Confession: I actually think I might be on the autism spectrum. Either that or I’m a hyper-self-aware, self-diagnosing neurotic and I fall nowhere on the autism spectrum. I’ve always been a bit socially awkward and I’ve always been off in my own little world, happy to be alone. I’m not saying this to mock or have some kind of exercise in narcissism, but I just wanted to bring it up because I think Jerry Seinfeld has done the same thing that I’ve done for years. Meaning, whenever he hears a story about high-functioning autistics, he thinks “Huh, I have a lot in common with that guy.”
Jerry Seinfeld, on the autism spectrum? That’s what the actor and comedian told NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams during a recent segment about his hit internet series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.
The 60-year-old comic, who, despite his fame and fortune, continues to do stand-up at New York comedy clubs, explained to Williams that he’s still finding out exactly who he is as a person. And as he’s learned more about autism spectrum disorder in recent years, Seinfeld explains he’s become more convinced he can see himself in the description.
“I think, on a very drawn out scale, I think I’m on the spectrum,” the sitcom creator revealed.
“What are the markers?” an intrigued Williams asked.
“You know, never paying attention to the right things,” said Seinfeld. “Basic social engagement is really a struggle. I’m very literal. When people talk to me and they use expressions, sometimes I don’t know what they’re saying.”
But while the revelation about his social struggles may be surprising, Seinfeld is clear that this isn’t something he considers a disability.
“I don’t see it as dysfunctional,” he added. “I just think of it as an alternate mindset.”
Yep, I could see that. Obviously, Seinfeld isn’t talking about the life-altering autism that so many children and adults face and struggle with on a daily basis. But the more we find out about the broad scale of autism, I think the spectrum ends up explaining a lot high-functioning people that often get read as “odd” or “weirdly brilliant” or just “awkward.” So, do you think Seinfeld is right in his self-diagnosis? I could see it.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Kaiser, you could also simply be an introvert?
Have you ever done a Myers-Briggs personality test?
Jerry could be on the Spectrum but, could also be an aloof Introvert combined with slight case of ADD.
+1
Perhaps I’m biased as an introvert, but I feel like we live in a world where extroverted traits are prized and considered the objective ideal (e.g., being social). It took me awhile to learn I was just introverted and not just bad at being a person. Introverts need to realize just because they don’t like being around lots of people (and consequently, avoid developing those types of social skills), etc. that there is something wrong with them! Once you figure out it’s totally fine, entering those types of situations becomes way more comfortable. I still make awkward foot-in-mouth comments in an attempt to relate to people, though.
Mira, I agree. I think that’s especially the case in U.S. society. Not only extroverts but psychopaths have traits that are prized in Western society. By psycopath, I don’t mean a killer but a person who can kind of pretend like they care about others while actually being pretty cold and heartless. As for extroverts, I’ve read reports that they’re likely to be more successful in the workplace because of their skill at self-promotion. I’m a journalist, so I have to socially engage with people all the time, but being in large groups of people drains me, as does being around people who talk non-stop.
I’ve done the Myers-Briggs test, and I got healer. It was actually pretty close to my personality type, but not completely. But isn’t that test unreliable?
You should look at the percentages (e.g., within each category, see how far you fall on the scale toward the trait). For example, on the Extraversion-Introversion and Sensing-Intuitive spectrums, I am strongly Introversion and strongly Intuitive and thus I always test into these two traits. However, for the Thinking-Feeling and Judging-Perceiving spectrums, I fall closer to the middle, so these two categories can change depending on your mental state at the time of the test. Thus, I can switch between INTP, INTJ, INFP, and INFJ. When I read all of the categories I fall in between, I can tell which parts apply to me (although, I could just be unconsciously choosing based on unconscious biases).
But anyway, that’s what I would suggest doing. Of course, no personality test is perfect and they are subject to your mental being on a particular day, but the MB test is very good generally.
If you look at the Myer-Briggs scales as numerical scores then they’re pretty reliable. Say you can score between 0 and 99 for the introvert/extrovert facet: if you get a 20 at first, then a test months later will probably give you a score somewhere between 10 and 30.
The problem is that most people actually score around the middle on at least one of the 4 facets. If your first test says you’re an introvert because you scored 45, it’s not that odd to score 55 on the repeat test and come out as an extrovert. So the I vs E, T vs F (etc) labels are not particularly reliable. It’s made worse by the fact they combine 4 facets to get one of 16 personality types, and you only need 1 facet to change to get a different personality type on a second test, which makes the whole “mechanic” vs “scientist” vs “giver” thing terribly unreliable.
Also, in the real world, the whole reliability thing gets easily screwed up by people mis-remembering what happened. You’re actually a great case example … there is no “healer” type on the Myer-Briggs. That’s from the Keirsey Temperament Sorter. Very, very similar test, same 4 facets giving 16 personality types … but it’s a completely different theory about which of the facets is most important, which completely changes how the personality type is described. (On Myer Briggs you’d be “idealist”.)
Edit: Mia beat me to the explanation. I’m not deleting it though, I actually pulled out my old textbooks for that – it’s staying!
Why wouldn’t he get tested, if he thought he was? I mean, he’s got the money to make that happen……
I don’t know: my dad hasn’t bothered to get ‘officially’ tested, even though it’s clear to everyone (including him, these days) that he’s on the autism spectrum. He’s a near-genius in his field (mathematics) but he doesn’t ‘understand’ people at all – can’t read emotions or understand true meanings. You have to be absolutely direct with your words. Doesn’t understand that others are not built like him and has to do everything a certain way… oh, I could go on! But he’s in his late 60s now and that kind of testing didn’t really happen when he was a child, when it could’ve helped (esp would’ve helped his mother). Now, I think he doesn’t see the need to get tested – what would it achieve for him?
But Jerry is a comedian and to be one I’d suspect that he has to be able to read people well. He has to know what makes people tick to make them laugh. I feel like unless a person is really sure he’s autistic, it’s insensitive to people who actually live with the condition to kind of co-opt that diagnosis.
Well, I was simply trying to suggest a reason why he might not get tested at his age, as per VC’s original comment. But I guess you’re basically saying I’m insensitive for co-opting this label without acceptable ‘proof’. I’ll pass that on to my dad, cheers.
Autism is difficult to test for, primarily because we know so little about it. I was just talking with a friend this past weekend who works with autistic children at Johns Hopkins. She said there are a lot of parents who bring in their children believing them to be autistic when it is really just ADHD or something else.
Anecdotally, I also know of people who were who initially mistaken for autistic because they couldn’t read social cues or basic courtesies unless they were explicitly told. After observation, it was determined they were not autistic.
I don’t know Seinfeld personally so he may very well be autistic, but the symptoms he lists are not necessarily that. He may just be looking for a reason for traits that haven’t served him well in his life.
It’s not difficult to diagnose. I just went through the process with my son. It’s a standardised test with fixed criteria. You’ll get the same test anywhere in the world (well so said my son’s paediatrician). There’s not much known about why people are Autistic but that doesn’t make it difficult to recognise it.
For some cases, yes. But Kaiser and Jerry are talking about “fringe” autism, which is where many more mistakes are made because a given person may exhibit some traits that are indicative of autism but may also just be another issue. I should have made it clearer that what I was referring to.
Also (assuming the test was from the DSM guidelines) while DSM is the standard for determining mental illnesses, it just represents what we know at this time, which is concededly is not very much. The DSM allows some consistency and authority in the field, but it is by no means solid and there are many salient criticisms against it (particularly that it will cause misdiagnoses for certain disorders). Not saying the test is total crap, it is probably effective at certain types of autism, but it’s not based on such solid and numerous evidence that it’s going to do a good job of properly diagnosing a sizable chunk cases.
You have no idea what you’re talking about. I realise that is direct and rude of me and I apologise if I offend you, but it’s important to me as a mother of a child with Autism to not let the kind of nonsense you’ve written go unchecked. it’s actually very difficult to get a diagnosis of Autism precisely because you have to meet specific criteria in three different areas and you need to be seen by a team of professionals before they will diagnose. Anyway, this is a gossip site so I won’t harangue you any more.
It is all right to be direct, it’s a very personal subject for you. I am not saying that to discredit your argument, just that I understand the bluntness. There’s not really room for nonsense or sugar-coating.
It was not my intention to offend you. Autism is not difficult to diagnose for many cases and I am not doubting the diagnosis of your child, as I have no basis to do so. What I said is not particularly controversial, though. Just because autism is clear in some cases does not mean it’s so clear in all cases, and we are simply not there in the research yet (which is what the testing is based on) to be able to do so. This is the case for most mental disorders. As you probably know though, there are many studies underway seeking to understand underlying causes, potential testing (like blood tests and EEGs), and stronger treatment options. We have to be able to admit the tests aren’t as effective as they can be in order to open the door for better ones – the goal is to find an objective test rather than one based on observation.
@Mira, I have to respectfully disagree as well. For one thing, Autism is a spectrum disorder – you’re either on the spectrum or you’re not. An objective, thorough test is given, the individual is observed, and a score is given. Its an exhausting process, but it’s not particularly difficult to diagnose. And in fact many professionals in the field would disagree with your term “fringe” Autism, as again: you’re either on the spectrum or you’re not.
There ARE “fringes” of the autism spectrum. It’s high-functioning and Seinfeld describes fringe AU traits that several people wrestle with. Regardless of AU being a spectrum disorder, there are MILLIONS of people who have a few traits and function just fine.
You are correct that so little is still known about AU. I work with AU students as does every teacher. It is NOT disrespectful to talk about it just because others have been diagnosed with AU.
This an examplecomedic expression, which is “light” but somewhat relevant and relatable.
I’ve said the same things because like Temple Grandin, I take in a whole picture. When i was younger I couldn’t verbalize the layered impression.
Thankfully today my career is based on this unique perspective.
It’s not as easy as just getting tested, particularly as an adult. If you’re high functioning, often you’ll just get a vague, ‘you definitely could be, but maybe not’.
I’ve been tested multiple times. One doctor said I absolutely wasn’t, one said I 100% was, the rest have said I probably am but they can’t say for sure.
My son has been tested as well, and the doctors were much clearer about him even though I’d say he’s just barely on the spectrum. I’m not sure whether it’s just easier to diagnose in children or if the fact that a lot of children need a diagnosis in order to get support at school factors in?
I think Jerry and his wife fall somewhere on the a-hole spectrum.
You beat me to it. I can’t stand the man.
Yeah, sociopaths have difficulty in accessing normal human emotion too. lol Just saying. Everything isn’t autism.
Kaiser, it’s possible you are an introvert. I find big events or overly extended social gatherings exhausting. I especially find small talk exasperating, to the point where I am SCREAMING Inside when it goes beyond a half hour.
My psychiatrist told me that basically introverts need solitude to recharge and feel sane, and extroverts need to be around others to do so… That kind of explained a lot for me!
They can join forces with the Goop to make a smarmy douche Voltron!
+1 lol, well said, all. Agreed that in this case, autism probably a euphemism for asshole/sociopath spectrum.
good god…look at his wife posing. looks like she’ll snap off her upper from lower body.
i have been a huge fan of his forever.
he makes me laugh.
but when he ran off and married this twit of a woman who he met on a cruise or something she was on with her new husband…wasn’t it her honeymoon???
she dropped the guy for seinfeld, right?
yeah, it was then that i realized he was an a**hole – something i didn’t see when he was dating that child – what was her name?
but the a**hole can still make me laugh.
Yeah he’s a funny & talented guy but that whole bs with the cookbook lawsuit was handled really poorly IMO. I can’t even with her.
@Bella Her name was Shosanna. I think the last name was Lowenstein. Don’t feel like looking it up to confirm, though. I believe she was 17 when they were dating, and somehow it was a-okay because he’s “hilarious.”
Thank you, yes. By making an off-hand flippant remark, he’s trivializing social/cognitive deficits than are often linked to high-functioning autism. I’ve lost respect for him and I’ve never had respect for his amoral wife.
Amen
+1000
Oh touche – totally agree. What has jerry been doing to try and explain bad behaviour by a disorder he doesnt have?
Hmm, he could get tested to be sure. Love Seinfeld. Always will. Jessica looks great!
I can’t concentrate on Jerry’s stuff when Mrs. Seinfeld so desperately wants my attention. Good Gawd, she’s single-white-female ing GOOP.
i know right!
in case anyone was wondering if her hair is still hideous, yes it is
Agree with all of this. She cannot pull of the blonde and it is very creepy. And I love his stand up but they don’t seem like nice people.
she IS, isn’t she?!
LOL
Eh, even high functioning autistics have issues with sarcasm. He could always be evaluated if he’s really wondering.
He uses a lot of sarcasm in his humor, right?
Very much so
WebMd self diagnosis tool strikes again 🙁
Kaiser, maybe you’re just introverted?
LMAO @ Jessica’s posing in the top pic!
somewhere lea michele is like dang girl, take it down a notch
YES! Somewhere Lea Michele is using her Teen Choice Award as a stripper pole as she side-eyes that photo
It is so laughably bad! Do we really need to be able to count her individual ribs underneath her dress? Please, just STAHP!
It’s SO bad. I also think she ought to go back to her original hair color. Much more flattering.
But the posing is really horribly embarrassing.
Yes, I’m an introvert! I don’t know, I don’t really care about a diagnosis. I function pretty well.
Nice you have CB as an outlet. 🙂
I think Jessica ranks high on the “Attention Whore” spectrum.
Ha! You got that right.
Love ya work.
I have a boss who is definitely on the spectrum. Smart as a whip, but his interpersonal skills are shocking. He shouldn’t be in the job he is in, not when you deal with different types of people. Empathy is very important.
+100 (as to the attention whore spectrum).
Genius!!!
I feel this has become the new “It” self-diagnosed disorder, where it used to be bipolar. I don’t associate self-awareness and autism. But it more self suspected fringe autistics got tested it might expand the spectrum.
I tend to agree. This is a sensitive subject because my 15-year-old son is on the spectrum. He’s “high functioning” but life is hard and exhausting. He works 100 times harder at everything, from school to sports to conversation. Even the most simple social interaction is painfully difficult for him. It’s a constant source of heartbreak to see him struggle to find a friend. But he’s also an inspiration — he’s the most determined, hardworking kid I know. He is actually pretty self-aware, but that might be because he’s spent a good part of his life in therapy as he’s battled anxiety and depression along with his developmental challenges.
I see he gets many of his traits from both me and his dad. But I’m pretty sure we’re not on the spectrum because we have a much easier time functioning. We might be introverts and sometimes prefer to avoid social interaction but we don’t struggle nearly as much as our son, not even close.
As someone who also is somewhere on that line that goes from neurotypical to fullblown autistic, most likely leaning more towards neurotypical, i find it refreshing that he said in plainspoken terms. I’m sure that more famous people either suspect this about themselves or know ir for certain but do not speak openly about it.
As the mother of a non verbal child with classic autism and bi polar mood disorder, this pisses me the hell off!
Having a few social inadequacies doesn’t mean you have autism and for all those who deal with HUGE problems with their children every day, it’s like a slap in the face when people like this ass self diagnose.
Yeah, the self-diagnosis thing is kind of extremely frustrating. Not just in terms of autism, either. Commandeering invisible illnesses via self-diagnosis is a big issue.
Yes, I said something similar above. I don’t think he has any idea how hard people on the spectrum struggle day in and day out, even those that are among the most “high functioning.”
Jerry should try Yahoo answers to find out if he’s in spectrum. That’s where we found out how the babby was formed.
Kaiser, it’s actually nice to hear you say that you’re happy in your own little world. I’m a big extrovert and have a son who would rather draw or explore out in the woods by himself then play with the other neighborhood kids. He’s friendly with the kids at school but doesn’t interact with them much. He seems fine with it but I do worry about him because I just can’t relate, so it makes me feel better to read about others who prefer doing things by themselves and not being bothered by that. Thanks!
I can’t be the only one waiting for “…not that there’s anything wrong with that.”
I too am an introvert with an active imagination in a world where to be considered ‘normal’ you must be a talkative, gregarious extrovert. I know exactly what Jerry means. When I was a kid in the late 60s, there didn’t seem to be the rigid categorization there is now. But I often felt, and still feel, like I am on the outside looking in, and not knowing how to make it work, sometimes, in human relationships. Luckily with age comes self acceptance.
My son has a speech delay and he got the big DIAGNOSIS of autism at age 6, though he doesn’t exhibit the other ‘classic’ symptoms; but it does put him 2 years behind in school due to ADD and his speech at 9 years being more like that of a 6-7 year old. I sometimes worry that he ‘inherited’ it from me. I want him to live a normal happy life as we all wish for our children. Kimble, my thoughts are with you!
I know how you feel.
It’s not impossible. My friends younger brother has Aspergers which is on the autism spectrum, and he has always been very awkward. Even as an adult he doesn’t understand subtlety or sarcasm, everything is black and white to him and he has a hard time reading and interpreting other people’s emotions. The whole thing Jerry says about being very literal is a very common trait in Aspergers. He acts out in social situations because he doesn’t understand social interaction very well. He didn’t start really making friends till his late teens, but most of them are younger than he is, who I suspect mostly hang out with him because he has a job and will spend all his money buying food and video games to impress them.
Ugh, I really don’t like it when people self diagnose. Unless he has a kid or a brother with autism how would he have a clue? I believe autism is becoming over diagnosed, with people who are just a little quirky getting labelled. I say this as a mother of two high functioning autistic kids. My kids will be in special ed their entire school career. I WISH they could be in the regular class, going to regular camps, getting lots of birthday invites, etc. So it galls me a bit when people with no real struggle beyond the norm label themselves the same as my kids. It is abit like saying I once found another woman attractive therefore I am gay….
I report on education for a newspaper, and my understanding is that the school’s goal should be to “mainstream” your children. While I understand that they would need special education classes throughout their K-12 years, they should be allowed to be in “regular” classes when possible. If they are high functioning, there’s no reason they shouldn’t be allowed in classes with their “typical” peers. My husband teaches English to “mainstream” students, but the public schools where’s taught routinely place special needs kids in his classes.
That is a wonderful “goal” but my son couldn’t even function within the SpecEd department of our public school. He is now in a dual diagnosis school because public school – even in our VERY wealthy (top 10 in the country) district didn’t have the facilities to cope with his needs … Took until 6th grade for a facility to be made available – elementary school was a nightmare for all involved! He is non-verbal but personally high functioning (toiletting, dressing, etc) This is the ‘quiet” face of autism, the sort where they are not genius IQ, they don’t just have a few introverted autism traits, but the full blown, affecting your life 24/7 kind!
I can’t speak for Plasma Matters of course but when she said her kids would always be in special ed I didn’t take it to mean they aren’t or will never be in a mainstream classroom. My son is a freshman in high school and he’s been in all mainstream classes since he was in pre-school but he always has gotten and still gets a fair amount of special ed support, some years more so than others. He may “look” like he’s typical but the fact is the safety net of the resource teachers, social worker, counselors, social skills classes and special accommodations in his IEP are what enable him to function as well as he does.
Why will no one tell Jessica Seinfeld she looks horrible with that short blond hair?
i volunteer as tribute
I will.
Jerry Seinfeld publicly stating he may be on the autism spectrum is extremely brave and supportive of all individuals and their families living life with ASD. It’s hard not to wonder if celebitchy has a clue about the challenges these individuals and their families face on a daily basis. Parents and loved ones remortgage their homes and give so much of what is taken for granted by others on a daily basis. Only for the hope that their loved one can reach their full potential. Wondering if you are on the spectrum is not a crime. It’s extremely thoughtful. It shows he has a bit of an idea about what autism awareness is about. Imagine if he claimed he had a life threatening form of cancer!!! NOW THAT WOULD BE WRONG…oh and gross.
Well, you know what? If he suspects he might be he can get tested before making claims. He is not qualified to determine whether or not he is on the spectrum, that is what professionals are for. Autism isn’t cancer, but it is still gross and wrong because self-diagnosis is gross and wrong. If you’re worried, get screened. It’s that easy.
I don’t think he is. The material he wrote for Seinfeld was far too nuanced. He shows a high degree of awareness of social situations in his comedy writing. I think he probably has one of the rarer Meyers-Briggs personality types, maybe INFJ. But he’s not autistic.
And it also makes me mad how that’s become sort of a catch-all for “sometimes I feel socially awkward.” Autism is FAR more than that.
I was going to say the same thing, then saw your comment. I don’t see how it’s in any way possible for a comedian to be autistic! I wonder what he’s talking about when he says he finds himself taking things too literally in his every day life; his stand-up was all about dissecting ordinary situations and finding humour in typical human behaviour.
As for Jessica…I don’t even know what to say about that mess.
I enjoy his comedy, but as an autistic/Asperger let me say how difficult it is to understand the verbal/linguistic humour 99% of the time. I have to invest massive amounts of “manual” intellectual energy to decipher the “funny” parts of the dialogue as I don’t generally understand the main emphasis intended by language they use on the show, not to mention I find it difficult to follow the conversation at a most fundamental level as different characters take it in turns to say their lines and contribute to a group setting, anticipating who and when someone will speak and the expected appropriate response/not. I am constantly pausing, rewinding and replaying scenes to catch the words and find out what was going on. My favourite characters are Kramer and Newman, then Elaine and George, probably because they are the most overtly expressive and physically goofy, I find it easier to “see” the more simplistic bits of humour.
Add to that, if I am having an “off” day, people talking to me/around me literally sounds more like the incessant grunting and screeching chatter of chimpanzees. It is during these times I find it nigh on impossible to focus my attention on “translating” as my brain literally won’t do it but tunes out. This goes hand in hand with other sensory interference. I have hypersensitivity to things like light, air, clothes, hair, shoes, food textures, my teeth/tongue/lips-saying certain words etc etc I know, it sounds crazy and for a long time I thought I was. There are too many things to list here and to try and explain what it’s like, well, it’s rare for me not to feel assaulted and harassed by one thing or another which can seem unbearably irritating. These things affect my mood and concentration and ability to do the simplest of tasks most other people do relatively easily, like get up, get dressed and go to the supermarket.
This difference in intellectual wiring and the element of sensory sensitivities/dullness are the parts that neurotypicals ignore when self-diagnosing, preferring instead to latch on to the social aspect which in true autism is incredibly multi-layered and much more complex than simple shyness or awkwardness. The social anxiety is compounded by loneliness, never feeling “in-sync” with ANYONE, not knowing where to look, how to stand, when to smile, when to laugh, what to say. People laugh at me and say I have no filter because I say “odd” (offensive?) things unintentionally or at the wrong time and place. This is just a little bit why I also battle depression. I feel like an alien in the truest sense of the word.
By the way, I thought I could find someplace to fit in if I just tried hard enough. 29 years and a breakdown later, I met with specialists and did lots of testing only to have my worst nightmare confirmed. Yes, for me autism is a nightmare. I look like you, normal, attractive even. I’m not stupid, actually my IQ is in the high average range. But I am different and I find life so very hard but people don’t see it. Even when I try to explain it or people actually witness it, they don’t understand.
Now I have gone on too long. Typical.
In my opinion, Jerry Seinfeld is not autistic. He simply could not do what he does, if he was. Irrespective of the wide ranging neurological condition of autism, Jerry is most certainly on the neurotypical spectrum. He obviously doesn’t know what he’s making remarks about when it comes to my kind so he can stick to his comedy thank you very much.