Re: the young man with Autism on American Idol

Well being that i work with people that experance devolpmental disablities i have to say u let him go if he wants... I work for a company called hope community resources and our theme for this year is reduceing barriers. It seems that so many people forget that we all do things that make us look like an idiot at time and why shelter someone just because they happen to experance a disablity. where u laughing when all the other "bad singer" where up. or did the idea come to talk people out of it only when u saw someone who experaince a disablity up singing. As far as any child gettng on there and singing badly and being made fun of i honestly think most know there cant sing and are doing it to get there 15 min of fame. hey they did figure out how to get on one of the top rated tv shows didnt they.

I think I missed the episode - did he say on th show that he was Autistic? how did it come up? I don't think I woudl have tried to disuade him - because it is really about going to and trying, not winning.

Well, I feel it is up to each individual what they want to do in life, but why shelter someone from a Dream that they might have? That would be wrong, so I feel allowing him to be on there was a learning experience, and what if he would have made it? Look at some of the Top 12 from yrs. past. They do have people with Disabilities who have made it on there, so why limit anyone? To me this would not be fair.

Wow that is a very interesting question. I think I would explain to my child how harsh they can be. Let him watch the show and see how the people witoh perfect talent get treated. then if he/she still wanted to I think i would support them because they are my child. I would be heart broken and probably run in there and smack Simon if he was terriable to my child because of how he/she is though. He would more then hear a bit of my mind.

I remember that boy--he had on the bright red Hawaiian shirt and was sort of chubby(I'm not being insulting...I'm chubby too..lol) I didn't realize he was Autistic. Everyone keeps saying how mean they were but Simon said that he liked him and he was a good kid but he wasn't right for the show. I didn't think Simon was mean to him at all. Yes he made bad comments towards his friend but I just didn't hear them when Simon talked to that kid. BUT please don't treat your children differently because they are Autistic. Let them go out and experience things. We can't shelter our children from everything bad. I think I would have explained to my son that they may not be nice and not to get super upset if he doesn't make it because he had many other talents. People want to shelter special needs children and the sad fact is that you CAN'T. They are people with hopes and dreams and I'm so sad when people try to hold them back because they think they can't do something.

Whether he was autistic or not is not the point. The guy couldn't sing, and somebody should have told him that before he was subject to the public humiliation on national tv. I can't even watch the show anymore, I'm embarrassed for the people on the show who are so bad.

Bless him, no I didn't see it. Sometimes Autistic people can be very single-minded and perhaps he was so determined that no-one could talk him out of it. I would be concerned and try to stop my childmaking a fool of himself however how far can you go to protect them? It was unfair of them to put him in the bad singer clips once they knew he has problems. The world isn't all gumdrops and lollipops and yes we all want to be treated equally but maybe he was mistreated with the placing of his clip - then again he got on Tv which may have been an important part of it for him.

autism or no autism i wouldnt let my child go through with it if i knew they werent that great.i dont think anyone needs to be humiliated like that.some of em are just stupid but you can see that some of em arent right and i think its just cruel to laugh in their faces

you know what, i wonder what's going on in the mind of the friends and family of all the OTHERS who audition and can't carry a tune. remember, only a handful are possible mentally disabled. i do feel sorry for some of those who do. but i really feel they're friends and family should give them good warning of them being tone def

I feel his parents were right in letting him audition. This what he wanted to do. Alot of people think people with autism or disabilities do not understand what is going on around them but they do. if his parents had told him they did not think he should audition he would known why. he knows he is different than other people. People with disabilities know they are different but to treat them different and focus on these disabiliies is as bad as painting a target on them and announcing it to the world. parents will love their children no matter what.

I have to agree with you that someone should have told him---not just him but any of the people that truly think they can make it. I'm not talking about the people like that freaky guy Ian who are just trying to get some national attention. There are people who truly believe they have a real talent for singing, and they just don't. Somebody please tell them! I saw that kid on the Today Show, and he really didn't seem to be all that offended by it. He said he actually thought the whole thing was kind of funny.

you know...that is a really hard question. if my son/daughter wanted to go on a show like this and i knew they were no good, i would feel obligated to let them know, but i also don't want to be the parent who makes her kids feel like scum. If I thought I had a great voice at age 17 or 18 and my mom and dad told me I didn't, I know I would be hurt and mad. I know the girl yesterday who said that her mom told her "let's face it you don't have the looks to be an american idol..you aren't a katherine mcphee". that was HORRIBLE! I would probably tell my kid they didn't have what it takes, but I sure would be gentle about it unlike some of the parents that are on there. Unless these people are lying about what their parents say to them. Some of it is horrible. But, look at all the people that come on there--problems or not--and can't carry a tune to save their lives and their parents and friends are right there and then get mad when they don't make it!! That amazes me!

If he were my child I would support anything he wanted to do ever weather or not he was going to be humiliated. When you have a child with any disability the worste thing to do is discourage them from anything that may their dream, let them be proved it so they know. You can step in there way bc they have enough limitations they way that life is for them. Even if he couldnt carrya tune im sure his parents thought he sang beautiful as all parent love anyway there child sings or dances or anything, let him find out for him self it will be less hurt full for a stranger to say he can sing than his own flesh and blood.