Humor | Entertainment | After Dinner Speaker Kevin Johnson has been a ventriloquist nearly all his life. It all started when he was 9 years old, after his parents gave him his first pull-string dummy for Christmas. Having no formal training, he taught himself the art of ventriloquism over a 4-year period. He developed his technique from a parrot. It intrigued him that parrots could speak so clearly without the use of lips. So he re-learned how to speak all together with the use of his tongue and his throat. Is it any wonder that his two closest friends, Clyde and Matilda are birds? Mr. Johnson’s grandfather, Harley Noles, who performed magic shows throughout Colorado, introduced him to the stage. He told Kevin, “If you get good enough, you can open for my show.” At the age of 13, he opened for his grandfather with a 5-minute act with a wooden puppet (Raymond), that his grandfather made for him. A new character has recently been added to Kevin Johnson’s show as a tribute to his grandfather, right down to his name, Harley. Adult audiences love this guy. He holds nothing back and believes he is a real ladies man. Although you’ll never see Mr. Johnson’s mouth move, the real magic happens with the believability of his characters. You’ll fall in love with Matilda, laugh hysterically with Clyde, and relate awkwardly with Harley. Throughout his show you’ll see and experience different variations of ventriloquism. From an audience participant becoming one of his puppets to a magical drawing board coming to life, his show is a hit to every age. He has a unique ability to appeal to children, seniors, and everyone in between. Kevin Johnson is mostly recognized from his 2006 appearance on NBC’s primetime show America’s Got Talent. His “Godzilla Theater” amazed more than 18 million viewers and Simon Cowell told him, “America loves you.” In February 2007, Mr. Johnson achieved one of his lifelong goals when he appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman. He recently finished a 9-year run at San Diego’s Legoland California Theme Park where he performed 8,824 shows. He is currently performing during the Summer Nights at Busch Gardens Tampa. Legoland California nominated Kevin Johnson for the Big E Awards through IAAPA, the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, and won the honor of “Best Male Performer” in 2004 and 2006! He is the only performer to be recognized twice. From corporate events to cruise ships, Kevin Johnson has always been known for his “clean comedy” and is loved and appreciated by audiences of all ages.
|
|
||||||||||||||||
My Favorite Speakers
Similar Speaker