When laughing at disablism meets barriers: the complex reality of disabled comedians in stand-up comedy

Stand-up comedy has served as a platform for resistance among marginalised groups, yet disabled comedians remain understudied, reinforcing the expectation that disability should only be discussed in serious, sombre terms. This article examines how disabled stand-up comedians describe their aims, facilitators and barriers they encounter across the UK circuit and how these dynamics have shaped and can shape public perceptions. We conducted in-depth interviews with 21 UK-based disabled comedians across varied impairments and analysed data using reflexive thematic analysis. Participants’ objectives ranged from pure entertainment to activism, challenging any notion of a single “disability agenda”. Regardless of intent, performers reported that simply being on stage inevitably reframed expectations of disability. Yet the circuit’s selective inclusivity—inaccessible venues, exclusionary gatekeeping and tokenistic booking—constrained opportunities and kept disability comedy marginalised. We argue for a shift from superficial diversity to authentic inclusivity that enables disabled comedians to participate fully and shape mainstream discourse.