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"Vents" From Around The World Gather In Northern Kentucky

Courtesy
/
Vent Haven International Ventriloquist Convention
Attendees at the 2017 convention in Hebron, Ky., gathered for a group photo.

More than 500 ventriloquists from around the world are in Erlanger, Ky., this weekend for the 42nd Annual Vent Haven Ventriloquism Convention. Annie Roberts is on the Vent Haven Ventriloquism Museum board of directors and says this is a lot like any other convention, with networking and learning sessions.

"People are learning to be better ventriloquists. They're studying the art. They're studying technique. But they're also studying elements of being an entertainer."

She says ventriloquism can be used for education, or to simply entertain.

"There was a period of time where people said 'Oh, the art of ventriloquism is dead,' and no, it's not," she says. "Just because you don't turn on network TV and see it doesn't mean it's not out there."

She says ventriloquists refer to one another as "vents."

Roberts says this year's convention has more than 500 vents from 14 countries. "We have a large group from South Korea. We have ventriloquists from Brazil, Japan, England, Germany, Canada."

Friday night at the convention is for the international performers.

Roberts says there are some cultural differences within the art form, but there are similarities, too. "Sometimes some of their jokes maybe don't play as well, because the American audience doesn't get the joke. But for the most part, we do, and it's an entertainer trying to be funny."

The annual convention is in Northern Kentucky because it's near the Vent Haven Ventriloquism Museum in Fort Mitchell.

Bill Rinehart started his radio career as a disc jockey in 1990. In 1994, he made the jump into journalism and has been reporting and delivering news on the radio ever since.