Josh Blue uses his stage to show we shouldn’t be laughing at people with disabilities, but with them. Critics have said Blue is not a cerebral palsy comic but a comic who happens to have cerebral palsy, and his resume reads more like a bucket list for any aspiring comedian, starting with a groundbreaking win on NBC’s Last Comic Standing in 2006. Since then, he has appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Fox, CBS, ABC, MSNBC, CNN, and NPR’s Talk of the Nation and has been featured in People Magazine and The New York Times. Most recently, he earned third place on America’s Got Talent and released his latest special, Freak Accident, on YouTube. Beyond comedy, he’s a father and a celebrated artist, and he played on the U.S. Paralympic soccer team. We sat down with Blue, who lives in Denver, to talk about pushing boundaries and breaking stereotypes.
Class clown: “I was a funny kid; I’ve always had the gift of being funny, but I didn’t know until college that being funny was an actual job you can have. I had seen comics before, but it was something other people did. It didn’t feel tangible or like anyone can do it—which they can’t. I signed up for an open mic night, a huge leap with my terrible stage fright, and it wasn’t so bad. Standup comedy, unlike public speaking, you can’t mess up because you made it up. I never write anything down; that way I can’t f*ck it up.”
Different lens: “The more real I am about my situation, having cerebral palsy, the more others can relate to it on their own level. Maybe it’s not CP, but there’s something holding them back or they see as a negative. By me not just talking about it and looking it in the face, but throwing it in their faces, people have responded so well. The world needs more people saying it’s okay to be different and have a different way of life. My lens is through cerebral palsy, but it’s not the whole show.”
Other tongues: “I was born in Senegal and have traveled to forty-six countries and all fifty states. I think world travel is the best education you can have. Speaking English, French, and Wolof gives me a greater appreciation for language, which definitely helps me come up with funny material. My favorite is when I can make someone laugh in Wolof, because how many white guys can do that?”
Denver’s superlative: “Denver has the best scene in the world, and Comedy Works Downtown is the best club in the world, in my opinion. There are smart audiences here. I like that. And everyone is supportive. They come to laugh, be entertained, and live in the moment.”
Who makes Josh laugh: “I’ve come across great comedians locally. Sam Tallent is one of the better comics I’ve seen in a long time, also Derrick Stroup. Janae Burris is one of my main openers. I’m her kid’s godfather. Nationally, I’m a big fan of Bill Burr. I think he’s so damn funny.”
Something unexpected: “I like throwing axes. I am actually really good. Pretty deadly. No one would expect it with my CP. I also paint and make giant wood carvings. I have a gallery pop-up in Denver soon, which will hopefully coincide with my book release. I’ve been working on it for twenty-plus years since I can’t write, and I’ve been through five scribes already.”
