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  • I'm Walking as Straight as I Can

  • Transcending Disability in Hollywood and Beyond
  • By: Ted Nichelson, Geri Jewell
  • Narrated by: Geri Jewell
  • Length: 14 hrs and 3 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (2 ratings)

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I'm Walking as Straight as I Can

By: Ted Nichelson, Geri Jewell
Narrated by: Geri Jewell
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Publisher's Summary

Born with cerebral palsy, Geri Jewell inspired a generation of young people when she became the first person with a disability to appear in a recurring role on prime-time television, with her groundbreaking character, Cousin Geri, on the NBC sitcom The Facts of Life. The book's title - I’m Walking as Straight as I Can - has a double meaning, referring to both Jewell's sexuality and her extraordinary struggle growing up with cerebral palsy.

This candid memoir details her experiences from her traumatic birth in Buffalo, New York, to her rise to stardom as a stand-up comic to becoming a television star. She documents the harsh realities of show business by recounting the relentless discrimination and abuse she suffered at the hands of people she trusted. Her experiences in the shark-infested waters of Hollywood led her on a journey from the Comedy Store to the White House, followed by a downward spiral, tax problems, drug addiction, marriage, and an accident that nearly claimed her life.

When Deadwood creator David Milch recognized Jewell at a pharmacy, he offered her a role in his new HBO series on the spot, and she began to find hope and happiness once again. I'm Walking as Straight as I Can is an inspiring story, told with grace and self-deprecating humor, one that gives readers a rare glimpse of true courage and perseverance.

©2011 Geri Jewell (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

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A treasure

This book beautifully captures what it's like to be naïve and eager to please, constantly walking into traps and having to figure ways out of them. I really enjoyed hearing Geri's story in her own voice - at times you can hear the tears in her throat, and at other times she cracks herself up. A powerful story.

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