Joe
Caffey / Comedian Ventriloquist
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Stand-Up Comedian,
Comedian Ventriloquist, and Actor , Joe Caffey was born in
Youngstown, Ohio, one of the four children belonging
to Joseph L. Caffey Sr. and Lillie Caffey. He started
ventriloquism at the age of six years old. His original thought
of wanting a vent figure came to him as a child, when he
use to watch a local television show that was aired
in Youngstown, Ohio. The television show was hosted
by Dave Harris, known as Barney and his vent figure was named
"Bean". Joe thought that "Bean" was a robot.
He happened to see a "Howdy Doody" puppet in a JC Penny's
catalogue and asked his parents to receive it for a Christmas
gift. When he received the "Howdy Doody"
puppet, he asked his mother if the batteries were included. His
mother told him, that he would have to pull a string in the back
of the neck and make it talk without moving his lips. That
Christmas, he took his mother's advice and the rest is history!
He actually didn't know that he was practicing the art of ventriloquism
until the second grade, when his classmates told a music
teacher that he talks without moving his lips and has a "dummy".
The music teacher said, "You're a ventriloquist".
That very day, when he arrived home from school, he asked his
mother,"What is a ventriloquist"? His mother replied,
"A ventriloquist is a person that can talk without moving
his lips and has a "dummy". His sister then said,
"A dummy with a dummy". Joe was also inspired
and mentored by another local ventriloquist, Carl Davis of Youngstown,
Ohio. It wasn't until a few years later that he would be inspired
by famous ventriloquist performers, such as Edgar Bergen,
Paul Winchell, Willie Tyler, Shari Lewis, and Jay Johnson.
Later in life he was inspired and mentored by Jeff Dunham, Terry
Fator, Willie Brown, and Richard Sanfield. Richard
Sandfield made more Lp records than any other ventriloquist
and also mentored the Late Great Robin Harris. Joe was also inspired
comically eary on in life, by comedian Jimmy Walker,
whom he saw in person as a child and received an autograph picture
of Jimmy "J.J." Walker. Jimmie Walker was hired
to do publicity for a local store's grand opening, the store was
named "Dynomite Grocery Store". Later, his stand-up
comedy act was inspired by Richard Pryor, Woody Allen, George
Carlin, Bill Cosby, Eddie Murphy, Dave Chappelle, and Chris Rock.
Joe has taken an interest in
building his own ventriloquist figures. He is being mentored
and encouraged by Steve Hurst. Joe has always wanted to
build his own figures. To create a vent figure from imagination
and bring it to existence would be a dream come true.
He's currently in the learning and practicing stages. During his
elementary, junior high, and highschool years, he performed for
numerous parties, banquets, churches, and corporations. His father
served as his booking and road manager. In 1982 he
won a first place trophy for ventrilquism in the junior competition
and an over all manipulation throphy at The International
Vent Haven Convention held in Ft.Mitchell Kentucky anually.
Since then, he has appeared on numerous local and national television
shows, including "Good Morning America", "Last
Comic Standing", and "America's Got Talent 2007".
He currently lives in Los Angeles, California, where he performs
stand-up comedy and comedy ventriloquism at major comedy
clubs and comedy venues. His philosophy for the
arts of Stand-up comedy, and Comedy Ventriloquism is "Funny
is job #1 period, but while their mouths are open from laughter,
feed them a little food for thought".
(Joe Caffey holds a
BA Degree in Telecommunications and a Minor in Business Marketing
from Youngstown State University)
