About Us
The Comedians With Disabilities Act
The Comedians with Disabilities Act is a fabulous collection of comedians who have disabilities, both seen and unseen, and bring forth the humor they find in their experiences. The show is the brainchild of comedian Michael O’Connell, who started the group in 2010, and was later joined by Steve Danner and Nina G, not long after. In 2016, O’Connell sadly passed away - but the show he created lives on, spotlighting a variety of Disabled and outrageously funny comedians.
In October 2022, for Disability Awareness month, 17 comedians across four shows in Northern California performed for 100s of people! The lineup of shows included disability representation from the following experiences: stuttering, dyslexia, Dwarfism, amputation, addiction recovery, OCD, depression, anxiety, PTSD, Autism, Tourette's syndrome, spina bifida, spinal muscular atrophy, multiple exostoses, hearing loss, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and blindness. This diverse group of comedians raised awareness and made audiences laugh and rethink what they know about disability.
In addition to the original players (Steve Danner and Nina G), the following comedians regularly perform with the Comedians with Disabilities Act: Mean Dave, Michael Beers, Loren Kraut and Jade Theriault. Many other Disabled comedians have graced the stage including: Dan Smith, Willie Travis, Elvin Maglinte, Tut McCulloh, Jackson McBrayer, Serena Gamboa, Mike Bucci, Zorba Hughes,
and Adam Keyes.
Meet the Comedians With Disabilities Act
Nina G
Michael Beers
Michael Beers
Nina G is a comedian, professional speaker, comedy historical consultant and author of Stutterer Interrupted: The Comedians Who Almost Didn't Happen, Bay Area Stand-Up Comedy: A Humorous History. Her first special, Nina G: Stutterer Interrupted debuted in 2024. Nina has been featured in/on everything from HuffPost's Culture Shifters, Var
Nina G is a comedian, professional speaker, comedy historical consultant and author of Stutterer Interrupted: The Comedians Who Almost Didn't Happen, Bay Area Stand-Up Comedy: A Humorous History. Her first special, Nina G: Stutterer Interrupted debuted in 2024. Nina has been featured in/on everything from HuffPost's Culture Shifters, Variety, NPR's 51%,BBC's Ouch, Psychology Today, Tedx, KQED radio and multiple day time talk shows and podcasts. Nina shares her wit and wisdom with corporations, colleges, conferences, and community events. She is a sought after headliner as well as keynote speaker.
Michael Beers
Michael Beers
Michael Beers
Michael Beers is a comedian and professional speaker. He won the Norman G. Brooks Comedy Competition at the Hollywood Improv in 2005. He was also the previous winner of Funny Fest (Calgary Comedy Festival) and has opened for comedians like Gilbert Gottfried. He is a sought-after keynote speaker on topics like humor, disability advocacy, education and community building.
Steve Danner
Michael Beers
Steve Danner
Steve Danner's comedy career began as an audience member at a comedy club. That night, the comedian on stage started riffing with him and after Danner showcased his own riffing skills, the comic approached Danner after the show and suggested he give comedy a try. He soon began a career as a comedian and producer and has opened for many headliners such as Last Comic Standing Winner Felipe Esparza.
Mean Dave
Jade Theriault
Loren Kraut
Mean Dave, a San Francisco Bay Area favorite and regular at local comedy clubs will be hosting. He has opened for comedians like Josh Blue, Big Jay Oakerson and Jay Mohr and has performed at colleges across the US. Dave is nine years in recovery from addiction, which he weaves into his humor. “Not a lot of people know that being an addict
Mean Dave, a San Francisco Bay Area favorite and regular at local comedy clubs will be hosting. He has opened for comedians like Josh Blue, Big Jay Oakerson and Jay Mohr and has performed at colleges across the US. Dave is nine years in recovery from addiction, which he weaves into his humor. “Not a lot of people know that being an addict in recovery is covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act.” Mean Dave’s role in the Comedians with Disabilities Act helps to bring this message to audiences.
Loren Kraut
Jade Theriault
Loren Kraut
Loren Kraut is a writer and stand-up comedian in San Francisco. Her solo show "A Bit Touched" co-written with Randall Whitehead, won Best Comedy at the Tucson Fringe Festival 2018. She was in SF Sketchfest 2013-2017 & 2023, and has performed at SheDot Festival, Lysistrata Comedy Festival, Mutiny Radio Comedy Festival, HIGHlarious Comedy F
Loren Kraut is a writer and stand-up comedian in San Francisco. Her solo show "A Bit Touched" co-written with Randall Whitehead, won Best Comedy at the Tucson Fringe Festival 2018. She was in SF Sketchfest 2013-2017 & 2023, and has performed at SheDot Festival, Lysistrata Comedy Festival, Mutiny Radio Comedy Festival, HIGHlarious Comedy Festival and The World Series of Comedy, where she placed 3rd in the Comedy Girls Satellite in Las Vegas 2015. She can be heard on CD recordings with the Comedians with Disabilities Act, and Left Coast Comedy. During the pandemic, Loren began a weekly video series "Giraffe Corner" where stuffed giraffes have therapy. She lives with her cat Scout and an unprecedented number of giraffes.
Jade Theriault
Jade Theriault
Jade Theriault
Jade Theriault is a Forbes-recognized comedian who combines provocative thought with moving furniture. Jade, a borg, was manufactured in the Bay Area and is a regular at Alameda Comedy Club, The Punchline, Cobbs Comedy Club, Tommy T's, and the San Jose Improv where she opened for Jesus Trejo. Festival credits include SF Sketchfest, The Ar
Jade Theriault is a Forbes-recognized comedian who combines provocative thought with moving furniture. Jade, a borg, was manufactured in the Bay Area and is a regular at Alameda Comedy Club, The Punchline, Cobbs Comedy Club, Tommy T's, and the San Jose Improv where she opened for Jesus Trejo. Festival credits include SF Sketchfest, The Art of Female Comedy Festival (Wichita, KS), Palm Springs International Comedy Festival and the Westside Comedy Festival in Santa Monica, where she was honored for Best Joke of the Night. Jade starred in Malic Almaya's "RUN! " (2018), featured in Jeff Giordano's "Romantic Chorus" (2021), and was on an episode of MTV "Decoded" (2018).