For years, comedian David Strassman has been entertaining the masses through the art of ventriloquism. His puppets, Ted E Bare, Chuck Wood, Kevin The Alien, Grandpa Fred, Sid Beaverton and Buttons are well loved extensions of David, and audiences flock to see them just as much as they come to see Strassman himself.
David Strassman is about to embark on a tour of South Australia, and I was fortunate to catch up with him to talk about the tour, his puppets and what made him pursue a career in the stand up comedy and ventriloquism world.
“Money. Isn’t that what most people do it for?” David chuckled.
“When I was that kid, doing magic tricks for a bit of spare change, I learnt ventriloquism. From there, I was taught how to market myself at around the age of 13. I put an ad in the paper and found myself doing kids shows for around $50 and free birthday cake. So I quickly learnt how to market myself so I didn’t have to be that kid who mowed grass and did odd jobs for a few dollars, but could earn way more entertaining people.”
Over the years, David has created some loved, and not so loved characters. He explained to me how he develops them.
“All the characters start out as a physical puppet and then over the years their character grows and develops as material is written around them. My puppets have the same personalities you find in a stage play. They have hopes, dreams, fears, loves, wants, objectives and nightmares. Because they have these character parameters, they are fully fleshed out as far as when the audience sees them. It’s not just an idiot on stage trying to make a puppet be funny. They have full-on issues and problems that mirror humans.”
David went on to explain to me how the material in each of his tours is created.
“The puppets’ routines are best described like an episode of The Simpsons. Basically, each tour I do is completely different from the last, but it includes the same characters with a different plot. Their stories have developed over the years and because the puppets are so well known, people remember what I said last time, so I’m able to build on that in the next tour I do.”
In the routines David writes, I was curious to find out if he can get away with saying so much more as a puppet than he could as a human.
“Of course! It’s so great to be able to say everything I’m thinking about particular issues but through a puppet. Kevin the Alien in particular really speaks the truth about the human race, and it’s what we all are often thinking, but not comfortable verbalising. Most of my characters really do have a message.”
David is currently in Australia and about to embark on a huge tour across South Australia with his new show, The Chocolate Diet.
“I have brought my standard barrel of monkeys on this tour. Ted E. Bare has put on a few pounds during the pandemic and is addicted to chocolate. It is all he eats. He has gone on a diet quest that he has lost so much weight he becomes impossibly thin. So he has to gain weight and it becomes a battle for him with what is healthy. Chuck is pretty sure he is Transgender. He has a fantastic message about being true to yourself. I’ve had a lot of positive feedback from the Transgender community about what Chuck has to say. I have a few other of my friends joining us as well for this show.
“I workshopped this show in Adelaide in the 2019 Fringe, in very limited fashion, and since then, this show has grown into a huge stage production. From the little tiny thing I did in a tent to what it is now, it’s a massive growth and development.”
David Strassman’s The Chocolate Diet will be touring across South Australia between November 24 and December 6. For locations and ticket purchases, visit https://www.davidstrassman.com/regional/adelaide-sa-nt .
Content warning: This performance is rated MA 15+. Children 12 to 15 years must be accompanied by parents or guardians. No one under 12 years old is admitted.
