Today is, for me, the most wonderful time of the year. Why? Because it marks the birthday of the person who has inspired the greatest positive changes in my life -- Nabil Shaban.
My first encounter with Nabs was in the late 1980's. PBS had been running the BBC's 'Doctor Who' series for some time, and they had finally reached the episode 'Vengeance on Varos'. In this episode, Nabs portrayed Sil, an evil gallactic slug whose turnons were making money and eating marsh minnows. Nabil's performance was wonderful and dynamic. It takes a gifted actor with the love of a production to make such an uncomfortable costume look natural. He even gave Sil a unique reptilian laugh which endeared the character with fans as a favorite villain. A laugh everyone tries to imitate, but only few a rare few succeed. I did wonder who this fellow was and hoping to see more of his work. Little did I realize how that wish would come true. Words cannot describe how incredibly grateful I am that it did.
In late 2006 I was surfing the web researching the messages and mentions for the late David Rappaport. I was absolutely stunned at the amount of rude and insensitive material I found there. But among the trash was a powerful gem of an article called 'Disability in the Performing Arts: There is No Fair Play'. The prologue of this article spotlighting the reality of discrimination focused on Dave and the conversation they had shared shortly before his death regarding the horrendous treatment suffered by Dave and his fellow co-stars on the set of the movie 'Time Bandits'. As I read this part of the article I began to cry. It was the first time I had found any write up on David Rappaport that was not abusive, tried to force him into the dwarf stereotype, or punish him for fighting this discrimination during his life. This prologue was obviously written with love and respect. I couldn't even read the rest of the article. Simply had to write to the author right there on the spot. I swear I don't remember seeing Nabil's name anywhere on the page, only his email address. I thanked him for his beautifully written prologue, promised to read the rest of the article (which I have many time since then), and told him about my work to save David Rappaport's legacy from oblivion. Two months later I was suprised by a lovely response from Nabs. I wasn't expecting anything in return, really. This was a wonderful gift that just keeps on giving.
I'm not sure if Nabs has ever regretted writing back to me. I have certainly tested him (and the capactiy of his email inbox) from time to time. Yet he has always remained a chivalrous and compassionate gentleman. It hasn't ever mattered one iota that I am neither disabled nor a dwarf. He treats me as an equal. Nabil also possesses an incredibly blunt, no-holds-barred integrity. All of this is within the capabilities of each and every one of us, yet is so hard to find anyone else willing to bring this out completely in themselves. He chose to be a survivor when most of the non-disabled people I know choose to live their lives as victims. The challenges he takes on are not just done for himself, but done with the idea of creating a better world for all it's inhabitants. He embodies the true meaning of "Pro-Life". Yes, he has bad habits, too. He is human, just like the rest of us. I love and admire the total package --two feet tall, brittle bones and all. He is the strongest man I've ever met. Nabs has guided me by word, deed, and example to bust out of my old, unhealthy comfort zone and take the world by storm to make it a better place. How can I ever repay this?
If you have not experienced the works of Nabil Shaban, I strongly urge you to find out more. Of course, you can just ask me if you need help finding information. He has plenty of brilliant videos on Vimeo and YouTube. Just look for the ScabsNabs channel. His movies are available for rent and sale on Amazon. Be sure to check out his books, 'Dreams My Father Sold Me' (which also contains fantastic graphic art), 'The First to Go', and 'The Ripper Code'. Also the book version of the play 'D.A.R.E.' is an excellent choice. You can also hear this artist on his album, 'From Little Acorns', available on iTunes.
Happy birthday to the man I am blessed to call friend and mentor -- Nabil Shaban.
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