Jeff Dunham Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is Jeff Dunham’s net worth and salary?

An American ventriloquist and comedian, Jeff Dunham boasts a net worth of $140 million. He stands out as one of the highest-paid comedians globally, earning between $15 to 30 million annually. Throughout his career, Dunham has made appearances on numerous television shows such as “Late Show with David Letterman,” “Comedy Central Presents,” “The Tonight Show,” “Sonny With a Chance,” and his series titled “The Jeff Dunham Show.” Constantly among the top-grossing standup acts in North America, Dunham has rejuvenated the art of ventriloquism, having done more to advocate for this art form than anyone since Edgar Bergen.

Early Life

Born in Dallas, Texas, on April 18, 1962, Jeff Dunham was adopted by Howard and Joyce Dunham when he was three months old. Raised in a strongly Presbyterian household, he began his ventriloquism journey at the age of eight in 1970, receiving a Mortimer Snerd dummy as a Christmas gift. The following day, he checked out a library book on ventriloquism, marking the beginning of his path in this field. By fourth grade, Dunham aspired not just to be a professional ventriloquist but to become the best in the world. He dedicated hours to practicing in front of a mirror, analyzed the routines of ventriloquist Edgar Bergen, and absorbed a how-to record on the craft.

Dunham’s involvement in ventriloquism deepened when he started attending the annual international ventriloquists’ convention in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, known as the Vent Haven ConVENTion. Since that first attendance, he has only missed one ConVENTion, which was in 1977. As a teenager, Dunham began performing for audiences at his school, church, and through his job at Six Flags amusement park. His television debut occurred in 1976, and while still in high school, he featured in commercials for car dealerships in Dallas. Graduating in 1980, he was voted as Most Likely to Succeed, setting a goal to appear on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” within the next decade.

Dunham pursued communications at Baylor University while simultaneously traveling across the country for 100 private shows each year on weekends. By his junior year (1983-84), he was reportedly earning $70,000 annually.

Career

In 1985, he secured a role in a Broadway variety show with stars like Mickey Rooney and Ann Miller, marking a significant breakthrough for the emerging comedian. The late 1980s saw him relocating to Los Angeles, with a notable appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in 1988 fulfilling a lifelong ambition. Throughout the 1990s, Dunham experienced moderate success as a touring comedian, but it was his 2003 Comedy Central special that catapulted him into superstardom. Subsequently, he was featured in various television shows, including Blue Collar TV, Good Morning America, and Hollywood Squares, alongside his own one-hour specials such as Jeff Dunham: Arguing With Myself (2006), Jeff Dunham: Spark of Insanity (2007), and Jeff Dunham’s Very Special Christmas Special (2008). His…

The highest ratings in the history of Comedy Central were brought in by the Christmas special.

In 2009, Dunham reached an agreement with Comedy Central, which allowed him to broadcast his fourth special, embark on a sixty-city tour, secure a partnership in consumer products, and get an order for the “Jeff Dunham Show” television series (which debuted on October 22, 2009), in addition to producing DVDs. Despite achieving the most-watched premiere in Comedy Central’s history and maintaining higher average ratings than other network shows in the beginning, “The Jeff Dunham Show” was canceled after just one season, attributed to unfavorable reviews, disappointing ratings, and production costs that exceeded those of other Comedy Central offerings.

His fourth special, titled “Jeff Dunham: Controlled Chaos,” made its debut on Comedy Central on September 25, 2011. Following that, his fifth special, “Minding the Monsters,” was released on October 7, 2012. An animated film, “Achmed Saved America,” premiered in March 2014 on CMT. His sixth special, “All Over the Map,” was aired on November 16, 2014, on Comedy Central. For his seventh special, “Unhinged in Hollywood,” Dunham transitioned from Comedy Central to NBC, and it premiered on September 17, 2015. Since then, he has launched specials such as “Relative Disaster” (2017), “Beside Himself” (2019), “Completely Unrehearsed Last-Minute Pandemic Holiday Special” (2020), and “Me The People” (2022). Additionally, in 2022, Dunham participated in season eight of “The Masked Singer” as Pi-Rat and was eliminated during “Vegas Night.”

Dunham’s characters comprise Achmed the Dead Terrorist, Walter, Peanut, Jose Jalapeno on a Stick, Bubba J, Sweet Daddy Dee, Melvin the Superhero Guy, Little Jeff, Achmed Junior, Diane, and Seamus.

Dunham has authored two books. In 2003, he released “Dear Walter,” co-written with Walter Cummings. His autobiography, “All By My Selves: Walter, Peanut, Achmed and Me,” was published in 2010.

Personal Life

Dunham met his first wife, Paige Brown, at the Comedy Corner in West Palm Beach in 1992. They tied the knot in 1994, and he became the adoptive father of Paige’s daughter Bree, who was one-and-a-half years old at the time. Together, they welcomed two daughters, Ashlyn (1995) and Kenna (1997). However, Dunham’s frequent road performances strained their marriage, prompting him to file for divorce in November 2008.

In mid-2009, Dunham entered a relationship with Audrey Murdick, a personal trainer, nutritionist, and bodybuilding competitor. They became engaged on Christmas Day in 2011 and exchanged vows on October 12, 2012. October 2015 saw the birth of their twin sons, James Jeffrey and Jack Steven.

Outside of performing with one on stage, Dunham enjoys restoring antique ones in his leisure time. He also harbors a long-time fascination with helicopters, which began in childhood, leading him to both build and fly his own kits.

Salary Highlights

Dunham earned $20 million in 2011, followed by $22 million in 2012 and $19 million in 2013. Between June 2017 and June 2018, his earnings reached $17 million. He has sold over 10 million DVDs and generated tens of millions of dollars through merchandise sales.

Real Estate

Dunham sold his Mediterranean-style home in Encino, California, for $4.1 million in December 2017. This residence features five bedrooms, six-and-a-half bathrooms, and spans 6,522 square feet. Originally, he listed the property in 2015 for $5.199 million, having purchased it in 2009 for $4.25 million.

Dunham

In 2017, a beach view home in Del Mar, California, was also sold. Constructed in 2007, this Mediterranean-style residence spans three stories and covers 6,423 square feet. It features five bedrooms, six bathrooms, and two half baths. Initially, the property was listed in 2011 for $8.75 million and eventually sold in 2017 for $5.5 million.