Disability and comedy: a personal perspective | Ted Shiress

One of the areas where having a disability shouldn't be a major issue is comedy, but presumptions and biases still occur in surprising waysBeing a friend of Dean has its perks and one of them is to have a guest blog published on the Guardian's website, so I started thinking about what thought-provoking matters dear to my heart I could write about. Being a comedian and a blues-freak, I could write about the surprising similarities in the emotional state required to produce both. Being a bit snotty when it comes to food, I could carve out a list of 10 meat products I find more repulsive than horse. And having a degree in English Language I could write an eloquent piece on how we should embrace change openly and not want to castrate those who use apostrophes "creatively". (Actually, I probably couldn't do the third as I'm still willing to support capital punishment for those who can't use bloody apostrophes properly!)Alternatively I could just reel off a piece about what it's like being a comedian with cerebral palsy (that isn't a sick joke, because I am one). No doubt it would get a few hits and some publicity without taxing me in any way. But then, it would risk leaving you with the impression my "comedy" is more disability-inspiration-porn than comedy. Having said that it seems the obvious way to go; the Guardian love this kind of thing. Plus still being rather low down on the comedy career ladder (like all ladders, it isn't accessible) it could do me good. Many articles by/a...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Psychology Comedy theguardian.com Blogposts Society Disability Science Source Type: news