V...is for
Following on again with Toni's A-Z "a...is for" meme, this week's letter is V.
I really had to search hard for something, V isn't an easy letter.
There's plenty of things out there starting with V, it was just a matter of narrowing it down to one.
So...V
V...is for
Ventriloquism
Ventriloquism is the art of "throwing one's voice", to make it appear that inanimate objects near to you, (or further away if you are really good at it), are speaking.
When throwing your voice you must do it without moving your lips at all, that makes it much easier for others to believe that yes, that broom is talking to me, and good heavens!, it's telling me to "clean up my act!"
Ha Ha.
Most ventriloquists use a dummy of some kind, usually a male or female doll, with the mouth operated by the ventriloquist via a hand through an opening in the back of the dummy.
When I was very young, maybe ten or thereabouts, I used to watch Shari Lewis on television who used a sock puppet named Lamb Chop.
There have been many ventriloquists through the years, and indeed there still are, my favourite is David Strassman with his famous puppet, Ted E Bear.
I LOVE that bear!!
So here are some images of the best teddy bear in the world, Ted E Bear.
And his ventriloquist, Dave Strassman.
The official name tag.
when Ted gets upset, usually because Chuck has put him in the microwave, ("I cooked from the inside out"), I just want to reach into the TV and hug him.
this is Dave, with Chuck, who is often rude, and mean to Ted, sometimes putting him in the dryer.
("I came out fluffy")
Look at that laugh, he is just the cutest bear.
surely there can't be anyone who doesn't love Ted E Bear?
Ted and Dave.
Ted's gone all shy on us.
Ted E Bear. With that cute lop-sided little smile.
I want one of these.
I really had to search hard for something, V isn't an easy letter.
There's plenty of things out there starting with V, it was just a matter of narrowing it down to one.
So...V
V...is for
Ventriloquism
Ventriloquism is the art of "throwing one's voice", to make it appear that inanimate objects near to you, (or further away if you are really good at it), are speaking.
When throwing your voice you must do it without moving your lips at all, that makes it much easier for others to believe that yes, that broom is talking to me, and good heavens!, it's telling me to "clean up my act!"
Ha Ha.
Most ventriloquists use a dummy of some kind, usually a male or female doll, with the mouth operated by the ventriloquist via a hand through an opening in the back of the dummy.
When I was very young, maybe ten or thereabouts, I used to watch Shari Lewis on television who used a sock puppet named Lamb Chop.
There have been many ventriloquists through the years, and indeed there still are, my favourite is David Strassman with his famous puppet, Ted E Bear.
I LOVE that bear!!
So here are some images of the best teddy bear in the world, Ted E Bear.
And his ventriloquist, Dave Strassman.
("I came out fluffy")
I want one of these.
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Do you know I had never heard of Ted. E. Bear. Which is a shame, because he does look very, very cute. Thank you. I might have to hunt them down now.
ReplyDeleteElephant's Child; the dvd's may be available from JBHiFi, Dave Strassman usually does comedy tours, his earlier shows were more G rated, the one I saw on TV recently, titled Ted E Bear's farewell was more R rated. I'm going to search myself later this week and see where I can get them from. I'd love to have an actual Ted E Bear but I don't think they're available.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of Ted E Bear either but I used to love watching Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop (with my kids) and Sooty and Sweep too. I have always had a fear of those ventriloquist's dummies. It think I saw a movie years and years ago where the dummy more or less came to life and became aggressive and menacing or worse. Does anyone remember a film like that.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this interesting "V" post.
well I hope you get one. He is actually very very cute. My favourite ventriloquist puppets are Basil Brush and Roland Rat. The link is worth the clickthrough, thanks to you I now know that it was all written by Richard 4 Weddings Curtis. Of course being a Melburnian, Ron Blaskett and his Gerry Gee were TV stars when I was very young.
ReplyDeleteShari and Lamb Chop were very sweet and I wonder how many vegetarians they inspired.
Mimsie; there was an aggressive dummy thta came to life in an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but I don't think that is what you remember. There was a movie called Chuckie,about a small doll that became evil and killed people. Very nightmarish and it spooked me like most things never do.
ReplyDeleteAnnODyne; I've seen Basil Brush only once and very briefly at that, I have no memory of Roland Rat. I remember Lamb Chop quite clearly, but still loved my lamb chops at dinner time. Now, though, I don't like lamb at all.
I have 2 bears stored in the garage that belonged to my mother. I don't want them but I can't toss them because my mother liked them so much. Be aware, bears can be a dilemma.
ReplyDeleteHi River,
ReplyDeleteEver heard of Nookie Bear? I'm not making it up. Roger De Courcey is the ventriloquist.
Amusing name - but that's about it.
:-)
Cheers
PM
I had never heard of the bear but I do remember Lamb Chop.
ReplyDeletelooks like a really cool bear.
ReplyDeleteManzanita; I have three bears and several monkeys. All have names and I can't bear (ha ha) to part with them. They have such smiley faces.
ReplyDeletePlasman; I've never heard of Nookie Bear or Roger De Courcey either.
Delores; I thought Lamb chop was uniquely Australian, yet you've heard of him, but not Ted E Bear, who has done shows world wide.
The Wicked Writer; he is cool, a bit shy sometimes and always having some sort of fight with the more evil Chuck.