Dan Payes - Thinking outside the box

I wanted to post this blog because I feel that more than any figure maker is working outside the box to create a look that is not just another cheeky boy.

I must admit that I am somewhat biased because I own several of Dan's figures and I feel that Dan's figures come with a ready to work look about them.

I have included a picture of one of Dan's figures as an example of just what I mean. The fellow I have pictured looks like an average Government Worker Schlep. He grabs his coffee first thing in the morning and then proceeds to read the racing form before settling in for about 30 minutes worth of work before heading off to lunch for about 2 hours. The same routine gets repeated in the afternoon. Yes, this fellow is based on someone I knew that is a retired government loafer. Yes, there are quite a few folks that work hard in the government, but not this guy.

Getting back to Dan, I guess what drew me to his figures is that unique look that lend themselves to such endless comical possibilities.

Just my thoughts on a Saturday morning. By the way, notice the white socks effect on this fellow. I love it. "Government White Soxer."

Developing Side Splitting Comedy With Amazing Characters

I have been observing the world around me and what I find particularly humorous. What has always fascinated me to no end is the back and forth give and take that Jerry Stiller and Estelle Harris had on "Seinfeld" for years. To me, "Frank & Estelle" were "Money" to coin a phrase from Guy Fieri the great host of "Diners, Drive-ins & Dives.

I enjoyed the humor these two marvelous actors brought to the small screen that I created two characters, "Max & Estelle Kornbaum," based on this wonderful couple.

I found just the figures I needed sitting in my closet. For you see, Dan Payes had made both of these figures for me 4 years ago, but I had been trying to carve out a good act when it suddenly dawned on me why not bring some of this banter to my act.

Max & Estelle are the type that have a lump son still at home in his early 40's and a daughter still trying to snare a Husband at the age of 35. She is very picky and really shouldn't be. Yes, I do have the daughter waiting in the wings with a character still in development. She is a charmer. She will be hanging out at the Jewish Community Center Singles dance on any given Sunday night. Trust me.

Back to Max & Estelle, a Friday night dinner isn't complete without the nasty Kosher veal breast that tastes like yesterday's road kill. I think one can see where my humor comes from.

There is so much out there to work with all one has to do is think outside the box. That is the main reason I use Dan Payes figures is because Dan does just that.

I have posted a picture of Max & Estelle for your enjoyment.

After Prom 2007

Well I worked another After Prom last weekend and check out some of the photos. Yes, these figures are from the great Figure Maker, Dan Payes. They were the life of the Party.

Humor - Write your own. Start Now by Al Stevens

Write your own. Start now.

I've been down the canned script route different times, different ways. A
scripted ventriloquist dialogue can be funny only when the dialogue matches
the figure's character and fits the relationship between the figure and the
ventriloquist and when the ventriloquist knows how to deliver the material.
The same dialogue can bomb in the hands of an unskilled ventriloquist or in
a situation where the material fails to match the act.

Take the typical Bergen/Snerd dialogue. No one other than Bergen and
Mortimer can make those lines work. Only Mortimer can say those simple
things and make people laugh. Mortimer says, "Tsk. Ya don't say," and the
audience laughs. It's not the line. It's Mortimer.

My favorite resource is (drum roll) life. People say and do funny things. Be
always ready to write down the funny things you observe. They won't always
match your current act, but you never know when something you see today will
match a character you develop in the future.

Keep your funny bone awake and alert at all times. A pretty young woman in a
convertible gave me the finger the other day when I inadvertantly cut her
off. That's the beginning of a premise because it's an anomaly (or was in my
day). I've been working on it ever since, and a dialogue is shaping up.

My act today typically comprises three characters and runs up to an hour.
The material consists mostly of original jokes I wrote based on things I've
seen and my own (odd) sense of humor. The balance of the material uses jokes
I have been told or have read that I adapt to the character that uses them
and that I've recast into the dialogue format.

I am often surprised when the setup to a joke gets a bigger laugh than the
punch line. Later I'll realize that the premise, in the hands of the figure
itself, is more ridiculous, consequently funnier, than the joke itself. When
that happens, I'll sometimes keep the setup and drop the punch line from the
bit.

For example, I read a joke where an old guy didn't tell his family about his
new hearing aid. He said he changed his will three times since getting it.
One of those senior citizen Internet jokes that keeps going around. My old
man figure has an old timey hearing aid. I tried using that joke, but needed
a way to explain how he could fool his family. So I asked him, "What do they
think that thing is stuck in your ear and hanging on your belt?" He said,
"They think it's my iPod." That was just part of the setup, but it got a

big, unexpected laugh. Why would a man in his nineties have an iPod? The
punch line about changing his will was so subordinate to the iPod setup that
it got maybe a small chuckle. So a mildly amusing joke I heard somewhere but
couldn't make work led to a totally different one that always goes over
well.

My "doodley-squat" bit (which you could see on youtube until I deleted it)
came about the same way, except that I didn't need an audience to tell me
that the joke I was trying to make work wasn't funny in the dialogue genre.
It was too complicated. But while trying unsucessfully to cast it into a
funny bit for my old man, I heard him say, "we didn't have doodley-squat,"
and the whole bit just came spilling out.

Keep in mind that only you know your figure well enough to write funny lines
for him. For a professional comedy writer to write an effective veny script,
the writer would have to spend time viewing the vent and his figure at work.
Canned scripts just don't work in my experience. I have a sizeable
collection of script books. The scripts are okay for getting an occasional
joke to fit a situation, but I can't make any of them work in their
entirety. Maybe it's just me.

There are a lot of how-to books about standup comedy writing, and all of
them have something to teach. However, the subject of comedy dialogue
writing has been mostly overlooked because comedy dialogues (SNL skits
notwithstanding) are a relic of the past. Nowadays, only (or mostly)
ventriloquists use comedy dialogues, and the market isn't big enough to
support the publication of a book about how to write them.

One notable exception is "Bill DeMar & Tom Ladshaw's Ventriloquial Script
Sourcebook," a definite must-have for anyone who wants to write comedy
dialogues. I got it when I started to do my own writing and learned a lot
from it. It has some canned dialogues, but the main thing you learn (by
example) is the format and pacing. Don't even think about starting without
it.

By permisson from Al Stevens

Dan Willinger's New Ventriloquist Central Site

Dan Willinger, renowned collector of vintage ventriloquist figures, is going to set the vent community on the map with his new tight dedicated to raise awareness of our art.

I commend Dan on this huge undertaking. I look forward to checking Dan's site to see the latest goodies he has posted whether an interesting article or a new figure acquisition.

Dan is in my opinion one of the most knowledgeable collectors I have ever had the pleasure to speak with. He is a straght shooter a great person to bounce ideas off of.

Be sure to check out his amazing collection of Marshall figures. This is a must for any vent or vent fan.

SquirrelyD.'s Debut

SquirrelyD. made his debut on January 4th at the Topaz Hotel in Washington, DC and I really nailed it this time. The crowd loved it

Squirrely tried to hit on all the ladies in the audience. He was really being fresh and it was embarrassing for me. He was out out of control.

I finally asked him if he had any "special talents" and he replied he did impressions. I asked him if he wanted to do one for the crowd and he Saddam Hussain. Oh Brother. Squirrely, what I am going to do with you?

The sky is the limit with the character and it is only the beginning. I have a lot more planned for Squirrely and I.

My Inspiration for Working with a Goof Figure

I wanted to let everyone know my inspiration for working with a "Goof Figure" was the wonderful Mortimer Snerd. It is wildly known that Mort was Edger Bergen's favorite according to his Wife, Frances.

I have added a picture of Mortimer and Edger for you to see just how fantastic Bergen was with his characters. Forget the lip control. He was a true genius. I really liked Edger's work with Mortimer over his work with Charlie McCarthy. Charlie had a great wit, but Mortimer had an advantage over everyone as he knew excelled in stupidity.

I look forward to doing more performing with my goofs. I owe it all to Edger Bergen and his pal Mortimer Snerd.

Look for my next post on working with an old man figure.