5/31/11

Funny But True

From Bunny Dean

Following a singing performance at a party in Memphis, I hurriedly packed my vent pal in a towel and blanket and placed him in the back of my truck. I had a long drive home and was anxious to get started and did not notice that the legs of my little friend were sticking out of the blanket as I placed him hastily into the truck as I left. We drove away quickly and were making good time until the flashing red lights and screaming siren of the police interrupted our trip. Although funny now, I was quite serious and a bit nervous at the time as the officers asked to search my truck. It seems they had received a call from someone who saw me kidnap a child and drive off with him in the back of my truck. When the officers found only my vent figure they almost rolled on the ground with laughter. Relieved, I could finally laugh with them, but I have since purchased a case for my friend to avoid any similar experiences in the future!
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Do you have a "funny but true" ventriloquist experience you would like to share? Contact Mr. D
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4 comments:

  1. Anonymous5/31/2011

    Glad i ordered mine! Thanks for the heads up earlier Clinton, Dolan can't wait to see his new home, & be "dust free"! LOL! Bill Smith

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  2. Anonymous6/01/2011

    I rarely put my hard puppets in a bag when I am going into schools, or even hospitals, except for the times I use a variety of soft animal puppets. And, like many puppeteers, I am always on the look-out for things that will go with my act, or help me in some novel way.

    Awhile back I found a fold down, baby stroller that had two seats, side by side at a thrift store. I couldn't wait to use it for a local school performance. I had my Aunt Tillie and my Uncle Clyde , Clinton made puppets, in the stroller. I got a plethora of responses from folks, that I hoped for with this entrance to the school. Some went like, "OMG I thought they were real people!" This, along with many, double takes, and people shaking their heads, having obviously been fooled when viewing them from a distance and then seeing them up close. Of course, Many times I will carry the figures in, and which ever one I have resting on my arm, it always gets stares, smiles, and laughs, and gives me an opportunity to talk to teachers, parents, and children on the way to my assignment.
    BTW, this gets other teachers the idea that perhaps their class could get to have a puppet show as well.
    Regards, Joe "Capt. Joe" Radle </:O)

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  3. bob abdou/Mr.Puppet6/02/2011

    when I first attended the ventriloquist convention in 1993, I bought 2 puppets that I started using in my full time job in the printing business. At that time, I was not aware of storing the puppets, so I put them in a bag, a black garbage bag (yes, you read that right). I was married at that time (now my ex), she did NOT like puppets at all and some days (well most days) when she was in a bad mood, I would find carrot sticks and jellybeans in the heads of my ventriloquist dummys. Do you remember that black garbage bag that held some of my puppets? I looked for it and it was gone, where was it?? in the garbage can, but it was too late, the garbage collector already took the trash and my puppets are now somewhere in the atlanta dump. So words of advise: NEVER NEVER put your puppets in a garbage bag, especially a black one and make sure you have a better lawyer than your ex!!

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  4. Anonymous6/02/2011

    This is something that happened just today and I find that I have to share it. A three year old boy nearly killed my Silly Bear Puppet today at an Applebee's restaurant in, Bedford Virginia.

    He did it by playing around with the long pull string for a giant sun shade, blind on a picture window where I had placed my bear so he could look at it from his seat in the next booth while I ate my dinner. Moments earlier I had been entertaining him and his little sister for a few minutes while my wife, Anne and I waited for our lunch to be delivered.

    I'm trying to keep this short, but, you know when you have a feeling that a tragedy is going to happen and it does?

    Sure enough, the little tyke kept pulling that string further and further from the window and down crashed the heavy shade with a bang and it clocked my Silly bear puppet on the head. If he had been real he'd have died. I shouted, "You killed my bear!" and started to laugh. The boy's mother was apologetic, but my wife Anne and I simply told her that we raised three boys and we all had a laugh together. I got the bear an ice cream and that seemed to soothe him. Of course, I had to help the bear eat it.

    Regards, Joe "Capt.Joe" Radle </:O)

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