# God Help Me, I LIKE Jeff Dunham **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 22, 2009, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-help-me-i-like-jeff-dunham/514764 "2009-10-22T18:14:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-help-me-i-like-jeff-dunham/514764/1 "2009-10-22T18:14:53Z")
Yes, laughing at blatant racist stereotypes is very naughty indeed. But I just LOVE Achmed the Dead Terrorist. When he moves his big bugga yellow eyes and threatens to kill me, I just roar. I also crack up when he loses his little arm bones. I also love Walter, the crabby old man. I like Peanut, but not as much as Achmed and Walter. I’m not so sure about them having a regular TV show though. I hope I get home in time to see it tonight, but I might not. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-help-me-i-like-jeff-dunham/514764/2 "2009-10-22T18:41:21Z")
I love Dunham, but I cringed when I saw a commercial for his Comedy Central show. I hope he does well, but that kind of thing rarely comes off well. I certainly don’t plan to watch it. I’m not overly fond of his stereotype puppets, although they can get a laugh out of me (the “They’re makin’ a left turn!” bit is _genius_) but Peanut is brilliant. With every puppet but Peanut Dunham’s delivery is stilted and he comes off like an amateur ventriloquist, but since he’s been using Peanut for decades that part of the act is polished to a shine. He really makes it seem like it’s two friends on the stage insulting and playing off each other. The hidden gem of his act, though, is the warm-up stand-up Dunham does at the beginning by himself _without_ his puppets. The only comedian I’ve laughed at harder than Dunham when he talks about his family is Christopher Titus. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-help-me-i-like-jeff-dunham/514764/3 "2009-10-22T18:52:37Z")
Achmed cracks me up. Peanut also has the best “body language” of all of his puppets. You can just tell what he’s thinking. ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-help-me-i-like-jeff-dunham/514764/4 "2009-10-22T19:32:04Z")
First time I saw The Jalapeno ("…on a \*steeek") \*I nearly peed my pants laughing. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-help-me-i-like-jeff-dunham/514764/5 "2009-10-22T19:32:25Z")
I remember liking him when my family would watch _Evening at the Improv_ on A&E in the late '80s/early '90s. His name back then (to us) was “On-a-stick.” The best was when all his puppets, including the ones in the box, would urge him _not_ to perform the drinking-water-ventriloquism trick. “We’re all going to choke to death.” ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-help-me-i-like-jeff-dunham/514764/6 "2009-10-22T21:19:19Z")
I’m also a fan of Jeff Dunham’s act, his Peanut act seems to be the most polished, but that’s logical as he’s been using the Peanut puppet the longest I like Peanut’s random non-sequiturs… (Staring contest with Jeff) I…Will…NEVER…Blink!! Peanut, did you lose a shoe? No man, I _found_ one… his pronunciation of Sa-Ta-Na-Ahh-Na! I’m not as much of a fan of José Jalapéno-onastick, seems to be his most one-note puppet, I’d rate the puppets thusly (most to least favorite) Peanut Achmed Walter Sweet Daddy D (Sweet Daddy D seems to be his most advanced puppet to date, has the most articulation points, eyebrows, eyes, upper lip, and jaw) José Bubba J Melvin the Super Hero ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-help-me-i-like-jeff-dunham/514764/7 "2009-10-22T21:26:18Z")
You’re all nuts. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-help-me-i-like-jeff-dunham/514764/8 "2009-10-22T22:33:45Z")
Walter’s my favorite. Achmed is still funny, but not quite as much since he seems to have mellowed from the angry dead terrorist schtick. “Jingle Bombs” is still great, though. Peanut used to be funnier, but now he seems to spend a lot of his time just insulting Jeff. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-help-me-i-like-jeff-dunham/514764/9 "2009-10-22T22:42:51Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > Peanut used to be funnier, but now he seems to spend a lot of his time just insulting Jeff. Well, Jeff _is_ the straight man. Theoretically. He’s got a powder blue Prius, after all. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-help-me-i-like-jeff-dunham/514764/10 "2009-10-22T23:43:24Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > Well, Jeff _is_ the straight man. I think you mean Je-fa-fa is the straight man. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-help-me-i-like-jeff-dunham/514764/11 "2009-10-22T23:46:53Z")
I don’t know about him being the straight man, what with the lotion and all… ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-help-me-i-like-jeff-dunham/514764/12 "2009-10-22T23:51:47Z")
Stop the joking, or I keeel you! ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-help-me-i-like-jeff-dunham/514764/13 "2009-10-23T00:46:42Z")
> [@Cat\_Fight](#): > > You’re all nuts. Indeed. This is one of those guys where I can sit through an entire routine and never, not once, feel even like I might maybe want to crack a little smile or at least, move the corners of my mouth a little upwards. Not even a tiny little bit. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-help-me-i-like-jeff-dunham/514764/14 "2009-10-23T01:20:29Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > This is one of those guys where I can sit through an entire routine and never, not once, feel even like I might maybe want to crack a little smile or at least, move the corners of my mouth a little upwards. Not even a tiny little bit. Straight line…too compelling! Must…use! _ahem_ Sounds like _you’ve_ got a stick up your ass. 'Cause, see, it’s a thread about a ventriloquist… ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-help-me-i-like-jeff-dunham/514764/15 "2009-10-23T01:46:43Z")
Probably the saddest part of my life was when I was watching one of his routines when Peanut insulted him and then I said to myself, “Man, that joke was set up perfectly.” Then I realized why what I said was stupid.:smack: ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-help-me-i-like-jeff-dunham/514764/16 "2009-10-23T01:52:55Z")
Well, I’ve just watched the show. And frankly, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. One of the biggest surprises was that Bubba J (in my opinion, one of Dunham’s less appealing characters) had the funniest bit: Falling in love with the shotgun guy at the shooting range. Other than that, I’d say meh. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-help-me-i-like-jeff-dunham/514764/17 "2009-10-23T02:48:34Z")
Overall, it was decent, all the Achmed bits were good, especially when he poisoned Peanut with…Peanuts!, looks like our favorite foulmouthed Woozle has a peanut allergy (he’s allergic to himself! 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-help-me-i-like-jeff-dunham/514764/18 "2009-10-23T05:37:02Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Indeed. > > This is one of those guys where I can sit through an entire routine and never, not once, feel even like I might maybe want to crack a little smile or at least, move the corners of my mouth a little upwards. Not even a tiny little bit. Thank you. As a recovering ventriloquist myself (I have not touched a dummy in 38 years), I have to ask everyone - please, don’t laugh at this poor man. It’s an illness, not a form of entertainment. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-help-me-i-like-jeff-dunham/514764/19 "2009-10-23T05:40:31Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > (I have not touched a dummy in 38 years) You know, I realize I’m a bit of a shut-in and I like it that way, but I don’t think I could go that long without human contact. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-help-me-i-like-jeff-dunham/514764/20 "2009-10-23T05:47:46Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > You know, I realize I’m a bit of a shut-in and I like it that way, but I don’t think I could go that long without human contact. You can tell the ventriloquists who have yet to admit they have a problem - they call their puppet a “figure”, and bristle if you call it a “dummy”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-help-me-i-like-jeff-dunham/514764.md?page=2)