RespectAbility Entertainment Professionals Lab 2024
Michael Busza
Michael Busza is an LA-based, queer, disabled, Jewish comedy writer who used to work for a lumber company in Pennsylvania. As a gay kid from Philly with an “invisible” chronic disability, Busza grew up having to explain the unseeable. Now, as a screenwriter in LA, he writes “invisible” characters in ways that reclaim their dignity through humor.
In college, Busza won the TV Academy’s student Emmy® for writing the “Best College Series” and was also a finalist in the TV Academy’s Emmy® Directing Fellowship. He was then nominated for the Oxford University Rhodes Scholarship and spoke as graduation speaker for his class at Temple University.
After moving to LA, Busza spent a hot minute working in scripted development for Sony Pictures Television and several hot minutes writing and performing for the Second City Hollywood comedy theatre. During this time, he also became a Diversity Scholar at the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) comedy theatre; worked as a production assistant for CBS Studios (NCIS: New Orleans) and Paramount Pictures; and went on to produce the feature film From Zero to I Love You, which screened at festivals worldwide and is now available on Peacock.
Throughout his life, Busza has appeared in medical journals (like a celebrity) and injected more than 200,000 needles (like a pincushion). He is also connected to enough medical devices to classify as part robot, and as a result, goes through life with a personal vendetta against TSA metal detectors.
Most recently, Busza was featured as one of The Black List website’s Top 15 Half-hour Pilots, made the Coverfly Red List’s Top 20 with two different pilots (comedy and animation), made the Humanitas “New Voices” Top 25 scripts of the year, and participated in the 2023 RespectAbility Entertainment Lab. He currently is represented by Lyra Tan at The Gersh Agency.
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After an extensive search and interview process, 5 individuals were invited to participate in an intensive session for disabled comedy writers, taking place June 20-28, with additional virtual sessions taking place in partnership with the virtual cohort, May – September 2024. Participants include people with a variety of disabilities ranging in age from the 20s through the 40s. This intensive elevates disabled creatives, focusing on building community, networking, and career advancement. This intensive is in collaboration with ABC Entertainment.
