As a performer, veteran comedian, illusionist and ventriloquist Kevin Horner thrives on audience participation.

“With an audience, you can expect the unexpected,” he said, prior to his program Wednesday morning at the Great Bend Library.

As a volunteer live “puppet” in the show, Great Bend 10-year-old Jace Mawhirter learned that Horner can be unexpected, too.

All Mawhirter had to do was open his mouth, prompted by Horner’s gentle squeeze on his shoulder. But Jace was just as surprised as his youthful audience at what came out.

In a gravelly, raspy voice, Jace “said” that his favorite food was corn, that he liked girls, and that his pet goat liked to eat corn, too. 

After they were done, Horner asked that the audience show their appreciation, because it “takes a lot of courage to come up here, and be laughed with, not laughed at,” he said.

Horner’s path as an entertainer started as a bullying prevention spokesman throughout the Midwest. His program, “Speaking Up For Those Who Can’t Speak For Themselves,” was presented across the country for 15 years. He now has been performing for 25 years.

As a ventriloquist, Horner won the People’s Choice Awards and the One Way Street Puppet Festival three years straight beginning in 2003; Best Ventriloquist by Gig Masters for six years straight since 2014 and has been invited to entertain at comedy clubs and on TV.

On Wednesday, Horner invited the audience to meet his friends, “Twinky,” the bunny; “Claude,” the chimpanzee; and “Bruce,” the hungry vulture.

In between, Horner’s illusionary prowess included passing a needle through a balloon, making a cookie disappear and producing a plastic bubble out of thin air surrounded by ones made from soap.

While his youthful audience roared, random adults were drawn into the program as well.

Afterward, children were invited to share a photo opportunity with Horner and his friends.

Horner mixes his family-friendly program with his anti-bullying message, and this ties in with time spent at the library.

“It’s important to find hilarity in clean topics that everyone can relate with, or absurd situations with unusual friends,” he said.

“What we know is that kids that read well handle themselves better in difficult situations,” Horner noted. “With reading comes comprehension, logic and reasoning skills.

“Summer reading programs are fantastic because the benefits are enormous, but the benefits to society are even greater.”