Ryan O’Connell on Netflix’s ‘Special’

Ryan O’Connell is the creator and star of the Netflix show Special. It’s a semi-autobiographical sitcom about Ryan’s own life – his experience as a gay man, and coming to terms with his identity as a disabled person. Ryan has cerebral palsy. It’s a congenital disorder that can affect someone’s movement, muscle tone, or posture. For Ryan, that means it manifests mainly as a limp. Season one of the show tackles Ryan coming to terms with his disability. In the latest season Ryan learns to become more accepting of himself. The show’s depiction of disability on screen is groundbreaking. It shows the intersection of disability and sexuality in a way that is rarely ever seen on screen. And it does it in a way that is funny, lighthearted and relatable. Public radio veteran Ray Suarez interviews Ryan on the latest episode of Bullseye. During this delightful conversation they talk about the making of Special and the dialogue the show has about sex and disability. Plus, Ryan chides Ray for just about everything – including Ray’s close reading of the show. This podcast interview contains frank conversations about sex that were not included in the radio version.