during the fourth quarter, with 17 of those in the final two minutes or in overtime. In the television show King of the Hill , Staubach's name has been used for the elementary school in the fictional town of Arlen, Texas . Staubach's most famous moment
3999-658: A person (a ventriloquist ) speaks in such a way that it looks like their voice is coming from a different location, usually through a puppet known as a "dummy". The act of ventriloquism is ventriloquizing , and in English it is commonly called the ability to "throw" one's voice. Originally, ventriloquism was a religious practice. The name comes from the Latin for 'to speak from the stomach: Venter (belly) and loqui (speak). The Greeks called this engastromythia ( ‹See Tfd› Greek : εγγαστριμυθία ). The noises produced by
Jeff Dunham - Misplaced Pages Continue
4128-588: A series that ran in 2009. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and holds the Guinness Book of World Records record for "Most tickets sold for a stand-up comedy tour" for his Spark of Insanity tour. Dunham has been called "America's favorite comedian" by Slate . His introduction of Achmed the Dead Terrorist in Spark of Insanity in 2007 was ranked as the ninth most watched YouTube video at
4257-533: A stick. Although José was not Dunham's first puppet, it was the first that Dunham made himself. Bubba J is a beer-drinking redneck that Dunham describes in Arguing with Myself and A Very Special Christmas Special as " white trash trailer park ", and whom Dunham uses for humor centered on such stereotypes. To this end, he frequently does jokes involving Bubba J's love of drinking beer and NASCAR , and his low intelligence. Touching upon such stereotypes, Bubba mentions in Arguing with Myself that he met his wife at
4386-521: A suicide bomber. Seamus is a grumpy, beer-drinking, Irish infant who first appears in Relative Disaster , which was filmed in Ireland. Dunham, himself an adopted child, introduces him as a son that he has adopted in order to " pay it forward ". Despite being an infant, he is a belligerent heavy drinker, traits with which Dunham pokes fun at Irish stereotypes. Dunham also establishes Seamus as
4515-447: A talent booker for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson , told Dunham that he would be given a spot on the coveted program. Though the 26-year-old Dunham was elated that his 10-year goal was arriving two years early, McCawley later cancelled Dunham's appearance after McCawley and Roseanne Barr attended a public performance by Dunham on the day before the taping of Dunham's scheduled Tonight Show appearance. McCawley informed Dunham on
4644-515: A television series called The Jeff Dunham Show that premiered on October 22, 2009. Despite having the most-watched premiere in Comedy Central history, and higher average ratings than other shows on that network initially, the show was canceled after only one season, amid poor reviews, dwindling ratings and higher production costs than other Comedy Central shows. Dunham appeared in a guest role with Bubba J on NBC's sitcom 30 Rock , playing
4773-477: A ventriloquist named Rick Wayne and his dummy Pumpkin from Stone Mountain, Georgia . In November 2009 Dunham also appeared with Walter in "Hart to Hart", an episode of the Disney Channel series Sonny With a Chance , as two security guards. He appeared in the 2010 Steve Carell / Paul Rudd comedy, Dinner for Schmucks , as Lewis, with a new puppet named Diane. His fourth special, Controlled Chaos ,
4902-424: Is ventriloquial figure ) vary in size anywhere from twelve inches tall to human-size and larger, with the height usually 34–42 in (86–107 cm). Traditionally, this type of puppet has been made from papier-mâché or wood. In modern times, other materials are often employed, including fiberglass -reinforced resins , urethanes , filled (rigid) latex , and neoprene . Traditionally, the ventriloquist’s dummy
5031-421: Is a Vietnam War veteran and a former welder, and "doesn't give a damn" about anyone, especially his own wife and certain audience members. Walter appeared in every Comedy Central special. He's been married for several decades. When Dunham asks him if he remembers the happiest moment of his life after Walter tells him he has been married for forty-six years, Walter responds, "Forty- seven years ago!" Dunham created
5160-551: Is a hyperactive, purple-skinned "woozle" with white fur covering most of his body, a tuft of green hair on the top of his head, and one sneaker on his left foot. Dunham explains in Arguing with Myself that Peanut is from a small Micronesian island, and that they met in Florida. Peanut's humor is not based on a particular motif or stereotype, as those of the other characters, and he has been described as "the bad kid". He often makes fun of Dunham, and torments and mocks José Jalapeño on
5289-536: Is a miniature version of Dunham himself, usually dressed in the same clothes Dunham wears during each show. His first onscreen appearance was in the 1989 television program A&E 's An Evening at The Improv . He later appeared in Jeff Dunham: Controlled Chaos as a puppet that Peanut used when attempting his hand at ventriloquism. Peanut named the doll "Little Ugly Ass-Jeff", and uses him to insult Dunham. Diane first appeared with Dunham in
Jeff Dunham - Misplaced Pages Continue
5418-578: Is given a flippant personality who unapologetically insults their ventriloquist and often members of the audience as well. Great names in the history of dummy making include Jeff Dunham, Frank Marshall (the Chicago creator of Bergen's Charlie McCarthy , Nelson's Danny O'Day, and Winchell's Jerry Mahoney), Theo Mack and Son (Mack carved Charlie McCarthy's head), Revello Petee, Kenneth Spencer, Cecil Gough, and Glen & George McElroy. The McElroy brothers' figures are still considered by many ventriloquists as
5547-409: Is his symbol, and whose similarity in shape to that of a penis is alluded to in the act. Dunham sculpted the current version of Melvin's head himself, and hired an effects company called Renegade Effects Groups to create the rubber mold and complete the puppet, before then installing the mechanics himself. Melvin's headstone is featured in the beginning of the special Minding the Monsters . Little Jeff
5676-675: Is one of ten players to both win the Heisman Trophy and be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the only quarterback. He is regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Upon his retirement Staubach founded The Staubach Group, a commercial real estate firm that he later sold to Jones Lang LaSalle for $ 613 million in 2008. He then became executive chairman of the Americas region of Jones Lang LaSalle until his retirement in 2018. The same year, he received
5805-456: Is that all the sounds that they make must be made with lips slightly separated. For the labial sounds f , v , b , p , and m , the only choice is to replace them with others. A widely parodied example of this difficulty is the "gottle o' gear", from the reputed inability of less-skilled practitioners to pronounce "bottle of beer". If variations of the sounds th , d , t , and n are spoken quickly, it can be difficult for listeners to notice
5934-511: Is the last player from a military academy to win the Heisman Trophy. As a senior in 1964 , he injured his left heel in the opening game victory over Penn State and missed the next four games, and Navy finished the season at 3–6–1. The Naval Academy retired Staubach's jersey number (12) during his graduation ceremony after his senior season. In 1981, Staubach was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame . In 2007, Staubach
6063-475: Is the victim of a bomb, which resulted in the destruction of half of his face and body. He speaks with a British accent because he was raised in Britain after the accident. Much to his father's consternation, he expresses an attraction to Dunham's male stage hand, Marnell, appears on stage to address Achmed's loss of balance. Conflict also stems from the fact that unlike his father, Achmed Junior does not wish to be
6192-537: The American Comedy Awards in 1998, his club work kept him away from his wife and daughters between two and three weeks each month, which put a strain on his marriage, and made paying bills for his expanded family difficult. By 2002, Dunham was hoping to obtain more TV work to raise his profile and ease his standup schedule. Such exposure was elusive until a successful appearance on The Best Damn Sports Show Period , where Dunham and Walter made jokes at
6321-654: The Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl V , losing by three points on a last-second field goal. In 1971 , Morton began the season as the starter, but after a loss to the New Orleans Saints , Staubach assumed the role. However, in a game against the Chicago Bears during the seventh week of that season, coach Tom Landry alternated Staubach and Morton on each play, sending in the quarterbacks with
6450-611: The Dallas Cowboys . He attended the U.S. Naval Academy , where he won the 1963 Heisman Trophy playing for the Midshipmen . After graduation, he served in the U.S. Navy , including a tour of duty in Vietnam . Staubach joined the Dallas Cowboys in 1969 , becoming the team's second major franchise quarterback after the retirement of Don Meredith in 1968. Staubach played with the Cowboys during his entire career. He led
6579-665: The Heisman Trophy , Maxwell Award , and the Walter Camp Memorial Trophy while leading the Midshipmen to a 9–1 regular season record and a final ranking of No. 2 in the nation. He appeared on the cover of Time in October; he would also have been on the cover of Life magazine's November 29, 1963 issue, but for the assassination of President Kennedy. On New Year's Day, the Midshipmen lost
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#17327918267266708-598: The Hulk 's vaunted ability to get stronger as he gets angrier merely mirrors "every white trash guy on COPS ," and makes innuendo about the questionable relationship between Batman and the underage Robin . Melvin's first onscreen appearance was in the July 2003 Comedy Central Presents episode, in which he had small, black, beady eyes. By his next appearance, in Spark of Insanity , he had been modified to have large, blue, crossed eyes . He has an enormous nose, which he claims
6837-589: The Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI in January 1972. He was named the game's MVP , completing 12 out of 19 passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 18 yards. After the season, he negotiated his own contract, a three-year deal at about $ 75,000 per year. In 1972 , Staubach missed most of the season with a separated shoulder , but relieved Morton in a divisional playoff game against
6966-694: The San Francisco 49ers and threw two touchdown passes in the last 90 seconds to win 30–28. With that performance, he won back his regular job and did not relinquish it again during his career. Staubach led the Cowboys to a second Super Bowl win in the 1977 season. He threw for 183 yards, a touchdown, and no interceptions in Dallas' 27–10 victory in Super Bowl XII over the Denver Broncos , led by his former teammate Morton. Staubach also led
7095-457: The " conservative country crowd " or those characterized by "basic Christian values", as they are one of his largest audiences and a part of his upbringing. Dunham was heckled and criticized for mocking TV critics during a July 2009 press tour to promote his then-upcoming Comedy Central TV series, The Jeff Dunham Show , as well as Comedy Central programming chief Lauren Correo. In October 2009 The Jeff Dunham Show enjoyed good initial ratings, but
7224-523: The 1830s, followed by Fred Neiman later in the century, but it is Fred Russell who is regarded as the father of modern ventriloquism. In 1886, he was offered a professional engagement at the Palace Theatre in London and took up his stage career permanently. His act, based on the cheeky-boy dummy "Coster Joe" that would sit in his lap and 'engage in a dialogue' with him was highly influential for
7353-748: The 1950s and 1960s. A number of modern ventriloquists have developed a following as the public taste for live comedy grows. In 2007, Zillah & Totte won the first season of Sweden's Got Talent and became one of Sweden 's most popular family/children entertainers. A feature-length documentary about ventriloquism, I'm No Dummy , was released in 2010. Three ventriloquists have won America's Got Talent : Terry Fator in 2007, Paul Zerdin in 2015 and Darci Lynne in 2017. Two ventriloquists, Damien James and Christine Barger , have appeared on Penn & Teller: Fool Us . Several ventriloquists have grown large followings on popular social media apps like TikTok, as well. One difficulty ventriloquists face
7482-491: The 1978 film Magic , the 1945 anthology film Dead of Night , and the Ventriloquist from Batman comics and other Batman media. Literary examples of frightening ventriloquist dummies include Gerald Kersh 's The Horrible Dummy and the story "The Glass Eye" by John Keir Cross. In music, NRBQ's video for their song "Dummy" (2004) features four ventriloquist dummies modelled after the band members who 'lip-sync'
7611-565: The 2010 film Dinner for Schmucks as "Debbie", his character's "wife". She made her stand-up debut in Dunham's Identity Crisis Tour 2010. Achmed Junior is the estranged son of Achmed. He was designed by Mad magazine illustrator Tom Richmond . He first appeared during the Identity Crisis Tour 2010, and made his first onscreen appearance in Dunham's fourth special, Jeff Dunham: Controlled Chaos . Like his father, Achmed Junior
7740-581: The ASA noted that the name Achmed was of Arab origin and was one of the names of Muhammad . Dunham responded, "I've skewered Whites , Blacks , Hispanics , Asians , Christians , Jews , Muslims, gays , straights , rednecks , addicts , the elderly, and my wife. As a standup comic, it is my job to make the majority of people laugh, and I believe that comedy is the last true form of free speech ... I'm considering renaming Achmed 'Bill ' ", he added. Dunham has conceded that he does exhibit particular sensitivity to
7869-653: The Catholic high school Purcell High School in Cincinnati (now named Purcell Marian High School ) in 1960. To prepare for his naval career, Staubach spent one year at New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell , where he set a school record for passing yards and scored 18 total touchdowns. Staubach entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1961, and played quarterback for the Midshipmen . As a third-class midshipman (sophomore) in 1962 , he got his first opportunity to play, in
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#17327918267267998-666: The Comedy Corner in West Palm Beach, Florida . They began dating in December 1992. In May 1994, Dunham married Brown and adopted her one-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Bree. Their daughters Ashlyn and Kenna were born in 1995 and 1997, respectively. Dunham's time away while performing proved a strain on the marriage and, in November 2008, he filed for divorce. By mid-2009, Dunham was in a relationship with Audrey Murdick,
8127-566: The Cowboys to appearances in Super Bowl X and Super Bowl XIII , where they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers both times by a total of eight points. Staubach's offensive teammates included standout receivers "Bullet" Bob Hayes , Lance Alworth , Drew Pearson , and Golden Richards , tight ends Mike Ditka , Billy Joe Dupree , and Jackie Smith , tackle Rayfield Wright , and running backs Robert Newhouse , Calvin Hill , and Tony Dorsett . Dorsett, Hayes, Pearson, and Wright are in
8256-648: The Crypt ; Gotham (the episode " Nothing's Shocking "); Friday the 13th: The Series ; Toy Story 4 ; and Doctor Who in different episodes. This genre has also been satirized on television in ALF (the episode "I'm Your Puppet"); Seinfeld (the episode " The Chicken Roaster "); and the comic strip Monty . Some psychological horror films and other works feature psychotic ventriloquists who believe their dummies are alive and use them as surrogates to commit frightening acts including murder. Examples of this include
8385-538: The Funny which features in a television advertisement for Lijjat Papad, an Indian snack. Ramdas Padhye's son Satyajit Padhye is also a ventriloquist. The popularity of ventriloquism fluctuates. Comedian Jeff Dunham has been credited with reviving the artform and is said to done more promoting it than anyone since Edgar Bergen. In the UK in 2010, there were only 15 full-time professional ventriloquists, down from around 400 in
8514-532: The Goshawks defeated many of the college teams they played against. Staubach was a tenth-round "future" selection in the 1964 NFL draft by the Cowboys . The NFL allowed the Cowboys to draft him one year before his college eligibility was over because he was four years out of high school, although due to his four-year military commitment, he would not play professionally until 1969 as a 27-year-old rookie. He
8643-573: The Hall of Fame, as are Alworth, Ditka, and Smith (although those three were all with the Cowboys only at the end of their careers). During his final NFL season in 1979 , Staubach had career highs in completions (267), passing yards (3,586), and touchdown passes (27), with just 11 interceptions. He retired at the conclusion of the season in order to protect his long-term health, declining the Cowboys' offer for two more seasons. He suffered 20 concussions in his playing career, including six in which he said he
8772-600: The Irishman James Burne who "carries in his pocket, an ill-shaped doll, with a broad face, which he exhibits ... as giving utterance to his own childish jargon," and Thomas Garbutt. The entertainment came of age during the era of the music hall in the United Kingdom and vaudeville in the United States . George Sutton began to incorporate a puppet act into his routine at Nottingham in
8901-504: The Middle East. Jeff Dunham's Very Special Christmas Special was taped at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that same year, and premiered on Comedy Central on November 16, 2008, watched by 6.6 million people. It became available on DVD and Blu-ray on November 18, 2008. The special's premiere was the highest rated telecast in Comedy Central's history. In September 2008, his career reached new heights as he began performing in arenas filled with tens of thousands of people. Dunham
9030-444: The Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. In 1999, he was ranked No. 29 on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, the second-ranked Cowboy behind Bob Lilly . Staubach was one of the most famous NFL players of the 1970s. Known as "Roger The Dodger" for his scrambling abilities, "Captain America" as quarterback of America's Team , and also as "Captain Comeback" for his fourth-quarter game-winning heroics, Staubach had
9159-449: The Top Comic in Comedy Central's "Stand-Up Showdown". He is the only person to win the "Ventriloquist of the Year" Award twice. He was nominated "Comedian of the Year" by the TNN Music City News Country Awards, and has drawn praise from the Dallas Morning News for his technique and timing. Critics, such as Randee Dawn of The Hollywood Reporter , accused Dunham's characters of being racist caricatures, sexist, and homophobic. In 2008,
9288-591: The United States in the 1950s and 1960s was Señor Wences . In south India, the art of ventriloquism was popularized by Y. K. Padhye and M. M. Roy, who are believed to be the pioneers of this field in India. Y. K. Padhye's son Ramdas Padhye borrowed from him and made the art popular amongst the masses through his performance on television. Ramdas Padhye's name is synonymous with puppet characters like Ardhavatrao (also known as Mr. Crazy), Tatya Vinchu and Bunny
9417-484: The Walter puppet himself, including both the initial sculpture and the silicone mold, though he eventually began using professional effects companies for the latter stages with his subsequent puppets. In the 2020 United States presidential election , Dunham adapted the Walter puppet into "Wonald Grump" and "Ben Hiden," caricatures of Donald Trump and Joe Biden , respectively, for a mock debate moderated by Achmed. Peanut
9546-501: The apex of complex movement mechanics, with as many as fifteen facial and head movements controlled by interior finger keys and switches. Jeff Dunham referred to his McElroy figure Skinny Duggan as "the Stradivarius of dummies." The Juro Novelty Company also manufactured dummies. Geoffrey Moran of Australia has built foam puppets Koala (Kevin) and Billy Baby. He has also built a wooden Irish Dancing Donut puppet along with Plunger
9675-453: The art form than anyone since Edgar Bergen . Dunham was born on April 18, 1962, in Dallas, Texas . When he was three months old, he was adopted by real estate appraiser Howard Dunham and his homemaker wife, Joyce, who raised him in a devoutly Presbyterian household in an affluent Dallas neighborhood, as an only child. He began ventriloquism in 1970 at age eight, when his parents gave him
9804-457: The character being depicted as a rat in pirate clothing holding a treasure chest that has a smaller "Pi-Rat" in it where that part of the costume is a puppet for Dunham to also operate. He was eliminated on "Vegas Night" alongside Montell Jordan as "Panther". He released his 12th television special, I'm With Cupid , on Comedy Central in February 2024. In January 2008, Dunham was voted by fans
9933-407: The comedy in his act bombed. Dunham attributes this initial reaction to his underdeveloped comedy, explaining that while the characters' personalities were developed at that point, his jokes were not. In addition to this, the comedy world was not welcoming to ventriloquists, and his manager, Judi Brown-Marmel, did not use the word "ventriloquist" when finding bookings for him, choosing to present him as
10062-486: The company's emphasis from commercial development to representing corporate clients seeking to lease or buy space. This proved fortuitous as a boom in Dallas office construction followed by a recession in the Texas oil industry left the city with excess office space, so companies representing tenants wielded greater influence. The company has worked with major businesses including AT&T, McDonald's Corporation, Hospital Corporation of America and K Mart Corporation. The company
10191-622: The conduit for the Delphic Oracle. One of the most successful early gastromancers was Eurykles, a prophet at Athens ; gastromancers came to be referred to as Euryklides in his honour. Other parts of the world also have a tradition of ventriloquism for ritual or religious purposes; historically there have been adepts of this practice among the Zulu , Inuit , and Māori peoples. The shift from ventriloquism as manifestation of spiritual forces toward ventriloquism as entertainment happened in
10320-757: The contemporary issue of terrorism . He is known for yelling, "Silence! I keel you!" to Dunham and people laughing in the audience. Achmed first appeared in Spark of Insanity , and has appeared in every Dunham special since then. In Spark of Insanity the audience learns several things about Achmed. When Dunham says that Achmed must be dead because he's a skeleton, Achmed responds, " It's a flesh wound ." When Dunham inquires as to how he died, Achmed explains his incompetence with explosives, while also casting aspersions on Dunham's sexual prowess by saying that they both suffer from " premature detonation ". Although he frequently mentions working for Osama bin Laden , Achmed denies being
10449-806: The day of the scheduled taping that he had been wrong in his initial assessment of Dunham, whom he now said was not ready for The Tonight Show . Dunham continued to tighten his act in Los Angeles clubs, performing the same 6-minute segment with Peanut a total of nine times for McCawley over the next few months. Finally at the Ice-House in Pasadena in April 1990, after Dunham did the same segment, McCawley informed Dunham that he would finally get his Tonight Show appearance. Dunham and Peanut appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on April 6, 1990, alongside guests Bob Hope and B.B. King . Following his bit, he
10578-820: The difference between red ( port ) and green ( starboard ) lights or to discern the color differences in electrical circuitry. After graduating from the Naval Academy in June 1965, Staubach could have requested an assignment in the United States, but he chose to volunteer for a one-year tour of duty in South Vietnam . He served as a Supply Corps officer for the Navy at the Chu Lai Base Area until 1967. Staubach supervised 41 enlisted men. Staubach returned from South Vietnam in September 1967, and spent
10707-630: The distinction. He was the first player to receive the award, given it at the same time as Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Alan Page . The other two recipients, Earl Blaik and Bear Bryant , were both head coaches. On Friday, August 18, 2023, Staubach's alma mater, Purcell Marian High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, opened its new athletic complex, named Staubach Stadium in honor of Staubach. Staubach married his wife Marianne on September 4, 1965. Together they had five children. He and Marianne reside in Dallas , Texas. As of 2017, they have 15 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. In 1977, he started
10836-698: The eighteenth century at travelling funfairs and market towns. An early depiction of a ventriloquist dates to 1754 in England, where Sir John Parnell is depicted in the painting An Election Entertainment by William Hogarth as speaking via his hand. In 1757, the Austrian Baron de Mengen performed with a small doll. By the late 18th century, ventriloquist performances were an established form of entertainment in England, although most performers "threw their voice" to make it appear that it emanated from far away (known as distant ventriloquism ), rather than
10965-591: The entertainment format and was adopted by the next generation of performers. A blue plaque has been embedded in a former residence of Russell by the British Heritage Society which reads 'Fred Russell the father of ventriloquism lived here'. Fred Russell's successful comedy team format was applied by the next generation of ventriloquists. It was taken forward by the British Arthur Prince with his dummy Sailor Jim, who became one of
11094-641: The expense of co-hosts Tom Arnold , Michael Irvin , John Salley and John Kruk , generating laughter from them, and giving Dunham much-needed exposure. In 2003, Dunham was the frontrunner to replace Jimmy Kimmel on Fox NFL Sunday , but hosts Howie Long and Terry Bradshaw were not amenable to the idea of being upstaged by a puppet, and, as Dunham tells it, did not provide a welcoming atmosphere to Dunham, nor allow him to speak much during his appearance. On July 18, 2003, Dunham appeared on Comedy Central Presents , his first solo appearance on Comedy Central. During his half hour piece, he showcased José Jalapeño on
11223-500: The game to see if he could improve the team's offense. He led Navy to six touchdowns, throwing for 99 yards and two touchdowns, while running for 88 yards and another score as Navy won 41–0. A few weeks later, Staubach started again in the famous Army–Navy game . President John F. Kennedy attended the game, performing the coin toss. Staubach led the team to a 34–14 upset over Army, throwing for two touchdowns and running for another. In his second class (junior) season of 1963 , he won
11352-817: The highest paid entertainers on the music hall circuit, and by the Americans The Great Lester , Frank Byron Jr., and Edgar Bergen . Bergen, together with his favorite figure Charlie McCarthy , hosted a radio program that was broadcast from 1937 to 1956 and which was #1 on the nights it aired, popularizing the idea of the comedic ventriloquist. Bergen continued performing until his death in 1978, and his popularity inspired many other famous ventriloquists who followed him, including Paul Winchell , Jimmy Nelson , David Strassman , Jeff Dunham , Terry Fator , Ronn Lucas , Wayland Flowers , Shari Lewis , Willie Tyler , Jay Johnson , Nina Conti , Paul Zerdin , and Darci Lynne . Another ventriloquist act popular in
11481-420: The mid-1990s, however, his television appearances had dwindled and, with them, so did his stage audiences. Dunham moved back to clubs, more than 200 appearances a year. To maintain a connection with his fan base, he would use question cards that he had audiences fill out for his performances to build a database, which was tailor-made for the burgeoning World Wide Web . Though he was voted Funniest Male Standup at
11610-457: The modern method of using a puppet ( near ventriloquism ). A well-known ventriloquist of the period, Joseph Askins, who performed at the Sadler's Wells Theatre in London in the 1790s advertised his act as "curious ad libitum Dialogues between himself and his invisible familiar, Little Tommy". However, other performers were beginning to incorporate dolls or puppets into their performance, notably
11739-564: The multibillion-dollar real estate company he started 30 years earlier. On July 11, 2008, The Staubach Company was sold to Jones Lang LaSalle for $ 613 million. Staubach and his children's trust would gross more than $ 100 million from the sale by 2013. The sale provided an initial payment of $ 9.27 per Staubach share with additional payments due during the ensuing five years for a total of approximately $ 29/share. Staubach took half of his first payment in Jones Lang LaSalle stock which
11868-518: The naive and devoutly-raised Dunham, Broadway was a new world filled with beautiful showgirls and crusty stagehands, and his first taste of entertainment industry egos came when Rooney called Dunham into his dressing room, and told him he was there for one reason alone: so that Rooney could change his costumes. He performed at the Westbury Music Fair on Long Island . These early experiences, in which he used characters like José Jalapeño on
11997-555: The national championship to the No. 1 team, the University of Texas , in the 1964 Cotton Bowl . Earlier that season, Staubach led Navy to a 35–14 road victory in its annual rivalry with Notre Dame . Navy did not beat Notre Dame again until 2007 , 43 years later. During three seasons at Navy, Staubach completed 292 of 463 passes with 18 touchdowns and 19 interceptions, while gaining a school-record 4,253 yards of total offense. Staubach
12126-478: The network to air it, pointing to Dunham's drawing power and merchandising profits, and arguing that the network needed more diverse content. Surprised by the high ratings of the first Blue Collar Comics concert movie that same year, the network began to reconsider its brand. In late 2006, Comedy Central aired Arguing with Myself , drawing two million viewers when it aired, and selling two million DVDs. In 2007, Dunham appeared as The Amazing Ken with José Jalapeño on
12255-651: The ninth most watched clip on that website as of October 2009. He went on to perform the Spark of Insanity international tour where he achieved the Guinness Book of World Records record for "Most tickets sold for a stand-up comedy tour." He performed in 386 venues worldwide, selling 1,981,720 tickets between September 2007 and August 2010. By 2008, Dunham's characters had crossed language barriers, with his specials dubbed for audiences in various countries such as France, and Dunham attracting requests for performances in South Africa, Australia, Norway, Denmark, China, and
12384-663: The play call from the sideline. Dallas gained almost 500 yards of offense but committed seven turnovers that resulted in a 23–19 loss to a mediocre Bears squad that dropped the Cowboys to 4–3 for the season, two games behind the Washington Redskins in the NFC East race. Staubach assumed the full-time quarterbacking duties in week eight with a victory over the St. Louis Cardinals and led the Cowboys to 10 consecutive victories, including their first Super Bowl victory, 24–3 over
12513-542: The president of the philanthropic organization No Greater Love in 1981. During the early 1980s, Staubach worked for a brief time as a color commentator for CBS Sports ' NFL telecasts. On November 9, 1980, during a close game between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys , Staubach broadcast a nostalgic comment by exclaiming he would like to be "right down there in the middle of it". The Cowboys lost 38–35 . Staubach jointly owned Hall of Fame Racing ,
12642-508: The president. Little Peanut is a miniature version of Peanut that Dunham has used to counter Peanut's use of Little Jeff. In the 2022 special Jeff Dunham: Me the People , Dunham introduced a new puppet named Url, a young person who is always preoccupied with using his mobile device. Dunham explained the creation of the character, saying, "Everybody gets stuck on their devices. Ninety-nine percent of us gets stuck on our smart devices too much of
12771-776: The pull apart puppet, Ernie (from Tasmania) and Siegfried the World's Greatest Marching Band Leader. Other puppets, such as George, Darryl the Dinosaur, Goggles the bird, Barry the Box and Bruce the Robotic Bucket have been made by other associates. The plots of some films and television programs are based on " killer toy " dummies that are alive and horrific. These include " The Dummy ", a May 4, 1962 episode of The Twilight Zone ; Devil Doll ; Dead Silence ; Zapatlela ; Buffy The Vampire Slayer ; Goosebumps ; Tales from
12900-412: The puppets to say things too risque for him to say without them. Dunham's television debut came in 1976 when the still prepubescent performer caught the attention of Dallas reporters like Bill O'Reilly , who interviewed Dunham for a local news story. Dunham later did commercials for Datsun dealerships in Dallas and Tyler while still in high school. While emceeing a high school talent show, he dealt with
13029-615: The rest of his naval career in the United States. He played football on various service teams to prepare for his future career in the National Football League . During his tour at the naval air station in Pensacola, Florida , he quarterbacked the Goshawks, a team consisting of fellow U.S. Navy officers like himself, and played games against college football teams. He had access to the Dallas Cowboys playbook, and
13158-666: The same effects artist who created the dinosaur eyes for the Jurassic Park films. The character starred in Achmed Saves America , an animated film that premiered on Country Music Television in March 2014. In the film, which depicts the mishap that led to the character's skeletonization, Achmed finds himself in an American town called Americaville, which he plots to blow up, before developing an affinity for American culture. Dunham introduces Sweet Daddy Dee in Arguing with Myself as his "new manager". He calls himself
13287-632: The solitude of living alone when he later moved to Los Angeles as a struggling comedian. When Dunham was in the sixth grade, he began attending the Vent Haven ConVENTion in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky , an annual international meeting of ventriloquists that includes competitions, where he met Jimmy Nelson in person. Dunham has missed only one ConVENTion since then, in 1977. The organizers of the ConVENTion eventually declared Dunham
13416-587: The song while wandering around a dark, abandoned house. Roger Staubach Roger Thomas Staubach ( / s t ɔː b ɑː k / , - / b æ k / ; STAW -bahk , - back ; born February 5, 1942), nicknamed " Roger the Dodger ", " Captain America ", and " Captain Comeback ", is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons with
13545-508: The songs, with the exception of "Jingle Bombs", were written and accompanied by Brian Haner , who joined Dunham's act as "Guitar Guy". His first onscreen appearance was in Jeff Dunham's Very Special Christmas Special . In March 2009, Dunham signed a multi-platform deal with Comedy Central. It included a fourth stand-up special to air in 2010, DVDs, a consumer products partnership, a 60-city tour beginning in September 2010, and an order for
13674-513: The stomach were thought to be the voices of the unliving, who took up residence in the stomach of the ventriloquist. The ventriloquist would then interpret the sounds, as they were thought to be able to speak to the dead, as well as foretell the future. One of the earliest recorded group of prophets to use this technique was the Pythia , the priestess at the temple of Apollo in Delphi , who acted as
13803-498: The team to the Super Bowl five times, four as the starting quarterback. He led the Cowboys to victories in Super Bowl VI and Super Bowl XII . Staubach was named Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl VI , becoming the first of four players to win both the Heisman Trophy and Super Bowl MVP , along with Jim Plunkett , Marcus Allen , and Desmond Howard . He was named to the Pro Bowl six times during his 11-year NFL career. Staubach
13932-459: The third game of the season, against the University of Minnesota on October 6. He relieved starter Ron Klemick as the Minnesota defense, led by Bobby Bell and Carl Eller , was stifling in its 21–0 victory. Staubach was 0–2 passing and was sacked twice for -24 yards. A week later, playing against Cornell University, with the offense failing, coach Wayne Hardin decided to put Staubach into
14061-869: The time while his A Very Special Christmas Special was the most-watched telecast in Comedy Central history, with the DVD selling over 400,000 copies in its first two weeks. Forbes ranked Dunham as the third highest-paid comedian in the United States behind Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock and reported that he was one of the highest-earning comics from June 2008 to June 2009, earning approximately $ 30 million during that period. His style has been described as "a dressed-down, more digestible version of Don Rickles with multiple personality disorder ". Time described his characters as " politically incorrect , gratuitously insulting and ill-tempered." Dunham has been credited with reviving ventriloquism and doing more to promote
14190-451: The time, so we can identify with that. Children are on them too much. Parents have to deal with it. Kids complain because their parents are on them too much. So everybody knows somebody stuck on the smart device. So I thought, I'm going to create a younger guy that also has the problem of living in his parents' basement. So many families are dealing with that now. The kids come back and won't go away." Dunham met his first wife, Paige Brown, at
14319-523: The year he made his Netflix special debut with the release of Relative Disaster. He released Relative Disaster, his second Netflix special, in 2019. Dunham didn't tour beginning in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic . He began touring again in 2021 with his North America and European Seriously? Tour. In 2022, he began his North American Still Not Cancelled Tour. The same year, Dunham competed in season eight of The Masked Singer as "Pi-Rat" with
14448-532: Was "knocked out". After suffering two concussions in 1979, a doctor at Cornell told Staubach that while his brain tests were fine at the moment, another concussion could have life-altering consequences. He chose to retire and was replaced as the Cowboys starting quarterback by Danny White . Overall, Staubach finished his 11 NFL seasons with 1,685 completions for 22,700 yards, 153 touchdowns, and 109 interceptions. He also gained 2,264 rushing yards and scored 21 touchdowns on 410 carries. For regular-season games, he had
14577-607: Was 37 with three kids. I kept thinking about [what would happen] if some linebacker takes off my head and I can't play anymore." He said "Henry Miller Jr. was a lot like [legendary Cowboys coach Tom] Landry . They both had similar haircuts ... they both had phenomenal integrity, great work ethic, and they could transfer their strengths to other people." The Staubach Company has been his primary endeavor since retirement from football. The company first developed several office buildings; Holloway managed construction while Staubach found tenants. In 1982, Staubach bought out Holloway and shifted
14706-410: Was a 1996 episode of Ellen , in which he appeared with Walter. Dunham also appeared with Walter in a TV commercial for Hertz . Dunham would appear on The Tonight Show a total of four times, as well as similar TV venues such as Hot Country Nights , appearing in one segment with Reba McEntire . This exposure helped make Dunham a large theater headliner, a rare accomplishment for a ventriloquist. By
14835-561: Was also drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 16th round (122nd choice overall) of the 1964 American Football League Draft , also with a future selection. While still in the Navy during 1968 , he went to the Cowboys' rookie camp, using most of his annual military leave . During 1969 , Staubach resigned his naval commission just in time to join the Cowboys training camp. The Cowboys won their first NFC title in 1970 with Craig Morton starting at quarterback, but lost to
14964-624: Was also involved with residential development, with ownership stakes in 27 apartments and other real estate projects in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Some of these were in partnership with Cowboys teammate Bob Breunig through S.B.C. Development Corporation, then a subsidiary of the Staubach Company. Others were collaborations with local developers and investors, including Ross Perot . He served as its chairman and CEO until June 20, 2007, when he announced he would resign as CEO of
15093-479: Was beginning to build his fourth kit. He is also an aficionado of muscle cars and Apple, Inc. products. According to the July 16, 2012, television documentary The Batmobile , Dunham owns the original Batmobile used in the Tim Burton film Batman , which he had outfitted with a Corvette engine to make it street legal. Ventriloquist Ventriloquism or ventriloquy is an act of stagecraft in which
15222-567: Was filmed inside the Dolby Theatre and was his first special to premier on NBC . Dunham performed the North American Perfectly Unbalanced Tour beginning in December 2015. A second leg of the tour ran internationally in 2017, the same year Dunham received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . Beginning in September 2017, he toured North America for his Passively Aggressive Tour. 2017 was also
15351-570: Was invited to sit on Johnny Carson 's couch, a mark of approval on Carson's show. Upon sitting down next to Carson's desk, Dunham pulled out Walter, who told Carson sidekick Ed McMahon , "Stop sending me all your damn mail." At the time, Dunham saw his Tonight Show appearance as his big break, but was frustrated at his parents' initial disapproval over Walter's use of the words "hell" and "damn", and he would toil in obscurity for another 12 years, continuing his stand up at venues such as The Improv chain, and appearing in small roles on TV. One of these
15480-474: Was making $ 70,000 a year, and as word spread of his act, he landed featured spots opening for Bob Hope and George Burns , though he still perceived his act as raw, as he did not have any knowledge of standup comedy beyond his Bill Cosby albums. He caught a break in 1985 when he was asked to join the Broadway show Sugar Babies with Mickey Rooney and Ann Miller , replacing an outgoing variety act. For
15609-504: Was not a true comedian because he relied on props. His experience at Catch a Rising Star in New York City served as a bitter confirmation of where ventriloquists stood in the comedic food chain, as the emcee at that club gave Dunham little respect. According to Dunham, after he arrived at the club in the evening and informed the emcee that he was a ventriloquist, the emcee reacted with derision, telling Dunham that he would be given
15738-560: Was not well liked by critics, some of whom questioned the wisdom of translating his act into a series, or cited Dunham, his previous specials, or ventriloquism itself as reasons for disliking the show. J. P. Williams, the producer of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour , has opined that Dunham's act is not funny on its own merits, and that his material gets a greater reaction because of the puppet characters than it would otherwise garner by itself. Blue Collar veteran Bill Engvall ,
15867-408: Was published by Dutton in 2010. Walter is a retired, grumpy old man with arms always crossed in discontent. Dunham was inspired to create Walter when he watched Bette Davis 's final appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson , giving her honest, unfiltered candor to Walter, and patterning Walter's frown on Dunham's own. He has a brash, negative and often sarcastic view on today's world. He
15996-522: Was ranked No. 9 on ESPN 's Top 25 Players In College Football History list. When his collegiate football career ended, Staubach finished his Academy sports career as captain of the academy's 1965 baseball team , and also played for the school's basketball team . During his junior year at the Naval Academy, Staubach's color-blindness was detected and he was commissioned directly into the Supply Corps , which did not necessitate being able to tell
16125-776: Was released on September 25, 2011 on Comedy Central. It was taped at the Landmark Theater and premiered to an estimated 8.3 million viewers. The DVD received a 5x Platinum certification from the RIAA . He spent the next year performing internationally on the Controlled Chaos Tour. In May 2012, Dunham recorded his fifth special, Minding Monsters , at the Lucas Theater in Savannah, Georgia. It premiered on Comedy Central on October 7, 2012. The DVD received
16254-450: Was somewhat wary of such large venues, but adapted by adjusting the timing of his often rapid exchanges with the puppets so that audience members farthest from the stage could have time to react. In addition to his comedy specials, Dunham also released his first music album, Don't Come Home for Christmas , on November 4, 2008. It contains original Christmas songs as well as a parody of " Jingle Bells " by Achmed entitled "Jingle Bombs". All
16383-474: Was the " Hail Mary pass " in the 1975 playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings . With seconds on the clock and the Cowboys trailing 14–10, Staubach launched a 50-yard pass to wide receiver Drew Pearson , who caught the pass and strode into the end zone for a 17–14 victory. After the game, Staubach said he threw the ball and said a " Hail Mary ". Since then, any last-second pass to the end zone in
16512-410: Was then trading at approximately $ 59.50/share. Staubach served as executive chairman of the Americas region of Jones Lang LaSalle until his retirement in 2018. During the 1970s and early 1980s, he was a spokesperson for the men's clothing retailer Anderson-Little , appearing in both print and television advertisements. Later, he did television advertisements for Rolaids as well. Staubach served as
16641-731: Was to have the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex host the Super Bowl in 2011. On May 23, 2007, the NFL chose Dallas as the host city of Super Bowl XLV . In 2010, Staubach was named the No. 1 Dallas Cowboy of all time according to a poll conducted by the Dallas Morning News . In November 2018, Staubach was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Donald Trump , becoming one of only four recipients associated with American Football to receive
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