Disability & normality

Francesca Martinez: I find comedy is really great to address subjects like disability, because people do tend to get their pants in a twist, and I enjoy challenging our notions of normality and disability. Because I've never met a 'normal' person - have you?

Richard Herring: I don't think so, no.

Francesca: Are you 'normal'?

Richard: I'm really not, no.

Francesca: I think 'different' is normal.  These words like disabled and able-bodied are so unhelpful. Like, surely you must have things that you can't do?

Richard: There's a lot of things I can't do...

Francesca: Tell me one of them.

Richard: I can't do... D.I.Y.  Can't do anything with D.I.Y.

Francesca: Were you born like that, Richard?

Richard: I guess I was, yeah.

Francesca: How do you cope?

Richard: I usually pay a man to come and do it for me.

Francesca: Pay a man! That is so resourceful. Wow! What about your parents - were they not very good at D.I.Y. either?

Richard: My dad was quite good at D.I.Y., actually.

Francesca: Cor, that's weird isn't it? Bloody genes, it's a lottery, isn't it? And does that mean you can't have sex?

Richard: Yeah, I don't think it's connected, but...

Francesca: Well done! You're a real inspiration. I think we've all learned something here today.

- Richard Herring's Objective, BBC Radio 4, 21 November 2011

See also: (both NSFW-L)
Video: Francesca Martinez interviews Ricky Gervais
Comedy: Richard Herring - Christ on a Bike