silence! i kill you!

by kamyla chutkae

Smart, witty and fun comedian Jeff Dunham is taking the comedy world by storm. With his latest addition to the puppet gang, Achmed the Dead Terrorist, Dunham is quickly gaining popularity amongst fans of all ages. Night after night, fans line up and crowd the theatre hoping to catch a glimpse of the skeletal, bearded, white-turban wearing star.

Achmed is a dead suicide bomber who refuses to believe that he’s dead. He says that his cadaverous silhouette is due to a flesh wound. His suicide bomber days were cut short when he got blown up at a gas station while on his cell phone with a Verizon Wireless employee. He claims to have taken the Verizon Wireless guy with him.

Known for his trademark punch line, “Silence! I kill you”, Achmed has helped received well over 66 million views on YouTube, as of August 2008, making it one of the most watched videos on the entire site. Pretty popular, for a mere Halloween decoration though it pains him to think of himself that way. Achmed also insists he’s not Muslim, regardless of his thick Arab accent, as “Made in China” is written on his behind.

Recently, a ring tone commercial involving Achmed was banned in South Africa as it was deemed offensive to Muslims. Dunham defended himself by saying “Achmed makes it clear in my act that he is not Muslim, so I’m sorry that the gentleman Khan didn’t see my entire show” as well as, “"I've skewered whites, blacks, Hispanics, Christians, Jews, Muslims, gays, straights, rednecks, addicts, the elderly, and my wife. As a standup comic, it is my job to make the majority of people laugh, and I believe that comedy is the last true form of free speech."

Despite this event, Achmed, with his bulging red eyes and furred eyebrows, still seems to be hypnotizing audiences worldwide.