While the Silent Witness 2019 actress uses her disability as a source of humour, Carr is heavily involved in disability rights activism and has been for over 25 years. “We won a Royal Television Society award, we talked about disability in a frank and often amusing way and – most controversially – we were known for our ironic quiz Vegetable, Vegetable or Vegetable, whereas the hosts we had to work out what was ‘wrong’ with the disabled caller on the line.” The comedy performances resulted in Carr finishing as runner-up in the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year competition, one of the most prestigious comedy awards in the UK.Ĭarr’s podcasts and broadcasting experience consisted of similar content, with Carr saying on her website: “For seven years, along with Mat Fraser, I was the co-host of the BBC’s disability-focused podcast, Ouch!
“People generally look terrified 'Oh my God, is she going to be funny? Can we laugh at this?’” In an interview with The Guardian in 2006, Carr detailed how she incorporated her disability into her wit after being diagnosed with a “very rare, obscure illness” – arthrogryposis multiplex congenita.Ĭarr would use controversial terms and phrases in her stage act, admitting in the 2006 interview: ”I've had some tuts, which is fantastic – I look quite frail to some people, so it's like, 'She's talking about sex, she's swearing.' Every stereotype you didn't expect.