Why Jeff Dunham Doesn’t 'Pick A Side' When He Does Political Humor
What are you?!
Jeff Dunham and his puppet pals aren’t really a controversial bunch, and most of the ventriloquist’s comedy is rather family-friendly. However, every now and then, Dunham dabbles in political humor, most recently with his dummy Walter’s impersonations of both Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Neither is particularly mean-spirited, leaving many to wonder where Jeff Dunham stands politically. Well as it turns out, the fact that we don’t know where he leans is by design, and there’s a very practical, business-related reason for said centrism.
I recently caught up with Jeff Dunham to discuss his new Comedy Central special Me The People, and when I inquired as to how he navigates his political jabs, he said the following:
It would likely be difficult to write three decades worth of comedy while completing avoiding politics, and although he’d never do a straight stand-up special, Dunham is just as much a comedian as he is a ventriloquist. And yes, you read that correctly, Jeff Dunham has been at it for over 30 years. For a long time, he was one of the only ventriloquists in the mainstream before paving the way for the likes of Terry Fator and Darci Lynne from America’s Got Talent. Not everything has been a winner, and there are even a few dummies who still have him wondering what the hell he was thinking, but he’s certainly cemented his place in pop culture as one of the very few household names in the world of ventriloquism.
While his comments on why he keeps his political perspective vague in his acts is certainly helpful, we’re still left wondering where his personal politics actually lie. Even the recent, record-breaking live show that Gabriel Iglesias pulled off reveals a more stern standpoint on certain political issues, and that’s coming from a comic who also usually plays it close to his chest. So I inquired further, trying to get to the bottom of Dunham’s ballot, which is when he revealed this:
Welp, I guess we’ll never know. And yes, Jeff, that reference is too old for me. You can see Me The People periodically on Comedy Central’s schedule, on-demand using your local provider, or streaming on Peacock. Dunham is also on tour, so check out his website to see if he’s coming to a city near you. If stand-up isn’t quite your jam, not to worry, as there’s still a slew of new TV premieres in 2022 and, of course, more on the upcoming 2023 TV schedule.
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Jeff started his career producing television commercials in his hometown of Fresno, California. After a few years, he came across the opportunity to make a living talking about his favorite thing: movies. Jeff is a film buff who is full of gratitude that he gets to spout opinions about them for a living. He currently resides in Los Angeles, where he spends his time complaining about Los Angeles.