Autism and the Media

A seemingly harmless and unscripted exchange between American Idol contestant James Durbin and host Ryan Seacrest has touched off a controversy involving Michael Jackson's family. According to TMZ, the Jackson family, including…

An upsetting video has been discovered on YouTube, mocking James Durbin and his Tourette's Syndrome. The video, which was uploaded on March 24, 2011 by an individual using the handle "jordans704," shows a 54-second clip from…

In a tense moment on American Idol Thursday night, James Durbin, along with Paul McDonald, were both on stage awaiting their fates from Ryan Seacrest. The American Idol host delivered the news that neither Durbin nor McDonald were safe,…

Last week, we wrote about a popular video clip involving Casey Heynes, an Australian student who retaliated after being bullied by 12-year-old Ritchard Gale. The video struck a chord with many across the globe and went viral, being viewed…

The topic of bullying has been front-and-center this past month, including an anti-bullying conference held last week with President Barack Obama, along with First Lady Michelle Obama. The conference addressed the administration's…

Last year, Holly Robinson Peete appeared on the hit reality show, Celebrity Apprentice, where she competed against 13 other contestants in hopes of benefiting the charity founded by her and her husband. Peete eventually placed second in the…

Much attention has been given to the accomplishments of individuals on the high-functioning end of the autism spectrum. We hear of gifted savants such as Daniel Tammet or Kim Peek who defy imagination with uncanny visual, mathematical or…

We recently received a comment by someone who noticed the excessive coverage of American Idol's James Durbin on our site. My response was that we have not covered him nearly enough. James Durbin is currently shattering many…

There is an amazing autism documentary on the horizon that will be released just in time for Autism Awareness Month in April. Directed by Gerardine Wurzburg, "Wretches & Jabberers" follows two grown men with autism as they…

Last week, the Science Channel (a division of Discovery) aired an episode of "Ingenious Minds" and took a closer look at the life and mind of John E. Robison. The show gave a fascinating glimpse into Robison's trials and…