Now Seinfeld says he is not autitistic

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This seems consistent with the interpretation of his earlier remarks as indicative of a broader autistic phenotype, that there are traits common to people on the spectrum that extend into the NT population, and that he sees some of those traits in himself.

Being pissed at him for what his words might have meant, rather than what he actually said seems irrational, as does holding him accountable for the fears that he will have single-handedly either devalued the recognition of disability in the severely or mildly disabled.

It would be really great if he would use this moment to promote an exploration of those issues by people who could educate and spread awareness and compassion, but he is just a guy and I don't expect anything of the kind from him.

If you are thinking that he did people harm with his remarks, I would suggest this is an occaision for introspection. I think he did exactly no material harm and such emotional harm as people felt was the result of their projecting their own fears into the situation rather than anything that has actually occurred.

I don't believe Seinfeld is going to become an autism advocate. He just had a "moment," while he was seeing a play, where he identified with being on the Spectrum.

Like others have stated, Seinfeld stated that he might be within the Broad Autism Phenotype.

I would just forget about Seinfeld at this point, and move on. It's quite possible that he was seeking publicity.

It would have been nice, though, had he talked about people whom he knew--who might be on the Spectrum.

He just takes a casual approach to this--so, I reiterate, I would just write him off as an autism advocate, and move on.

He's just one schmuck out of many in the media. Actually, I never particularly liked his show--it really was about NOTHING lol

I don't think we should dwell too much on that either. I do think that he might have given a little more thought before saying what he said. To me, if someone says I am on the Spectrum in a way drawn out way, I personally wonder if that person really knows what it's like to be on the Spectrum. I understand about BAP but I did not realize that BAP was actually on the Spectrum. And I understand that Jerry may have been referring to something like that but I think that someone in his position who has worked with Autism Speaks, I am not sure if he really has, I could be wrong, but I think I remember a couple of you mentioning that he had, needs to be very careful about how he words something like this in an interview meant to be heard and seen by the public. If he had just said, "I related to these traits that I saw portrayed in this play so it makes me wonder if I might possibly be on the Spectrum somehow," rather than "I think I am on the Spectrum on a drawn out scale." or whatever the exact words were, I think the out come would have been very different. But if it was a publicity stunt, that is a shame because people were offended and hurt by it.

Seinfeld was just very "offhand." He was very casual. He shrugs his shoulders quite a bit. He "didn't know what the fuss was all about."

I don't think he really cares too much about too much--except when it regards those who are close to him.

It's disappointing in a way, though. A person like Seinfeld, who is rather visible in the media, could have enhanced autism awareness.

As it stands now, we have to go back to the Status Quo--as if Seinfeld never made those remarks about being on the Spectrum " in a broad sense."

Correct me, if I'm wrong, but he never says anything very conclusive, one way or the other. Also, noone officially delcared him to be a representative of anything. He just so happed to find fame and then used a word in a sentence.

If you're concerned about raising awareness, maybe it wouldn't hurt for more celebrities to throw the word around. It did get discussed.

Sensible as usual, kraftiekortie.

Skibum, I don't think people in the BAP are on the spectrum, but the ends of the spectrum are a imprecisely defined and part of the idea of the broader phenotype is that it consists of those traits that define autism spectrum but at subclinical severity.

I have to hand it to the Access Hollywood host ("surf's up, dude!") for leading the discussion from Michael Richard's professional and social ostracization directly into Seinfeld's own looming ostracization. Ouch. Spot on!

I have much more respect for Richards now by comparison to Seinfeld. At least Richards wasn't pretending to be black for a week, just insulting them in his audience. In other words, Richards was "what you saw was what you got" honesty. Seinfeld, yada-yada, not so much.

I wonder how long it will take to change the banner. Seinfeld may be the face of WrongPlanet for a while yet.

Seinfeld's just a "yada-yada" sort of guy.....and he doesn't care if others don't like that fact.

Like no one ever knew he was a pretentious dweeb. He never made me laugh.

I took that with a grain of salt, still wondering why anyone actually belived it.

I think there is a lot to learn from the whole episode, it saddened me - the vituperative and often irrational backlash from some parents of autistic children, the attack on the messenger by people who didn't like or want to consider the message for whatever reason, and the failure of the ASD community to recognise an opportunity to build some bridges. If I had been Seinfeld and got the responses he did, I probably would have looked for an exit strategy too, on the basis of "who the Hell needs this?"

I still think that John Robison made cogent points and yet it also seems that hardly anyone noticed amidst the uproar.

Oh my god. The man's a celebrity, he was just talking, saw something that struck a chord, it's over, stop hanging on it.

When he said he was somewhere on the spectrum, it was probably one of those moments where people say they are a little Bipolar or a little OCD because of mood swings or because they like things organized and have to clean something up or else it drives them crazy if that makes sense and it got taken out of context. I also thought he actually meant he was on the spectrum. If someone says they are a little OCD, I do think they truly have it but it's mild, same as for being a little Bipolar. I guess I am not the only one who took him literal and perhaps the parents of autistic kids knew so that was why they were so upset. Maybe if he said "I am a little autistic" then lot of us would know what he meant and take it as the same when people say they are a little OCD or a little Bipolar or everyone is a little autistic.

It makes me really angry when people say that everyone is a little Autistic.

I think from now on people might be less willing to believe celebrities claiming they are autistic even if they are diagnosed A celebrity who could have been a positive role model won't be. We are a celebrity obsessed culture. People arguing that celebrities no power are arguing for what should be not what is. They would not be paid so much money to endorse products if there opinions did not matter.

Last edited by ASPartOfMe on 20 Nov 2014, 6:34 am, edited 3 times in total.

Doesn't Jerry Seinfeld have a kid with Autism?