Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Comedian Graham Kay joins Mike Pesca to talk about Pete and Me, his stand-up special about growing up with his autistic brother, Pete, and what it means to love someone who will always need care.
The conversation starts with Graham’s theory that famous people need “head permanence,” Madonna’s attempt at stand-up, Ottawa’s surprisingly strong comedy lineage, and the Picasso bowl that helped his family get to Canada. But the heart of the episode is Pete: the brother Graham loves, worries about, and expects to be responsible for someday.
Graham talks about turning family stories into comedy, why the material had to become a theater show rather than a club set, how audiences with autism and their families have responded, and why the language around autism, neurodivergence, and disability can get so fraught. His sharpest point: whatever words we choose, there are people like Pete whose lives depend on real support.
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Visit Mike's website:
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_______________________
CREDITS:
Creator & Host:
Mike Pesca
Producer:
Corey Wara
Video Editor:
Geoff Craig
Comedian Graham Kay joins Mike Pesca to talk about Pete and Me, his stand-up special about growing up with his autistic brother, Pete, and what it means to love someone who will always need care.
The conversation starts with Graham’s theory that famous people need “head permanence,” Madonna’s attempt at stand-up, Ottawa’s surprisingly strong comedy lineage, and the Picasso bowl that helped his family get to Canada. But the heart of the episode is Pete: the brother Graham loves, worries about, and expects to be responsible for someday.
Graham talks about turning family stories into comedy, why the material had to become a theater show rather than a club set, how audiences with autism and their families have responded, and why the language around autism, neurodivergence, and disability can get so fraught. His sharpest point: whatever words we choose, there are people like Pete whose lives depend on real support.
_______________________
Get a premium edition of the podcast and help support Mike's work:
subscribe.mikepesca.com
Join the "Gist List" membership and get access to the Gist List Newsletter with Mike's daily insights and things you missed in the news:
mikepesca.substack.com
Follow us:
instagram.com/pescagist
youtube.com/@pescagist
https://x.com/PescaGist
https://x.com/pescami
Visit Mike's website:
mikepesca.com
_______________________
CREDITS:
Creator & Host:
Mike Pesca
Producer:
Corey Wara
Video Editor:
Geoff Craig
