Speechless
Season 2 SABC3 (*193) 19:30 Comedy
Trying to give your child the best possible life can be challenging in normal circumstances, but when they have a disability, it’s even harder. But that doesn’t get the DiMeo family in the comedy series Speechless down. They do everything they can to give their eldest son JJ (Micah Fowler,
Barry in drama movie
Labor Day) the best opportunities in life as he deals with his cerebral palsy condition that has stopped him walking and talking.
1 Mom Maya (Minnie Driver, Stephanie Curran in drama series Modern Love), is British and quite the handful – no one messes with her or her family. And dad Jimmy (John Ross Bowie, Barry Kripke in comedy series The Big Bang Theory) is more easy-going and laidback.
2 Like his character in The Big Bang Theory who has a speech impediment, John has a condition called Sibilant S that causes his lisp.
3 John reveals that his popularity as mean Barry Kripke has got him recognised around the world – including SA! “I got recognised on the subway (the Gautrain) in South Africa because of Big Bang. It’s great that our show is popular around the world,” he explains.
4 He suffered anxiety and dizzy spells as a child that morphed into panic attacks in his late 20s. “I was diagnosed with depression and panic disorder when I was 27 and it didn’t come as a surprise. From the diagnoses, I started doing research and taught myself how to manage it. I think not understanding what depression and panic disorder are makes it much worse,” he says.