Look Who's Laughing

"I'm handicapped, I'm Mexican; but if I was also a woman, I could get any government job I wanted," quips Chris Fonseca, a sit-down comic with cerebral palsy, one of six comics with disabilities profiled in this excellent (and quite funny) look at people who have found laughter in adversity. Combining interviews with the comics and segments from their acts, Look Who's Laughing explores several issues. Kathy Buckley, who is hearing-impaired, aims to entertain and educate, but like the other comics in the program, not all of her humor is directly tied to her handicap (she's not above a good breast joke). Brett Leake, on the other hand, who has muscular dystrophy, gives scant attention to his disability on stage, preferring to do straight comedy ("why is a wrong number never busy?"). Geri Jewell, well-known for her work in film and television, Alex Valdez, and J. D. England also appear. Interestingly, some healthy comics are jealous of comics with handicaps, because they see the handicap as a gimmick; yet as a comedy club owner points out, a gimmick is good for "two minutes," after that, you'd better be funny. These people are all funny; that they are also, in Jewell's words, "building bridges" of understanding for those who are unfamiliar or frightened of (and the two are usually the same) people with disabilities is a wonderful addition. Winner of several awards, Look Who's Laughing is highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (R. Pitman)