Music, movies, and TV which may have Aspies

Tanz · Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 8:32 pm Post subject:

Hi, I have been reading some of these posts, and thinking about a lot of things, and how they relate to AS and why I like them. I am only recently diagnosed with it, and that finally cleared up a whole lot of confusion in my own life. Since then, I have been noticing a lot of the personality quirks I had were actually symptoms of AS, and so some of the stuff I can relate to you might also.

For example, my favorite band is the Pet Shop Boys, who play Euro-Techno dance music. (I don't know many other people who like them, or are even familiar with their music, so that in itself has always set me apart.) Their music is mainly synthesized, but with orchestration, and (as with all techno music) has highly repetitive beats, especially on the extended dance mixes I prefer. Also, the words to a lot of songs hold true for me, even if they aren't the original meanings that were written for the songs. My favorite CD, "Actually" (their 2nd) has several song that I especially relate to: "What Have I Done to Deserve This?", "One More Chance", "Rent", and (my fave) "It's a Sin". Off another CD is "Left to My Own Devices."

My other favorite music comes from Danny Elfman, who has provided most of the music for Tim Burton's movies, as well as a slew of others. I have already mentioned (in another post) how Tim Burton's Batman, as portrayed by Michael Keaton, displays many symptoms of AS, but several other roles of Keaton's also exhibit some of the same traits, or other dysfunctional ones. Check him out in "Mr. Mom", "Duplicity", and especially in "Dream Team". In "Dream Team" he plays one of 4 patients from a mental hospital who find themselves out in the real world without the supervision of a 'normie' and must get help for their pshychologist. It also stars Chrstopher Lloyd and Peter Boyle, and while it is mainly a comedy, it does have touching moments.

Also take a look at John Cleese in "Clockwise", about a college professor who has been awarded for perfect attendance or promptness or something similar (I can't remember at the moment, I will need to re-watch it myself) and is supposed to give an acceptance speech for it in another town, and everything possible happens to him to prevent him from arriving on time or at all. It is also a comedy, but I think we can all relate to what happens to him and how he feels about it.

For television, I notice someone else has already mentioned "NUMB3RS", but take a look at some of the characters on "Criminal Minds" as well, and "Beauty & the Geek," though I think only a high-functioning aspie could pass the audition process for that. "B&tG" and "The Amazing Race" are the only 2 reality shows I watch, and I have attempted to get onto both of those.