Jeff Dunham invades Fargo
Written by Adam Sprengeler Friday, 05 February 2010 08:00
Comedian Jeff Dunham invaded the Fargodome on Wednesday Feb. 3 with his own brand of self deprecating and racially charged comedy. Dunham brought along with him the many identities that have made him famous. When referring to Dunham’s identities puppets are the focal point.
Characters like Walter, Achmed the dead terrorist, Bubba and of course Peanut are why fans fill the seats to see on a nightly basis.
A comedian by the name Brian Haner opened for Dunham. Haner is often known better by his alias of “Guitar Guy.” Haner’s act includes telling the audience his life story about how he wanted to become a rock star and now lives vicariously through his son, who is the lead guitarist for the band “Avenged Seven Fold.” Haner’s son goes by the name Synyster Gates.
Haner entertained the crowed for about 20 minutes with his own brand of comedy including the use of guitar to sing his comedy rather than just say it. His singing did not seem to sway the crowed as he had hoped, but nevertheless fans seemed to respond well to his antics.
“He was pretty good,” sophomore Bethany Economos said. “The only time I’ve ever seen him before was on the (Dunham’s) Christmas special so I haven’t paid much attention to him.”
Haner would come back out on stage during Dunham portion of the show later in the evening.
Once the headliner took stage the crowed erupted with excitement and anticipation. Dunham did a short bit to start the performance where he told a story of his travels in order to get a laugh. That was the only time in the show, besides the end where he shot t-shirts out of a gun that he was without a puppet. Dunham did not make the crowed wait long to bring out the true stars of the show. He started off with his puppet Walter, a typically angry old man who is not fond of his wife. The jokes were stereotypical for this part of the country. The two made fun of the landscape, residence and of course the weather. After Walter, Dunham brought out one of his newest bits in Achmed the Dead Terrorist. Achmed is a former suicide bomber who now is nothing left but a skeleton. The jokes gravitated toward the idea that Americans or anyone in western culture were infidels and Achmed was going to “keel” them.
Finally, Dunham closed with possibly his most popular bit in Peanut. It is hard to describe what Peanut is, but in short he is a purple human looking thing with green hair and one shoe. Peanut’s jokes received some of the highest praises of the night from the audience.
In the end at least one member of the audience felt that there was one specific character that stood out above others.
“Surprisingly I found Walter to be the best, which is different because usually I am a Peanut fan,” senior Spencer Hart said. “But with the lack of censorship that he has in a live show I found Walter to be the better act this time around.”
Identity Crisis appeared to be a success as the audience enjoyed any one of Dunham’s many different personalities.
