Contestant with Aspergers on X Factor

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Scott James, contestant with Asperger Syndrome, sang on X Factor tonight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-Ql3OQVFFg

Interesting that in all the news items building up to it, they've said he has Asperger Syndrome, but in the actual show, they just say he has 'a form of autism'. I'm not sure whether that's because more people have heard of autism than Asperger Syndrome, or whether they think the term autism will evoke more sympathy. I was kind of hoping they'd name it as Asperger Syndrome, though, as it would raise public awareness.

Anyway, he's a good singer.

'Autism' sells magazines, engenders a more profound reaction than 'Asperger's.' Which I think is the same thing you said. The point being, I haven't felt like this about anybody like Joanne. Can you understand that?

Looks like this years sob story. He is a good singer though.

He was great! Really talented. I hope he doesn't just win because people feel sorry for him though because that is just a cop-out. I wouldn't want that for me. What I find frustrating is that people have questioned whether it is okay for him to be on the X factor but yet almost straight after him there was a lad in a bloomin electronic tag! So it's alright to torment the poor sod who was a victim of his stupid crime, but it's not okay morally to have a person with a 'form of autism' on? We live in a strange country...

Yes, this has really annoyed me. He's an adult and quite capable of making his own decisions. It's more important that the judges are careful how they treat people - I would say the reason for Susan Boyle's breakdown was because Piers Morgan was being all flirtatious and telling her she was the best but then telling other people they were the best too. She was getting mixed messages.

I don't think he'll win because people feel sorry for him, because there are plenty of other contestants with their own sob stories. I think the sob stories are more to get the viewers.

I do really like his voice, I think the whole autism issue is irrelevant.

It is to us. But there is a lot of ignorance out there about autism, so I'm hoping that it might challenge a few stereotypes about what people on the spectrum can and can't do. I also liked the fact that he hugged his singing teacher - challenges the stereotype that people on the spectrum can't touch people.

I guess what I meant was that if I was listening to him sing on the radio or whatever than the fact that he has Asperger's wouldn't make a difference. I was quite surprised that someone on the spectrum can be that good a singer, which I suppose is a good thing.

I'm really pleased for him that he got through since I know, and think everyone here does, how hard it was for him to get in front of all those people and do that (you could tell it wasn't easy for him), especially given the new format of the show. I know plenty of people who couldn't do it, and they don't have any type of social anxiety, let alone any spectrum of autism.

I just hope that if he gets any further that they focus/judge primarily on his voice and not on the asperger's. I wouldn't like to see people saying he's just there because he's got asperger's. But, either way, that short bit was a one fingered salute to all those stereotypes.