Does Shelton from the Big Bang Theory have AS?

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Mutanatia
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07 May 2010, 10:11 am

(Not sure if this is the right place for it or not, but...)

Does anyone have an idea if Shelton from the Big Bang Theory has Aspergers?



JSchoolboy
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07 May 2010, 11:54 am

As far as I know, it has never been stated on the show that Sheldon has AS, although he has made references to being "tested". I remember a joke in one episode where someone calls him crazy, and he replies, "I am not crazy. My mother had me tested." (Please note: I am not saying or implying that AS = crazy.)

The show Boston Legal had an ongoing character who was diagnosed with AS.

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Mutanatia wrote:
(Not sure if this is the right place for it or not, but...)

Does anyone have an idea if Shelton from the Big Bang Theory has Aspergers?



Willard
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07 May 2010, 1:45 pm

It has been widely noted on the Web from the time the series debuted, particularly by people who work with (and parents of) Autistic children that Sheldon has most of the signs and behaviors of a kid with AS. Many of us who have the condition generally accept Sheldon as a comedic poster boy. He's never been called Autistic or AS on the show, but the writers clearly are portraying him that way - they've even given him an obsession with trains, which is an example of Aspergian obsessive interests given in the DSM, so they've obviously done it intentionally.



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08 May 2010, 7:59 am

The actor "Jim Parsons" does not have Aspergers' Syndrome. But the character Sheldon does have it, said on "http://bigbangtheory.wikia.com/wiki/Sheldon_Cooper".
Line: "He also has symptoms of obsessive compulsive personality disorder and Asperger syndrome;"


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HermanTheTosser
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08 May 2010, 10:04 am

I have a rule on this, unless the writers of a fictional character make it abundantly clear the character in question is autistic, and that they've done more research beyond the wiki entry on it - s/he is not autistic and only has "nerdy tendencies", introverted or "autistic-like".

But it seems to me that the writers at least retconned this trait in Sheldon, from what I understand is that it was never their original intention.



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08 May 2010, 8:16 pm

I took him as a brother Aspie from the very first episode I ever saw.

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09 May 2010, 1:24 am

The character seems like he has an ASD and OCPD (Maybe autistic traits manifesting as OCPD) to me.
Regardless, the writers have never said that he has any form of... well, anything. I would imagine stating that a certain character in a sitcom has asperger's syndrome or any other diagnosed condition could cause problems for the show. If Sheldon was said to have asperger's syndrome, some people may take offence when the other characters joke about his behavior instead of laugh at it.

After I got over some things I found inconsistent with the character, I started to enjoy his antics and I am a fan of the show. So are a few friends of mine who started comparing me to Sheldon immediately after the show first aired.
:P


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22 May 2010, 3:51 am

I saw an interview recently with the actor who plays him and he said he had asked the writers if the character had Asperger's and the writer said no, so the official answer is "no" though there are certainly some similarities (maybe they did not want to apply that as a "label" at this stage in the show too). I do enjoy the show though! :)



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24 May 2010, 3:20 pm

HermanTheTosser wrote:
I have a rule on this, unless the writers of a fictional character make it abundantly clear the character in question is autistic, and that they've done more research beyond the wiki entry on it - s/he is not autistic and only has "nerdy tendencies", introverted or "autistic-like".


Yeah, I agree.


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24 May 2010, 5:30 pm

ask the creator of the show the persons or persons are the ulitimate say so


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AnonymousAnonymous
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01 Jun 2010, 3:57 pm

It's very obvious Sheldon has AS or OCD.
But I respect the writers' way of implying Sheldon does.

This makes people wonder: Does Leonard have AS?


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02 Jun 2010, 9:46 am

Indeed. Though the writers and producers have denied any connection between Dr. Cooper and AS, and while I would usually consider a fictional character as being an aspie unless clearly labeled, I think that denying that Sheldon is an aspie is more or less along the lines of convincing yourself that Christopher Lowell is straight.

During the course of the first season brushed aside all of the signs, but by season two, couldn't deny the trains obsession. There's just a point where you have to stop kidding yourself.

And for the record and to quote the show "I Hate Trains". They're those aggravating hulks that block your path and whose function, while vital, is about as exciting as golf. If you are really calmed by organization and structure, we have aircraft carriers for that.



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02 Jun 2010, 10:02 am

Imho the writers have always intended him to have AS, but there may be two reasons for not acknowledging it directly:
- Plot: He grew up in rural Texas, that's a place in which it would have been unlikely as heck for him to be correctly diagnosed, all we know is that his mother got him "tested for insanity". Then he was very successful due to his brains despite to social clueless-ness. I do not think Sheldon is really the kind of guy that would sought for a psychological diagnosis of any sort, for him, there is really nothing "wrong" with him in the first place (And heck, I agree).

It may happen that they have planned him to get a diagnosis some time in the future a-la Daria. But I doubt it.

- Avoiding issues: It could as well be the writers just don't want the trouble that would come from officially calling him AS, this is probably also the reason they are avoiding to officially call him asexual. Because then they would have to deal with people like autism speaks and also some AS people that don't agree that they are portrayed by such an "annoying" character - Since they probably don't get what an spectrum is -.


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02 Jun 2010, 4:57 pm

Vexcalibur wrote:
It may happen that they have planned him to get a diagnosis some time in the future a-la Daria. But I doubt it.


Daria was so awesome.
So very awesome.



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03 Jun 2010, 12:32 pm

Vexcalibur wrote:
It may happen that they have planned him to get a diagnosis some time in the future a-la Daria. But I doubt it.


Could I have a source for this? I love Daria and I'd like to know more about the Daria/AS thing.


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03 Jun 2010, 8:07 pm

Delirium wrote:
Vexcalibur wrote:
It may happen that they have planned him to get a diagnosis some time in the future a-la Daria. But I doubt it.


Could I have a source for this? I love Daria and I'd like to know more about the Daria/AS thing.
Seems I was the victim of a bad rumor.

I could swear that in some post in this site someone said something along the lines that she was diagnosed, but it seems not. I searched everywhere and no.

Sorry .


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