comedian:

World-renowned standup comedian Tanyalee Davis shares how and why she never takes no for an answer even though she lives with a form of dwarfism called diastrophic dysplasia. Tanyalee is a standup comedian with a nearly 30-year career. She has performed in over 10 countries and was the first woman finalist in over 10 years at the Seattle Comedy Competition. She has performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the San Francisco Comedy Festival, Live at the Apollo and headlined the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Tanyalee has also been on numerous TV shows on the Animal Planet, BBC, Channel 4, CNN, the Fox Network, Sky and others. Tanyalee has a form of dwarfism called diastrophic dysplasia. She often talks publicly about some of the challenges and misconceptions having been harassed and humiliated several times throughout her life. Tanyalee is on the Board of Directors of GR8 AS U R, an anti bullying/Kindness campaign. The GR8 team visits schools where Tanyalee shares her life story to inspire students to accept differences in themselves and others. Originally from Canada and also a US citizen, Tanyalee now makes her home in the United Kingdom where she is in the top echelon of her craft. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@holyspacemonkey]

Tanyalee is such a badass! I am so grateful for her accessibility advocacy! I’m a double below-knee amputee, and the lack of wheelchair accessibility pretty much everywhere is just unconscionable. But like she said, people being willing to help makes a big difference! Thank you to all the helpers out there! But just one thing - ALWAYS ask first!! Having someone grab your wheelchair unexpectedly is horrifying, even when they mean well. Most people wouldn’t believe how common it is to have someone just try to move you around like furniture!

[@larrymackie9276]

What a wonderful attitude to life. She can conquer anything!

[@suzanrudulph4141]

I love Tanya Lee. She is the epitome of "cool!"

[@savannahm5529]

Her tiktok is fantastic ♡

[@erinmefford8041]

@@savannahm5529 I agree

[@kimventures]

I love Tanya Lee!! You are so hilarious and your attitude is exceptional. 🖤 Never change, you're an inspiration and a gem.

[@ChruPekTV]

excellent (father translate ... don't worry, not everything) I am a 6 year old Polish boy and have diastrophic dysplasia and a great sense of humor. It is possible that in this disease, growth is converted into humor :)

[@rowanlidbury]

I'm so glad I found this. There's a lesson here for everybody.

[@aimeetahon6744]

Love you. You go girl. I'm disabled to but don't have the coffedence like you. But I try my hardest.

[@jrbqto]

We're all disabled in one form or another. Start building that confidence, because once you do you'll see you're no different than the rest of us. xo

[@carlogambino2160]

Keep trying honey we love you

[@TanyaleeDavis]

Dave Alexander this is fabulous! Cheers to u both.

[@debbie3218]

We are all perfectly imperfect in some way. You have the confidence in you, just bring it out and show everyone how fierce you are. I lack self confidence, too. But once I turned 50 in December, instead of being a pushover, and not standing up for myself, I decided to be fierce, 50 and fabulous. Once I started doing that and realized how good it felt, there's no stopping me. So, I hope you can take that and find your inner fierce & fabulous.

[@TanyaleeDavis]

Debbie I turn 50 this November and that’s kinda my new lease on life. That’s why I’m growing my hair eu natural and trying to keep weight down after losing 17 lbs

[@scorpio11bw]

I love your comedy and your attitude towards life. Keep making us laugh .

[@erinmefford8041]

She is on tiktok I follow her she is super sweet

[@carlogambino2160]

She cracks me up and I want to hug her

[@t-bonena3609]

I like Tanya Lee. She's great.

[@catjudo1]

I have bipolar depression and several age-related health problems and I think life is just trying to kill me. I really needed that right about now.

[@weewheels362]

The most awesome person ever

[@soniarossiter2734]

I luv Tanya Lee she is truly inspirational! Her unstoppable attitude gives me courage to go after my own dreams despite my own disabilities. Thank You Tanya Lee😊💗👍

[@beccawilson1368]

i love this woman !!! she is so funny, and so intelligent. she is so awesome.

[@tamararodriguez6153]

I love this women !

[@sophiecox5570]

Thank you for sharing your experience with such fun , I found myself lacking attention to handicap but this will change because of you

[@firewaterbydesign]

Such an awesome and amazing woman with an incredible personality and zest for life. I love how she has taken her different abilities and has turned the situation into following her passion and not sitting idle with the strong and courageous abilities that she was given. It takes a strong person to turn around what some may classify as a disability and turn it into an amazing talent and ability. Truly a talent within itself that many of us can admire and learn from. The world needs more human beings like her in it. Kudos to this amazing lady.

[@C.B.5557]

You are incredibly. Thanks Tanyalee

[@roxypettifar2241]

Great talk, Unstoppable you!

[@meirwise1107]

Classy lady.

[@fullmetaljackie4446]

I just love this chick! She looks like she lost weight here, she looks great.(not that she didn't before ) I would love to go to one of her shows.

[@raerae2959]

Tanya is touring the States rn.... her tickets are on sale....x

[@DavidStruveDesigns]

I love this woman!! :D Her personality, humour and confidence is awe-inspiring and so infectious!! :) As a Brit though, I feel guilty and sad about the way my country has treated her and feel like I need to apologise to her on behalf of all Brits who have even a miniscule amount of decency, respect and humanity. My country needs to do better and I'm sorry!!

[@emc8271]

What a great outlook for someone that has had it rough but refuses to believe she is different. Much respect.

[@marlonsertimer806]

I enjoy watching ur shows keep it up

[@frogpalpeeper4249]

Sassy, smart, funny, tons of gumption = Tanyalee

[@peterwarn3578]

Such a fantastic woman x

[@kristinataylor4876]

Blueyedkrissy here.Tanya, I love your comedy.I learned a lot from your talk at how behind the UK is with their services for the disabled.

[@meyakabrown8517]

Well I guess I have no excuses left in life now. Respect. 👏

[@ConnieHerring-lt2oz]

Love Tanyalee Davis

[@jackminton352]

When Tanya talks about what she has experienced being disabled in the uk, it’s completely appalling to me as a uk citizen. It really makes me proud of her that she can face adversity head on in a somewhat unfamiliar country to her!

[@davekp6773]

Still got a long way to go. Even a national sporting star like Tanni Grey Thompson was treated shockingly by the train companies. She said the lack of a ramp even though she notified them of her need for one in advance, meant she had to crawl off the train.

[@MissDComedy]

Great work, funny and inspiring.

[@M15Guys]

She is faster and funnier than the audience response to her ... they filter the “woke / should I laugh along with disability?” and this causes a delay. Tanya Lee would undoubtedly prefer for this response to be less judgmental and hopeful that audiences would be more comfortable with her self-observations and react timeously 😆

[@kathleenqualls]

Yes you are unstoppable! I saw you on TikTok and think you’re awesome ❤️

[@sarahbridgemancomedy]

Brilliant, thanks Tanyalee :)

[@angelabrown1808]

This isn't funny it's sad

[@darlenenester4765]

LOVE your positive attitude! Such an inspiration! Not to mention you're hilarious!❤

[@zenaholiday2827]

Awesome GLAD I found you‼️🤩🤩💯

[@shielapetty1334]

Tanyalee you are a huge inspiration Listening to your stand up for the first time today and it’s got me lmfao! 😂

[@Gemini_blue]

We love you Tanya 🙏🏻♥️

[@SaraSmith81]

I've been watching youbom Tik tok now i gotta catch up on your videos

[@johnbruckner4681]

Heroes come in all sizes!

[@alidahall8726]

Woohoo I'm from Winnipeg Manitoba. She's funny

[@angelabrown1808]

I just wanna cry ...this is horrible...poor lady

[@dreaming0004]

We love Tanya !!!!

[@5pointautocentraltexassbod228]

Amazing strong woman who i look up to

[@beautifullyAligned.9]

Truly an inspiration to me for sure

[@ladytroutscoutnc4529]

LOVE this! 💪💪💪

[@minnieivey8636]

She is a great motivational speaker!!❤

[@MaxKongo]

This is awesome The whole thing is awesome. But...at the end when she said she was on an Anti Bully campaign... the south park episode popped in my head and I laughed lol

[@crystalpistey-lyhne3406]

I 💖Tanya Lee😍😂😘🌞💃🎶🎥

[@JCisReal65]

Not quite as short as her, but always the shortest in my grade, work, etc. Lot's of nicknames. In 3rd grade I signed my school work "Cynthia Peanut Jellybean Flea" lol

[@siobhangeoghegan5612]

Wonderful xoxo

[@mattnobrega6621]

She is one funny firecracker. 😂👍

[@taco4103]

Lol tanyalee is awesome

[@greykollasunneva]

I aspire to be as cool as her!

[@n1godone9231]

I love her TikTok lives

[@spaghetti6691]

I get what she’s talking about the brits as a Brit I have noticed manners are going down the drain I was brought up to help people when I can and as a child I was always complimented and I only realised that wasn’t the norm when I was 6 and don’t get me started on the humour it sucks around here and I just don’t get why people can’t have a laugh

[@CJLinOHIO]

You are sooo cool, can I be your friend and hangout with you?

[@meyakabrown8517]

I feel the same but I'm not cool enough to hang with her. 😢

[@erinmefford8041]

@@meyakabrown8517 you’re cool enough she has a youtube channel and a tiktok she is super sweet

[@RicardoGarcia-kv8it]

Even though she talkes fast and confident , there's something about her voice that u know she is a little nervous and a little irritated lol

[@shonareilly1902]

I don't feel sorry for anyone with disabilities we all have them they jus shownin different ways...I do understand though the accessibility issues & when I see someone that I think may need help I jus ask can I help ya at all? My daughter's father was a Quadriplegic it happened at 6 months pregnant so it was a learning experience for us all!

[@eddycollins8213]

I have DD to 3 10 in.

[@dreaming0004]

Follow Tanyalee Davis on Tik Tok

[@close2coastgirl]

Taking Taskmaster to Task

[@wildandbarefoot]

I'm nuts over her. Hey. It's her joke, right.

[@vanjammin7437]

When is she going to do any comedy

[@adelucas4824]

It's a Ted Talk not a comedy gig.

[@dougknapman7016]

Great speech but to flag all Englishmen with londoners dosent do us justice. Go outside london and nearly everyone is lovely. If i see anyone struggling with a pram or wheelchair i always offer to help

[@wandamoore2235]

not funny so sorry

[@Aqualyra]

It's a TED talk, not a comedy gig.

[@angelabrown1808]

Remarkable woman but this is sad ....is it supposed to be sad? Shes beautiful but this isn't funny

[@adelucas4824]

It's a Ted Talk. She's telling her story in a light hearted way. It's probably the most serious I've ever seen her

[@greykollasunneva]

I aspire to be as cool as her!