Josh Blue is a talented comedian, a proud father of two, and an avid soccer player; he has represented the United States in eight countries, as a member of the US Paralympic Soccer Team. He got his big break in comedy when he was crowned the winner of season four’s “Last Comic Standing.” He has since starred in “Comedy Central Presents Josh Blue,” and in “Mind of Mencia.” Josh has also performed on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Ellen Degeneres Show, Live with Regis and Kelly. Josh was also honored with a performance at the William H. Macy Gala at the prestigious Just for Laughs Comedy Festival.
Josh’s sense of humor developed at a young age, as his jokes were often used as coping mechanisms. As an infant, Josh was diagnosed with spastic cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is a neurologic condition caused by abnormal development in the brain that leads to problems with movement, muscle tone, or posture. This diagnosis provided a constant source of comedy material for Josh. Throughout high school and while attending Evergreen State College, Josh used humor as a way to break the ice with his peers and to start his journey to become a comedian. Josh quickly established himself as one of the most sought after comedians on the college circuit.
Josh uses self-deprecating and off script humor, making him an improvisational mastermind. The focus of his hilarious standup routines feature jokes on the impromptu happenings going on around the set, the humor in the mundane everyday topics, such as being a parent and quarantining in 2020, and also on his life with cerebral palsy. Josh’s candor has revolutionized the phrase, “not laughing at you, laughing with you” and he has explained that, “‘inspiration’ is actually a swear-word to those who are disabled.” Josh uses his humor to educate his audiences on aspects of living with a disability. He performs over 200 shows a year, continuing to spread laughter and break down stereotypes of people with disabilities.
Interviewed by our Founder and President, Alexander Nicholas, Josh discusses how comedy has the power to eradicate preconceived notions and stereotypes of those with a difference. Josh shares his story on how he became a comedian and the accolades that have followed. He also talks about how comedy helped him to adapt and teach the world about cerebral palsy. Josh has stated, “The thing about my comedy is that I'm so comfortable with my disability that you don't have a right to be uncomfortable, if I say something that's hard in my life but put it in a way that maybe you have not thought of, and I'm laughing at it, it gives you the ability to laugh at the same thing within yourself. I feel like every person has a disability in some way. Whether you're dyslexic or Republican or whatever.” Josh is living proof that laughter is the best medicine.
