Re: OT: American Idol impressions

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/16/2008 4:31:13 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

pastmidvale@... writes:

Even if she has Asperger's or maybe

especially if she does - she should be able to try out just cause she wanted

to.

I could not agree with you more. Isn't that what we try to achieve that our

children are able to participate with everyone else? Not everyone who's

social skills are different means they have some form of autism. I know my

sister who did not make friends as easily as I did would be insulted to think

someone thought she was disabled because it took her longer to make friends.

She just wasn't as out going as I was at the time but that just means we all

do things in our own time and way and that isn't such a bad thing. :-)

Carol

Trishasmom

She isn't typical, She's Trisha!

**************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape.

http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/16/2008 4:31:13 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

pastmidvale@... writes:

Even is Princess LEia has Asperger's, she has the right to choose to make

herself an object

My daughter is reading a book called Look Me In The Eye, by the

brother of Augusten Burroughs, the author of Running with Scissors. I

forget

his name right now ( has the book with her), but he was dx'd with

Aspergers after the age of 40. I started it....didn't get far into it before

took it up, but his childhood, along with his brother's, was unbearably

tragic. was quoting some of it to me today, and it's astounding how he

views himself, his wife, his life, and his world. He has a need to put

people, experiences, and life, in certain categories. It's an interesting and

curious read.

Donna

**************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape.

http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489

[Guest guest]

Dear Ones,

Thoughts on last nights American Idol:

Was any one else bothered by the treatment of Tellisano (Princess

Leia) last night? She so obviously was " on the Spectrum " to me, most probably

Asperger's syndrome. The show seemed to be dwelling on her lack of social

ability and made her an object of ridicule. Her grandparents were with her (are

there parents involved at all?) and whether she is diagnosed with Asperger's or

not, I don't know. She has the hallmark lack of social awareness and the

fixation on a topic of choice (Star Wars).

To me it was as unfeeling as showing a blind person running into a wall, or a

paraplegic spilling food on themselves. These things happen, but we do not

tolerate them being dwelt on by a television show in the same way the

disabilities of this young women were by the Idol cameras. It goes to show that

" hidden disabilities " like Asperger's syndrome are not understood by so many of

the public.

The show was doing so well for me up to then: the mom with a daughter who had

Rett's syndrome being showcased ( , and if I understood her spoken

diagnosis of her daughter's condition correctly, Rett's is also " on the

spectrum " ). And the show was very sensitive in its handling of Temptress (sp?)

and her obviously health challenged mother. Why, Simon Cowell even joined a

and Randy in going out to meet and join in a group hug with the mom and family.

(This from Simon who has an inability to feel empathy that seems to be an even

more debilitating disability!)

The show also didn't seem to overly do the young woman who, in their words,

" channeled Janis Joplin and Grace Slick " and who also probably has some

emotional and possible mental challenges.

There are always people who believe they can sing - and can't, who think they

have charisma - and don't, or who have talent, presence and yet have such an

attitude that we enjoy watching them get their comeuppance. And the real reason

for the show, to me, is the ones with real talent and charisma, that we hope

will wind up in the final 12 showcasing their abilities for the nation. We are

well aware that there are real rewards for those who win and even for those who

are runners-up. But one thing that doesn't work for me is the ignorant

exploitation of those with disabilities to sell ratings.

The treatment they gave to Tellisano or " Princess Leia, " really

bothered me. Making someone with a disability an object of ridicule is wrong.

I am hoping that one of our autism awareness groups will perhaps challenge the

show on this. I would hope they could educate the producers of this show about

what is it like to have a " hidden disability " and for those who have such

individuals in their family.

Does anyone else have thoughts on this?

Hugs,

Donnell (mom to DJ,12,DS/ASD)

[Guest guest]

Even is Princess LEia has Asperger's, she has the right to choose to make

herself an object. Read some more of Temple Grandin. There are times that

she just feels to challenge the " outside world " even knowing that what she

is going to do will not be looked on favorably. As people say - sometimes

you gotta do what you gotta do. Even if she has Asperger's or maybe

especially if she does - she should be able to try out just cause she wanted

to.

On Jan 16, 2008 3:07 PM, Donnell Kenworthy

wrote:

> Dear Ones,

>

> Thoughts on last nights American Idol:

>

> Was any one else bothered by the treatment of Tellisano

> (Princess Leia) last night? She so obviously was " on the Spectrum " to me,

> most probably Asperger's syndrome. The show seemed to be dwelling on her

> lack of social ability and made her an object of ridicule. Her grandparents

> were with her (are there parents involved at all?) and whether she is

> diagnosed with Asperger's or not, I don't know. She has the hallmark lack of

> social awareness and the fixation on a topic of choice (Star Wars).

>

> To me it was as unfeeling as showing a blind person running into a wall,

> or a paraplegic spilling food on themselves. These things happen, but we do

> not tolerate them being dwelt on by a television show in the same way the

> disabilities of this young women were by the Idol cameras. It goes to show

> that " hidden disabilities " like Asperger's syndrome are not understood by so

> many of the public.

>

> The show was doing so well for me up to then: the mom with a daughter who

> had Rett's syndrome being showcased ( , and if I understood her

> spoken diagnosis of her daughter's condition correctly, Rett's is also " on

> the spectrum " ). And the show was very sensitive in its handling of Temptress

> (sp?) and her obviously health challenged mother. Why, Simon Cowell even

> joined a and Randy in going out to meet and join in a group hug with the

> mom and family. (This from Simon who has an inability to feel empathy that

> seems to be an even more debilitating disability!)

>

> The show also didn't seem to overly do the young woman who, in their

> words, " channeled Janis Joplin and Grace Slick " and who also probably has

> some emotional and possible mental challenges.

>

> There are always people who believe they can sing - and can't, who think

> they have charisma - and don't, or who have talent, presence and yet have

> such an attitude that we enjoy watching them get their comeuppance. And the

> real reason for the show, to me, is the ones with real talent and charisma,

> that we hope will wind up in the final 12 showcasing their abilities for the

> nation. We are well aware that there are real rewards for those who win and

> even for those who are runners-up. But one thing that doesn't work for me is

> the ignorant exploitation of those with disabilities to sell ratings.

>

> The treatment they gave to Tellisano or " Princess Leia, " really

> bothered me. Making someone with a disability an object of ridicule is

> wrong. I am hoping that one of our autism awareness groups will perhaps

> challenge the show on this. I would hope they could educate the producers of

> this show about what is it like to have a " hidden disability " and for those

> who have such individuals in their family.

>

> Does anyone else have thoughts on this?

>

> Hugs,

> Donnell (mom to DJ,12,DS/ASD)

>

>

[Guest guest]

<<Was any one else bothered by the treatment of Tellisano (Princess

Leia) last night? She so obviously was " on the Spectrum " to me, most probably

Asperger's syndrome. The show seemed to be dwelling on her lack of social

ability and made her an object of ridicule. Her grandparents were with her >>

Donnell, you are one of the people I most always agree with but I've got to say

here I think you might be better off waiting for the competition AI show and

skipping the auditions. This is just the way they are and some of us are sicker

than others :-))

I wrote carol I think 99% of the contestants have a disability of some sort and

she replied that 99% of all of us probably do. I tend to agree.

If it makes any difference (I'm such an expert after having watched this show

TWO * & ^ & * times already) I think they were using princess bunhead as a

counterpoint at the end while she was going on and on about the lack of

diversity, in the background they were showing all the very very diverse folks

who had been put thru to Hollywood...all sizes and shapes. And if we're going to

take issue with her problems...what about the obvious personality disorders that

seem to affect most all the participants. Not many of them seem to be based in

reality as we see it...but they firmly believe in their own reality.

Anyway, I'm ready to go again tonight...got it on tape in case we go thru

another jamie meltdown. She fipped out again today and we had to use an ativan

again. Something serious is going on with her psychological reactions to her

period...trying to study up a bit; wondering how much the steroid is affecting

all this; It's just gotten so complicated i'm am SO ready to laugh again

tonight.

Love ya, Sherry

[Guest guest]

On the other hand, she was treated the same as anyone else. It's part of the

show's schtick. They didn't treat her as a poor disabled girl, they treated her

as a legitimate auditioner just as ripe for ridicule or success as anyone else.

In a way, that's more respectful than them taking pity on her or refusing to let

her try.

I don't like the way they treat people sometimes, but it's been on too long for

people or their families to not know what they might be getting into.

JMHO

Beth

Re: OT: American Idol impressions

Dear Ones,

Thoughts on last nights American Idol:

Was any one else bothered by the treatment of Tellisano (Princess

Leia) last night? She so obviously was " on the Spectrum " to me, most probably

Asperger's syndrome. The show seemed to be dwelling on her lack of social

ability and made her an object of ridicule. Her grandparents were with her (are

there parents involved at all?) and whether she is diagnosed with Asperger's or

not, I don't know. She has the hallmark lack of social awareness and the

fixation on a topic of choice (Star Wars).

To me it was as unfeeling as showing a blind person running into a wall, or a

paraplegic spilling food on themselves. These things happen, but we do not

tolerate them being dwelt on by a television show in the same way the

disabilities of this young women were by the Idol cameras. It goes to show that

" hidden disabilities " like Asperger's syndrome are not understood by so many of

the public.

The show was doing so well for me up to then: the mom with a daughter who had

Rett's syndrome being showcased ( , and if I understood her spoken

diagnosis of her daughter's condition correctly, Rett's is also " on the

spectrum " ). And the show was very sensitive in its handling of Temptress (sp?)

and her obviously health challenged mother. Why, Simon Cowell even joined a

and Randy in going out to meet and join in a group hug with the mom and family.

(This from Simon who has an inability to feel empathy that seems to be an even

more debilitating disability!)

The show also didn't seem to overly do the young woman who, in their words,

" channeled Janis Joplin and Grace Slick " and who also probably has some

emotional and possible mental challenges.

There are always people who believe they can sing - and can't, who think they

have charisma - and don't, or who have talent, presence and yet have such an

attitude that we enjoy watching them get their comeuppance. And the real reason

for the show, to me, is the ones with real talent and charisma, that we hope

will wind up in the final 12 showcasing their abilities for the nation. We are

well aware that there are real rewards for those who win and even for those who

are runners-up. But one thing that doesn't work for me is the ignorant

exploitation of those with disabilities to sell ratings.

The treatment they gave to Tellisano or " Princess Leia, " really

bothered me. Making someone with a disability an object of ridicule is wrong. I

am hoping that one of our autism awareness groups will perhaps challenge the

show on this. I would hope they could educate the producers of this show about

what is it like to have a " hidden disability " and for those who have such

individuals in their family.

Does anyone else have thoughts on this?

Hugs,

Donnell (mom to DJ,12,DS/ASD)