The Tide is High: Jenny McCarthy Riding on a Wave of Autism Awareness
If you read what is being said about Jenny McCarthy pushing “autism into the spotlight” and “drawing attention to the developmental disorder” (as noted in today’s Orlando Sentinel), you might think that no one was, indeed, paying any attention to autism before. What, one might wonder, did anyone do before she bestowed her “star power” on autism? You might think that no one “BJ” (”Before Jenny”) had ever made a big deal about the gluten-free casein-free diet (hmmmmm, now who was Karyn Seroussi and what was “ANDI“?) or talked about an “approach” involving “DAN! doctors.”
What would Bernard Rimland say?
If you go by what various media stories are saying, we’re lucky to be living in the era of the New McCarthyism aka “bimbo science.”But I have to wonder if McCarthy’s rise as the very model of the autism mother has been made possible not because she has anything new to say about autism and helping autistic kids (much of what she has to say has indeed been said before by other parents, such as Seroussi), but because she has, most fortunately, come out with her story about “recovering” her now 5-year-old son from autism at a time when autism is part of the national conversation, to the point that autism is an issue in a national election. McCarthy has made her appearance on the autism scene when autism is getting talked about as the “disease du jour“; when a “perfect storm” of factors has come together to boost autism into the public eye and interest.
Jenny McCarthy is riding on a wave of “awareness,” interest and even fascination about autism—-we’re living in a time of national legislation about autism, best-selling books about autism (McCarthy’s own, and also Mark Haddon’s novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time). Last summer saw the start of the Autism Omnibus proceedings regarding parents’ claims that their children became autistic after receiving a vaccine. The American Academy of Pediatrics has called for universal screening of all young children for autism. McCarthy, it seems, has chosen the right time to tell her story about autism.
It remains to be seen what she’ll do when the tide shifts in the other direction.In the meantime, we’ll be hanging ten.
Related Stories
POSTED IN: History, Junk Science, Media
23 opinions for The Tide is High: Jenny McCarthy Riding on a Wave of Autism Awareness
Rochelle
Nov 27, 2007 at 10:09 pm
“…we’re lucky to be living in the era of the New McCarthyism aka ‘bimbo science.’” [chuckle]
And, the flame war will begin in 3, 2, 1…
Elissa
Nov 27, 2007 at 11:25 pm
I guess if we can look past Jenny McCarthy’s ’stuff’, at least it’s good that people are becoming more aware of autism.
(Although it does become wearing having to explain to many people I meet that we’re not necessarily all looking for a cure to our children’s autism).
Amanda
Nov 28, 2007 at 12:25 am
As I’ve always thought, “awareness” shouldn’t be a goal in and of itself, especially since it conveniently doesn’t say what people are being made “aware” of (and whether what they’re being made “aware” of is accurate, damaging, inaccurate, useful, or anything else). It’s also a term that sounds good enough that someone can do just about anything and then say “Oh I was just promoting awareness” to deflect any disagreement.
mcewen
Nov 28, 2007 at 2:04 am
It’s the ‘cure’ bit that always grates and all the implications that that kernel spawns.
Best wishes
Cliff
Nov 28, 2007 at 2:12 am
I agree with Amanda on this one. If I have to tell one more person that I didn’t gain normalcy through a diet… In any event, the point being that now people are aware of autism. Autism in the sense of the boogeyman that comes from canadia, takes over your child’s soul, and can only be relieved by medically altering your child with diets from DAN!(TM).
Awareness of autism as it really exists? Negligible, if any. There are those who may be alerted who then look around and find a more comprehensive presentation of autism. And there is some responsibility in bringing those people in. But they are far outnumbered by those who will now insist I have canadia issues.
Cliff
Casdok
Nov 28, 2007 at 2:49 am
Bimbo science! Love it!
Im just so glad she hasnt really hit the UK yet! Maybe out time will come?
Cliff
Nov 28, 2007 at 3:11 am
I guess the U.K has better role models in this case. The one I can think of is Emma Noble, and she was far better in my opinion than McCarthy. And the media seems somewhat more on-track than the U.S media, from what I’ve seen more intuitively.
Cliff
Kristina Chew, PhD
Nov 28, 2007 at 3:13 am
I deliberately used the phrase “autism awareness”—”awareness” seems to have an almost empty ring.
Regan
Nov 28, 2007 at 7:56 am
Cliff said,
“…the point being that now people are aware of autism. Autism in the sense of the boogeyman that comes from canadia, takes over your child’s soul, and can only be relieved by medically altering your child with diets from DAN!(TM)…”
That is a potential problem depending on how this continues to wind out and is fixed in the popular conscience. I can see Mega-awareness of faulty or misguided premises being a distraction and negative influence in the long view.
None of the above is particularly helpful in getting my daughter appropriate educational placement and training, ethical treatment or adult supports, services, and employment in the future.
Marla
Nov 28, 2007 at 8:38 am
I find the whole explanation of how a diet did not work for our daughter exhausting. If anything I feel like she brings an “awareness” to people looking at us like, “Just do the diet and get over it.” Sorry. Just does not work that way.
Leanne
Nov 28, 2007 at 10:34 am
I prefer to meet people who have not been “made aware”. Someone who says to me “I know nothing about autism” is someone I can have a conversation with about what having an autistic son is like for me and what being autistic might be like for him. Someone who “knows” about autism is likely close minded and unwilling to listen to our point of view….unless of course they know from first hand experience (are autistic) or second hand experience (are a parent of an autistic).
Channon
Nov 28, 2007 at 10:44 am
Jenny is an opportunist as well as a parent with a child that happens to have autism. As many others will probably agree, you would do ANYTHING to rid the disabilities of autism in your child. Jenny is doing just that, and making a living on the side. I don’t blame her for that, but I do wish she would think twice-three times before making a comment regarding “curing” autism.
Gabrielle
Nov 28, 2007 at 11:30 am
Autism “Awareness” has certainly made things interesting. I had a dinner conversation the other evening and mentioned where I worked. An acquaintance actually said, “Oh I watched all the news reports. I definitely can tell the “symptoms” and then proceeded to ask me if I thought a this person or that person was autistic.”
I watch TV = I can diagnose???
Sometimes a little bit of knowledge is the most harmful.
Chuck
Nov 28, 2007 at 11:36 am
Cliff, Just a point of clarification
You keep stating DAN!(TM). I am assuming that (TM) implies trademark and that would be incorrect. Defeat Autism Now did not trademark DAN, another organization Divers Alert Network did, which ironically offers information about HBOT.
Cliff
Nov 28, 2007 at 11:44 am
I stated it once in jest, which wasn’t to be serious on the point but to imply a profit by materials, doctors, etc associated with that.
Cliff
toxic
Nov 28, 2007 at 2:39 pm
I do detect a hypocrite. Hmm, does the gfcf diet, and 2 meds…but bashes biomed every chance she gets.
Kassiane
Nov 28, 2007 at 3:41 pm
Toxic, why is it ok for you to demean your child and others’ so much by calling them damaged? You never did offer an answer.
toxic
Nov 28, 2007 at 5:35 pm
Kassiane,
I said vaccines damaged my child. I didn\’t say my child is damaged. You know there is a difference, right? (Nice spin)
When a child skins their knee, the skin is damaged, the knee is damaged. That doesn\’t mean the child is damaged.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Nov 28, 2007 at 5:42 pm
Thank you so much and hope you are well, “Toxic.” Also do ABA, ST, PT, and Charlie enjoys the bun on his McDonald’s burger; Jenny of course is la vraie hypocrite, hypocrites referring to an actress in ancient Greek; actors in ancient Greece wore masks, like the moniker you use.
Kristen
Nov 29, 2007 at 4:59 pm
Hi Kristina, I enjoy Autism Vox and I’ve read a lot of your blog about life with Charlie. I thought that I read previously that Charlie has celiac disease? I was just confused by the bun comment above.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Nov 29, 2007 at 5:08 pm
Charlie tested positive for gluten antibodies, when he was 2 years old. As he’s gotten older, we’ve been curious to see the effects on him after eating gluten; one thing we’ve noticed is that eating in general has a huge effect on Charlie, regardless of what foods he eats. It’s gluten-free at home and in his lunchbox and then the occasional bit of bread etc. when not home. Moderation seems to be working well.
This and Last’s Weeks Top Posts
Dec 2, 2007 at 8:22 pm
[…] The Tide is High: Jenny McCarthy Riding on a Wave of Autism AwarenessIf you read what is being said about Jenny McCarthy pushing “autism into the spotlight” and “drawing attention to the developmental disorder” (as noted in today’s Orlando Sentinel), you might think that no one was, indeed, paying any attention to autism before. What, one might wonder, did anyone do before she bestowed her “star power” on autism? […]
John Fryer
Dec 4, 2007 at 6:27 am
Its sad that people like Jenny McCarthy have more knowledge of autism than those professors who get paid millions to help the sick.
Money should go to those with sick children and perhaps the riddle would be solved and not to professors and universities creaming off money and doing nothing to help solve the puzzle of autism.
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: