ABC Cancels 'Speechless,' Starring Barnegat Native Micah Fowler

BARNEGAT, N.J. — A star was born in Barnegat. Micah Fowler starred in "Speechless" as a quick-witted teen with cerebral palsy. ABC cancelled the show last week after three seasons.

Fowler and his sister, Kelsey, grew up in Barnegat. They both performed in local theatre productions.

Fowler, 21, got his big break playing JJ DiMeo in ABS sitcom "Speechless." Although Fowler can speak, JJ could not. Fowler compensated with dramatic facial expressions and body movements.

When Fowler played JJ, it was one of the few cases on primetime network television in which an actor with a disability plays a character with the same disability.

"Thank you to all the fans, cast and crew who made this show so special," Fowler tweeted Friday. "It was the greatest three years of my life. I hope we changed the world a little bit. I am so honored I got to do this."

"Speechless" was nominated for several accolades, taking home the Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming in 2017.

The show, which also starred Minnie Driver and John Ross Bowie, was also popular with critics. Rotten Tomatoes gave the series a 98 percent rating.

Fowler previously had minor roles in "Blue's Clues" and "Sesame Street." He also starred in the 2013 film "Labor Day."

"Speechless" left an impact on the television landscape, giving some visibility to people with disabilities in a medium that lacked it. But "Speechless" also fit right in with the surge of sitcoms taking on modern concerns while dabbling in old-fashioned sitcom formats.

Fowler's presence had a way of making "Speechless" poignant without preachiness, irreverent without insensitivity, and funny without a laugh track. With Fowler's talent and television's incrementally changing landscape, it's likely not the last time you'll see the Barnegat native on the screen.

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