Denver comedian Josh Blue has been telling stories his whole life. Living with cerebral palsy, he’s made a career out of turning personal experience into punchlines, but writing it all down proved to be a much slower process.
“Yeah, it was about fifteen pages a year," Blue says. "I had scribes who I dictated to what I wanted to say. I went through five different scribes over twenty years, and it's my story, but each person influences how the story is, so I had to go back through and rewrite the whole book just because it was in so many different voices. It was a long, long process, but I feel like it was worth the wait."
To mark the occasion, Blue is throwing a launch party on Friday, August 8, at 73 Art Agency in Denver’s RiNo district. The event includes a Q&A, book signing, light refreshments, giveaways and a gallery show of his original paintings, including his famously cheeky pig portraits, priced (as he puts it) “so low, it’s a disgrace to the art community.”
Even with the celebration ahead, Blue admits the process of writing the book wasn’t easy. Though he’s known for his candid stage presence, turning that same openness inward took time, and more rewrites than he expected.
“It’s hard when you’re so close to something for so long. I can’t really see it,” he says. “But everybody that’s been reading it is like, ‘This is good.’ Every time somebody says it’s not shit, it feels great.”
Blue’s fans might feel they already know him. Over the years, his act has been a running chronicle of his life: his kids growing up, his body changing, his unfiltered observations about living with cerebral palsy. But this book, he says, digs even deeper.
"Because of my disability, I've had to be very comfortable with other people knowing my shit because I need help to get stuff done," Blue says. "So I feel like I've always been very open and comfortable with that. Obviously, talking about getting bullied and stuff like that doesn't feel good, but it also feels good in the fact that I'm here now, if that makes sense, and hopefully, it gives other people strength to deal with whatever it is they're dealing with. I don't like corny or cheesy shit, but if you can take something from these stories in my life, then that's awesome."
While the memoir covers a lot, not everything made the final cut. Though Blue wrote chapters centered on his experiences with marriage and fatherhood, those ultimately felt out of place.
“That can come later in a different book,” he says. “This one feels like it should be about me and about my path.”
Blue’s fans seem to agree. Something To Stare At has already racked up hundreds of sales, surprising the comedian, who didn’t expect the outpouring of early support.
"I put the book up on my website, and I just thought I'd get a couple of orders," Blue says. "I'm pushing like 500 orders already. I'm just overwhelmed with the fact that this many people have ordered the book without any like reviews because they just want to support me. And they know it's going to be a good story because they love my standup and they love my spirit and personality, so it's just like really cool getting to do that at the live event with the Q&A."
The launch party will also mark Blue’s tenth gallery show, and he’s looking forward to the chance to blend both sides of his creative life in one event. Between the paintings, the jokes and the books, he says it’ll be “a real Josh Blue experience.”
And he’s not slowing down anytime soon. Blue continues across the country, including an upcoming set at the Comedy Fort in Fort Collins on August 31 and an unannounced date in December at Denver’s Comedy Works, his twenty anniversary performing at the venue.
He’s also thinking bigger. "I think porn would be fun," Blue quips. "No, I've always wanted my own TV show. I want my own sitcom. I feel like the world is ready for a disabled lead, and I feel like I'm the guy to do it."
For Blue, putting his story into the world, no matter how long it took, is part of a larger philosophy about creativity and momentum.
“If you have an idea of what you want to do, and you put it in the world, it happens,” he says. “Obviously, you have to put the work in, but so many times people are afraid to even take that first step of dreaming.”
Above all, he wants people to know this book isn’t about pity or cheap sentimentality. “I think sometimes people have an idea of what a disability is and what this book will be, and it’s not ‘woe is me’ or inspirational,” Blue says. “That’s not who I am. I’m just telling my story, and it’s a unique story, and I feel like there’s more to come. It’s not done.”
Looking ahead, he’s excited to meet readers in person, sign books, hear their questions and sell a few "too cheap pig paintings." And next time around?
“Hopefully, I’ve nailed down the process a little better so it doesn’t have to take twenty years to write the next book."
Something To Stare At launch party is Friday, August 8, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at 73 Art Agency RiNo, 2601 Blake Street. Learn more and purchase tickets eventbrite.com. Books available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Josh Blue's website.
“Yeah, it was about fifteen pages a year," Blue says. "I had scribes who I dictated to what I wanted to say. I went through five different scribes over twenty years, and it's my story, but each person influences how the story is, so I had to go back through and rewrite the whole book just because it was in so many different voices. It was a long, long process, but I feel like it was worth the wait."
That long-gestating story finally arrives in print with the release of Something To Stare At, the comedian’s first memoir, on July 20. The book delves into Blue's unpredictable life, from his emergency birth in Africa to representing the United States in Paralympic soccer and building a successful standup career that includes winning Last Comic Standing in 2006 and finishing third on America's Got Talent in 2021.
To mark the occasion, Blue is throwing a launch party on Friday, August 8, at 73 Art Agency in Denver’s RiNo district. The event includes a Q&A, book signing, light refreshments, giveaways and a gallery show of his original paintings, including his famously cheeky pig portraits, priced (as he puts it) “so low, it’s a disgrace to the art community.”
Even with the celebration ahead, Blue admits the process of writing the book wasn’t easy. Though he’s known for his candid stage presence, turning that same openness inward took time, and more rewrites than he expected.
“It’s hard when you’re so close to something for so long. I can’t really see it,” he says. “But everybody that’s been reading it is like, ‘This is good.’ Every time somebody says it’s not shit, it feels great.”
Blue’s fans might feel they already know him. Over the years, his act has been a running chronicle of his life: his kids growing up, his body changing, his unfiltered observations about living with cerebral palsy. But this book, he says, digs even deeper.
"Because of my disability, I've had to be very comfortable with other people knowing my shit because I need help to get stuff done," Blue says. "So I feel like I've always been very open and comfortable with that. Obviously, talking about getting bullied and stuff like that doesn't feel good, but it also feels good in the fact that I'm here now, if that makes sense, and hopefully, it gives other people strength to deal with whatever it is they're dealing with. I don't like corny or cheesy shit, but if you can take something from these stories in my life, then that's awesome."
While the memoir covers a lot, not everything made the final cut. Though Blue wrote chapters centered on his experiences with marriage and fatherhood, those ultimately felt out of place.
“That can come later in a different book,” he says. “This one feels like it should be about me and about my path.”
Blue’s fans seem to agree. Something To Stare At has already racked up hundreds of sales, surprising the comedian, who didn’t expect the outpouring of early support.
"I put the book up on my website, and I just thought I'd get a couple of orders," Blue says. "I'm pushing like 500 orders already. I'm just overwhelmed with the fact that this many people have ordered the book without any like reviews because they just want to support me. And they know it's going to be a good story because they love my standup and they love my spirit and personality, so it's just like really cool getting to do that at the live event with the Q&A."
The launch party will also mark Blue’s tenth gallery show, and he’s looking forward to the chance to blend both sides of his creative life in one event. Between the paintings, the jokes and the books, he says it’ll be “a real Josh Blue experience.”
And he’s not slowing down anytime soon. Blue continues across the country, including an upcoming set at the Comedy Fort in Fort Collins on August 31 and an unannounced date in December at Denver’s Comedy Works, his twenty anniversary performing at the venue.
He’s also thinking bigger. "I think porn would be fun," Blue quips. "No, I've always wanted my own TV show. I want my own sitcom. I feel like the world is ready for a disabled lead, and I feel like I'm the guy to do it."
For Blue, putting his story into the world, no matter how long it took, is part of a larger philosophy about creativity and momentum.
“If you have an idea of what you want to do, and you put it in the world, it happens,” he says. “Obviously, you have to put the work in, but so many times people are afraid to even take that first step of dreaming.”
Above all, he wants people to know this book isn’t about pity or cheap sentimentality. “I think sometimes people have an idea of what a disability is and what this book will be, and it’s not ‘woe is me’ or inspirational,” Blue says. “That’s not who I am. I’m just telling my story, and it’s a unique story, and I feel like there’s more to come. It’s not done.”
Looking ahead, he’s excited to meet readers in person, sign books, hear their questions and sell a few "too cheap pig paintings." And next time around?
“Hopefully, I’ve nailed down the process a little better so it doesn’t have to take twenty years to write the next book."
Something To Stare At launch party is Friday, August 8, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at 73 Art Agency RiNo, 2601 Blake Street. Learn more and purchase tickets eventbrite.com. Books available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Josh Blue's website.
