Ded Bob
Ded Bob
What can you say about a ventriloquist that is not really a ventriloquist? The person is there and the dummy is there but that is about where the ventriloquist comparison ends. Ded Bob is an entertainer and Smuj is simply his means of getting around, his mode of transport. Ded Bob is a singer, comedian and crowd participation master. Plus, he gets away with being very dirty because… let’s face it, he is a puppet. And who could be upset at a puppet openly staring at your girlfriend’s chest? And then inviting her up on stage because of said chest.
Each Ded Bob show, at least at the fairs that I have attended, is rated. They start relatively low key and inoffensive in the mornings and get a little racier as the day goes on. I don’t want you to think there are topless chicks by the late show but the show does take a rather ‘blue’ feeling as the day comes to a close. That is part of the fun of Ded Bob. He keeps the kiddies entertained and throws in just enough bawdiness to make the grownups smile too. Being a master at the double-entendre makes the off-color hidden from the younger members of the crowd.
The best part of the show is the audience participation and Bob’s interaction with the crowd. Ded Bob does a better job of bringing the audience into the show and up on stage than any of the other acts at the fair. I don’t think I have ever seen anyone turn down an invitation to come up on stage. There will be at least 3 people on stage during the show and he will walk the crowd and involve dozens of others. Again, you have to keep in mind that he is making eye contact with no eyes. That he is interacting with people who are treating him like an equal. The suspension of disbelief is complete. The puppet has become real and the people are following him blindly. And they forget that Smuj is even still there. So the act works.
In the end, Ded Bob is one of my favorites. Very funny and well done, he works his jokes like only a well trained comedian can. He handles the nuances of a live crowd, both good and bad, like an expert animal tamer. If you are a student of stand-up comedy, you have to go watch this pro work the crowd. He never breaks character and never falters in the face of an unresponsive guest on stage. But don’t let that professionalism fool you, he is funny as hell!
-Bobaganush the Pirate
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