I myself suffer from autism and while I live a fairly normal life, there definitely is times when I miss social cues or say something that seems funny to others but not to me…
The fact that this show is essentially making fun of a young child with autism doesn't sit well with me and I'm pretty certain others that live with this condition might feel the same… there is nothing funny about it whatsoever.
Please share your thoughts.
40sec to slow.
sorry - how to delete duplicate comment?
I meant I was slow posting.
The question was whether the show is inappropriate. Whether it is funny or not is down to personal taste and sense of humour, there's definitely nothing inappropriate here.
Unless, of course, I start thinking along insane lines like "this makes fun out of humans, and I'm a human, hence it makes fun out of me", which in general applies to all forms of comedy…
Agreed. Show does not poke fun at people with autism at all. I think it shows it in a positive light.
it's funny because we see him as a wonderful being due to his high intellect and ability to do high level physics and so it makes it okay to make fun of his weaknesses because it brings him down to our level at least a little
I don't think the big bang theory is funny.
Edit I had no idea that young Sheldon was tbbt spin-off.
I didn't find them funny at all so I don't watch unfunny cheap shows but getting offended and triggered by everything and wanting every thing fun for others to shut up is reverse dictatorship.
You should really try to use punctuation.
Triggered by lack of punctuation
Haha, right. Sure, thanks. You know, it looks good in my mind!?
There are cases in which plurals' correct usage involves apostrophes. Just saying.
@HighAndDry: A question mark is considered punctuation. Just saying.
Just making an irrelevant statement that is only vaguely related to anything in question (pun intended) like you.
I take it you're trying to make a link with my user name, but you're missing the point.
Adding an apostrophe behind a plural of something only indicates plural posession. Using an apostrophe after the "s" is not there to represent a plural.
I reached the character limit for user names, otherwise it would have been "StopFknUsingApostrophesToPluralise".
What's a reverse dictatorship? It sounds like a good thing to me!
Kanye, is that you?
I actually respect Kanye!
it doesn't need to be funny, just throw in some sexual joke here and there and voila.. you cater to all the western audience without even trying $$$$$
BBT made fun of an adult with autism for years, while being painfully unfunny. Why would the prequel series be any better.
Who has autism in the show? If you are referring to Sheldon, never is it mentioned that he has autism. He is a genius with eccentric ways, that isn't autism.
this is the first i've heard of it. I think perhaps not the "general" audience - maybe it's just a view held by the type of people who discuss tv shows online??
I don't see any character traits in Sheldon that are suggestive of autism. As a socially awkward scientist myself, can I take offense at OPs assumption that he is autistic?
lol I've been likened to Sheldon, and only now am wondering whether it was supposed to be an insult
@SlickMick: It's not a dichotomy - this don't always have to be a compliment or an insult. It can just be a value-neutral observation.
The fact that this show is essentially making fun of a young child with autism…
Why do you think the target of the show is making fun of the child?
Hey, go easy on OP, they have autism.
I thought I'd missed something. I'd never picked up Sheldon nor little Sheldon as being autistic nor them being made fun of beyond an appropriate level (if you're going to act like that, if you want friends, they're going to have to be allowed react to how you behave)
I don’t agree about the BBT. I think it made autism become more accepted and mainstream in society. Never seen YS so can’t comment.
I don't think they're making fun of people with Autism, I think they're making fun of the situations that are created as a result of the differences between the family members.
In the case of BB Theory it's the same thing, but as a group of what would be described as close friends. People doing some important work, contributing to society etc. This is all incredibly positive stuff.
BBT
Whilst Sheldon is most often the 'butt' of the jokes or plot lines in fact all the characters are used in plots where they differ from society norms
There are ditzy Blonde girl plots, Leonard nerd jokes and issues with his mother, Raj being Indian plots, Jewish mother jokes, etc.
Whether you think the jokes are funny depends on you - but as one of the most successful TV shows of all time I think the verdict is in
I don't think the portrayal of Sheldon is unfair and the case could be made that through it's popularity has opened the topic of autistic like traits to wide discussion
I have heard conversations where people are described as "a bit Sheldon" - not necessarily negatively
I haven't watched YS and from the ads it doesn't look half as good
I concede what is funnier with an adult may not be funny with a child
But I suspect the problem is the show is just not as well written and lacks the scope of possible materials and relationships the adult show can use
Hes not a young child with autism , hes a young genius who has autism
If he was a regular autistic kid there might be more of an uproar
What wre OP thoughts on The Good Doctor?
Which openly talk about autism unlike BBT or Sheldon, where it not really mentioned.
If you are offended, please change the channel to ABC4Kids where you'll hopefully find less outrage.
Note I dislike both those shows.
…and better, stop watching comedies at all. Satire, critique, parody etc. of various aspects of human behaviour are all tools used by the genre, for god sake…
I agree with your suggestion to just change the channel… but it's a stretch to suggest that OP is 'outraged' based on their post. They offered an opinion, with some reasoning, and asked for others opinions.
OP probably get offended by yellow wiggle
I'm offended that your offended is trying to force others to do your bidding. How about you don't watch it, and find something you enjoy, instead of ruining it for everyone else?
Would you then allow someone who disagree with gay marriage to stop that because it made them uncomfortable?
Thanks for the up vote, but You miss my point re my second line.
The point was OP is uncomfortable with something, thus OP demands and needs it to be stopped so that OP feels better.
If that's the case, then someone who disagrees or uncomfortable with gay marriage (or being gay itself) can equally demand and need for it to be stopped.
Im not opening a bottle about gay marriage with my original post. It's merely an observation about someone thinking they're the centre of the universe. Reminds me of this
There's nothing wrong with expressing dissatisfaction or outrage at a tv show, especially one which has been embraced and accepted with an enormous degree of success. BBT/YS set the norms for society - we should all have a say in what is accepted as normal.
Also: telling someone to just 'get over it' and watch something else isn't a fair argument. By the same logic, any responder should just 'get over' the OP's original reaction, and not bother getting outraged and causing a chain reaction of outrage. Break the cycle :)
@DangerDave11: It scares me what our society will become when we have people thinking tv shows "set the norms for society". I knew of families banning the simpsons, whereas all the had to do was explain the Bart is a naughty boy, and Homer is a bad dad. Who would use such characters as role models?
You can feel free to tell us to "get over it" and leave the OP in their ignorance, but that wouldn't be very sociable.
@SlickMick: It's well known that young people imitate what they observe on tv. It would be great if every young person had a responsible adult such as yourself explaining the nuance of unconscious bias in american sit coms.
I had a responsible parent who told me if you haven't got anything nice to say don't say anything.
@DangerDave11: Not in my household. I'll give you that it's well known that irresponsible parents allow the tv to be brought up by the tv.
It would be great if we all had great parents. But eliminating bad role models is a backwards approach to finding good role models.
@DangerDave11: Maybe you should save your outrage for the parents who're doing a shitty job of parenting then. Instead of trying to force the rest of the world to raise their kids for them.
Who would use such characters as role models?
Homer is my role model…. if only I could get a job in a nuclear power plant….. Mmmmm donuts.
@DangerDave11: The counter argument to op is that, no it isn't making fun of autistic people due to the fact that the main character isn't even mentioned as being autistic. Ergo, op's original point is a moot point.
Not outraged, just a Lil incredulous that people have a… Right(?) that just because they got 'hurt' the world needs to change for them.
Lets look at the adani mining issue as an example. Greenie arguing its bad, horrible company, etc. But do they stop and think about the jobs the company provides, directly and indirectly? Locally and internationally? What about the effect on the unemployment rate and local economy?
Anw I'm opening up even more Pandora's box so have a good night everyone.
I heard what you said, I think you miss why I'm opposed to gay marriage. You indeed "opened a bottle??" but I don't want to derail this conversation - we're way off topic. I like the link, and I agree with what you're saying in regard to this topic.
The point was OP is uncomfortable with something, thus OP demands and needs it to be stopped so that OP feels better.
OP made no demands. They invited us to share our thoughts.
@baileyj: |The fact that this show is essentially making fun of a young child with autism doesn't sit well with me and I'm pretty certain others that live with this condition might feel the same… there is nothing funny about it whatsoever.|
If that doesn't mean op wants it to stop, then I don't know what that means. Sure he wants a discussion, and that's what we're having. But don't tell me OP would not prefer that the show is stopped. The other fact of the matter is, the show isn't going to be changed, as that would defeat the premise of the show itself.
The take away message is op wants the show stopped and wants to hear your thought.
Anw have a good day
I'm offended that your offended is trying to force others to do your bidding.
OP isn't trying to force anyone to do their bidding. OP shared an opinion, and asked for others' opinions.
*you're
Having not seen the show i can't comment on whether i find it funny or not, but my feeling is that you need to lighten up. If you cant laugh at yourself then you probably need a better sense of humor or just change the channel. I mean do Bogans get upset about Kath & Kim? If we're all forced into being politically correct just so no body is offended then the world ends up a sterile wasteland bland meaningless shit. Oh wait it is already…good job
Oh… being born into a low socioeconomic group is a lifestyle choice? Sweet.
Here was I thinking that it was a tad more complex than that.
Or is there some scale of disadvantage self-righteousness that I am unaware of?
The reality is actually funny and clever people can do so without using others as a bag of cheap jokes.
If your only humour comes from picking on other people than you need new material… Or a new job
It's about as inappropriate as The Big Bang Theory, so, very much inappropriate and offensive that such unfunny trash 'comedies' could exist at all. It almost makes me ashamed to be part of the same species which would not only produce such utter crap, but make it popular too. I've found that the only people who enjoy it are laughing at the characters, not with them, actual nerds/geeks etc generally aren't into it because it straight up isn't funny. If you haven't already, maybe check out Atypical, I haven't seen it but have heard good things.
Atypical was done really well, it showed without bias or cheap jokes what it's actually like to be someone with high functioning autism and the struggles that come with the condition for both the individual and friends and family.
You must be fun at parties. Oh wait.
Like the TBBT Young Sheldon is typical American humour TV.
Fortunately I have something called a remote and I change channels when both of the shows are aired.
I think the humour comes from the juxtaposition of intellect with the realities of day to day, and in some cases, 'working class' life. I don't think it is openly teasing people with autism. I also don't think the show explicitly labels Sheldon as autistic. It could be offensive that you equate intellect with autism. I'm sure there are many people with autism who aren't very inteligent. I don't know much about autism, but maybe it oversimplified autism.
We are friends with a paediatrician. At dinner one night he went through several characters of TV shows and comic atrips who would have a medical diagnosis but are not explicitly stated eg Bart Simpson ADHD. I commented on BBT and he said that Sheldon is not “autustic” as it would be politically incorrect to do so. Taking a look at Sheldon, you u can see that he ticks more than a few boxes in the autism spectrum.
Your doctor's capacity to diagnose complex disorders via fictional sx is pretty impressive!
Who even watches free to air television now days. That's your problem. Stop watching Television, get on youtube and start watching the niche genres that appeal to you.
My exact thoughts. Free to air tv is garbage these days. I'm so grateful for YouTube. There are some amazing channels out there.
There are shows much more offensive than this - eg South Park. I have no issues with offensive shows. If you don’t find them entertaining - don’t watch them.
There are so many more shows on TV that should be thrown under a bus before these are.
All the characters have grown over the series TBBT, including Sheldon. The series uses everyone’s differences and tolerances as references. He is very much part of the group, even if he learns he isn’t the most important member all the time. The show also deals with other tropes, the dumb blonde, being foreign, comic book store owner, the girl geeks, religious people, overweight people. All of them have positives and negatives; as people have in real life. Most popular TV shows use shortcuts and exaggeration.
I didn't realise the Sheldon Cooper character officially had or was diagnosed as autistic. I just thought he was supposed to be a genius who was/is extremely socially awkward. Or is that what autism is?
yep, same here and I've seen the first 7 seasons….
.
A diagnosis of autism is news to me too. Never watched Young Sheldon (it never really appealed to me), but I've watched the first 9 seasons of BBT many times.
Genuine geniuses are so commonly awkward that it has become an obvious stereotype - and obvious stereotypes are common fodder for ALL forms of comedy…
He's what you would say is "on the spectrum"… a large % of the world are on the spectrum, you may be you just don't realise it.
Op is being oversensitive, as the show empowers Sheldon. This in the end normalises the idea that people are different, can be different and successful.
You could say the show picks on nerds, yet its actually has played apart in empowering the current nerd fad of being somewhat cool
I READ SOMEWHERE HIS CHARACTERISTIC IS BASED ON PERSONALITY DISORDER, can't be bothered linking it. Pointless forum is pointless!
Bring back Benny Hill.
that music.
.
The Benny Hill show was possibly one of the longest running and most watched english comedy tv show of all time.
Name me a successful/popular comedy that doesn't caricaturise anything?
…that's a big word, do you know what that means?
Family guy. Checkmate.
Literal caricature of (fat) white America. Though I suppose there might be a deeper joke here that America is at points a caricature of itself already so it's impossible to further caricature…
I think he meant… oh don't worry
Please share your thoughts.
My thoughts are that you're being a tad over-sensitive.
As @John Kimble said above:
Name me a successful/popular comedy that doesn't caricaturise anything?
TBBT and YS are sitcoms… they by definition draw their humor from the situation in which the characters are placed. Yes, the often necessitates a caricature or over-exaggeration a character or two.
Having grown up some of the great sitcoms of the 70s and 80s, it makes me very sad to see that the SJWs of the world have lowered their outrage bar to this level.
I'd suggest watching some old Love Your Neighbor or Mind Your Language episodes - both of which my parents found hilarious despite being the target of the caricatures - to re-calibrate your outrage triggers.
I mean, to respond specifically, I think it’s really important that as a society we have an opportunity to critique ourselves genuinely, and comedy as a necessarily vague and maybe obtuse outlet serves that purpose.
Some people appreciate certain critiquing, and that’s okay, others think it’s obscenely offensive, that’s cool too, it takes all sorts.
For certain people allowing a certain degree of leeway to allow thoughts and feelings to be fleeting is something that has to be learned and practiced because ultimately we all have one life, and living it with the least amount of concerns for what is materialistic and non important to our direct lives is so important, in my estimation, to our own personal happiness.
I mean, it’s a TV show that will, like so many before it come and go, ultimately that society is gradually accepting and embracing of disabilities is a reflection that in reality, tv shows such as this don’t reflect the larger collective, and are as such as representation of an artistic interpretation of life.
We should all sit in front of a blank screen called a TV, because there's always at least one person who is going to find something offensive about any show.
Shows are made for a wide range of audiences, but it can't please everyone. If you don't like to watch something, there are many other shows to choose from.
It’s 2019 and outrage culture is running rampant. Someone is offended by everything these days.
There’s the other option of simply not watching it and consider it’s simply not for them.
Havnt seen the show but it feels like your trying to take offence here…
It’s a TV show. If you do t like it then don’t watch it. If there was anything overly offensive in it then it would not get aired.
If it offends you then get up and move on with your life.
It’s the middle of summer, there shouldn’t be so many snowflakes out.
The show never makes reference to Sheldon having autism.
I think you are looking for things that aren't there.
It's pretty heavily implied. And people always comment online on how uncanny certain traits are with their autistic kids, from the sounds of it some people do have a real life Sheldon in their lives who are pretty obviously autistic.
And people always comment online on how uncanny certain traits are with their autistic kids
Unless they're also pediatricians, this means nothing. Being a parent is not a specialised skill.
Next we'll all be arguing using "As a mother…"
If you are a parent of an autistic child who networks with other parents of children with autism (extremely common), have a heavy amount of interaction with medical professionals in the field (extremely common), spends a large amount of time around people with vs people without autism (extremely common), you are going to have a large amount of experience identifying traits of autistic behaviour.
Bad comparison.
@[Deactivated]: No, that's classic mistaking anecdotal evidence for peer-reviewed science, and (in the worst case scenario), leads to anti-vaxxers who use the exact same logic of "I'm:
a parent of a vaccinated with complications child who networks with other parents of children with complications from vaccines, have a heavy amount of interaction with medical professionals in the field (extremely common), spends a large amount of time around people with vs people without complications from vaccines, you are going to have a large amount of experience identifying the dangers of vaccinations."
@HighAndDry: Anecdotal evidence is not useless. Obviously It does not match or supercede scientific proof.
Anti-vaxxers are not able to identify the (non existant) relationship between vaccines and autism. They are only able to view a extremely limited correlation, which contradicts their viewpoint anyway. e.g. Most people they know have had vaccines, and do not have autism.
Parents of children with autism, and to be frank most adults can recognise traits of autism. Are you really suggesting that parents of children with autism aren't able to identify these traits without conducting a peer reviewed study?
Again, an extremely poor comparison.
Anti-vaxxers are not able to identify the (non existant) relationship between vaccines and autism. They are only able to view a extremely limited correlation.
Yes precisely - people without specialised knowledge are not well-equipped to make authoritative statements on those areas of specialty.
Parents of children with autism, and to be frank most adults can recognise traits of autism. Are you really suggesting that parents of children with autism aren't able to identify these traits without conducting a peer reviewed study?
Unless they are familiar with the DSM-V, they can be familiar with autistic "traits" all they want, they'd still be in no position to actually diagnose autism in anyone. Everyone has "traits" of some kind, it's their presentation, severity, co-incidence with other traits, etc that actually lead to a diagnosis.
So again - are these parents pediatricians? No? Then their opinions are as useful (or useless) as those of anyone else.
@HighAndDry: The context of your original quotation is what I was addressing. Please don't change your argument to move to a position you feel more comfortable arguing.
I am in complete agreeance with you that someone who recognises traits of autism (possibly with better efficiency that someone who spends very little time around people with autism) is not able to make a medical diagnosis.
@[Deactivated]: This wasn't my argument. If you scroll up just a tad more, the exchange I replied to said:
afah0447 on 07/01/2019 - 09:55
The show never makes reference to Sheldon having autism.
I think you are looking for things that aren't there.
and
AustriaBargain on 08/01/2019 - 03:33
It's pretty heavily implied. And people always comment online on how uncanny certain traits are with their autistic kids, from the sounds of it some people do have a real life Sheldon in their lives who are pretty obviously autistic.
Which is discussing whether parents of kids with autism can diagnose Sheldon.
@HighAndDry: I stated that your comparison was bad. The quote you were comparing to "As a mother.." was about parents with autism being able to identify traits of autism. It was a bad comparison, try not to use it in the future.
absolutely agree with you 100%. Its not funny at all. For that matter the big bang theory was horrible too, not sure how a spin off ever got made.