Robert White - British comedian breaking stereotypes

Post Reply New Topic

For someone who describes himself as “the only gay, Aspergic, quarter-Welsh comic on the British comedy circuit”, Robert White had already cornered a niche market or two. And thanks to his recent semi-final triumph on Britain’s Got Talent his career looks set to take off despite any prejudices that might exist towards his sexual orientation, disability or nationality.

People might see Asperger syndrome as something holding White back, but that clearly isn’t the case. Once he ended up in prison for a prank that went horribly wrong, and then there was the recent altercation with the grime artist Big Narstie when he seemed to misread social cues – but the TV audience loves him.

White has leapt into the limelight with his condition front and centre of the discussion. His success dispels the popular misconceptions surrounding people with Asperger’s as being antisocial, or total introverts. That could shift the dial. The key to gaining more understanding of the condition is open communication, dialogue and, perhaps most important, empathy. No two people on the autistic spectrum are the same, just as no neurotypical (as people who aren’t on the spectrum are known) individuals are the same: understanding this will go a long way to understanding people with autism/Asperger’s and their specific needs – just consider the woman with Asperger’s who was recently thrown out of a film screening for laughing. Public perception has a real effect on the lives of people with Asperger’s, and one of the ways to change that is by demonstrating how “normal” we are.

Britain’s Got Talent and ITV deserve plaudits for giving people across the spectrum the opportunity to enjoy success and fame. In doing so they could make Britain a more tolerant society.