Ventriloquist Jeff Dunham just started a six-month residency at Planet Hollywood Resort, bringing his entire entourage of puppets to town. Las Vegas Magazine’s Susan Stapleton gets the lowdown on his new show and a possible new addition to the cast.
Do you think that through your characters, you can say things that you wouldn’t ordinarily say?
Some people think that I use that as a tool of communicating things that otherwise wouldn’t be acceptable for me to say. I created these characters just like a screenwriter will write a movie or a play or a sitcom. I’m not Achmed the Dead Terrorist. I’m not Bubba J. If I ask the same question of each character, each one of their answers would be different. It’s not what I think, it’s what I think would be funny. Am I trying to teach someone something or forward my own politics? No, I’m trying to get the most laughs in the shortest amount of time possible.
Has Achmed the Dead Terrorist become more of a character now instead of a response to a situation?
He’s become part of the culture. I created the original Achmed the Dead Terrorist one year after 9/11. We don’t know where he’s from, we don’t know what that accent is. He’s just become this goofy character that a lot of people know and recognize. I love when the suspension of disbelief happens and people get sucked into the idea that there are two guys onstage.
You’ve performed at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace for a long time. Will having your own showroom mean a different show for the audience?
Absolutely, but this is a whole different ball game. This is basically becoming my place. I think this will let me get a lot more personal with the space and the town. I think it’ll be fun because I’ll be able to make those more personalized jokes of walking around on the Strip.
How do you develop new material with your characters?
A lot of those jokes happen onstage. Sometimes if the show is really going well, I will test myself by asking the character a question I don’t know the answer to, when the juices are flowing, the adrenaline’s flowing, and the pressure is there. What better way to learn to skydive than just jumping out of a plane?
Do you see the show evolving as you get more accustomed to the room and the audiences?
I always adapt to the audience and the surroundings. It’ll be customized. There’s a new character that I’m working on that will be kind of Vegas-y. If it works, I’ll keep going with it. If it doesn’t work, I’ll throw it away.
Jeff Dunham performs at Planet Hollywood Resort, 4 & 7 p.m. Sat.-Sun., 7 p.m. Wed.-Fri., starting at $72 plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
