简介： JeffDunham(bornApril18,1962)isanAmericanventriloquistandstand-upcomedianwhohasalsoappearedonnumeroustelevisionshows,includingLateShowwithDavidLetterman,ComedyCentralPresents,TheTonightShowandSonnyWithaChance.HehasfourspecialsthatrunonComedyCentral:JeffDunham:ArguingwithMyself,JeffDunham:SparkofInsanity,JeffDunham'sVerySpecialChristmasSpecial,andJeffDunham:ControlledChaos.DunhamalsostarredinTheJeffDunhamShow,aseriesonthenetworkin2009.Hisstylehasbeendescribedas"adressed-down,moredigestibleversionofDonRickleswithmultiplepersonalitydisorder".[deadlinkDescribinghischaracters,Timeobserves,"Allofthemarepoliticallyincorrect,gratuitouslyinsultingandilltempered."Dunhamhasbeencreditedwithrevivingventriloquism,anddoingmoretopromotetheartformthananyonesinceEdgarBergen.
Dunhamhasbeencalled"America'sfavoritecomedian"bySlate.com,andaccordingtotheconcertindustrypublicationPollstar,heisthetop-grossingstandupactinNorthAmerica,andisamongthemostsuccessfulactsinEuropeaswell.AsofNovember2009,hehassoldoverfourmillionDVDs,anadditional$7millioninmerchandisesales,andreceivedmorethan350millionhitsonYouTubeasofOctober2009(hisintroductionofAchmedtheDeadTerroristinSparkofInsanitywasrankedastheninthmostwatchedYouTubevideoatthetime).AVerySpecialChristmasSpecialwasthemost-watchedtelecastinComedyCentralhistory,withitsDVDgoingquadrupleplatinum(sellingover400,000)initsfirsttwoweeks.Forbes.comrankedDunhamasthethirdhighest-paidcomedianintheUnitedStatesbehindJerrySeinfeldandChrisRock,andreportedthathewasoneofthehighest-earningcomicsfromJune2008toJune2009,earningapproximately$30millionduringthatperiod.Dunhamalsodoesoccasionalactingroles.
