When I was in the fifth grade my best friend told me he was getting a ventriloquist dummy for Christmas.   I didn't know anything about dummies except, I wanted one too!  I told my mom and dad what I wanted and on Christmas morning I found a Danny-O-Day ventriloquist dummy with a Jimmy Nelson's Instant Ventriloquism record sitting underneath the Christmas tree.  A lot of time was spent listening to that album and practicing with Danny in front of a mirror.  I started performing for my family, my church, my class at school and then ...... I quit.  YES, I QUIT. The kids at school said I played with dolls!   DOLLS?  WHAT?  ME?  I never considered Danny as a "DOLL".  I don't play with dolls......so I quit. Danny went in the closet....and stayed there for several years.  After high school I swallowed my pride .... Danny came out of the closet and so did I...."Hi, My name is David Turner and I play with dolls".  " I am a VENTRILOQUIST"