3 blind siblings learn out loud about disability, one sip at a time. Join athletes, authors, artists and advocates as they share their experiences living in a world that wasn't built for every body, and small ways we can make it better. Grab a tasty beverage and join the conversation -- because "disability" isn't a bad word.
"Blindness is just another style of living."
Paraphrasing Borges, Pulitzer Prize finalist Andrew Leland joins Andrew, Will & Phoebe for a round of meandering discourse on writing and disability. We wind down myriad alleyways of his 2023 memoir "The Country of the Blind", ponder the progress and shortcomings of media representation, and generally delight in all things literary and absurd.
Things we drank:
Polar Seltzer Water (original flavor)
Lagunitas IPA
tea + Wolftrap Red Blend (classic combo)
Four Roses bourbon
Things we talked about:
Mother Jones' first disability beat reporter Julia Métraux
Sally Greenhouse's podcast Secret Lives of the Disabled
Living Blindfully with Jonathan Mosen
There Plant Eyes by M. Leona Godin
Joe "Whistler" Engressia's (a.k.a. Joybubbles) portrayal in Sneakers (1992)
Andrew Leland's piece for The Daily about the controversy over the casting of "In The Dark"
Mona Minkara's blind travel series Planes, Trains and Canes
Matthew & Paul
RP + Stargardts forming Voltron
Disability Happy Hour is produced independently by Andrew Barkan, Will Barkan, and Phoebe Barkan. Our music is by Andrew & Polly, and all editing, mixing and mastering was done by Andrew Barkan in sunny Santa Monica, CA. Find us @disabilityhappyhour or email disabilityhappyhour@gmail.com
Thanks for listening!
14 Nov 2025
99 Problems But a Witch Ain't One (Wicked 2 and Getting Disability Representation Right)
In preparation for Wicked 2 (Wicked: For Good) we talk with lifelong musical fan Emily Seelenfreund about our responses to Wicked: Part One, predictions and hopes for the upcoming film based on the musical, and what Hollywood can learn from the way this franchise gets disability right.
Emily (an authentic wheelchair user like the actress portraying Nessa Rose, Marissa Bode) grew up loving the musical Wicked on Broadway. She is the CEO of BORP Adaptive Sports, a disability rights lawyer, a medaling para-climber, and an all-around good hang.
We unpack Marissa Bode's social media response to the backlash to her character's disability, Imani Barbarin's reflections,
To support the show, please subscribe, rate, and share this podcast with friends! We're sharing funny and poignant disability content on Instagram @disabilityhappyhour and are excited about upcoming guests. If you are interested in participating in the show or recommending a guest, you can email us at disabilityhappyhour@gmail.com - and thanks for listening.
7 Nov 2025
Cane I Kick It? (Lachi)
Welcome to Season 2 of Disability Happy Hour!
Lachi (she/her, black woman with corn rows) joins us for an all-blind dish session about canes, fashion, pride, and coming out as blind in the music industry.
Lachi is a GRAMMY-nominated musician, entrepreneur, and disability culture advocate. Lachi hosts the PBS series Renegades and founded two influential disability culture companies -- RAMPD (Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities) and Glam Canes, her fashion lines of canes for blind folk.
Lachi's first book I Identify as Blind comes out in January 2026 -- if you value disability pride and entrepreneurship, give her a pre-order and uplift disability media.
Disability Happy Hour is independently produced by Andrew Barkan (blind film composer + GRAMMY-nominated children's musician), Will Barkan (blind tech manager + ultra marathon runner) and Phoebe Barkan (blind landscape designer + gold-medal winning paraclimber) -- please help us grow this conversation by subscribing, rating and sharing!
14 Dec 2024
A Pair of Climbers with Emily Seelenfreund
Paraclimbing champion Emily Seelenfreund shares her adaptive approaches to paraclimbing and wheelchair sports, empowering listeners with a deeper understanding of inclusive athleticism.
29 Nov 2024
Crossing the Street Now with Andrew Leland
Pulitzer Prize finalist Andrew Leland shares his insights on writing and disability, exploring the complexities of media representation and the power of literary expression through his memoir The Country of the Blind.
15 Nov 2024
All About That Cane with Lachi
Recording artist, advocate and CEO Lachi joins Andrew, Will & Phoebe to wax poetic on the journey of becoming cane users, the evolution of the cane as a tool and a symbol for blind people, and the present and future of disability pride, style and fashion.
Things we talked about:
Glam Canes, Lachi's line of fabulous fashion canes
RAMP'D, Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities
Renegades, a new docuseries on PBS hosted & directed by disabled women
Lachi's TED Talk ""Dis Education"
Judy Heumann's autobiography "Being Heumann"
Selma Blair on Dancing with the Stars
And be on the lookout for Lachi's upcoming 2025 album "Mad Different" wherever you get your music.
Thanks for listening! You reach us at disabilityhappyhour@gmail.com or find out more on Instagram. To help spread the word, please rate & review this podcast, and recommend it to a friend!
2 Nov 2024
Business Time [placeholder]
Does work speak for itself?
Andrew, Will & Phoebe get busy reflecting on their experience in the job market, self-employment vs corporate work as a disabled person, the A.D.A. and hiring laws, and the values people with disabilities can bring to the workplace.
[placeholder note: audio will be updated this weekend with full episode content]
18 Oct 2024
Blind at the Wedding
Welcome to the very first Disability Happy Hour! Blind siblings Andrew, Will & Phoebe get excited about Will's upcoming nuptials and wax poetic on various ideas about disability and weddings.
Drinks drunk:
rye whiskey
homemade chai tea
The Botanist Islay Gin
Various & sundry topics include:
being blind in photographs
navigating big parties + recognizing people
reading partners' emotions
inclusive/universal design
"legally blind" and other identifying language
Stargardt's Disease explained
Snellen, 20/800, other ophthalmology tidbits
how to ask about disability
Please help us build this show and find our audience!:
Subscribe, rate and review this show in your podcast app
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Word-of-mouth is the #1 way people find new podcasts. Share this with one friend who might dig it?
And help us build our content! We've got some great guests lined up for November, but we'd love to hear your ideas about new topics and people we should bring on. We're starting with blindness, but there's a vast world of different experiences to learn about. What aspect of disability are you interested in? Let us know on social media or at disabilityhappyhour@gmail.com
See ya, suckas!
27 Sept 2024
Introducing Disability Happy Hour
Introducing Disability Happy Hour, a new podcast about the real lives of disabled people drinking real beverages. We (Andrew, Will and Phoebe) are 3 blind siblings who admittedly have little expertise in the world of disability beyond our own lived experience. Have a round with us, and let's see if we can't figure this whole disability thing out together?
Reach and audience
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
13 ratings
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