Zach Anner

“Over the years, I learned that in my career, unlike in life, sometimes my wheelchair is its own automatic door opener. I was able to win the OWN competition by applying one simple principle: be funny, and admit you suck before anyone else can call you out on it. In other words, make the narrative of your failure a comedy.”

“Religion is such an important part of so many people's lives, and I don't understand it at all.”

“Talking to people is important to me as someone who has cerebral palsy. I know what it's like to have people not talking to me because they are scared they would ask the wrong question, but I would rather have an honest dialogue as long as it comes from an honest place.”

“My stance has always been that my issue compared to everything else going on in the world is really, really small. Once you realize that, you can get a lot more out of being a part of the solution.”

“I'm not saying 'I have cerebral palsy, pay attention to me.' We all have problems, and we have to figure out how to live our best life.”

“I think you can feel good about yourself at any size and any shape. Nobody should be made to feel inferior because they have a certain body type.”

“Humor disarms people. It opens them up to starting a dialogue about things they wouldn't normally talk about. I don't understand how people who don't have a sense of humor get through life.”

“When I get real excited, my muscles go into spasm, so they just shake.”

“Depending on where my self-confidence was, growing up, I would use humor either to bring people closer, or to keep them away from certain feelings I had.”

“Humour allows people to exhale a little.”

“New Yorkers - the people are so honest. If you're sucking on stage, they'll let you know.”

“I'm down for adventure and up for anything.”

“When I was five years old, I auditioned for the role of 'Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol.'”

“The Internet is crazy, and I love it!”

“Even when something sad or tragic happens, I find a way to look at it in a positive light. People who don't have a sense of humor must be so sad all the time.”

“For me, cerebral palsy wasn't the biggest deal, because I always had it. You know, you always work with what you got.”

“Most people are really dedicated to doing good things.”

“I've accepted that we've all got crap to deal with and problems that we're fighting not to be defined by. At the end of the day, we all want the same stuff: fulfillment, love, support, comfort, and a hot-air balloon with laser guns attached to it. The most important thing is that we appreciate the crazy ride we're on.”

“The only two characters I can play convincingly are myself and a dumber and sweeter version of myself.”

“We've all got hurdles we have to overcome, and mine are not necessarily any bigger than anyone else's.”