Those who were able to go to ConVENTion, what was your greatest memory and why? Share them with the group.

I attended the Ventriloquist Convention this year and had a blast. I have not attended a convention for over 15 years, and it was great to go back to see a few old friends and meet new ones. The sessions were outstanding this year. I attended a great session on Character Building and as a group we improvised a Librarian Puppet, and we bounced off ideas for her looks and character attributes. After we were finished a puppet maker went to his room and created the puppet that we all visualized. It was amazing. I also took a comedy writing course that was an extra fee, and it was worth every penny. I’ve already used several structural ideas and written a few bits that got big laughs during my two shows yesterday. Meeting my heroes like Willie Tyler, Jay Johnson, Dan Horn and so many others was a big bonus. If you can make it next year, I highly recommend you attend.

Vent is synonymous with nightclub acts and TV, but also children’s entertainment. Outside of performing, vent in my experiences has been used to teach children about safety, anti-bullying, to preach religious lessons and in therapy to help people of all ages. What are some ways you’ve seen vent used in a non-performance way?

To celebrate this ventriloquist and actor of “Soap” fame, here is a clip from his Tony award winning one man show, “The Two and Only.” https://youtu.be/A0cAfzT6NL8?si=3lEHsyXBFdRZrxmf

Check me out on “The Tom Barnard Show” where I talk about “250 Years of American Ventriloquism: How Ventriloquism Influenced American Culture” https://youtu.be/gAaYEZHAsOI?si=mp_juusH9txG2HJB