ODSS student taking Asperger’s debate on tour

May 14, 2014 · 0 Comments

By Tabitha Wells – In the midst of the great debate surrounding the removal of the Asperger’s diagnosis from the autism spectrum, Michael McCreary, a grade 12 student at Orangeville District Secondary School (ODSS) is taking the debate to the road with a cross-country comedy tour and documentary.

After being diagnosed with Asperger’s at the age of five, Michael found his way into stand-up comedy, through what he describes as a combination of an act of self-preservation, a need for constant attention and an inability to stop talking. He trained under David Granirer, founder of Stand Up For Mental Health, a comedy organization for those who struggle with mental illness and want to share the comedic side of their struggles.

It was through that tutelage that Michael’s comedy act, ‘Does This Make My Asperger’s Look Big?’ was born. After four years of performances in Canada and the United States, he, along with his family, decided to take his show on the road. The tour will include a documentary on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and will launch in October, in support of Autism Awareness Month.

“We want to use the comedy as an educational tool to help people understand that Autism is a spectrum disorder, and there are just as many high-functioning as there are low-functioning children with ASD,” Michael explained. “Along the way we’ll be interviewing families in each province and trying to get their story, to see what their kids’ strengths are and how they are using them.”

Michael believes that part of what makes his act so strong is that comedy comes from tragedy and struggles more than it does from an easy, more normal kind of life.

“If you have a really bad day, or if your car breaks down or you get fired, you can turn it into a joke,” he said. “And you can just rant, because there is something identifiable in that. Nobody laughs at a person who has a perfect life; no one laughs at Superman.”

His first joke, which became a huge hit at performances, was shaped from just that kind of situation. Early in his learning to understand his diagnosis, he would encounter people who simply didn’t understand why he would talk so much and so fast when he got excited, and why he was different. The joke played on that lack of understanding, all the while highlighting some of the issues an ‘Aspie’ faces.

“The first time I ever got into trouble with my diagnosis was when I was talking to this guy. It was weird, because I thought we were really connecting. I was talking to him about my life, fears, interests, everything. And suddenly, he just snapped and told me to shut up. I was so embarrassed that I didn’t know what else to do, so I just left the confessional.”

Part of the reactions they find people have to Asperger’s has to do with the stigma surrounding Autism, and the lack of understanding that it is a spectrum disorder, with some being high-functioning (where Asperger’s falls), and other’s being low-functioning (which is much more recognizable).

Michael’s younger brother, Matthew, is also autistic, but falls on the spectrum as low-functioning. One of the things their parents has noticed over the years is that while someone who is high functioning, like Michael, might be able to blend easily, they often have more trouble fitting in socially because of the way they are expected to behave.

“Those who are high-functioning tend to have higher expectations placed on them than those who are low-functioning individuals,” explained Doug McCreary, Michael’s father. “When we’re out and about in the community with Matthew, people know there is something going on, as opposed to when someone is around with a higher functioning child and people don’t realize there is more going on. They react differently.”

Two years ago, the American Psychiatric Association removed the word ‘Asperger’s’ from the definition of Autism, which has not only caused a lot of controversy, but has left many feeling as if they have had something taken from them, which is another thing Michael addresses in his comedy.

“He’s going on in his routine, and he’s working on a bit for it, and he goes ‘oh those marketing guys, I’ve been rebranded,” his mother, Susan said. “But I think that a trait of an Aspie is no matter how you’ve changed their name, they are always going to say that they are an Aspie.”

Michael’s family, along with Alex Dale, a former ODSS graduate, will be joining him on the tour and assisting in production of the documentary. While Michael and Susan will be directing the production, Alex will be in charge of all things technical and photography-related, donning the title Director of Photography.

“Alex has a natural curiosity for all things electronic,” Susan explained. “So really, what he’s bringing that we couldn’t find in other people is more than just being a camera man; there are so many different things that it expands into. He’s interested in sound, the cameras, and a good photographer. He’s great with computers and all the technical aspects with the website.”

Having done work for the McCreary’s in the past, Alex is pretty excited to have the opportunity to work with them and help work towards breaking the stigma surrounding Asperger’s and Autism. Being a part of the production of the documentary will also help him build his portfolio in the film field.

“Becoming a filmmaker or working in television has been a dream of mine for a number of years,” said Alex. “This is hopefully one of the steps that I can take towards that dream. It’s definitely going to give me a lot of experiences and a lot of good stories at the end of it. I am hoping that I might be able to bypass film school and go straight to a job. If I can’t, at least I’ll come out of this with a lot of great experience and some perspectives of the world that I didn’t have before.”

Last week, they launched a campaign to help raise funds for the tour and the documentary on a website called IndieGoGo, which operates similar to KickStart. Individuals or businesses can post their project, their fundraising goal, and perks for those who donate, and anyone is able to donate.

The campaign, which is called Font Size Matters, allows donors to pick a ‘font’ with a corresponding donation amount, providing them with the opportunity to be listed in the credits in the selected font and size. Their fundraising goal is $25,000, to help them cover the costs incurred in the trip.

“I’m just looking forward to being trapped in a small room with my family for an extended period of time,” Matthew joked. “This is the time when you get to learn if they really love you that much, if, after 30 days they’re still talking to you. But I think it’s honestly going to be a really good time, a great opportunity and I’m really looking forward to meeting a whole lot of people.”

The tour will launch in October, where Michael will perform at the Parks Canada Theatre in Signal Hill, Newfoundland, and will wrap up in November in Vancouver, B.C. Prior to the launch, Michael will be doing a pre-tour live performance in Orangeville, with all proceeds going to the Orangeville Wolves. Any donors on the IndieGoGo campaign will receive free admission.

For more information on the tour, to find out more about Michael and his comedy act, or to place a donation in the Font Size Matters campaign, visit igg.me/at/aspiecomic.