Welcome to Eyes and Teeth Jay Johnson
Jay Johnson is an International Success story in the art of ventriloquism highly respected in the land of Sitcom, stage performance, the acting world and the art of Ventriloquism. He was certainly on my Top 10 list greatest vents of all time so you can imagine how happy I am to have him guest on my podcast.
Jay has been seen on TV drama’s such as an episode of Mrs. Columbo,The Love Boat, Gimme a Break!, Simon & Simon, The Facts of Life, Empty Nest (reuniting him with his father from Soap, Richard Mulligan), and Dave's World.
Jay Johnson: The Two & Only! written and performed by Jay Johnson, opened on Broadway to rave reviews at the Helen Hayes Theatre on September 28, 2006.Â
The show deconstructs and demonstrates Johnson's lifelong obsession with the art of ventriloquism. The show is a Valentine, not only to the art, but also to his mentor and friend Arthur Sieving, who created Johnson's first professional puppet. The show is aided and abetted by a cast of ventriloquated characters, including his Soap alter ego, Bob. Johnson won the 2007 Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event for the show. He is the only ventriloquist to ever be nominated and win an American Theatre Wing Tony Award or an Ovation Award.
The original Bob puppet featured on Soap was inducted into the Smithsonian Institute's collections of pop culture icons in May 2007. He currently uses a replica Bob for Jay Johnson: The Two & Only!Â
Welcome to Eyes & Teeth Jay Johnson