PEORIA - Any comedian's voice is a precious commodity. But for Jeff Dunham, it's a precious commodity times 10. And then some.

Credit the members of his famed Suitcase Posse for that amplification of his vocal cords' preciousness.

The Posse is the supporting cast of dummies who've followed Dunham around for the better part of his quarter-century career, including his "Spark of Insanity Tour" gig this weekend at the Peoria Civic Center Arena (7:30 p.m. Sunday).

Needless to say, as one of the comedy world's handful of star ventriloquists, Dunham's had a big hand in their success.

Literally.

Because of their constant demand for vocal attention, we can blame the Posse for the wear and tear on Dunham's precious cords - a level of deterioration that caused his doctor to issue a cease-and-desist order earlier this week.

As in, cease and desist from all interviews and extraneous talk.

On the eve of his scheduled GO! interview, Dunham's doc forbade the very notion of an interview involving verbal communication.

We were tempted to respond to said medico with a simple edict of our own - a paraphrasing of the catch-phrase of Posse member Achmed the Dead Terrorist:

"Silence. We KILL you!"

But sanity prevailed.

We simply requested that Dunham keep mum and supply us some artillery via print to exact our revenge against the doctor's orders.

According to his publicist, the precarious state of his voice caused a mass cancellation of interviews in multiple media, which can't be doing star Posse member Walter any good as he campaigns for president.

Yes, Clinton and Obama and McCain supporters: that grumpy old man with a permanently affixed scowl, rigidly crossed arms and a blanket intolerance for anyone and anything is out to lead our country his way.

His campaign stumping tends to begin along the lines of: "My fellow Americans … and foreigners that know how to read and type on a keyboard. But you can't vote, so don't bother sending me any e-mail. I probably couldn't understand you anyway."

His reason for running?

"Because the country needs my no-nonsense, straightforward approach to the issues. For example, you have heard the phrase, 'no child left behind.' What? Are you kidding me? You should see my grandkids. If they're acting like brats, you're darn right I'll leave them behind. And with no stinkin' forwarding address! Little MORONS."

And so it goes right down to his sign-off of, "sincerely, and with much patriotism, Walter."

On Walter's link at the www.jeffdunham.com Web site, Hillary was most recently leading votes at around 49 percent, but Walter wasn't far behind, in second place, with around 44 percent support.

Though the Suitcase Posse lineup for Dunham's Peoria performance wasn't completely revealed, rest assured that Walter will be in place, trolling for votes.

Also likely to make appearances as the evening progresses are the Posse's greatest hits: Peanut, a Woozle born on an island in Micronesia; Jose Jalapeno on a Stick (or, "Steeek!"), a garrulous hot-tempered Mexican veggie; Achmed the Dead Terrorist, a Homeland Security-baiting skeleton who has retained his beard and turban; Melvin the Superhero Guy, who'se alleged powers of superiority involve the debatable ability to fly and some highly questionable X-ray vision; and Sweet Daddy Dee, whose resume reads "Player in a Managing Profession, or Pimp."

"These guys are my secret weapon," says Dunham, "There's some sort of unspoken rule that allows them to say things and make observations that no mere human could ever get away with, and it's all under the guise of comedy."

Dunham's secret weapons stash began being amassed when he was still a kid, around the age of 8. Since he was born in 1960, Dunham's lips have been professionally sealed for a good 40 years now.

"The actual skill of ventriloquism," he insists, "is something anyone can learn if you have a normal speaking voice, a tongue and teeth. It is a learned skill, like juggling."

One of Dunham's childhood heroes, he says, was "Ed Sullivan Show" mainstay Senor Wences, whose famous "fist puppet" ("S'all right? S'all right!") is reincarnated, with love, as Jose Jalapeno.

Dunham says he marveled at Senor Wences' "perfect timing," from first breath to final punch-line.

Other heroes of perfect-timing heroes included Bob Hope, ventriloquism godfather Edgar Bergen and talk show overlord Johnny Carson.

It was the latter's instant acceptance that skyrocketed Dunham to the superstar orbit he travels today (note that his Peoria Civic Center appearance is in the arena and not the theater, where comedians are usually booked).

According to Dunham legend, his 1990 debut on the show resulted in being asked to sit on Carson's couch following his routine, one of only four times in "Tonight Show" history a comedian was extended that invitation on their first pass through.

In the 18 years since, Dunham has logged more appearances than any ventriloquist in the show's annals, not to mention scoring major hits via cable comedy overlord, Comedy Central. There, his "Spark of Insanity" show remains one of the channel's highest-rated hour-long standup specials and has been rerun constantly over the past year.

Through it all, Dunham says he's in it solely for the sake of the Suitcase Posse, not Jeff Dunham.

"If people walk away thinking, 'those guys were funny' rather than 'he was a great ventriloquist,' then I've done my job."

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Suitcase Posse

Profiles of Jeff Dunham's band of dummies:

• Walter: grouchy, intolerant, married too many years (48), presidential candidate

• Peanut: Micronesian Woozle, covered in green and purple body hair, high school dropout, deliberately mispronounces Dunham's name ("Je-fah-fah Dun-Ham")

• Jose Jalapeno On a Stick: Mexican hot pepper "on a steeek!" (a phrase attached to the end of most of his sentences), born in a talking-pizza-toppings routine, argumentative, afraid of "cock-a-roaches"

• Achmed the Dead Terrorist: post-mortem terrorist (i.e., a skeleton in a turban), prone to warn "Silence! I KILL you!," also prone to ask audiences "Are you my virgins? I hope not!"

• Bubba J: He must be a redneck because … he met his wife at a family reunion … the wedding reception was at a Wal-mart … his favorite beer is "an open one" … he was once abducted by aliens who probed, and took, his liver.

• Melvin the Superhero Guy: Can fly (as far as he can be thrown), has X-ray vision (except through silicone), calls Pinocchio his enemy, has own theme song ("Da da-da daaah!"), wears hairpiece that sometimes slips

• Sweet Daddy Dee: Works full-time as "player in a managing profession, or pimp," dislikes hockey and NASCAR, favors pink and gold in his sartorial choices, thinks Jeff "ain't white - you're neon white!"

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At a glance

What: Jeff Dunham

When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday

Where: Peoria Civic Center, Peoria

Tickets: $43

Box office number: (309) 673-3200