magine a business where your partner gets all of the attention, acts hard-headed, and makes you carry his weight, too. That doesn't sound like much fun … unless you're 16-year-old, award-winning ventriloquist Spencer Horsman of Baltimore, MD. Spencer entertains at parties, fairs, and business functions, and has even been on national television.

Starting Small

ome businesses start on a shoestring; Spencer's began with a sock. He received a hand puppet for his eighth birthday and taught himself using a video by renowned ventriloquist Paul Winchell and his puppet, Jerry Mahoney. "The whole family helped me write jokes," says Spencer. He put business cards in his father's magic store and was soon getting jobs with his next puppet, a professional-type named Dexter.

"Dexter" comes from the Greek word dexios meaning "relating to the right," and Spencer stresses that dexterity and manipulation, not voice throwing, are what really make a puppet
act alive.

Competitive Ventriloquism

Spencer obviously knows his craft. In 1994, he and Dexter placed second in the International Ventriloquist Contest held in Kentucky. Spencer competed against nine other "vents" and, at age eight, was also one of youngest.

Spencer and the other contestants were judged by professional ventriloquists on the quality of their scripts, as well as their puppet-handling skills. The judges especially liked Spencer's magic trick in which Dexter blew a soap bubble and Spencer turned into a crystal ball.

Going Professional

Spencer attributes his success to business skills like professionalism, management, and networking. He and Dexter dress in tuxedos for every job, giving them a mature image. Spencer also uses the Internet to share experiences and tips with other ventriloquist.

Spencer has good advice for aspiring ventriloquists, "Start with a homemade puppet, get instructions from a video or a book, and practice hand movements in front of a mirror. Also, make sure your audience can relate to your jokes." His school audiences love it when Dexter says, "My grades are under water … below C level."

Although Spencer loves ventriloquism, he doesn't let it interfere with school. He's keeping his grades up so he can become a forensic pathologist. Now there's a job where you don't want to hear voices coming from strange places!