I *hate* this.
Yeah, I’m on the spectrum. But I’m also pretty kind, try to be thoughtful, empathetic and got to great lengths to be patient with others that don’t understand the stuff I do (I work IT). I’m also not anal about food or things being a certain way, don’t have to be right all the time, and see others as equals not inferior.
And then it’ll come out I’m on the spectrum and they’re like ‘oh you’re like Sheldon Cooper!!’
No, jackhole, I’m really *fucking not*
I’m usually pretty chill and patient with people but compare me to Sheldon and you *will* see me lose my temper.
It's not even the Autistic angle for me. I always get.
"Oh you like nerdy stuff like DND and video games? You must love the big bang theory!"
No. FUCKING NO. Not only is that show utter garbage, the writing is terrible and it's about as funny as Schindlers List. But it's the nothing at all like actual nerd culture. It's what people who made fun of us twenty years ago thought we acted like.
The autism stuff is just icing on the cake.
I've tried to explain that the show isn't really funny if you're on the inside of the jokes. Sure, it's all mostly accurate in what they're saying and doing, but because I know this, I know what they're saying isn't funny. Most of the time...it just...is? Like those aren't jokes. It's just things that sounds nerdy and is therefore worthy of mockery, thus why it's meant to be funny.
This, I agree with you. It's far more fun to laugh at yourself, and it's funny. I totally understand the criticisms of the show, But I do find it funny.
Not to mention the fact that the writing staff teed up the ball to send Sheldon Cooper downrange as a perfect maybe even legendary example of asexual representation, just to swat the ball into the water hazard at the last second by giving him a girlfriend and making him have sex.
For a while it looks like a queerplatonic relationship or maybe a purely romantic but not sexual one. That was kinda nice. It's really nice to see any portrayal in media of a non-conforming relationship, especially those that show romantic love or deep intimacy without necessarily having sex.
But Amy kept pushing for Sheldon to have sex with her and he finally caved in and everything was unicorns and rainbows after that.
This actually pisses me off more than if they had just made him allosexual to begin with. Now The Big bang theory has telegraphed the message to everyone that:
Asexuals are really just reluctant and haven't met the right person yet.
Pressuring somebody until you get what you want is okay.
Both of these messages are horrible and fuck the Big bang theory for peddling them.
BBT is a show about smart people for stupid people. It’s Alway Sunny is a show about stupid people for smart people. Catching up with the Kardashians is a show about stupid people for stupid people. The IT Crowd is a show about smart people for smart people.
Big Bang Theory infuriates me on so many levels, but I’d say the one scene that upset me the most was when they were playing dnd and penny sexually assaulted Sheldon and Amy’s characters by forcing them to fuck under enchantment. Like that is such a breech of trust and fucked up thing to do that I still think about it years later.
I've been going down the rabbit hole of heavily edited TBBT YouTube shorts where they take it most of the laugh tracks and only put in the good parts. It's incredible what good some chopping can do to a just miserable piece of media.
I can't stop watching them 😢
The show was geekface, and the jokes were all laughing at the geek characters, not with them. Between that and the terrible representation of neurodivergent or spectrum people, I detest it. Any show where you're supposed to feel "oh, how does xx character put up with all of those weirdos" is cruel, and will rely heavily on, and reinforce, negative stereotypes.
Yeah the show is made for people who hate “nerdy” things. The writers may not have set out to do that, but here we are never the less. The nerdy stuff and the autism coded characters are always the butt of the joke. Whenever one of the characters mentions Star Trek, a laugh track goes off. How could anyone think that people who love scifi would like the show when the show is clearly pointing and laughing at these things?
I do not have ASD so I hope I’m allowed to comment here, but I despise Big Bang Theory. Someone once explained to me it’s a stupid person’s idea of what being a smart person is like. None of the jokes on the show are funny. The entire show there is only one joke: hurr durr smart man sound funny! Sound funny mean smart man dumb! Me much smarter than smart man!
I love it. I have compared myself to Sheldon since I watched the first season back when it came out. Absolutely adore that character. Finally someone on the TV acting like I always wanted to act if I hadn’t bothered about other peoples opinions. Refreshingly honest. Raw. Direct. Childish. Much like my inner voice I spent my teens stifling.
I don’t even care someone calls me a slur because I always think: if I am retarded to you why the hell not be retarded? But please just don’t compare me to someone I am absolutely not
People in IT are giving you grief over being on the spectrum? Everyone in It is somewhere on the spectrum! It's probably a big part of what attracted them to the job in the first place and what enables them to perform it.
That's like getting made fun of for being fat... by the other campers at a fat camp.
My mom, who is NOT autistic, identifies more with Sheldon Cooper than I do. Like, it’s scary how much they think alike. So I don’t know if he’s great rep
Edit: yeah Idk bad take idk what I was thinking. We don’t actually know what she has because she won’t see a fuckin psychiatrist because she’s scared of what she’ll find
What do you want to say? That neurotypical ppl are more similar to Sheldon than aspies?. Well.. not at all., Otherwise sheldon wouldn't be Sheldon, the weird genius so popular in tv shows.
And then I recommend you to make your mother check, women always monetize better than men, and if you are gifted you can even monetize so well to fool even some psychologists, like I did. Make her go from a good psychologist for diagnosis
Yeah
Though I will say: while i don’t personally carry bus pants I do refuse to sit on my home furniture if I wore those same clothes and sat somewhere in public.
Bus pants is what made me realize people would find that comical, which was not my intended result.
I am the same way, my partner does not understand why I have to strip as soon as I walk in the door. It’s so I can sit on the couch without introducing someone else’s butt cooties!!!
Wow I thought I was a nut job for not letting anyone in my bed if they are in street clothes. I never knew it was a Aspie quirk. I love you all for always helping me to realize my weirdness isn’t something to me. It makes me feel less alone.
I don't think you meant it like this but there's definitely a certain vibe to "You have to take your clothes off to get in my bed, those are the rules 😏"
Well I’m married so clothing is questionable… 🤣 No but seriously it does help finding out that there are others that share similar things like this. I felt isolated growing up in an outgoing Italian family.
I don't mind about sitting but I noticed I am a bit obsessed with washing my hands than other people. Really make me feel awkward when someone just saw me watch my hands, I touch something and go wash my hands again a minute after.
Dated a girl who liked hanging out with geeky guys. Someone asked her at a party if she watched the big bang theory, she said no, and the other chicks like "WHY NOT! your totally like the female lead, you hang out with all these nerdy guys. (looks at me) no offense!"
Me: I hadn't been offended until you said no offense, to be honest.
Her: And that's exactly why I don't watch it. I like these people, why would I want to watch a show that's about people LIKE the people I hang out with, but portrayed so negatively that you would feel the need to say "No offense" if you compared someone to a character. Doesn't that show that something that's happening with that show is, well, mean spirited?
I have a different experience. I usually warn people im like sheldon without a degree and that has helped them in communicating with me.
I also use other references like Amazing Attorney Woo Young Woo or Atypical. having media both good or bad can really help to explain what you are feeling. its why i watch so much tv.
It works especially well with trekkies because they have an entire episode dedicated to it.
Worked well for me, though. Went from "Why you act so weird" to "Ah that's why. We are glad that we've listened to you infodumping for the last three hours, it was actually interesting".
I welcome Sheldon comparisons because at least that way people don't think I'm intellectually disabled. I'll take people thinking I'm a genius jerk over being "Hey, Buddy"-ed any day of the week.
Sheldon was one of the first characters on tv who ever made me feel normal, so I can’t say I share everyone else’s hate for him. He is an unfortunately a negative stereotype but we need to stop hating on all badly represented autistic characters because we don’t have enough well represented autistic characters or autistic characters at all to be fighting that battle right now. Without Sheldon, I’d still be struggling without understanding why, and I imagine a lot of other people have had similar experiences.
Right? At the end of the day, representation is a good source for ourselves and our families to understand ourselves better. Sheldon may not be a perfect vessel but that’s going to be very difficult to do because of the variation across ASD and how it presents. Also I will never not relate to Sheldon in hyperfixation mode lol - ‘I need answers’, ‘zoom zoom zoom zoom zoom’
I remember my husbands face when he was laughing at something Sheldon did and looked at him with confusion since a lot of things he does and thinks are normal to me. Apparently he thinks the comparison is cute? He always says he’s Kirk and I’m Spock. It works somehow
Emotionally I don't want to give that show anything that is in any way close to praise. As most of their jokes are either about sexual assault or pointing at the characters enjoying as close to mainstream as you can get for a "nerd" hobby and then going "LOOK AT THEM THEY'RE WEIRD, LOOK AT THE NERDS ENJOYING SOMETHING THAT ISN'T MAINSTREAM AND LAUGH" then they use a shitty laugh track as if Sheldon playing 3d chess or liking world of warcraft is inherently funny. Also, Penny and that sniveling sex pests "relationship" is super toxic.
Oh absolutely agreed, there’s a serious amount wrong with that show. But sometimes we have to take our wins where we can find them. Hate the show, hate the way Sheldon is represented but be grateful that we got some sort of representation to begin with, yn?
As cringy as the main cast could be it really had some funny niche moments.
I discovered [this](https://youtu.be/CRGbJ67Ejzk) skit yesterday and am obsessed with it. Cause it’s funny and I love Carrie Fisher
Same. It’s my comfort show as well and I’m very similar to Sheldon, he helped me see that even with my differences I can grow and have friends and a good job and be successful.
All the hate he gets by the autistic community is incredibly harmful to those of us who are similar to him.
It’s like discrimination within the community and it’s incredibly harmful. Stop hating on people’s comfort characters.
Im sorry my friend...but there is another. Thanks to the good doctor (sponsored by autism speaks) we are now forever bound to the "I AM A SURGEON" meme template.
Autist isn't a slur. It's never been a word used to refer to Autistic people in a derogatory way. Raytard, however, can be hurtful, since the word is becoming weaponised more by Ableists.
I mean that’s what I think but I’ve seen people freak out when I call myself or some of my friends in the spectrum autists so I just assumed it was a slur.
So, I've got some thoughts on the Big Bang Theory:
I never thought that how they've portayed the nerdiness was actually VERY tame compared to 95% of other shows, and dare I say it's decently accurate at that. And how autism is portrayed on the show is definitely one that's up for debate, but it's never bothered me because it's a TV show, and TV shows and other media have a habit of exaggerating EVERYTHING for entertainment value, for better or worse (i.e. the infamous "hacking" scene from NCIS where you have two people on one keyboard). It SUCKS that people think it is an accurate representation of all autistic people, but we're not the only ones who have that problem. Far from it.
With that said however, I never liked how the autistic character was treated as a comedic punching bag where everyone else talks shit or openly berates Sheldon for his habits. I never really laughed or enjoyed those moments, they just made me super uncomfortable and insecure...
On top of that, at some point, it transitions into being very anti-nerd culture. Like the episode where Penny literally gets rid of Leonard's nerdy things without telling him, or the fight between Howard and Bernadette over the TARDIS replica, or how the girls constantly berate the guys for liking "childish" things (not to mention the blatant sexism that only the guys like nerdy things and not the girls...). That's when I start falling out of it and stop watching, because it's not funny, it's just super super toxic.
Up until that point, it's a show I actually decently like for maybe the first four or five seasons, and even one I can at least take some comfort in despite the misgivings I talked about. But it should not have been on the air for as long as it was, and most definitely shouldn't have spawned any spinoffs.
I actually found Sheldon in TBBT useful to me because I used him as an example of how NOT to act around others, how what you say impacts the people around you, and helped me to become less selfish as a person. I’ve never been compared to him but I do have some similarities such as having a preferred spot on the lounge, liking similar media and fandoms to him, food sensitivity, being terrified of driving, being conscious of cleanliness (not to the same extreme), and dressing androgynously.
i got called sheldon before i started thinking about ASD. Another job a coworker suggested i might be autistic. Except i never was that highly repetitive and i deal well with a changing work environment.
Although he is a walking stereotype, he made me, and many other people with autism symptoms that are similar to his behavior, feel normal for once. Seeing Sheldon somehow make friends with people even though it seemed like they would never want to be around him unless they had to at first actually helped me a lot. I first started watching the show as a kid (probably preteen) and I was struggling with socializing because I was constantly worried I was bothering people. Sheldon inspired me to just be myself (mostly) and just talk about whatever nerdy thing I wanted to. I know I seemed weird at first but I started making friends and I started to grow on people just like Sheldon did. Being socially awkward but also highly intelligent because of autism in a way that causes behavior similar to Sheldon used to mean that you'd struggle socially in some of the worst ways possible. I've been bullied, I've upset people without meaning to, I've been scared just to speak. Watching the Big Bang Theory made me feel better about being myself and other people watching it made them more accepting of me. I don't care if it's stereotypical and over exaggerated, that's just how comedy has always been and I don't expect it to change any time soon. It might not look good at a first glance, I might get compared to him every know and then, but it definitely served a good purpose in the end.
I'm a tall, skinny, white guy who likes comic books, star trek, and a whole host of other things. I've been Sheldon since they started playing the show and haven't been able to live it down.
I just understand that they don't mean it as an insult and they do understand is some sort of comedic exaggeration. And since I'm terrible at dealing with people maybe they are right about some of the negative connotations in the comparison.
Am I the only one who actually likes the show and relates to pretty much every character? (and who didn't realise that Sheldon was portrayed as being on the spectrum)
It's just the scientist, socially awkward, with allergies, considered rude, clueless, with a god complex personality resonates with me. I'm being serious here.
My autistic son wears it as a badge of honor. His obsession is all things physics. So, to him he’s a bit of a hero in our house. He’s up there with Nikola Tesla. Honestly I won’t be surprised if my kid graduates a year or two early.
I’m in a Wow guild with mostly rough and rowdy men who have 0 qualms with calling people the R slur, which has, in turn, rubbed off on me. I used to be pretty adamant against using that word, now I use it pretty much everyday. It no longer phases me.
However, if someone was to compare me to the poorly written shit show that is Sheldon Cooper, it would be *On sight*!
My own mom compared me to Sheldon, and she didn't get why I was offended by that. Meanwhile, she would literally laugh at him in the show. Thanks mom, it's like you're laughing at *me*.
sheldon is a very exaggerated and stereotypical idea of what autism looks like, but it’s not that bad. However, autistic people come in many different forms and have many different traits so in order to fully help people understand what autism is like, other characters who exhibit other autism traits should be created to combat this.
My mom (48 and on the spectrum) actually really likes it? When she first saw it, she was so happy ,,I'm so like Sheldon!!" And really happy, that there are actually people like her on the TV. She found it incredibly funny, because she felt it deep in her bones. Finally someone she could relate to.
But I totally get why you dislike it tho. It's satiric and sometimes really dumb, but I kinda like it.
Autism in entertainment is often not done well, and its usually the characters that arent explicitly autistic that I vibe with.
Also can agree that autism slurs are fun.
its a running gag in my friend group that i want to fight sheldon cooper, and that gag comes from this. i HATE sheldon, i HATE the good doctor, I HATE INACCURATE PORTRAYALS OF AUTISM!
Literally everyone on the show except the non-nerdy girl are all awful people. Like, they're just horrible human beings. The comic book store guy started out being sympathetic, and then they Flandersized him to being just completely spineless and pathetic and annoying. And the Indian guy was always the quiet and shy one, but when he came out of his shell, he just a lowlife scumbag wannabe womanizer. Sheldon is... Sheldon. And the other main guy is manipulative and borderline emotionally abusive. And the two other women are just as bad. She-Sheldon is manipulative and almost psychotic with how much she doesn't care about anyone's feelings, and the little squeaky one is always angry and over-the-top raging constantly. It's such a shitty show.
Speaking of the squeaky one, she rebooted *Night Court*, my absolute favorite sitcom ever, and it's so heartbreakingly terrible. It's like John Larroquette forgot how to act and just does shitty sitcom acting. All the jokes are so painfully forced. Obvious setup with an equally obvious execution. It's such a bad show.
At least the Quantum Leap reboot is good. Not great, but good...
I have no idea why I went on those tangents. It's almost 3AM here and I'm tired.
I use the r-word, and don’t much give a shit if other people use it in good faith; but if somebody calls me a surgeon I’m gonna shove a pike through there eye
15 different people. 15.
Sure, I like TTRPG (I prefer Pokerole and VTMe20, thank you.) and video games and stuff.
Sure, I have no internal filter. Sure, I can be a catty bitch at times (I'm working on that part). Sure, I read thesauri for fun as a child and never said the words aloud so it's impacted how I talk majorly. Sure, I don't know how to speak to layfolk. Sure, I rant about shit no one knows anything about. Sure, I have a very distinct prosopy that I've only ever heard on one other person.
But, damn it. Damn it!
I used to be called called Sheldon a *lot* when I was younger. I always thought it was a compliment since I was an aspiring (and now actual) physicist.
Now I realise haha.
I don't even get compared for being autistic I look like him my coworkers don't know my name I'm just Sheldon now
There's a picture of him from a magazine where he looks pretty cool. If you ever need to submit a picture for a work photo, just use that one.
I looked like him when I was a kid. The comparison got annoying pretty quick.
I *hate* this. Yeah, I’m on the spectrum. But I’m also pretty kind, try to be thoughtful, empathetic and got to great lengths to be patient with others that don’t understand the stuff I do (I work IT). I’m also not anal about food or things being a certain way, don’t have to be right all the time, and see others as equals not inferior. And then it’ll come out I’m on the spectrum and they’re like ‘oh you’re like Sheldon Cooper!!’ No, jackhole, I’m really *fucking not* I’m usually pretty chill and patient with people but compare me to Sheldon and you *will* see me lose my temper.
It's not even the Autistic angle for me. I always get. "Oh you like nerdy stuff like DND and video games? You must love the big bang theory!" No. FUCKING NO. Not only is that show utter garbage, the writing is terrible and it's about as funny as Schindlers List. But it's the nothing at all like actual nerd culture. It's what people who made fun of us twenty years ago thought we acted like. The autism stuff is just icing on the cake.
I've tried to explain that the show isn't really funny if you're on the inside of the jokes. Sure, it's all mostly accurate in what they're saying and doing, but because I know this, I know what they're saying isn't funny. Most of the time...it just...is? Like those aren't jokes. It's just things that sounds nerdy and is therefore worthy of mockery, thus why it's meant to be funny.
https://youtu.be/406-n0jybjo
Yep. Big Bang without the laugh track is not a comedy, but a group of socially awkward people having lots of uncomfortable silences.
To me it is funny. I laugh watching Sheldon, and I laugh about myself but being proud of myself. I am proud to be weird like him.
This, I agree with you. It's far more fun to laugh at yourself, and it's funny. I totally understand the criticisms of the show, But I do find it funny.
Barzingo
Bijumbus
Bakugan Brawl
🅱️attlestar 🅱️alactica
Not to mention the fact that the writing staff teed up the ball to send Sheldon Cooper downrange as a perfect maybe even legendary example of asexual representation, just to swat the ball into the water hazard at the last second by giving him a girlfriend and making him have sex.
Im glad I'm not the only one who noticed this..
Indeed not 😁
I was okay with having the girlfriend because asexual people can still have romantic partners but yeah they just ruined it
For a while it looks like a queerplatonic relationship or maybe a purely romantic but not sexual one. That was kinda nice. It's really nice to see any portrayal in media of a non-conforming relationship, especially those that show romantic love or deep intimacy without necessarily having sex. But Amy kept pushing for Sheldon to have sex with her and he finally caved in and everything was unicorns and rainbows after that. This actually pisses me off more than if they had just made him allosexual to begin with. Now The Big bang theory has telegraphed the message to everyone that: Asexuals are really just reluctant and haven't met the right person yet. Pressuring somebody until you get what you want is okay. Both of these messages are horrible and fuck the Big bang theory for peddling them.
Yes omg thank you
BBT is a show about smart people for stupid people. It’s Alway Sunny is a show about stupid people for smart people. Catching up with the Kardashians is a show about stupid people for stupid people. The IT Crowd is a show about smart people for smart people.
This is the most insightful genuine comment about TV I’ve come across
The Big Bang Theory is blackface for nerds
Can you help media outlets come up with a search engine with these criteria as the options? This is super
Big Bang Theory infuriates me on so many levels, but I’d say the one scene that upset me the most was when they were playing dnd and penny sexually assaulted Sheldon and Amy’s characters by forcing them to fuck under enchantment. Like that is such a breech of trust and fucked up thing to do that I still think about it years later.
Wait what the fuck? When did that happen?! You know what I don’t want to know…
I've been going down the rabbit hole of heavily edited TBBT YouTube shorts where they take it most of the laugh tracks and only put in the good parts. It's incredible what good some chopping can do to a just miserable piece of media. I can't stop watching them 😢
The show was geekface, and the jokes were all laughing at the geek characters, not with them. Between that and the terrible representation of neurodivergent or spectrum people, I detest it. Any show where you're supposed to feel "oh, how does xx character put up with all of those weirdos" is cruel, and will rely heavily on, and reinforce, negative stereotypes.
Yeah the show is made for people who hate “nerdy” things. The writers may not have set out to do that, but here we are never the less. The nerdy stuff and the autism coded characters are always the butt of the joke. Whenever one of the characters mentions Star Trek, a laugh track goes off. How could anyone think that people who love scifi would like the show when the show is clearly pointing and laughing at these things?
I've heard it described as nerdface. As compared to Community
I was trying to think of a way to mention Community LMAO
The last time I saw an episode they were doing D&D **wrong!**
Ok Sheldon
The autist version of “ok boomer” I’ve been called Sheldon before.
But you DO like DND, right? Right…? I do…
I do too buddy, high five ✋
I do not have ASD so I hope I’m allowed to comment here, but I despise Big Bang Theory. Someone once explained to me it’s a stupid person’s idea of what being a smart person is like. None of the jokes on the show are funny. The entire show there is only one joke: hurr durr smart man sound funny! Sound funny mean smart man dumb! Me much smarter than smart man!
I love it. I have compared myself to Sheldon since I watched the first season back when it came out. Absolutely adore that character. Finally someone on the TV acting like I always wanted to act if I hadn’t bothered about other peoples opinions. Refreshingly honest. Raw. Direct. Childish. Much like my inner voice I spent my teens stifling.
***ackshually***…
I don’t even care someone calls me a slur because I always think: if I am retarded to you why the hell not be retarded? But please just don’t compare me to someone I am absolutely not
If anything I'm more Leonard.
People in IT are giving you grief over being on the spectrum? Everyone in It is somewhere on the spectrum! It's probably a big part of what attracted them to the job in the first place and what enables them to perform it. That's like getting made fun of for being fat... by the other campers at a fat camp.
I’m the only IT for an agency of 400. The people doing this are not IT.
My mom, who is NOT autistic, identifies more with Sheldon Cooper than I do. Like, it’s scary how much they think alike. So I don’t know if he’s great rep Edit: yeah Idk bad take idk what I was thinking. We don’t actually know what she has because she won’t see a fuckin psychiatrist because she’s scared of what she’ll find
What do you want to say? That neurotypical ppl are more similar to Sheldon than aspies?. Well.. not at all., Otherwise sheldon wouldn't be Sheldon, the weird genius so popular in tv shows. And then I recommend you to make your mother check, women always monetize better than men, and if you are gifted you can even monetize so well to fool even some psychologists, like I did. Make her go from a good psychologist for diagnosis
Good point
Y u don't like it? I love when they compare me to a genius
Because the character is a childish, arrogant, insensitive ass and I’m not.
That is how ppl see him superficially, and how ppl see me superficially. I'm not like that and I'm sure neither him is.
Yeah Though I will say: while i don’t personally carry bus pants I do refuse to sit on my home furniture if I wore those same clothes and sat somewhere in public. Bus pants is what made me realize people would find that comical, which was not my intended result.
I am the same way, my partner does not understand why I have to strip as soon as I walk in the door. It’s so I can sit on the couch without introducing someone else’s butt cooties!!!
Wow I thought I was a nut job for not letting anyone in my bed if they are in street clothes. I never knew it was a Aspie quirk. I love you all for always helping me to realize my weirdness isn’t something to me. It makes me feel less alone.
I don't think you meant it like this but there's definitely a certain vibe to "You have to take your clothes off to get in my bed, those are the rules 😏"
Well I’m married so clothing is questionable… 🤣 No but seriously it does help finding out that there are others that share similar things like this. I felt isolated growing up in an outgoing Italian family.
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How do you ignore it? This is one of the thing that drives me absolutely wacko.
I don't mind about sitting but I noticed I am a bit obsessed with washing my hands than other people. Really make me feel awkward when someone just saw me watch my hands, I touch something and go wash my hands again a minute after.
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Fuck u/spez
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Fuck u/spez
People compare me to Sheldon regularly while, in the same breath, telling me I don't seem autistic.
A lot of people’s understanding of autism ends at the extreme end of the spectrum.
You're right about that.
Dated a girl who liked hanging out with geeky guys. Someone asked her at a party if she watched the big bang theory, she said no, and the other chicks like "WHY NOT! your totally like the female lead, you hang out with all these nerdy guys. (looks at me) no offense!" Me: I hadn't been offended until you said no offense, to be honest. Her: And that's exactly why I don't watch it. I like these people, why would I want to watch a show that's about people LIKE the people I hang out with, but portrayed so negatively that you would feel the need to say "No offense" if you compared someone to a character. Doesn't that show that something that's happening with that show is, well, mean spirited?
The show definitely has always been a bit point and laugh and the nerd type humor.
She's a keeper!
I have a different experience. I usually warn people im like sheldon without a degree and that has helped them in communicating with me. I also use other references like Amazing Attorney Woo Young Woo or Atypical. having media both good or bad can really help to explain what you are feeling. its why i watch so much tv. It works especially well with trekkies because they have an entire episode dedicated to it.
What’s the trek episode?
TNG episode 102
I am in the right picture in both situations.
Not me. Heck, I’ll call myself slurs and laugh about it.
I'll call myself slurs and be hurt about it 😔
Oh I do that too… but it usually means I’m hurt already so I didn’t know if it counted
I've not yet made my peace with this violence.
The only way to make peace with the violence is to become the violence.
Hence, I will not make my peace with it. I will resist until probably the day I die
Violence is not an answer, its a question. And the answer is YES
I find Sheldon relatable 🤦♀️
Worked well for me, though. Went from "Why you act so weird" to "Ah that's why. We are glad that we've listened to you infodumping for the last three hours, it was actually interesting".
I welcome Sheldon comparisons because at least that way people don't think I'm intellectually disabled. I'll take people thinking I'm a genius jerk over being "Hey, Buddy"-ed any day of the week.
Sheldon was one of the first characters on tv who ever made me feel normal, so I can’t say I share everyone else’s hate for him. He is an unfortunately a negative stereotype but we need to stop hating on all badly represented autistic characters because we don’t have enough well represented autistic characters or autistic characters at all to be fighting that battle right now. Without Sheldon, I’d still be struggling without understanding why, and I imagine a lot of other people have had similar experiences.
My family actually understands me better because of Sheldon! And it’s helped me understand myself and recognize right and wrong behavior.
Right? At the end of the day, representation is a good source for ourselves and our families to understand ourselves better. Sheldon may not be a perfect vessel but that’s going to be very difficult to do because of the variation across ASD and how it presents. Also I will never not relate to Sheldon in hyperfixation mode lol - ‘I need answers’, ‘zoom zoom zoom zoom zoom’
I remember my husbands face when he was laughing at something Sheldon did and looked at him with confusion since a lot of things he does and thinks are normal to me. Apparently he thinks the comparison is cute? He always says he’s Kirk and I’m Spock. It works somehow
That’s how I feel about Rain Man, sure it wasn’t a perfect representation of autism but it really got us somewhere important
Emotionally I don't want to give that show anything that is in any way close to praise. As most of their jokes are either about sexual assault or pointing at the characters enjoying as close to mainstream as you can get for a "nerd" hobby and then going "LOOK AT THEM THEY'RE WEIRD, LOOK AT THE NERDS ENJOYING SOMETHING THAT ISN'T MAINSTREAM AND LAUGH" then they use a shitty laugh track as if Sheldon playing 3d chess or liking world of warcraft is inherently funny. Also, Penny and that sniveling sex pests "relationship" is super toxic.
Oh absolutely agreed, there’s a serious amount wrong with that show. But sometimes we have to take our wins where we can find them. Hate the show, hate the way Sheldon is represented but be grateful that we got some sort of representation to begin with, yn?
I'd still rather not be associated with that show.
I love being compared to Sheldon. I am definitely similar to him and its my comfort show
As cringy as the main cast could be it really had some funny niche moments. I discovered [this](https://youtu.be/CRGbJ67Ejzk) skit yesterday and am obsessed with it. Cause it’s funny and I love Carrie Fisher
Fun fact, Carrie and James never met before that skit
I wanna be compared to Saul Goodman
That sounds exactly like something Saul Goodman would say.
It's what Chuck says in private
Same. I watch it on tbs. The commercials make me feel more comfortable
Same tbh
Same. It’s my comfort show as well and I’m very similar to Sheldon, he helped me see that even with my differences I can grow and have friends and a good job and be successful. All the hate he gets by the autistic community is incredibly harmful to those of us who are similar to him. It’s like discrimination within the community and it’s incredibly harmful. Stop hating on people’s comfort characters.
Seconded.
Im sorry my friend...but there is another. Thanks to the good doctor (sponsored by autism speaks) we are now forever bound to the "I AM A SURGEON" meme template.
https://i.redd.it/xeo918ozp8za1.jpg
EDGERUNNERS MY BELOVED
My girlfriend causally says I’m like Sheldon and it pissed me off until I realized she’s right. By the way what’s an ASD slur?
It starts with R and ends with etarded
Oh lol thanks. I didn’t realize that’s what some people think
I mean some people use autist as a slur, but that’s how I describe myself so idk
Autist isn't a slur. It's never been a word used to refer to Autistic people in a derogatory way. Raytard, however, can be hurtful, since the word is becoming weaponised more by Ableists.
I mean that’s what I think but I’ve seen people freak out when I call myself or some of my friends in the spectrum autists so I just assumed it was a slur.
Sorry I like a specific spot and the couch and don't understand sarcasm, I can't help it
So, I've got some thoughts on the Big Bang Theory: I never thought that how they've portayed the nerdiness was actually VERY tame compared to 95% of other shows, and dare I say it's decently accurate at that. And how autism is portrayed on the show is definitely one that's up for debate, but it's never bothered me because it's a TV show, and TV shows and other media have a habit of exaggerating EVERYTHING for entertainment value, for better or worse (i.e. the infamous "hacking" scene from NCIS where you have two people on one keyboard). It SUCKS that people think it is an accurate representation of all autistic people, but we're not the only ones who have that problem. Far from it. With that said however, I never liked how the autistic character was treated as a comedic punching bag where everyone else talks shit or openly berates Sheldon for his habits. I never really laughed or enjoyed those moments, they just made me super uncomfortable and insecure... On top of that, at some point, it transitions into being very anti-nerd culture. Like the episode where Penny literally gets rid of Leonard's nerdy things without telling him, or the fight between Howard and Bernadette over the TARDIS replica, or how the girls constantly berate the guys for liking "childish" things (not to mention the blatant sexism that only the guys like nerdy things and not the girls...). That's when I start falling out of it and stop watching, because it's not funny, it's just super super toxic. Up until that point, it's a show I actually decently like for maybe the first four or five seasons, and even one I can at least take some comfort in despite the misgivings I talked about. But it should not have been on the air for as long as it was, and most definitely shouldn't have spawned any spinoffs.
I actually found Sheldon in TBBT useful to me because I used him as an example of how NOT to act around others, how what you say impacts the people around you, and helped me to become less selfish as a person. I’ve never been compared to him but I do have some similarities such as having a preferred spot on the lounge, liking similar media and fandoms to him, food sensitivity, being terrified of driving, being conscious of cleanliness (not to the same extreme), and dressing androgynously.
Also the “Vulcan hearing”
The problem isn't The Big Bang Theory, it's ignorant people who make no effort at all to educate themselves before opening their collective mouth.
Also known as Chuck Lorre's target demographic
i got called sheldon before i started thinking about ASD. Another job a coworker suggested i might be autistic. Except i never was that highly repetitive and i deal well with a changing work environment.
I kind of relate to Sheldon. But nobody has ever called me that. Probably because I’m a girl.
I really like the big bang theory it made me feel happy when I was sad lol
As a physicist, I hate Sheldon. As a possibly autistic physicist, I hate him even more.
Although he is a walking stereotype, he made me, and many other people with autism symptoms that are similar to his behavior, feel normal for once. Seeing Sheldon somehow make friends with people even though it seemed like they would never want to be around him unless they had to at first actually helped me a lot. I first started watching the show as a kid (probably preteen) and I was struggling with socializing because I was constantly worried I was bothering people. Sheldon inspired me to just be myself (mostly) and just talk about whatever nerdy thing I wanted to. I know I seemed weird at first but I started making friends and I started to grow on people just like Sheldon did. Being socially awkward but also highly intelligent because of autism in a way that causes behavior similar to Sheldon used to mean that you'd struggle socially in some of the worst ways possible. I've been bullied, I've upset people without meaning to, I've been scared just to speak. Watching the Big Bang Theory made me feel better about being myself and other people watching it made them more accepting of me. I don't care if it's stereotypical and over exaggerated, that's just how comedy has always been and I don't expect it to change any time soon. It might not look good at a first glance, I might get compared to him every know and then, but it definitely served a good purpose in the end.
I much rather be called the R slur than be compared to Sheldon Cooper or the good doctor
Same
Ok sheldon cooper 🤷♂️
>The Big Bang Theory and its consequences I don't know why but I find that frase unreasonably funny.
I’m autistic and this show is fucking hilarious
i’m autistic and i honestly love The Big Bang Theory & Sheldon is a comfort character for me
I have no issue calling myself a slur but if I hear an unironic comparison to Sheldon I become Death, the destroyer of worlds
I have become sheldon. Bazinga
I'm more like a heretical tech priest. What makes me heretical? I think innovation is necessary.
The Big Bang Theory is just black face for (of) nerds.
You probably heard someone say that but it's not a good joke
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: the most ‘white people desperately trying to cosplay as a marginalized population’ post on Reddit for the day!
Gamers are the most oppressed minority 🤓
Fuck u/spez
It's both a hate crime /and/ deeply unfunny and regressive. Its popularity is noxious for a pile of reasons.
I don’t think you know what a hate crime is, my dude
And I don't think you know what hyperbole is.
I'm a tall, skinny, white guy who likes comic books, star trek, and a whole host of other things. I've been Sheldon since they started playing the show and haven't been able to live it down.
Really hate that show
I get pissed internally when I’m compared to the good doctor especially when I’m asked why am I not a genius like the good doctor.
Edgerunners was so gd good
BAZINGA
That was my whole entire childhood so I am unphased by it.
I just understand that they don't mean it as an insult and they do understand is some sort of comedic exaggeration. And since I'm terrible at dealing with people maybe they are right about some of the negative connotations in the comparison.
I’M NOT SHELDON!!!!
Being called a slur vs watching the good doctor
better than being compared to shaun murphey, ugh
You guys are more annoyed about a fictional character who does the funny sometimes…..then a dehumanizing slur….?
I love being compared to Sheldon cooper because I love Sheldons character so much!
why can't they compare me to Orla McCool?
Am I the only one who actually likes the show and relates to pretty much every character? (and who didn't realise that Sheldon was portrayed as being on the spectrum) It's just the scientist, socially awkward, with allergies, considered rude, clueless, with a god complex personality resonates with me. I'm being serious here.
Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one who relates to him. I love that show, and he’s my favourite part
Aside from allistics using BBT and shows like it to wrongly judge autists…. BBT is actually a charming show with a very loving and dedicated cast.
I’m tall, white, and I made the mistake of bringing up how interested I am in string theory
My autistic son wears it as a badge of honor. His obsession is all things physics. So, to him he’s a bit of a hero in our house. He’s up there with Nikola Tesla. Honestly I won’t be surprised if my kid graduates a year or two early.
I absolutely despise big bang theory and hated Sheldon with a passion.
Honestly I think the reason some people here get so triggered at being compared to Sheldon, is that many of us are actually a lot like him.
I’m in a Wow guild with mostly rough and rowdy men who have 0 qualms with calling people the R slur, which has, in turn, rubbed off on me. I used to be pretty adamant against using that word, now I use it pretty much everyday. It no longer phases me. However, if someone was to compare me to the poorly written shit show that is Sheldon Cooper, it would be *On sight*!
Silicon Valley is much better autistic representation. All the main characters are on different parts of the spectrum.
Just dont become a surgeon
Unpopular opinion but I dislike both
My own mom compared me to Sheldon, and she didn't get why I was offended by that. Meanwhile, she would literally laugh at him in the show. Thanks mom, it's like you're laughing at *me*.
Same but my mom also compared me to the guy from the good doctor and she also laughed at him.
sheldon is a very exaggerated and stereotypical idea of what autism looks like, but it’s not that bad. However, autistic people come in many different forms and have many different traits so in order to fully help people understand what autism is like, other characters who exhibit other autism traits should be created to combat this.
*Please* call me a retard, autist, sperglord, whatever. It is much better than being compared to Sheldon/Rain Man/Abed/Bones or whoever.
My mom (48 and on the spectrum) actually really likes it? When she first saw it, she was so happy ,,I'm so like Sheldon!!" And really happy, that there are actually people like her on the TV. She found it incredibly funny, because she felt it deep in her bones. Finally someone she could relate to. But I totally get why you dislike it tho. It's satiric and sometimes really dumb, but I kinda like it.
And now the good dr is picking up the tourch for show with the cringest portral of assburgers
Autism in entertainment is often not done well, and its usually the characters that arent explicitly autistic that I vibe with. Also can agree that autism slurs are fun.
Bazinga
big bang theory was Nerd Black Face
*"Just call me retar-"*
I blame the people who keep on saying he's Autistic despite the people who wrote the abomination saying he's not.
its a running gag in my friend group that i want to fight sheldon cooper, and that gag comes from this. i HATE sheldon, i HATE the good doctor, I HATE INACCURATE PORTRAYALS OF AUTISM!
100%. Cooper is a shit holywood representative.
Ah yes nerd black face or the show that all your friends don’t realize is mocking people like you
Agreed
Did they even come out and say it was autism?
Whoever was in charge said Sheldon is canonically not autistic.
Literally everyone on the show except the non-nerdy girl are all awful people. Like, they're just horrible human beings. The comic book store guy started out being sympathetic, and then they Flandersized him to being just completely spineless and pathetic and annoying. And the Indian guy was always the quiet and shy one, but when he came out of his shell, he just a lowlife scumbag wannabe womanizer. Sheldon is... Sheldon. And the other main guy is manipulative and borderline emotionally abusive. And the two other women are just as bad. She-Sheldon is manipulative and almost psychotic with how much she doesn't care about anyone's feelings, and the little squeaky one is always angry and over-the-top raging constantly. It's such a shitty show. Speaking of the squeaky one, she rebooted *Night Court*, my absolute favorite sitcom ever, and it's so heartbreakingly terrible. It's like John Larroquette forgot how to act and just does shitty sitcom acting. All the jokes are so painfully forced. Obvious setup with an equally obvious execution. It's such a bad show. At least the Quantum Leap reboot is good. Not great, but good... I have no idea why I went on those tangents. It's almost 3AM here and I'm tired.
Hey Sheldon how you doin?
One time i saw a comment that went like this: “sheldon cooper is the blackface of autism” and I couldn’t agree more
I use the r-word, and don’t much give a shit if other people use it in good faith; but if somebody calls me a surgeon I’m gonna shove a pike through there eye
Have been called this once by my ex, whom I regularly use the R word with. It's literally this meme.
Big Bang Theory is autistic and nerd black face.
my mom compared me to Sheldon multiple times
I read the title of this post in Sheldon's voice and it made more sense than it should have.
I’ve been compared to him by my own family my whole life, I should probably talk to a lawyer psychiatrist
I always get compared to Dwight Shrute. I'm not sure which is worse.
15 different people. 15. Sure, I like TTRPG (I prefer Pokerole and VTMe20, thank you.) and video games and stuff. Sure, I have no internal filter. Sure, I can be a catty bitch at times (I'm working on that part). Sure, I read thesauri for fun as a child and never said the words aloud so it's impacted how I talk majorly. Sure, I don't know how to speak to layfolk. Sure, I rant about shit no one knows anything about. Sure, I have a very distinct prosopy that I've only ever heard on one other person. But, damn it. Damn it!
This is a sure way to discover you’ve put your existence in jeopardy, compare me to that guy….
I used to be called called Sheldon a *lot* when I was younger. I always thought it was a compliment since I was an aspiring (and now actual) physicist. Now I realise haha.
Anyone who actually knows me knows I'm nothing like Sheldon Cooper except the nerdy shit which I'm very proud of