Ep 21: Disabled Comedians
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Today’s episode is damn funny with comedians Maysoon Zayid and Danielle Perez. Maysoon and Danielle share how they got started in comedy, the barriers they face in the entertainment industry, what they find funny, and the role of comedians in resisting oppression.
Transcript
[Google doc] [PDF]
Related Links
Angley, Natalie. (March 23, 2018). She lost her feet in an accident. Now, her standup comedy helps her heal. CNN.com
Buzzfeed Video. (February 27, 2017). Struggles Of Dating When You Use A Wheelchair.
McQueen, Ann Marie. (March 15, 2018). How American-Palestinian comic Maysoon Zayid got the last laugh. EmiratesWoman.com
Zayid, Maysoon. (January 3, 2014). I got 99 problems… palsy is just one. TED talk.
About
Danielle Perez is a Los Angeles based stand-up comedian best known for being the woman in a wheelchair, with no feet, who won a treadmill on The Price Is Right. She appeared as a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! for her hilarious reaction to winning the awkward prize. Before viral video fame, Danielle rolled onto the Los Angeles comedy scene and quickly established herself as a unique comedic voice with her bubbly stage presence, sharp tongue, and love of Mariah Carey. Danielle has opened for Maria Bamford and performs at comedy clubs and festivals across the country. She has been profiled by CNN’s “Great Big Story”, Elizabeth Bank’s WhoHaha, and Refinery 29, and has written and appeared in sketches for BuzzFeed, Funny or Die, Snarled, and Chanel 101. A founding member of Thigh Gap Comedy, Danielle produces GENTRIFICATION, a monthly diversity showcase in Highland Park. Funny, feminist, and fierce this bold Latina isn’t afraid to get personal. Danielle will star in the web series “Thank You Come Again” and can be seen in the latest episode of Quinta Vs Everything, streaming now on Facebook. She owns multiple bodycon sequin dresses in a plus size and believes brunch is a right, not a privilege.
Website: www.thedanielleperez.com
Twitter: @divadelux
Instagram: @divadelux
Maysoon Zayid is an actress, comedian, writer, and disability advocate. She is a graduate of and a Guest Comedian in Residence at Arizona State University. Maysoon is the co-founder/co-executive producer of the New York Arab American Comedy Festival and The Muslim Funny Fest. She was a full-time On Air Contributor to Countdown with Keith Olbermann and a columnist for The Daily Beast. She has most recently appeared on Oprah Winfrey Networks In Deep Shift, 60 Minutes, and ABC News. Maysoon had the number one TED Talk of 2014 and was named 1 of 100 Women of 2015 by BBC.
As a professional comedian, Maysoon has performed in top New York clubs and has toured extensively at home and abroad. She was a headliner on the Arabs Gone Wild Comedy Tour and The Muslims Are Coming Tour. Maysoon appeared alongside Adam Sandler in You Don’t Mess with the the Zohan and has written for VICE. She walked in New York Fashion Week and is proud to be an ambassador for the Cerebral Palsy Foundation. Maysoon is currently developing a comedy series with Hazy Mills Productions called If I Cancan.
Website: https://maysoon.com/
Twitter: @MaysoonZayid
Instagram @MaysoonZayid
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Credits
Cheryl Green, Audio Producer/Transcriber
Alice Wong, Writer, Producer, Interviewer
Cheryl Green, Text Transcript
Lateef McLeod, Introduction
Mike Mort, Artwork
Theme Music (used with permission of artist)
Song: “Hard Out Here for A Gimp”
Album: NO BIG DEAL
Artist: Wheelchair Sports Camp
Music
“Téki (with Les Gauchers Orchestra)” by Lee Maddeford. (Source: freemusicarchive.org. Licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 International License.)
“Planet Plura” by D SMILEZ. (Source: freemusicarchive.org. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.)
“What True Self? Feels Bogus, Let’s Watch Jason X” by Chris Zabriskie. (Source: freemusicarchive.org. Licensed under a Attribution License.)
“Pianoman Sofa” by Lobo Loco. (Source: freemusicarchive.org. Licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.)
Sounds
“VOCODER countdown” by Jack_Master. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons 0 License.
“8 Bit Beeping Computer Sounds” by sheepfilms. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons 0 License.
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