A Front-Row Seat to the Wheel Life
Humorous lectures and sitting-down stand-up — a guided tour of life in a wheelchair, dark comedy included.
Hi there!
I'm Dani Garmise — writer, creator, and full-time wheelchair navigator.
I was cruising through life until age 23, when a cheeky genetic condition called Neurofibromatosis decided to crash the party. This delightful disorder set up camp along my spinal cord with hundreds — possibly thousands — of benign tumors, turning my body from a sturdy Ford into a beat-up jalopy that leaks oil and refuses to handle anything resembling an incline. Or flat terrain, for that matter.
Since then, I've had 23 years of wild adventures, hospital stints, and encounters with people who make me feel like a character forced to star in a very bizarre movie. If I can't control the plot or the supporting cast in this film, I can at least choose the genre — and I'd pick a dark comedy over a Hallmark tearjerker any day.
I've been sharing these experiences through my writing and on stage, delivering humorous lectures and sitting-down stand-up that serves as a guided tour of the wheel life. I'll take you behind the scenes of the daily grind — from the "lost in translation" moments with live-in caregivers to those bizarre, cringe-worthy encounters with strangers on the street who think they're in a Hallmark movie.
We'll dive into everything from the absurd routines of rehab to a raw, funny, and unfiltered look at sexuality and body image. I'm here to talk about the things most people only dare to whisper.
If you're looking for a tragic "inspirational" story, you've got the wrong guy; but if you want a front-row seat to the dark comedy of my life — grab a chair. I'm bringing mine from home. Let's roll.
What's on the Menu?
Comedy Lecture: Disability Disabled
A personal, funny, thought-provoking story that takes you to unexpected places: from coping with a falling-apart body to creative growth, a candid look at body image of the disabled body, and other tales that will challenge everything you may have thought about disability.
Show: Sit Down Comedy
Light, unfiltered stand-up (sitting down) show taking you on a guided tour through the absurd roads and alleys of wheel life: rehab-ward laughs, street encounters with people asking all the wrong questions (and getting the wrong answers in return) and cross-cultural adventures with live-in caregivers.
Lecture: Sexuality and Disability — Pride and Prejudice
A candid and humorous conversation about disability, sexuality, body image, self-acceptance and empowerment of "the other body". This is not a lecture about sex but rather an exploration at a fresh perspective on the uniqueness of every body.
Lecture: From Bummer to Beauty
A humorous and eye-opening lecture showing how I turned the gutters of disability and a falling-apart body into creative power — from spreading a viral anonymous love poem in a rehab ward to stand-up stages and videos that challenge the common "inspirational" label. Ideal for teams seeking creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.
Watch
Most of my stage material is in Hebrew — but the timing is universal. English performances available on request.
New: "Another Body"
My short film "Another Body", created with director Orit Fouks Rotem ("Cinema Sabaya"), is now screening at festivals. I wrote the screenplay and play the lead role. The film explores disability, sexuality and body image — while celebrating the universal moments of stepping out of your comfort zone on the way to a whole, complex, unique identity.
Winner of First Prize in the Diamond Competition for Israeli Short Cinema at the Jerusalem Film Festival, and nominated for the Ophir Award.
Follow upcoming screenings on Facebook.
Let's Talk
Booking a lecture, a stand-up show, or an international event? Drop me a line and I'll get back to you personally.
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No topic needed — Dani replies personally to every message.