Twin Cities comedy group 'The Disableds' breaks new ground with all-disabled comedian shows
'The Disableds' hits the Twin Cities comedy scene
A comedy group called "The Disableds" is taking the Twin Cities comedy scene by storm, with the members all having disabilities. FOX 9's Symone Woolridge has more.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A group of comedians is breaking new ground in the Twin Cities, bringing laughter and fresh perspectives to the stage.
A new kind of comedy group takes the stage in the Twin Cities
What we know:
The group, called "The Disableds," is made up of six comedians who all have different disabilities, including cerebral palsy, dwarfism, hearing and visual impairments and mental health disorders.
Sam Bondhus, a local comedian who is deaf, is a member of the group.
"We have our go-to phrases and because I'm deaf, I have two. The first one is, that's funny," Bondhus said.
The comedians use their experiences to fuel their jokes, often poking fun at themselves and their disabilities.
FOX 9 was in the audience during one of the group's most recent shows. Bondhus was unable to attend the show that night but Brian Bretzman, the creator of the group, made him the icebreaker to start the show.
"Our deaf comedian isn't here tonight, but he will be on other shows. His alarm clock is going off forever right now," he said as the crowd laughed.
Bretzman opened the show by talking to the crowd about the group and what the audience could expect throughout the night.
"As you may know, we are all disabled comedians," he said on stage.
Each show is filled with laughter and honest moments, which are ways the comedians hope to connect with people in the community.
"I moved out of my mom’s house four years ago at the tender age of 40," one comedian shared, getting a big reaction from the crowd.
The group making space for everyone to enjoy comedy
What they're saying:
"I'm a pretty normal guy aside from the lazy eye, crooked nose, nub fingers, and webbed toes. And yes, I can swim fast, let's get that out of the way," said comedian Raymond Joseph during his time on stage.
Joseph has Apert Syndrome, a rare genetic condition that affects facial features and causes webbing of fingers and toes.
"I do hope my material doesn't offend anybody with Apert syndrome or other physical differences. Comedy has been a way for me to connect with people and find happiness, but I know that's not the case for everybody," Joseph said in his closing remarks.
The comedians say the shows are just as much for them as they are for the audience. The comedians find comfort and connection in sharing their stories.
It’s a way for them to do what they love and for the audience to enjoy the lighter moments in life.
"I am an aspiring model. I had my headshots at all the blue signs outside in the parking lot," said comedian Dakota Forness.
Forness has cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair.
"Please refrain from standing ovations. I find them offensive so thank you for sitting," he joked as he closed out his time on stage.
Some of the comedians choose to talk about their abilities while on stage and some don’t.
"My name is Matt, two T’s no eyes," comedian Matt "Eagle Eyes" Higgins said.
Higgins is blind. On stage, while talking to the crowd, he said he lost his vision at the age of 30.
"My brother went blind when he was like 6. It’s a hereditary thing. They told us — me and my older brother — we would get it. Oh, we got it," Higgins said.
"Everyone identifies with certain things throughout the day, and then you hear it from a different perspective of someone that can't hear or can't see or can't walk. And you're like, ‘oh I never thought of that,’ you know," Bretzman said.
Bretzman hopes these shows offer perspective.
As someone who suffers from mental health disorders, he says physical abilities go beyond physical appearance.
"I look like a beacon of health to you and… what?" he said on stage as the crowd laughed.
"I have agoraphobia and autophobia and I have a hard time leaving the house. I have a hard time being home alone, and I have severe panic attacks, but for whatever reason, when I do comedy, I've never had a panic attack," Bretzman said. "Not before a show, not during a show, not after a show. So, my brain kind of works the opposite. And some of the other guys, their mental health is helped a lot by this because it's an outlet for this."
Bretzman has been doing comedy since 1998 at the age of 21.
Overtime, he started to connect with some of the comedians in the group while doing shows.
That’s when he got the idea to create something special.
"I kind of had the idea last year after meeting a couple of them, but I didn't know if there was enough," he said. "Then, finally, I met Sam Bondhus and then Dakota Forness and I thought, wow, I've got to do this. We've gotta put this group together. Because not only is everyone disabled, but they're all funny. Some people kind of talk about it because it can be tricky because some of the guys you can see, they're disabled but you also don't want that to be your whole identity. You don't want to be the disabled guy, the blind guy, the deaf guy."
The comedians are building a supportive community
Local perspective:
Bretzman says this group is the first of its kind in the area.
"There's a lot of comedy nights that do certain types of people, but I've never seen one for just disabled people."
The shows are about more than just laughs — they are about showing that people with disabilities can do more than just be defined by their conditions.
"You want entertainment and you want them to laugh. But also, you want to realize that they've seen disabled people, you know, doing something more than being disabled," said Bretzman.
Bretzman said people have been supporting the group, and they’re hoping to continue to book shows.
The group’s next show is set for Sunday, May 10 at the Mall of America House of Comedy. Tickets are available online.
The Source: This story uses information gathered by FOX 9 reporter Symone Woolridge.