Arian Mehrabani, a British playwright and disabled‑theatre founder, announced his first stand‑up gig after surviving an eight‑centimetre brain tumour and five surgeries in 2024. The comedian, who co‑founded the theatre company FlawBored, said he had decided to go into comedy as soon as he left hospital, hoping to leave a legacy beyond his successful 2023 Fringe‑winning show “It’s a Motherfucking Pleasure.” He performed his opening set in a London pub while still undergoing chemotherapy, won the biggest applause trophy and declared the experience “the best feeling ever.” Mehrabani’s story is part of a broader Guardian profile that includes other comedians such as John Bishop, who turned to comedy to avoid a bar cover charge and escape a failing marriage. The series explores the varied, often surprising, motivations behind comedians’ first steps onto the stage.

Original article can be found here.