Romina Puma

Comedian and Blogger

Romina is a stand-up comedian with muscular dystrophy (MD). She uses comedy as a tool to speak about disability in an upfront, unvarnished way while making people laugh. Romina also campaigns about accessible transport and attitudes towards disabled people – especially around sex, dating and love. 

Romina was born in Germany but lived in Italy from age nine. She performed in a small theatre company in Italy before moving to comedy in 2009. She won the Blackout comedy competition and Funny Women 2016 listed her as ‘One to Watch’. She has three solo shows under her belt, performed at multiple Fringe Festivals – including Edinburgh: 

2015 ‘Not disabled…Enough!’

2016 ‘Cook it how you like, it’s still a potato!’

2018 ‘It’s all my mother’s fault!’

She also blogs about accessibility issues at many comedy venues – especially smaller ones. As these venues are where most comedians learn their craft: this is a real barrier to developing disabled talent.

Romina says: “I have always been adventurous and that helped me a lot when I have become a wheelchair user. Sometimes it’s scary and stressful just to go around in your own town, but I always loved travelling. When you do it as a wheelchair user the stress goes to another level, but it’s worth and if something goes wrong: you have something to talk about.” 

Perhaps the thing Romina is best-known for is her frank campaigning about sex and disability – including a comedy act about a ‘disabled Karma Sutra’. She took part in Scope’s #EndtheAwkward campaign about dating while disabled, appearing on a mocked up romance book with the title ‘On the Prowl’. 

Romina has written for the Huffington Post and Muscular Dystrophy UK (MDUK) and is a campaigner for MDUK and the MDUK Trailblazers programme. She has performed internationally and appeared on television and radio.