HUMOROUS EXPERIENCES OF VENTRILOQUIST SHANTHAKUMAR

HUMOROUS EXPERIENCES:

INTRODUCTION:

Let me explain as to how I became a ventriloquist at the age of 49 years. How did I get confidence to learn a new art at that age? Well... I believed in power of positive thinking (a fan of Rev. Norman Vincent Peale, Mr Udhyamuthu and many more writers). I also read many motivating stories in Readers' Digest. So I knew that age is not a bar for learning any art. I also believed that even sky is not the limit to exhibit our talents.

Secondly, I am crazy after humor even from my College days. I used to share jokes with my college friends. If someone saw me recollecting jokes and laughing alone, they should have misunderstood me!

This interest in humor made me join in Humor Club in 1992, when I came to Chennai from Calcutta. I worked hard to polish my jokes and share them in almost all the humor clubs at Chennai. At the same time, I felt that there was a demand for humor shows from schools, colleges, clubs, functions, etc. As my friends had specialised in Mimicry, Miming, etc., I wanted to do something unique. At this juncture, it was God's providence that I met Mr M M Roy, my guru in a humor club in the year 1997. (I saw the performance of the same gentleman before 31 years at Music Academy, Chennai) Immediately I seized the opportunity and learned ventriloquism from him in the year 1997.

Having performed more than 2000 shows including on all the TV Channels, except Animal Channel, I wish to highlight my humorous experiences as a Ventriloquist in this website.

HUMOROUS EXPERIENCES OF A VENTRILOQUIST:

1) My show includes a quiz program to involve the children. But adults also love this part of the show.

My figure, Johnny once asked a question in Jaycee's Club, Chennai at Hotel Palmgrove: "If a hen lays an egg a day, how many eggs she will lay in a week?"

A boy stood up and said, "Ten!"

"How?"--Johnny asked.

"Our hen lays two eggs on certain days!"

Everybody including his parents had a hearty laugh.

But Johnny explained, "Only six because Sunday is a holiday!"

Again there was a thunderous laughter.

2) A high level Police Official was invited as Chief Guest in Avvai School at Adyar, Chennai.

My ventriloquism show was also included. I performed with my puppet, Johnny and cut lots of jokes, as usual.

The Police Official could not decipher as to where from the voice of the puppet was coming... He could not ascertain how the figure was talking.

After the show, the Police Officer asked my friend, "How the puppet is talking? Is there any taperecorder inside?"

My friend used to narrate this incident in our Humor Club and make a sarcastic comment, "If a Police Officer could not decipher where from the voice is coming, then how is he going to locate the whereabouts of the thieves and murderers?"

3) Kevin, my grandson was three years old. Whenever I was practising, he used to manipulate the puppet and sing his favourite alphabet song. Though he did not know to control his lips, he made the puppet open his mouth well according to the consonants.

One day, I was practising a fast song (not as fast as Mr Ronn Lucas). Both my puppet and myself were singing the song one after the other. He observed me and the puppet minutely. After a few minutes, he seized the puppet from me and held it in his hand. He looked at the puppet again and again.

Finally, he turned to me and said, "Why the puppet is not singing when it came to me?"

Everybody had a hearty laugh!

4) The great humorist, late Mr Thenkatchi Swaminathan was invited as a Chief Guest at Chromepet Humor Club. I was also invited to perform a show. Thenkatchi in Tamil means "Southern Party".

I asked Johnny whether he knew anybody on the stage. He replied, "I know the great Thenkatchi... But will you tell me when he started the new party?"

As it was election time, nobody spared laughter!

5) I gave a show at Kolathur for a family function. It was arranged within the compound wall and outsiders were also invited.

After my performance, a lady approached me. She said, "I saw your interview at Jaya TV last week. When I started to cook, I heard your puppet's voice through the loudspeaker. Immediately, I could recognize the puppet and your voice. So I stopped my cooking and here I am!"

The voice of the ventriloquists all over the world is similar. So she could easily ascertain my puppet's voice.

6) I performed for "Kalakkapovathu Yaaru?" in Vijay TV in 2006. At that time, I was working in Indian Bank Circle Office, Puducherry.

One day a friend of my colleague came to our Office and my friend began to introduce me to the visitor. But the visitor, who was working for All India Radio as Engineer, told bluntly, "I know this chap... He's the one who has performed in Kalakkapovathu Yaaru... I have been watching him... He takes dinner in Anandha Bhavan and comes to the beach. There he does some meditation..."

Though at the outset, I was happy on my popularity, inwardly I felt, I lost my privacy.

7) My friend, a great magician, Mr Inian arranged for a show with triple bonanza for orphanage children of Porur, Chennai, viz. Ventriloquism, magic and karaoke songs.

For that program, my guru, Mr M M Roy was also invited as a guest of honor. I praised my guru to the skies before giving my show. I concluded my speech by telling, "If I'm standing here before you, that's only because of him".

Immediately, Johnny asked, "You have been sitting all along and who was responsible for that?"

All the children enjoyed the joke and gave a big hand.

8) My guru gave several thousands of shows in Exhibitions, Circus and other functions throughout India and also in Sri Lanka.

But he never forgets an incident happened at Salem. He was performing in an exhibition. An old sweeper working in the exhibition always made it a point to attend the show of my guru everyday. Initially, my guru thought that she was attending the show without buying the entrance ticket. But the Contractor told him that she always bought the entry ticket.

On the same day, my guru happened to meet the sweeper and told her, "See... You need not buy ticket from today."

But she replied, "How can it be sir? Don't think I'm buying the ticket for you. No, never... I'm buying the ticket only for the art of ventriloquism!"

My guru overwhelmed with joy. He recalled the incident and told me that he never got such happiness and satisfaction even when three Prime Ministers of India, viz. Mrs Indira Gandhi, Mr Narasimha Rao and Mr Gandhi appreciated him.

9) On my return from a show, I peeped into Megha T.V. Office to meet the proprietrix. She was seated in a very small room.
As soon as I entered, Johnny enquired about her, "How are you sister? Are you fine?"
Then we both cut a few jokes. She was astonished and asked, "How the puppet is talking? Is there any tape recorder inside?"

An old man sitting opposite her was also perplexed.

Then I revealed the truth. Immediately, she booked for five days show a week in her TV channel. (But I could not make it and that's another story)

10) Mr Ku Gnanasambandam, a great humorist and a Professor in a College of Madurai was invited as Chief Guest by Chennai Jokers for their Humor Club at Triplicane.

I also went with my puppet. As usual, I asked Johnny whether he knew anybody on the stage. He replied, "Yes... I know Mr Gnanasambandam."

I asked him, "What else you know about him?"

He replied, "I know his wife's name!"

"I myself don't know baba..." I removed the sweating on my forehead with my kerchief and asked, "Well... What's her name?"

He coolly said, "Her name is Mrs Gnanasambandam!"

It took a long time for the audience to stop their laughter.

11) I went to Mylapore Humor Club wherein Mr Chaaru Hasan, brother of the great actor, Mr Kamal Haasan was invited as Chief Guest.

I asked Johnny, "How do you know Mr Chaaru Hasan?"

"He's opposite to my house!"

"So close..? Okay... Where's your house?"

"Opposite to his house!"

"Okay baba... Tell me atleast where are both the houses?"

"Opposite to each other!" was Johnny's reply.

There was big claps accompanied with laughter.

12) My daughter requested me to perform a show for my grandson's birthday. I too agreed.

During the show, I explained Johnny, "I'll tell you the difference between discovery and invention... Discovery relates to something in existence whereas invention relates to something not in existence. For example, Columbus discovered America and Thomas Alvoy Edison invented bulb. Can you form a sentence using both the words?"

Johnny thought for a while and gave a long pause. Then, he replied, "I'll try... My dad discovered my mummy and invented me!"

Everybody laughed. But my grandson asked, "What Johnny said is correct. Then why do you laugh?"

Again there was laughter from the audience...

CONCLUSION:

Please visit my blog: http://binocularonshanthakumr.webs.com/ to know more about me and also http://www.youtube.com/ to enjoy my 14 videos by searching for "ventshanthakumar". If you are interested in my financial planning, please visit: http://shanthakumar.webs.com/

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