By now, you’re probably familiar with Josh Blue, who has emerged as one of the hottest comedians in the country. But you may not know about Blue’s predecessor, Steady Eddy. Eddy, an Australian comedian and actor, has more in common with Blue than the fact that he’s also a funnyman. Like Blue, Steady Eddy has cerebral palsy and has put his disability center stage.
“My teachers were the best. They used to say, ‘Steady, you’re disabled.’ Very intelligent, they were,” Eddie quips in one act. “They said you’ve got to be inconspicuous to fit into the mainstream of society. Every morning a bus would come to pick me up with ‘Spastics’ written down the side.”
If that’s the first you’ve heard of Steady Eddy (aka, Christopher Widdows), here’s a brief primer: Steady Eddy first appeared at Sydney, Australia’s Comedy Store in 1991. It was there that he fine-tuned his own brand of stand-up comedy before taking his show on the road. In 1992, he made his television debut.
The following year Steady Eddy toured New Zealand. His unique approach to soliciting laughs became so renowned that he released his first CD and video. In 1994 he appeared at the Melbourne Comedy Festival before touring the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
Initially, Eddie’s self-styled disability humor (which veered from the path of political correctness) was ill received by the disability community, at least in the U.K., he says. “It was 15 years ago in the U.K. and anti-discrimination laws were non-existent. Really, I think that played a big part in it,” he explains.
Steady Eddy counts two Mo Awards for New Wave Comedy Performance under his belt as well as an award for Best Comedy Recording. In 1995 he was also awarded a Young Australian Achiever Award on Australia Day Ceremonies.
After other television appearances, Eddy signed a recording contract with Streetwise Records and released the CD Born to Be Bent, which he then turned into a tour. He also toured as master of ceremonies for Midnight Oil, performed in between their sets, and released a single, "The Steady Eddy Blues.” After 17 years on the circuit, Eddie is still going strong.
As Eddie’s popularity took off, so did his dependence on alcohol and drugs. His was a long road to sobriety. Today Eddie’s brand of humor has branched out and his latest performance, which launched early this year, is called, “Highway to Hippyville.” In the Hippyville performances, Eddie chronicles the last four years of his life, during which he’s turned his life around after having been through divorce, marriage, alcohol, and everything in between.
“I used to open six bottles of wine at a time,” Eddie recounts, “because I knew that with my ‘shakes,’ by the third bottle, I wouldn’t be able to open the rest.” Highway to Hippyville is a departure from Eddie’s traditional stand-up comedy act. Make no mistake, though—Eddie does very little without being funny.
Photo courtesy of Celebrity Vogue Photography
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