Mayim Bialik On Sheldon’s Asperger’s And Everyone Else’s Quirks On “Big Bang”
Written by SAPL on December 4th, 2018 in Film and TV.
Anybody who’s watched the nerdy and sometimes annoying Sheldon on Big Bang Theory AND has any knowledge of Asperger’s syndrome has definitely made some connections.
Mayim Bialik, who plays Sheldon’s girlfriend on the show has a few opinions on the matter, and as a neuroscientist who took a break from the screen at UCLA, has some great theories on why no one is quick to label Sheldon just yet…She also has some great theories on everybody else’s eccentricities, including Leonard and Stuart.
“First, it’s not always important what we call things,” Bialik discusses at Grok Nation. “For medical and clinical purposes, of course it is. But in life, and especially once we reach adulthood, we kind of are who we are… All of those things happen whether we have a label or not.”
Sounds very similar to a comment left by a reader on an earlier post discussing the potential effects of the United States no longer using the diagnosis of Asperger’s and lumping everyone in the category of autism. Basically, the theory (from the commenter) was that people would continue to use the name anyway because those who identify with it like to group themselves.
This too, happens, if there is a “label” on it or not.
So who else has a “label,” diagnosed officially or not?
Bialik agrees that Amy herself is on the spectrum. Leonard is anxious and has “mommy” issues. Stuart has self-esteem issues. Bernadette is “mean” and there are a whole lot of labels you could give a female who also “likes to lie.” Wolowitz has a strange attachment to his mother. Penny is the only one without a label linked to some ancient Freudian research. But she does come across as “ditzy,” making her vulnerable to an entirely different critique (as Sheldon often partakes in). At least the other characters are protected due to PC standards.
“Our show focuses on people who live their lives as they are,” Bialik writes. “Our show is about relationships and people. It’s not about the things we do to make ourselves “okay” for others. Sure, Sheldon annoys people. Sure, there are things we all wish we could change about others. But when it comes down to it, our show is about people living with others in acceptance of who they are and in spite of their peculiarities.”
