Richard and Judy (last night)

[lorryw]

My husband is a huge fan of Chris Rea and watched him being interviewed on the Rand J show yesterday evening. He described how he wrote his music and Judy joked about his routine being autistic.

Am I out of step or has the word autistic suddenly become a description rather than a life changing condition?

Mind you I took childish glee in the fact she looked dreadful in that black leather jacket ......

Love Lorainexx

[Tylers-mum]

Didn't see it but then I dislike Judy! I think she arrogant!

 

Worth a complaint if you ask me! Doubt she would've said such a thing had she known someone with ASD and realised how debiltating it can be.

[stressed out mum]

How rude of her.

 

I don't like either of them much. She looks more like she is his mother anyway

[loulou]

What an ignorant old cow!

 

I loathe them too anyway, Richard is such a creep and Judy is a door mat.

 

Sorry, had to say that

 

Loulou x

[Paula]

I cant stick the meither.And to be realy bitchy What has happened to Judys face it looks like its slipping of her bone structure!!!!!!!

 

 

I tell yer what i cant stick also when people flippently refer to stuff being manic if only they knew what being manic was actuallly like.I unfortunatley do as i have bi polar/Manic depression.

[madmooch]

Rude b**ch Grrrrrrrrrrrr, I think i'll try to find thier website and complain in the nicest possible way of course(not)

[Kathryn]

He described how he wrote his music and Judy joked about his routine being autistic.

Perhaps she meant to say "artistic". She's not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

[ceecee]

What an ignorant idiot.

[lorryw]

No, she definately said autistic. He was referring to the routine he has while producing his music.

Have to agree though,she isnt terribly bright.

[tinminer]

I have heard Chris Rea on a previous interview say that he thought he had autistic traits, and that this helped his creative process. He went on to say he thought ALL people that we creative (artisits, writers etc) had a little 'piece of autism' inside them.

 

As someone with AS, I don't find those comments offensive, and it may have been Judy's way of introducing the subject perhaps?

[Auriel]

what we can't say is whether or not she knows someone with A.S, those i know often use autistic and aspergers as an adjective

[LizK]

Never really thought about it before but I use autistic as an adjective often saying something like 'that was an autistic thing to do' or in similar context. Never crossed my mind it could be construed as offensive but maybe because I don't use it to be offensive iyswim. I can think of many other things to get upset about but not the use of that word ...........but then again I hate the word Aspie so each to their own

 

Lx

[lorryw]

I suppose I find it offensive because my son has such a hard time. He is unable to speak or leave our house on his own. He has to be watched 24 hours a day to keep him safe and he is now 20 years old.

Im afraid I cant compare him with a multi millionaire musician who has a few set routines to help him record his music.

[Hidden Gem]

I think Judy meant autistic tendancies, yes sadly it has become a desription.

 

Creative people always, rather ignorantly get the autistic lable. I don't think Judy was been nasty or ignorant.

 

Depression is a serious illness, but we often use that in a descriptive way. As autism becomes more of an subject or topic in society, it will by nature become slightly trivialised.

 

This is the unfortuante pay off of making an issue more knowlegable.

 

The reaction to her commnet, considering no one so the clip and the context it was said in is slightly bizarre, but there you go.

[TuX]

Creative people always, rather ignorantly get the autistic lable.  I don't think Judy was been nasty or ignorant.

She was being ignorant though,as anyone could have a set routine without being autistic,

most bands and musicians have some routines as to plan their music well.

it's ridiculous to think that Autism is just another name for wanting routine.

Edited December 17, 2005 by TuX

[Hidden Gem]

i actually agree, and that was my point.

 

It's easier to label creative people, as they appear to have different behaviour.

 

Your right, just having a routine is not a reason to label someone autistic. i can't be sure but you will porbably find Judy meant in regards to chris Rea's obsession with music as well as his dedication to it, like it is his own world.

Edited December 17, 2005 by Hidden Gem

[ceecee]

I think to say someone is on the autistic spectrum they would have to do more than have a routine and be very interested in music.

 

I am willing to bet that Judy knows very little about autism.

 

 

I think in my opinion that some people on the spectrum are very good at art or writing.This is probably because verbal comunication doesn't come naturally to them and this is their way of expressing themselves.

 

However it does not mean that every writer, artist or musician is on the autistic spectrum.They have to tick a few more boxes than being a musician , liking routine and surprise surprise being interested in music!

 

I at times struggle to process what is being said to me particularly if there is a whole load of info to take in at once I get muddled up.I also struggle to get across what i want to say to people verbally.But put a pen in my hand no problems whatsoever.I really enjoy writing and certainly at school and as ateenager (When I had more time) was not bad at it. I would definately consider I have mild aspergers.But I tick lots of boxes.

 

Anyway just my opinion.

Edited December 17, 2005 by ceecee

[Forrest]

I too have heard 'autistic' being used descriptively - someone is sitting alone and not talking and so is told they are 'being autistic' etc.

 

I don't think that such a use of the word is unexpected - as Hidden Gem said, "As autism becomes more of a subject or topic in society, it will by nature become slightly trivialised." Words such as 'depressed', 'hyperactive', 'obsessive' and 'compulsive' are often used in a non-clinical sense to describe people, and so 'autistic' as an adjective is a logical progression from that.

 

I do find it a little offensive, though, in two regards - firstly, such use of the 'label' shows ignorance, and ignorance in general offends me () Secondly, it is very unfair to associate a condition that is very debilitating to a lot of people, with something that is so trivial as the practises of one musician (for example). While autistic spectrum disorders have positive aspects (or rather are not wholly negative - depending on your perspective) it doesn't seem like something to use in a positive sense when describing someone.

 

(Oddly, someone said something similar to my example to me, before I was diagnosed with AS...)

[lisann]

Humm yep Judy is a door mat deff' and Richard reminds me of a old Perv'.Autism has become a very used word of the mo' and I don't think half the people using it know what it means!!!

Was talking to my hairdresser today and an elderly lady heard me talking about ASD and Char and said " Oh the poor sweetie has he got Autism that's terrible"

My reply was "No he hasn't got Autism he is Autistic and do you actually know what it means?"

 

I got no reply she just went red and walked out

[KarenM]

Being with a total prat like Richard might be rubbing off on her. I will never forget when he told the wife of a missing most likely dead man. Her child( a toddler running round the studio ),kept running off like his Dad what a idiot.

karen

[OddFather]

I didn't see the interview, but from what is reported to have been said here then all I can say is 'GREAT!'

 

Lorry, I can appreciate what you are saying about your son, but my daughter is bright, regularly goes shopping on her own, has had a good friend for six years, and rarely gets into trouble at school. She has been diagnosed with Aspergers. Should I stop talking about her or reffering to her autism because it does not blight her life as it does your son and the two may be compared by others? And no I am not suggesting this is what you are saying, or that you would even consider saying it. I am saying this to make a point.

 

ie: how many posts are there here and on other autistic boards which complain about general ignorance of autism and its stereotypical image in the minds of others? The amount of frustration of this limited 'interpretation of what it means to be autistic causes?

 

So what if it wasn't an in depth conversation of how the need for routine can be debillitating to an autistic person when that routine is disrupted? It does open up the concept of what autism is about on a much more wider scale then many people think of it. I'm sorry if this offends you, but I think it is a step in the right direction.

[TuX]

i actually agree, and that was my point.

 

It's easier to label creative people, as they appear to have different behaviour.

 

Your right, just having a routine is not a reason to label someone autistic.  i can't be sure but you will porbably find Judy meant in regards to chris Rea's obsession  with music as well as his dedication to it, like it is his own world.

Sorry,I misunderstood it.

 

 

She needs to do some basic research or get a "dummies guide to music" book if there is one-and a simpletons guide to ASD (or will Richard not let her read it?) ,I think the biggest obsessionist subject for NTs excluding gaming is music.

Edited December 18, 2005 by TuX

[lorryw]

Hello Oddfather

I am pleased your daughter is coping so wonderfully with her aspergers. However many people, including a fair few on this site do not. Many have to fight for access to appropriate education, respite care and services.

I simply felt that the thoughtless manner in which Judy slipped in the word autistic whilst describing a musicians routine downplays the traumas and unhappiness many autisic people face.

Its only my opinion and to be honest I wish I hadnt started this!!

Loraine

[OddFather]

Hi Lorraine,

 

Please don't be sorry you started the thread.

 

I know we have been extremely lucky with our daughter, and just as much so with the mainstream school she is currently in as they have been extremely understanding and supportive. By the end of the first year there had been such a big transformation in her confidence and ego. It could easily have been very different. I guess the point is I don't realy understand the struggles other parents have to go through and so don't fully understand the sensitivity around the subject.

 

In particular I did not want to upset you, or offend you but probably did a good job of both, if so sorry. A lot of people here agree with you so in all probability there is something I am not 'getting'.

[barefoot wend]

Much as it galls me to stand up for Richard and Judy - they were interviewing Chris Rea and Judy said that Chris himself had said that he had written this mammoth new cd collection (11 cds) in the space of about 11 months and that he was kind of autistic when he composes.

 

Watching him closely I did notice that he had some traits and wondered whether a) he was being serious because he thought he was on the spectrum or that he had no idea that he might be on the spectrum and was using the word in a descriptive sense not knowing that he does display some characteristics.

 

He certainly looked uncomfortable and rarely gives interviews. Who knows?

 

Barefoot

 

Damn, the cat's out of the bag - I do sometimes watch Richard and Judy.