Born with cerebral palsy, Geri Jewell inspired a generation of young people when she became the first person with a disability to appear in a recurring role on prime-time television with her groundbreaking character, Cousin Geri, on the NBC sitcom The Facts of Life.

Her new book’s title — I’m Walking As Straight As I Can — has a double meaning, referring to both Jewell’s sexuality and her extraordinary struggle growing up with cerebral palsy. This candid memoir details her experiences from her traumatic birth in Buffalo, New York, to her rise to stardom as a stand-up comic to becoming a television star. She documents the harsh realities of show business with Kurbrick by recounting the relentless discrimination and abuse she suffered at the hands of people she trusted.