Ventriloquists Speak Up for Themselves

Ventriloquism has been on the outs since the '70s, but its fortunes are starting to turn, the Wall Street Journal reports. Symbolizing the resurgence of the vaudeville favorite is Terry Fator, a winner of NBC’s America’s Got Talent competition, who recently picked up a yearlong headlining gig at the Las Vegas Hilton.

Fator’s sold-out act employs polished professionalism and a dizzying pace as he whips through six puppets and more than a dozen songs. "We've been fighting a stigma for years and I hope I can be the one to change that," he says. Aiding the cause are two upcoming documentaries, Figures of Speech and I’m No Dummy. (More ventriloquism stories.)