The Assembly gave Jann Arden her best-ever interview. Here’s how

Margot Vosk was not sure about her appearance on television. As the president of disability non-profit BC People First, the owner of LGBTQIA+ and neurodiversity products company Retrofilac, and a full-time artist, they already had a full plate.

But being autistic and having a less than rosy view of autism representation in the media also gave them pause. So Iidea of ​​continuation of the Canadian version Assemblywhich pairs autistic and neurodivergent interviewers with Canadian celebrities seemed a bit risky.

“I was a little hesitant at first,” they told CBC New.s, relative to honey.ia's track record of portraying people whose brains work differently from what is considered “typical.”

“When we think about something like a particular Netflix dating show, it can seem very infantile.”

The Netflix show Vosk was talking about Love on the Spectrumis one of many shows that feature autistic people and storylines—for better or worse. And while they can be seen as an inspiring example of increasing representationturns on, shows how Assembly have also earned a reputation for attracting patronizing and condescending views from their non-autistic and neurotypical audiences.

An often criticized column has The Good Doctor — about a doctor diagnosed with autism and Savant syndrome — or Atypicalabout an autistic teenager looking for love.

Both of these shows have been criticized for their bad performance autistics — such as presenting sensory processing issues as a joke or a penchant for extreme honesty as an entertaining quirk — and not hiring autistic actors.

But there are other examples: How we see it, Dinosaur And Everything will be fine These are all shows about autism that have become famous not only for treating their storylines with respect, but also for featuring neurodivergent people in them.Opla behind the camera.

Then there is Assembly. Based on the French series Papotin's meetingsthe franchise and format have moved from England to Australia to Norway to Singapore and now to Canada, premiering November 6 on CBC Gem.

The reality show pairs neurodivergent people, including those diagnosed with autism, with different celebrities from their countries and asks celebrity guests questions.

The Canadian series' celebrity cast includes everyone from Jann Arden to Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Howie Mandel. Their reactions ranged from Ramakrishnan covering his face in embarrassment to Arden calling it “the best interview ever.” [she's] ever was.” This is because according to the show, no items are off limits. stated purpose emphasize “honest, authentic and open interactions” between guests and experts.

Performance: ups and downs

Reaction to its various iterations has been mixed: The Guardian called The BBC version is “powerful television, a portrait of disabled people that doesn't look serious or grim.” The Australian version was then removed autistic writer John Delmenicowho called it “full of good questions, talented people, and just about every modern ableist trope.”

All of these preconceptions were in Wask's mind as they headed into the recording session. But, they say, the experience was anything but regressive.

“I felt like there was incredible energy in the room and everyone was just positive, I think, feeding off each other, and it just turned into magic,” Vosk said. “I don’t even know how else to describe it, but it felt otherworldly.”

Some of this success, they say, was due to counseling for autistic people. This factor is often missing from programs that are criticized as lenient.

They say such shows can turn neurodivergent people into caricatures of themselves. Beyond how they act in real life, decisions in the editing room—from the “inspirational” music played whenever they appear on screen to simplistic marketing gimmicks and providing them with resources such as sensory space on set—can play a crucial role in how they are portrayed.

Vosk said that this was avoided Assembly involving autistic people in as many aspects of its creation as possible.

“Honestly, I thought there was something really exciting going on here,” they said.

Unexpected questions

Executive producer Sean DeVries said the show's commitment to empowering autistic people to be their authentic selves will be most evident withm openness of questions.

“I can tell you, I'm sure they were surprised by a lot of the questions,” he said of their celebrity guests, highlighting one in which Howie Mandel was asked about shaving his head and whether he shaves any other parts of his body.

“Some of the questions made them feel awkward, but they were all asked in a very authentic way, so I think they handled it the best they could.”

While the show can be seen as a step in the right direction, others have reservations and complaints about the format. Culture writer Sarah Kurczak, who has autism, said the production of the show itself can provoke an almost voyeuristic reaction from the audience.

“I feel like its presentation might be a little symbolic,” she said, noting that she hasn't seen the Canadian release but has seen the British and Australian versions of the series. “Meaning: we don’t have a filter.”

This can happen, s.he said, “shows that play out neurodivergent thought processes for laughs.” In reality, When you have someone with a “different brain wire, who is in a world that's not necessarily designed for you,” perspectives and curiosity will naturally be different, she said.

This leads to questions that may seem atypical, she said. Any series that highlights these differences and explores how autistic people can approach and interact with the world is a good step, she said.

But she also noted that the central idea of ​​the show — that autistic people's questions are so atypical that non-autistic audiences can be aroused simply by listening to them — can be problematic.

She says this can be seen in the trend of viral clips framed as “cute” or “touching”, when autistic people should be seen as complex, diverse and fully capable people, just as deserving of respect as anyone else.

There are similar risks with the Canadian version of the show, she said, noting that the inclusion of autistic people throughout production makes Assembly a good step forward, if not the best possible.

“The more we are seen as people, as part of the human experience, and the less we are seen as someone else's creative exercise—someone else's tragedy, someone else's model of fear, or someone else's entertainment—the more we can finally just be who we are,” she said. “And be part of this world that includes arts and entertainment.”

Vosk understands this trepidation and says such criticism is prevalent in the neurodivergent community, in part because nothing will ever be one hundred percent satisfying or infallible.

When it comes to this and other attempts, they say, the most important thing is to try your best. In this space, they say, that means including autistic people.

“I want to ensure that when autism is talked about or represented in the media that we consult with, we are a part of every aspect of it,” Vosk said. “And I think this show really sets a precedent for what that can look like.”