Maysoon Zayid

Maysoon Zayid is a celebrated American comedian, actress, author, and disability advocate, born in New Jersey to Palestinian Muslims. She holds a BFA in acting from Arizona State University and currently serves as a Princeton University Arts Fellow, where she teaches courses on comedy, branding, and collaboration +15Maysoon Zayid+15+15. She co‑founded and co‑executes the New York Arab-American Comedy Festival and The Muslim Funny Fest, using humor to challenge stereotypes and foster cultural understanding Vanity Fair+13+13Seramount+13.

Her memoir Find Another Dream became a New York Times bestseller, and she's working on a graphic novel, Shiny Misfits, for Scholastic set to release in 2024 +4+4Seramount+4. Zayid’s TED Talk, "I Got 99 Problems… Palsy Is Just One", has been viewed by millions, making it one of the most watched TED Talks ever—a milestone that brought visibility to cerebral palsy and disability rights Maysoon Zayid+11+11New York University Abu Dhabi+11.

Maysoon Zayid’s quotes are both humorous and profound. For example, she quips:

“I’m Arab, I’m Muslim, I’m a woman of color, I’m divorced, I’m disabled, and I live in New Jersey.” National Endowment for the Arts+4+4Seramount+4
On the power of comedy, she states:
“If you make someone laugh, they're less likely to kill you.” Faces of Palestine+6Glamour+6Seramount+6
And on representation and hope:
“For every hundred nasty comments, I get one that's life‑changing and worth it all.” Cerebral Palsy Foundation+13Glamour+13National Endowment for the Arts+13
These lines reflect her wit, resilience, and fearless commitment to turning adversity into laughter and empowerment.

Let me know if you’d like more insights into her work or her advocacy efforts!