Jeff Dunham and Friends Coming To Prescott Valley, March 8

Photos courtesy of Jeff Dunham

Get ready for a lot of laughs when comedian ventriloquist Jeff Dunham, along with his cast of characters, comes to the Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley on Saturday, March 8.

I asked Jeff what everyone can expect to see during his Artificial Intelligence Tour. “I’ve got my normal characters like Peanut, Walter, Jose Jalapeno, Achmed the Dead Terrorist, and Bubba J.  Then there is a guy that has been in the show before but has now changed jobs. He used to be a personal advisor to Donald Trump and that was too stressful, so now he has a new job as an advisor to Elon Musk, and that’s apparently worse.” Made me think right off that this is something you will just have to see for yourself.

Jeff started what would turn out to be a career back in 1976 when he was a teenager. “I use to perform about anywhere I could. Corporate parties, Kiwanis Clubs, banquets at church, talent shows, you name it.”  Even before then in the back of his mind he was focusing on the future. “As a little kid, I use to have dreams about performing and being famous at this odd art.”

His big break through came years later. “I knew how to entertain an audience but when it came to comedy clubs that was a whole different animal. I moved to LA in ’88 and started to get my feet wet and after a few months I was already booked in the improve chain as a middle act. After doing pretty well on the road awhile, I remember asking the booker that did most of the bookings of all the improvs around the country. What does it take to be a headliner? She goes why are you asking me this? I told her, well I feel like there are some people who come here just to see me and not the headliner. I could literally here her rolling her eyes. She said Jeff don’t let me think you have a following. I said, well, kinda. She said Jeff here is how this works. When the headliner can no longer follow you, then you will be a headliner. So it was not long after that when I was in Phoenix at the Tempe Improv, and I’ve got Jose Jalapeno on A Stick, and I only have to do 15 minutes. Plus I have my other cast of characters, and the roof is coming off the joint and then the headliners started to complain. I just really remember it was that 500 seat Tempe Improv and nobody could argue with us anymore. It was so much fun.”

As time went on Jeff’s career continued to grow. “Once I was doing the top of the heap in Comedy Clubs, then it grew into small theaters, roughly 1000-2000 seats, and  I thought this was great. Then there was talk of arenas and tour buses. I did not have a clue what a tour bus was and even how an arena show would work. I knew nothing about touring at that level. Now it’s turned into rock n roll with three buses and 12 guys on the crew. Most of them have been with me since 2008. That was the giant surprise to me.”

Now Jeff has gone on to perfect his craft as such a high level performing around the globe. Following the end of his North American part of the tour on May 18 in Las Vegas at Planet Hollywood, Jeff and company jet all the way to Europe, where he will have eight shows in the UK, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, and Belgium. You might wonder how foreign audiences react to his brand of humor, Jeff said, “It does not matter where we go, the people get it. I was a bit skeptical at first because you never know what to expect when you go to countries that English would be either a second or third language. A couple of minutes into the set and I knew this was going to work out.”

You can find him on various levels of media. He has had many shows available to watch on the comedy channel and YouTube. He said, “Making the YouTube videos is so much fun. I have a great group that knows how to put those out and they are a blast to do.”

Another giant surprise for Jeff came in 2017 when he was honored with the 2619^th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He holds the record in the Guinness Book of Records for most tickets sold, nearly 2 million during his “Spark of Insanity Tour” while performing in 386 venues in three years. “I never saw that coming”, said Jeff, “That was so over and above what I dreamed could have happened.”

Jeff has no plans to retire. “I can see myself at some point touring less and spending more time at home. I really miss my family, but those two magical hours on stage are something very special. I have been doing this for a long time but I never take any of it for granted.”

So come on out Saturday night and enjoy the fabulous humor and wit of Jeff Dunham. You’ll be glad you did!

Tickets can be purchased at the Findlay Toyota box office open Monday through Friday 10am-3pm. Online at www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at (928)772-1819 ext. 6060.