Famous people you suspect are on the spectrum

[fanniefarkle]

I've read some articles about famous people, deceased and living, who, although not "in the open" may be on the autism spectrum. I like this "claiming" someone in this fashion, sort of like how the gay community will take some historical figure and surmise that they were homosexual and put them in their camp.

So, if you care to venture your opinion, who living or dead do you *think* may have been/is on the spectrum?

My list so far (it's a short one):

David Byrne. As a matter of fact, his first band was called The Autistics.
Sherlock Holmes (yes, fictional, but, hey, that's fair game, too)
the lead guitarist of King Crimson

[acannon]

Dan Akroyd once said in an NPR interview that he has Asperger syndrome. That has never been confirmed nor denied by him, though. Two that I know are on the spectrum are Daniel Tammet and the person who invented Pokemon.

Here are some that I suspect, both real and fiction:

Doctor Who
All of the characters on The Big Bang Theory
Bill Gates
*maybe* Steve Jobs, to some extent. Even though he seems a lot more social than Bill Gates, he uses a lot of ready-made phrases in his presentations.
Reclusive authors and actors such as J.D. Salinger (he wrote The Catcher in the Rye)
I always thought Jim Carrey was kind of Asperger-ish, or at least ADD
Ron Paul was spectulated to have AS by some people. I met him twice, though, and nothing really stood out to me.
Hans Asperger himself has been speculated to be on the spectrum. I don't know much about him, so I can't say for sure, but it makes sense. By extention, Leo Kanner could also be on the spectrum, but again, I can't say for sure.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (if he's anything like I've read of him or anything like the actor in Amadeus portrayed, he's definitely on the spectrum)
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Edison
Albert Einstein

[i0lanthe]

Originally Posted by sidshappymamma

I've read some articles about famous people, deceased and living, who, although not "in the open" may be on the autism spectrum. I like this "claiming" someone in this fashion, sort of like how the gay community will take some historical figure and surmise that they were homosexual and put them in their camp.

For some reason this instantly made me think "Alan Turing" (probably because of camp overlap.)

[wendy1221]

Nikola Tesla was the poster boy for AS, imo. Every single thing he did was WAY before his time, as well. He's VERY fascinating. And if you read enough about him, you'll start hating THomas Edison, who was a complete a-hole, btw.

[wytchywoman]

Spongebob
I heard at some point that Keanau ( Sp?) Reeves and the guy that does the home makeover show ( crap can't think of his name, Tai maybe?) are on the spectrum.
Justin Timberlake strikes me as a spectrum type person. Don't know why, he just does.

[wonderwahine]

steven speilburg
steven king
theres a guy in one of the sort of current rock bands that wears noise cancelling headphones while drumming, he strikes me as spectrumy
max from max and ruby

[K-Girl]

max from max and ruby

[wonderwahine]

Originally Posted by K-Girl

I see so much of ds in max, i think that might be why ds connects with him so much

[aja-belly]

Originally Posted by wonderwahine

max from max and ruby

:

yeah....and ruby is most definately NOT.

jet is also a crazy max fan. he is so so very much like max.

[wonderwahine]

ruby annoys me so much! always trying to stop his stims ........and whats wrong with icecream for breakfast! i love grandma shes so accepting

ds even does the same look as max when hes mad its so cute

[bdavis337]

What's max and ruby?

Tai Pennington, the home makeover guy, has an adhd dx.

[wonderwahine]

max and ruby is a nick jr cartoon.
http://www.nickjr.com/shows/max_ruby...max_ruby.jhtml

[K-Girl]

Max and Ruby is a TV show on Nik--we only watch it on DVD. No cable.

http://www.nickjr.com/shows/max_ruby...max_ruby.jhtml

My two boys have adopted so many "Maxisms"--Ugh! "No suit" "Bad eggs" etc. etc.

As for Grandma--wearing the vampire teeth--she is awesome.

Too funny!

[wytchywoman]

Originally Posted by bdavis337

What's max and ruby?

Tai Pennington, the home makeover guy, has an adhd dx.

Thanks, I totally forgot his name!

[lerlerler]

lisa simpson

[MichaelsSahm]

Rachael Ray.

[fanniefarkle]

Napolean Dynamite and his brother, Kip

[AllyRae]

George Lucas. I mean, come on--he's managed to figure out just how to make my Autistic kid completely *obsessed* with Star Wars. And almost every single thing George Lucas has made is pretty much the epitome of maleness, which is also how Brandon's therapist describes Asperger's.

Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber (he has *so* many quirks--they were especially apparent on American Idol where he couldn't make eye contact, figeted with his hands, had an odd way of speaking, etc.)

Oh, and the fictional character Mr. Big from Sex and the City...

[AllyRae]

Huh. Apparently Steven Spielberg *does* have a confirmed diagnosis (according to Wiki...take it or leave it...)

http://www.aspiesforfreedom.org/wiki...phen_Spielberg

[~*Trish*~]

An interesting thread ...

I can totally see the David Byrne thing. We are also big Max and Ruby fans here!

If we are also talking fictional characters, I think Forrest Gump is a good candidate.