by Len Morse

Created on: March 11, 2011

Ventriloquist Jeff Dunham is no dummy; he just works with a few. In his autobiography "All By My Selves - Walter, Peanut, Achmed, and Me" (2010, Dutton), he tells how he discovered his passion for ventriloquism at age eight, and details much of his stand-up comedy life for the next 40-something years.

Dunham is a focused man who has reached many of his career goals, yet still strives for more, and he stresses their importance in the book. The most prevalent and far-reaching of these is his ongoing quest to prove to the entertainment industry and the world in general that working with dummies (called figures in the business) does not have to be low man on the live comedy totem pole anymore. Having been inspired by Edgar Bergen, among others, he believes that ventriloquists can hold their own in today's stand-up comedy medium. He makes no bones about his dealings with those who looked down on ventriloquism, which sometimes included other comics, club owners, and television producers.

The book follows a basic time line, but is also chock full of anecdotes about how his unique characters came to be, what it's like to travel with them, and why he gives them their specific personalities. We get a brief look into the mind of how a top ventriloquist can almost detach himself from reality (in a sense) and have conversations with his figures that are not only funny, but hilarious.

His "suitcase posse," as they are affectionately called, consist of the following:

• Walter: An old curmudgeon who vehemently speaks his mind, because he's beyond caring.
• Achmed: A skeletal, dead terrorist who wants to kill, but who also harbors a softer side.
• Peanut: A manic, monkey-like creature who thoroughly enjoys life, with no inner censor.
• Jose Jalapeño, on a Stick: A soft-spoken, laid-back pepper from south of the border.
• Sweet Daddy Dee: Dunham's black manager who tries to teach him "street." Word.
• Bubba J.: A traditional redneck who enjoys beer, NASCAR, no job, and…beer.

Dunham tells of meeting (and sometimes working with) other famous performers such as Bob Hope, Johnny Carson, Dick Clark, and Jerry Seinfeld, and the specific goals he achieved during his career. He seems to learn something from just about every entertainer he meets.

Puppetry aside, Dunham explains that his style of comedy pokes fun at everyone, and that he developed his jokes and onstage friendships for the Average Joe. He thrives on doing comedy that is edgy, and he knows that creating new material and pushing the envelope is crucial. However, he has also learned to recognize when to stop before offending too many folks, which comes from years of practice.

The book also includes pictures from various points in Dunham's career. His personal life is not as well documented, but he does tell of hobbies, friends, and family when the need arises.

Dunham's writing style is much like that of a good blog: properly edited, yet very conversational with plenty of opinions. Sprinkled throughout the book are comments from his characters (usually deriding Dunham for one reason or another), as if they were reading along with us.

The book made the New York Times Best Seller list in late 2010, and an audio version was released in January of 2011. There should be no wonder of such popularity - the telling of Dunham's story is true entertainment.

Overall review: 5/5 for readability, entertainment value, and informative content.

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