CRANBOURNE comedian Bill O'Brien was blinded in one eye after a stroke.

But it hasn't stopped him scouring Cranbourne's three community newspapers for material for his quirky comedy routine.

"I don't put anybody down; it's just a bit of fun," O'Brien said last week when promoting Bill O'Brien is Blind in One Eye, part of the coming Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

He particularly enjoys poking fun at headlines from local papers.

"One classic example that always gets a laugh is a headline which reads 'Elderly man dies' and my comment 'Who would have thought?'."

O'Brien, aged in his 50s, also works at a call centre and has an annual gig as a department store Santa.

He started viewing life differently after a minor stroke took half his sight three years ago.

"It changes how you look at things. I'm more aware of disabled people and just more grateful about what I have got going for me."

O'Brien won't stop donning his red Santa suit every December.

"It can be very hard but enormously rewarding," he said. "I remember asking one little boy what he wanted for Christmas and he said he wanted his little sister to not die from leukaemia.

"I'll also never forget when a lady wearing a thick coat came up for her daughter to have her photo taken. She then said 'it's my turn now', took her coat off to reveal she was wearing lingerie and sat on my lap."

O'Brien will perform at the Great Western Hotel, 204 King Street (corner Little Bourke Street), Melbourne, at 8pm every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, March 24-April 14. Tickets $10. Call 59965312 to book, or buy tickets at the door.