23 Facts About Otto Petersen

Otto Petersen was born in Brooklyn, New York City, to a Danish father and Jewish American mother, and raised on Staten Island.

Otto Petersen is survived by his mother Sylvia Petersen, a brother Tom Petersen, sister Lona Petersen and long time companion, Tricia Conte.

Otto Petersen began to perform as a ventriloquist when he was seven.

Otto Petersen bought his first dummy at a magic shop in Times Square in 1974 for $350.

Otto Petersen dropped out of high school and became a street performer at thirteen, initially in the New York City area, the college circuit, and at gigs in the Catskills.

Otto Petersen's act included insults and nursery rhymes with humorous and gross alterations.

Otto Petersen had purchased it from a man in Madison, Wisconsin in 1975 for $300 which was made from basswood.

Otto Petersen then used a replacement that a friend had made named Phil.

In 1980, the 20-year-old Otto Petersen was named Best Novelty Act at the inaugural New York Nightclub Showcase Awards held at Good Times, a club in New York City.

Otto Petersen then developed an X-rated act in order to set himself apart from other comics.

In 2002, Otto Petersen revealed that he had used eight dummies in his career.

Otto Petersen was a guest on Opie and Anthony on WNEW and XM Satellite Radio from April 2000 until his death.

Otto Petersen performed with George at the Adult Film Awards ceremony in Las Vegas on two occasions.

Otto Petersen was not asked for a return appearance having offended some of the audience with his material.

In 2004, Otto Petersen was featured in the 2005 documentary film The Aristocrats where he told a version of the joke of the same name.

In 2007, Otto Petersen was a featured comic as part of Ventriloquist Week on Late Show with David Letterman.

Otto Petersen looked back on his performance as challenging because of the necessity to use more clean material as opposed to the adult-themed act he is used to.

In 2009, Otto Petersen said that George Carlin had approached him after a gig some years before and said that he was a fan.

Also in 2009, Petersen starred in the independent documentary film I'm No Dummy, directed by Bryan W Simon.

The comedian Andrew Dice Clay used a large number of the nursery rhymes that Otto Petersen told for years well before the rise of Dice.

In June 2013, Otto Petersen fell ill with bacterial meningitis and was placed in a coma for nearly a week.

Otto Petersen died in his sleep at his home in Keyport, New Jersey on April 13,2014, aged 53.

Otto Petersen is survived by his longtime partner Trish Conte, mother Sylvia, brother Tom, and sister Lona.