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Nina G, one of the first stuttering comedians, records debut solo album and live show at the Alameda Comedy Club

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Thirteen years ago, Nina G made her debut as the first stuttering female comedian. Since then, she's challenged the status quo of how people who stutter are perceived - onstage and off. So, in an industry that lacks speech diversity, Nina G's unique voice will record both her first solo comedy album and comedy special on March 9, 2023 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Alameda Comedy Club located in her hometown. The album is projected to come out later in the spring on the Punchline Records label with the comedy special to follow.

Since a child, Nina G's mission has been to make people laugh, but she never thought it possible. Her story details how she first abandoned her dreams, but then was able to embark on a journey and embrace her voice to culminate in a comedic career.

Like many successful comedians, the material conveyed through her humor is grounded in reality. Nina G's biting observations have made audiences laugh, worldwide. She touches on topics related to the broader disability experience, her Italian-American family and her experience paying back student loans.

And her audience is large. The Stuttering Foundation reports that, globally, there are more that 70 million people who stutter and that stuttering impacts about one percent of the adult population; one in four of them is female.

She says that there are many famous people who stutter too. Marilyn Monroe, James Earl Jones, President Joe Biden, Samuel L. Jackson and King George VI, who was the focus of the movie "The King's Speech" all had or have issues with stuttering. While there's no cure for stuttering, Nina G makes it easy for people to understand and laugh about it.

Her ability to quickly adapt makes her comfortable performing in multiple venues from comedy clubs and colleges/universities to conferences. She's been featured on NPR's "51 percent," BBC's "Ouch!," TEDx, The Heumann Perspective podcast with Judy Heumann, radio and multiple day time talk shows and podcasts. She's appeared in the pages of "Psychology Today" and is the author of three books including: "Bay Area Stand-Up Comedy: A Humorous History"; and "Stutterer Interrupted: The Comedian Who Almost Didn't Happen."

An international keynote speaker, Nina G has learned that the issues impacting people with disabilities impact everyone. She hopes her album and comedy special will not only entertain, but inform, not just stutterers, but all.

In 2021, the British Stammering Association launched a campaign to raise awareness around stuttering in the media. "No diversity without disfluency" was one of the tags used to illustrate the need for stuttering voices among those in the mainstream.

"These voices shouldn't be heard only on stuttering awareness days or weeks, but across all media," Nina G says.

Gina Chin-Davis, the director of Nina's comedy special, and also a stutterer, says, "There's so much ignorance and misinformation about stuttering out there. With Nina G, you not only get comedy, you also get schooled on what stuttering really is and how to respectfully interact with people who stutter. It's exciting to collaborate with someone who can skillfully walk the line between entertainment and education."

Mathew Layne of Punchline Records adds, "One of the reasons I started Punchline Records was to help amplify comedic voices that may have otherwise been marginalized. Funny is funny. Nina G is one of the funniest - stuttering or not."

About Nina G:

When she first started out, Nina G. was the only woman who stuttered in the stand-up comedy world. Today, she co-produces the "Comedians with Disabilities Act," a national touring comedy show featuring exclusively comedians with disabilities. She also produced the first compilation album to feature Disabled Comedy Only. Nina's brand of comedy reflects the experiences of many with disabilities.

About Gina Chin-Davis:

Gina Chin-Davis is an award-winning filmmaker and writer based in California. She attended Barnard College in New York City where she received the Howard M. Teichmann Writing Prize for work distinguished in originality of concept and excellence of execution. Chin Davis' writings have been featured in Rigorous, Penultimate Peanut, and The Conium Review, and her plays have been produced by The Aluminous Collective and The Piedmont Center for the Arts.

Her first feature film, "I Can't Sleep," was produced on a self-raised budget of $10K and went on to win Best Script at the Boston Sci-Fi Film Festival and Best Sci-Fi Film at the MidWest WeirdFest. Outside of her creative endeavors, Chin-Davis is a clinical psychologist. Her greatest honor has been to return to her hometown of Richmond, CA to provide trauma-informed mental health care to young adults in the public health sector.

MORE INFORMATION:

Nina G: https://www.ninagcomedian.com/

Alameda Comedy Club: https://www.alamedacomedy.com/events/68759

Punchline Records: https://punchlinerecords.com/

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO (YouTube): https://youtu.be/FUgA6e2tRcw

Related link: https://www.ninagcomedian.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Entertainment, Free News Articles, Regional Events

Comedians with Disabilities Act Announces Northern California Tour: Author and Comic Nina G Hosts Comedy Troupe with Four Shows

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The producers and contributors of the Comedians with Disabilities Act are pleased to announce the upcoming tour of its wildly popular show in October 2022. The comedy troupe is the brainchild of the late comedian Michael O'Connell, who started the group in 2010, and was later joined by Steve Danner and Nina G not long after.

"The Comedians with Disabilities Act is a fabulous collection of comedians with disabilities, both seen and unseen, who bring forth the humor they find in their experiences," says Nina G.

In 2016, O'Connell sadly passed away - but the show he created lives on, spotlighting a variety of Disabled and outrageously funny comedians.

Nina G notes, "The upcoming lineup of shows includes 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."

Learn more: https://comedianswithdisabilitiesact.com/

Disability Awareness Month:

In the troupe's most recent news, the Comedians with Disabilities Act is announcing it will be touring Northern California, featuring four headliners across 4 different venues - just in time for the Disability Awareness Month of October. Author, comedian and Disability advocate Nina G, who has been with the Comedians with Disabilities Act since 2011, will host all four shows.

San Francisco Bay Area favorite at local clubs, Mean Dave, will headline Santa Cruz's Greater Purpose Brewing as part of the Santa Cruz Comedy Festival. Dave is in his 8th year of recovery from addiction, which he ingeniously 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 advocates.

Jade Theriault has performed multiple times with the Comedians with Disabilities Act and always brings down the house. As someone with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Jade uses a wheelchair, but that experience isn't the only topic she jokes about. "We came a long way from crawling up steps and hiding away in homes. I do think the mainstream is ready for Disabled comedy. We're too loud for the microphones." Jade adds, "I'm stoked to headline Alameda's wheelchair accessible stage on October 13."

Dan Smith, who headlines the Sacramento Comedy Spot on October 14, sums up why he and so many others on this tour are excited. "Getting to share a stage and headline a show of comedians that represent the humor and the diversity of people in the disability community is the culmination of my comedy career to date. I can NOT wait for this show!"

"We're all comedians first," said Napa native and Sally Tomatoes' headliner on October 29, Steve Danner, who identifies as a Little Person and is one of the show's original founders. "But who says you can't make people laugh and send them home with something to think about too? While our first goal is to have fun and joke around, we also want to send a strong message that, even with a disability, we can reach our goals."

The following is the tour schedule with headliners. Tickets will be on sale soon.

* Saturday, October 1: The 9th Annual Santa Cruz Comedy Festival-Greater Purpose Brewing. Mean Dave headlines with Nina G, Loren Kraut, Jackson McBrayer, and Tut McCulloh

* Thursday, October 13: Alameda Comedy Club. Jade Theriault headlines with Maria Diploudis, Mike Bucci, Nina G, and Mean Dave

* Friday, October 14: Sacramento Comedy Spot. Dan Smith headlines with Willie Travis, Elvin Maglinte, Nina G, Steve Danner and Mean Dave.

* Saturday, October 29: Sally Tomatoes in Rohnert Park. Steve Danner headlines with Logan Farr, Serena Gamboa, Mean Dave, and Nina G.

About Nina G:

In addition to being the Bay Area's only female stuttering stand up comedian, Nina G is also a college and corporate speaker and author of three books. Her memoir, "Stutterer Interrupted: The Comedian Who Almost Didn't Happen," was released to critical acclaim in 2019 and is about realizing her lifelong comedy dream while overcoming internalized stigma. In February 2022, she launched her new book co-authored by OJ Patterson, "Bay Area Stand-Up Comedy: A Humorous History." Nina has performed all over the United States and appeared on many daytime TV talk shows, NPR broadcasts, and podcasts. Learn more: https://www.ninagcomedian.com/.

About 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.

About Mean Dave:

Comedian Mean Dave has opened for many notable comedians like Josh Blue, Big Jay Oakerson, and Jay Mohr, and has performed at colleges across the US. Mean Dave's role in the Comedians with Disabilities Act helps to bring his critical message about addiction and disabilities to audiences around the world.

About Jade Theriault:

Jade Theriault is renowned in the comedy community and has been on SF Sketchfest, The Art of Female Comedy Festival (Wichita, Kansas), Palm Springs International Comedy Festival, and the Westside Comedy Festival in Santa Monica where they were honored for Best Joke of the Night. Jade also starred in Malic Almaya's "RUN!" (2018) and was on an episode of MTV Decoded.

About Dan Smith:

Dan Smith (aka "Dan the Can't Stand Up Comedian") is a Sacramento based comedian who plays clubs throughout California and Nevada including the Sacramento Punch Line and San Francisco's Cobb's Comedy Club. He has been a wheelchair user his entire life and much of his comedy comes from his everyday experiences on wheels!

LEARN MORE:

https://www.comedianswithdisabilitiesact.com/

https://www.ninagcomedian.com/

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO (YouTube) SFW: https://youtu.be/fEU9M-Y-NXk

Related link: https://www.ninagcomedian.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Books and Publishing, Business, Entertainment, Free News Articles, General Editorial, Product Launches

Comedienne Who Stutters Releases Memoir in 2019 – ‘Stutterer Interrupted: The Comedian Who Almost Didn’t Happen’

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- Stuttering Comedian, Nina G. announces the release of her second book: "Stutterer Interrupted: The Comedian Who Almost Didn't Happen" (ISBN: 978-1631526428; August 6, 2019; She Writes Press). AS I WAS SAYING... If I could get a word in edgewise...I wasn't done yet... If you've ever been cut off mid-sentence, these phrases of frustration are familiar. Now imagine a lifetime of interruptions as a person who stutters? To suffer the impatience of others, whether well-intended advice or just blatant rudeness when all you want to do is finish your thought; indeed, to finish saying even one word.

Welcome to the world of Nina G.: Professional Speaker, Stand-up Comedian, Author, and person who stutters. Sound like a joke? She'd be the first one to say it - and she has - audiences across the nation. Her humor is one that informs and entertains. One that gives hope to those who stutter, and insight to those who don't.

While childhood angst and everyday incidents offer fodder for her stand-up comedy on stage, Nina G. peels aside the punchlines to share her very personal story in her new book, "Stutterer Interrupted: The Comedian Who Almost Didn't Happen." The book, to be released August 2019, shares how Nina's life-long dream of becoming comedian almost died because she thought a person who stuttered could never go on stage, be on a microphone, and do a killer set.

Sales information for the book: https://www.stuttererinterrupted.com/.

About the book:
If you stutter or know someone who does, you know the reactions many people have. Nina G. has experienced everything. From hearing back-handed compliments like, "You are such an inspiration - if I talked like you I wouldn't talk at all!" to funny looks and inquiries about whether she has considered intrusive brain surgery. People often interrupt, thinking it's helpful to guess what she is going to say. But it isn't just the interruptions from others that created a barrier for this comedian. Even worse were the self-imposed interruptions due to the stigma she internalized as a person who stutters.

As a child, Nina wanted nothing more than to be a comedian. Stutterer Interrupted: The Comedian Who Almost Didn't Happen is Nina's story about how stuttering caused her to first abandon her dreams, then to embark on a journey towards embracing her voice that culminated in a career as one of only a handful of stuttering stand-up comedians working today. "Nina's story maps her transformation from isolation and shame to realizing the power of her voice through comedy."

Through stand-up comedy, stuttering comedian Nina G. challenges the status quo of how people who stutter are perceived onstage and off. In the 1960s, psychologist Joseph Sheehan created the analogy of the "stuttering iceberg," in which the tip of the iceberg is only what people hear (the stutter), and all that is underwater are emotions like shame, denial and isolation.

Using humor and easy to follow explanations, Nina G. turns this analogy on its head, substituting negative emotions with positive ones such as pride, acceptance and community. She illustrates how both of the icebergs played a part in her development as a person and as a comedian. Nina's road to realizing her lifelong dream of stand-up comedy has been paved with funny, absurd and touching experiences.

She shares all these with the reader in her singularly quirky and humorous tone.

Additional facts on stuttering:
* Stuttering impacts 1 percent of the adult population.
* 3 million Americans are people who stutter.
* 1 in 4 people who stutter are female.
* There's no known cure for stuttering.
* Many people who stutter experience discrimination in their jobs, personal lives, etc.

About Nina G.:
Comedian - Nina G. was the only woman who stuttered in the stand-up comedy world when she started eight years ago. She co-produced the Comedians with Disabilities Act, a national touring comedy show featuring exclusively comedians with disabilities. She also went on to produce the first compilation album to feature, as the album title suggests, Disabled Comedy Only. Nina G's brand of comedy reflects the experiences of many with disabilities: the problem is not the people with disabilities, but a society that isn't always accessible or inclusive.

Author - Nina G's first book, "Once Upon An Accommodation: A Book About Learning Disabilities," helps both children and adults understand how to advocate for needed school-related accommodations. The book is inspired from her own childhood experience of having learning disabilities, stuttering, and being denied accommodations in her own education.

Professional Speaker - Nina G. tours the country as a conference keynote speaker. In addition to her TedX talk at San Jose State University she has presented at the Montana Youth in Transition Conference, Oregon Association on Higher Education and Disability, to high school age students with disabilities at the Kansas Youth Leadership Forum, and at college campuses for Disability Acceptance Week, Disability Awareness Month, and at seminars on universal design for learning.

For more information on "Stutterer Interrupted: The Making of a Stuttering Stand-Up Comedian," visit: https://www.stuttererinterrupted.com/.

To book Nina G., visit: https://www.ninagcomedian.com/.

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Stuttering Comedian and Author to Headline Punch Line Sacramento

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Stuttering stand-up comic Nina G will have the top spot at the Invisible Disabilities Comedy Show at the Sacramento Punch Line on Sunday, January 27 2019! Author of the forthcoming book "Stutterer Interrupted: The Comedian Who Almost Didn't Happen," Nina's comedy is funny, revealing, unapologetic, and always a window to her experience as a person who stutters. Through humor, Nina G is challenging now people think of stuttering.

Nina's brand of comedy highlights that the problem with disabilities is not the people with them, but a society that isn't inclusive. Nina thinks the recent trend of online stories featuring "clever" ways people "cured" their stuttering may be sending the wrong message to those who are non-stuttering speakers, offers. Nina adds, "Focusing on changing us instead of living our lives gives the wrong message to the public." Always one to model in herself what she expects from others, her humor is accessible to all who are ready for a good laugh!

Nina G Bio:

When Nina G started comedy nearly eight years ago, she was the only woman who stuttered in the world doing stand-up. Undaunted after battling a lifetime of stigma, Nina pursued her dream.
Nina G is a comedian, professional speaker, writer and educator. She brings her humor to help people confront and understand Disability culture, access, and empowerment.

Book Information:

Nina G's latest book, "Stutterer Interrupted: The Comedian Who Almost Didn't Happen" is a memoir, published by She Writes Press, will be released August 6, 2019.

Nina tells the story of her journey of how she became, at the time she started, America's only female stuttering stand-up comedian. On stage, Nina encounters the occasional heckler, but off stage she is often confronted with people's comments toward her stuttering. Listeners completing her sentences, inquiring "did you forget your name?" and giving unwanted advice like "slow down and breathe" are common. As if she never thought about slowing down and breathing in her over thirty years of stuttering! In "Stutterer Interrupted" Nina confronts these interruptions and so much more!

Learn more about the forthcoming book and Nina G at: https://www.stuttererinterrupted.com/ and https://www.ninagcomedian.com/. Follow on social at @Ninagcomedian.

What the show is about and the awareness that it brings:

Producers, Ali Ada and and Drew Kimzey each live with multiple disabilities that substantially limit their lives, yet you might never know it. They're both passionate about comedy but have significant obstacles that can prevent them from achieving their goals. The desire to turn their obstacles into strengths inspired the idea for this show.

Line-up includes:

Chey Bell, Jeanette Marin, Sureini Weerasekera, Anihca Cihla, Nicole Tran, Emily Pedersen and Kelley Nicole.

Host: Amber Whitford

Featuring: Coral Best

Headliner: Nina G.

About Coral Best:

In the 18 months since Coral got her start in comedy she has gathered a significant following with her shockingly real and relatable story telling. After going through a major medical crisis she took to stage with her natural, conversational humor and absurd comedy style and never looked back. Many of her jokes surround her new life post surgery as a young, broke, female adjusting to having an ostomy bag. She performs all over the Bay Area sharing her unabashed tales in major clubs such as the SF Punch Line and the San Jose Improv, bringing light to her not-dinner-table-appropriate disability (aka her poop bag.)

According to Coral: "Talking about my ostomy bag on stage not only helped me to accept my new body and situation but educated others on a struggle they knew nothing, to little, about. It's not just about making people laugh, it's about drawing them in to your life enough that they begin to invest in attempting to understand your experience, with your disability. It gives my comedy more purpose to know I'm doing my part to reach out to the audience and share that we are all going through some type of invisible struggle, and here I am being open and honest about mine in an attempt to bring us all closer together."

Invisible Disabilities Comedy Show:
Event information: http://www.punchlinesac.com/EventDetail?tmeventid=1C00558CC36D7EC3&offerid=95042

Show: Sunday, January 27, 2019
(18+ 2-drink minimum)
916-925-8500.

The Punch Line Sacramento
2100 Arden Way
Sacramento, CA 95825
Produced by Ali Ada and Drew Kimzey.

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Comedian is Challenging How People Think About Stuttering

OAKLAND, Calif. -- What do you do when you are professionally funny for a living AND use your own experience as a person with disabilities to crush stigma and change attitudes? Well, for stuttering comedian Nina G, you take it on the road in a series of presentations that are both funny and profound. Much like Hannah Gadsby's breakout Netflix special "Nannette," Nina G blends her comedy "material" with her real life experiences for a unique tour you can see live!

Nina G connects with audiences from a variety of backgrounds across the nation, from comedy clubs to university conferences and within the pages of her books. Fall 2018 Nina G is taking her show nation-wide to celebrate Disability Awareness month in October. Be sure to catch her live or book her for your event!

DATES:
* Sept 16: San Francisco Comedy Day, Golden Gate Park-Robin Williams Meadow.
* Sept 28: All Out Comedy Theater, Oakland.
* Oct 6: Dyslexia Awareness and Education: Community Center at the Market Place, Tustin, Calif.
* Oct 11: Central Michigan University - Stutterer Interrupted.
* Oct 19: Pre-conference workshop for the California Association of Postsecondary Education and Disability: Learning Ramps-Teaching with Universal Design.
* Oct: 25: Disability Awareness Celebration: Mt. San Jacinto College.

October 22 is international stuttering awareness day:
To celebrate, Nina G is taking her message of acceptance and awareness on the road! She will be appearing in colleges and comedy shows all around the country talking about the experience of stuttering, having a learning disability, and learning to accept and overcome attitudes to educate people about her Disability experience.

Additional facts on stuttering:
* Stuttering impacts 1 percent of the adult population.
* 3 million Americans are Stutterers.
* 1 in 4 people who stutter are female.
* There's no known cure for stuttering.
* Many people who stutter still experience discrimination.

About Nina G:

Comedian - Nina G was the only woman who stuttered in the stand-up comedy world when she started eight years ago. Now there are a few other women who stutter venturing on stage to tell their stories and make people laugh.

She produced the Comedians with Disabilities Act, a national touring comedy show featuring exclusively comedians with disabilities. She also went on to produce the first compilation album to feature, as the album title suggests, "Disabled Comedy Only." Nina G's brand of comedy reflects the experiences of many with disabilities: the problem is not the people with disabilities but a society that isn't always accessible or inclusive.

Author - Nina G's first book, "Once Upon An Accommodation: A Book About Learning Disabilities," helps both children and adults understand how to advocate for needed school-related accommodations. The book is inspired from her own childhood experience of having learning disabilities, stuttering, and being denied accommodations in her own education.

For more information about "Once Upon an Accommodation" visit: https://www.ninagcomedian.com/the-book.

For more information on "Stutterer Interrupted: The Making of a Stuttering Stand Up Comedian" visit: https://www.stuttererinterrupted.com/.

Professional Speaker - Nina G tours the country as a conference keynote speaker. In addition to her Tedx Talk at San Jose State University she has presented at: the Montana Youth in Transition Conference, the Oregon Association on Higher Education and Disability, the Kansas Youth Leadership Forum, and various college campuses for Disability Acceptance Week/Disability Awareness Month including seminars on Universal Design in teaching and training.

For booking: https://www.ninagcomedian.com/ / Ninagbooking@gmail.com / 510-922-0179

*VIDEO (YouTube):
https://youtu.be/pkNE6ZQ-l8w

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Stutterers Showcase Stand-Up Comedy Skills at National Stuttering Association Conference

CHICAGO, Ill. -- As part of the 35th annual National Stuttering Association conference, a group of talented comedians will stand up for stuttering in "NSA Laughs!" Headlining the show is Nina G, an 8-year, stand-up comedy veteran and professional speaker. This stand-up comedy show is open to the public and is scheduled for Thursday, July 5 from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Sheraton Grand Chicago.

Nina G is also the author of "Stutterer Interrupted: The Making of a Stuttering Stand-Up Comedian," (https://www.stuttererinterrupted.com/), which is scheduled to be released the summer of 2019.

Other comedians who are taking to the stage include: Tague Zachary, a seasoned pro who was most recently seen rocking out at the Chicago Nerd Comedy Festival with his solo show, "A Nerd and A Guitar;" Kinner Shah, a Los Angeles-based actor and comic who was featured on "First Nation's Comedy Experience" (FNX Network), "TOSH.0" (Comedy Central) and "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (FOX); and George Laday, an amateur comic who entertains for fun. He's a long-time conference goer and this year's host.

"I'm so excited to be part of this show," Nina says. "It's ideal to make people laugh while providing awareness - sharing wit and wisdom."

Admission to the show is $10 for conference goers and $15 for the general public.

About Nina G:

Nina G is an entertainer and educator. She first stepped onto the stage after she was inspired by her experience at NSA where she was challenged to change her relationship with stuttering.

When she isn't performing at comedy clubs like San Francisco's Punchline or the Laugh Factory, she's playing colleges or keynoting at conferences and training professionals. Nina is part of the comedy troupe, The Comedians with Disabilities Act, which brings laughter and awareness to audiences of all ages across the country.

Nina is also the author of a children's book, "Once Upon An Accommodation: A Book about Learning Disabilities," that helps children and adults advocate for their rights as a person with a disability. Nina's one person show, "Going beyond Inspirational," which debuted in 2015, is a comical exploration about growing up with learning and speech disabilities.

Learn more at: https://www.ninagcomedian.com/.

For more information about the National Stuttering Association, visit: https://westutter.org/.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NinaGComedian/

Watch a video clip here (YouTube):
https://youtu.be/fYcNOXT9adc

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