Dunham’s debut Comedy Central appearance followed just a few years later, and in the time since, his popularity has exploded, resulting in several TV specials and a number of extensive solo tours that have made him one of the most popular comedians of his generation. Since the age of eight, Jeff Dunham has been experimenting with the art of ventriloquism, and his years of hard work on countless comedy circuits finally paid off when he earned his first American Comedy Award for Funniest Male Standup in 1998.