Title: Spunky Wants A New Lap
Date: 1982
Description: Spunky’s had it with Ladmo’s jokes.
Comments:
I love Ladmo & Spunky. Being a ventriloquist, I really guess I shouldn’t as the premise pokes fun at all the clichés ventriloquists have been trying to eradicate for years. (The movie Magic, the film from the seventies starring Anthony Hopkins as a ventriloquist under the control of his evil puppet did a lot of damage perpetuating stereotypes about ventriloquists. People often ask if I’ve seen it. I usually answer that I haven’t, my puppet forbid me. Of course, I’m kidding—he merely said if I watched it, I’d suffer the consequences!) I’m all for ventriloquism gaining greater respect, but I also don’t take the art so seriously that I can’t see the inherent absurdity in it. So, despite being a ventriloquist myself, I’m a fan of the Ladmo & Spunky bits—bad jokes and all.
I believe Craig Dingle wrote this bit, and he really outdid himself coming up with some bad jokes. (Unfortunately, they don’t quite qualify for so-bad-they're-good jokes!) I couldn’t resist poking a little fun myself in this bit; this clip displays some of the (if not the) worst lip technique I’ve ever exhibited (and I’m not even really doing the talking)! Here is Spunky Wants A New Lap, with my apologies to fellow vents; try to keep a stiff upper (and lower) lip.
Dan Horn
2007
