Every year, a special event happens in our community called A Night of Too Many Stars: America Unites for Autism Programs where celebrities in recent years such as Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Olivia Munn, Adam Sandler and others from our community come together for a comedy benefit supporting NEXT for Autism. NEXT for AUTISM mission is to transform the national landscape of services for people with autism by strategically designing, launching, and supporting innovative programs.
This year I was blown away by the videos of autism families along with a performance from Actionplay and Jodi DiPiazza. Jodi is one of my favorite people who went to Alpine Learning Group locally here in my home state of New Jersey. I was also thankful for the show featuring Carly Fleischmann, the first nonverbal talk show host with autism.
While watching Carly Fleischmann and Stephen Colbert on stage I thought about my work as a TV talk show host on the autism spectrum. My inspiration to get involved in this field to host my own show called the “Different Is Beautiful Show” was inspired by talk show hosts such as Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon where we highlight people impacted by a diagnosis.
I would love to be considered by the producers of the show to interview someone on this telecast while helping fundraise for a great cause such as NEXT for Autism.
This had me thinking about other individuals on the spectrum who’d shine at A Night Of Too Many Stars in future years. There are countless individuals who could be featured but I wanted to feature 5 with you today who I hope if the producers of A Night of Too Many Stars ever see may consider featuring…
Calum Cull
https://www.facebook.com/ASpecialCommunity/videos/1403294863057620/
Calum is a 10-year-old boy on the autism spectrum who has found a passion in singing. He sometimes struggles socially and academically but has enjoyed singing since he was 4. Recently he sang a Whitney Houston song that went viral on Facebook.
Hearing him perform with another celebrity (such as Ed Sheeran who Calum sing’s a cover of below) would be truly special.
https://www.facebook.com/ASpecialCommunity/videos/1420074491379657/
Andrew Duff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDnvc-QK_mM
Andrew Duff is one of my dear friends who is an actor on the autism spectrum. He is in the play Uncommon Sense and would be a phenomenal person to highlight during the telecast.
Coby Bird
https://www.facebook.com/ajplusenglish/videos/1087847498023423/?hc_ref=ARQgajnQGKHFd-gZ–xxC9AfbaIU58gsF34_VypGOrHWr2cqZziOuia0Cs7pleHQpro
Coby is a young actor from the Miracle Project who recently was the first actor with autism to receive a guest role on The Good Doctor, a show that follows a surgeon on the autism spectrum who also has savant syndrome. His story is astounding and would be a great highlight on the show.
Temple Grandin
https://www.facebook.com/TheMightySite/videos/695688727245544/
As one of the leading autism advocates in our field, it would be amazing to have Temple share her story and why it’s important to give back to the autism community. (Note: Temple has been at the show in previous years however her story and impact could always make a difference)
Ethan Walmark
Ethan years ago performed a cover of Piano Man which, like Calum’s video, went viral in our community. It would be wonderful to see Ethan have an opportunity to sing to fundraise for a worth cause.
To continue the conversation I’d also love to see A Night of Too Many Stars continue to feature videos of people in our community impacted by an autism diagnosis. One way to highlight even more people on the autism spectrum is to do a video montage of individuals on the autism spectrum, along with family members saying what they would like people to know about autism. This montage could be comprised of individuals and their families all across the autism spectrum. One of our most popular videos we’ve ever produced is “10 Things People With Autism Wish You Knew” that we share in the hopes of spreading autism education.
https://www.facebook.com/ASpecialCommunity/videos/1396541743732932/
To keep the conversation going, who do you think would shine at A Night Of Too Many Stars? Tell us in the comments!
