My Favorite Dj Part 1

Here is an episode from my other podcast that I am pulling from the archives. I enjoyed recording and editing this episode back in 2024. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. It was one of the most popular episodes from the other podcast.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Hello and welcome back to another episode of the Let's Talk podcast. My name is Haina Covington. Sorry, this is not a new episode, but an episode from my other podcast. You'll be seeing a little bit of that for the next couple of weeks. I feel that I want to kind of show you a little bit of some of my episodes I have done in the past of my other podcasts because they are some really good episodes, and I feel like you guys would enjoy these episodes if you have not gotten to listen to it on a simple discussion at the current moment. And I just want you guys to enjoy these episodes. Another bag from 2024, but they were really good episodes. I worked really, really hard on. I thought you guys would enjoy this. You will get to know one of my favorite mentors, by the way. He has been a big crucial part of my radio career since interning with him. And we had a really good time talking about life and just different things. I'm just giving you a feeling through older episodes so you understand. Because I think y'all deserve to hear older episodes, and they were episodes I worked on really, really hard. And I hope you enjoy it. Let's roll that intro music, and I will see you with some new content real soon. And I also have Chase with me.

SPEAKER_00 3:09

Hello. My name is Chase Denine, and I love being back on another episode of this podcast.

SPEAKER_01 3:16

Finally. I feel like you run around, so.

SPEAKER_00 3:19

Yeah, it's it's been hard, like with schedules and all that.

SPEAKER_01 3:23

Yeah, welcome. Welcome to discussions. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 3:26

Yeah, and I'm a film student at Western.

SPEAKER_01 3:29

And if you can't hear, we're doing another guest episode. And I would love to introduce this guest. I've been waiting and waiting. It's been a month process. That's right. Yes. I'm gonna welcome Andy.

SPEAKER_03 3:43

What's going on? Yeah. So glad to be here. And of course, I'm Andy with Woohoo107.1. I assume it's okay for me to say that. Yeah. Oh yeah. Yeah, glad to be back on it because I was on a previous episode.

SPEAKER_01 3:54

Uh or separate thing. Separate thing, but doing another thing with the But we've worked together before anyway.

SPEAKER_03 4:00

So and this is my first time getting to work with Chase. Glad to meet you and work with you. Yes, sir. Same here. Glad to meet you soon.

SPEAKER_01 4:06

And would you like to give us a back history of how you got into radio for the listeners to learn a little bit about you before we dive into some questions?

SPEAKER_03 4:16

Yeah. So I was attending Western at the time. I had some very real talks with people that were kind of like, hey man, because I was doing history, and they were like, you know, teaching jobs in history are pretty limited. They were like, you know, especially at the high school level, they're like, you either need to be aiming for the college level or maybe younger kids and blah, blah. So I was like, let me rethink. And I already was really passionate about radio and was, you know, a musician and doing all these things. So I shifted into the broadcasting department. Shout out Marjorie Yamber, former, you know, uh director of that department and also uh, you know, Revolution91.7 guru, and she helped me out a lot. And then I got in with WBGN, which was a sports talk station that we used to have, uh, because I would go out to Monday Night Football at Toots, R-I-P Toots, and uh we would watch the games and I would talk to the guys, and eventually I finally worked up the courage to be like, hey, I really want to get in radio. Do you have anything open? And he was, of course, like, well, no, we don't have anything open, but you can come hang out with us. And I started doing that. And then eventually he was like, you know what? We can put you on board up for some games. We can put you on the payroll. And I was like, great. And then I just worked my way up and I started sweet talking Kirk over at the woohoo side and was like, I'd like to get in the little on the uh the pop side of things as opposed to the sports talk side of things, because I love sports, but music's always been my number one passion. So got in over here and worked my way up. I started on overnights and then eventually middays and morning show and afternoons and everything else.

SPEAKER_01 5:40

So how did you do it overnight?

SPEAKER_03 5:43

Oh man, listen, you know me, I'm a night owl. I couldn't help it.

SPEAKER_01 5:47

Because overnights don't exist anymore.

SPEAKER_03 5:48

Yeah, they don't, yeah. It really doesn't. And if it does exist, it's pre-recorded.

SPEAKER_01 5:53

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 5:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:54

So you know me, and what were your thoughts before you met someone on the spectrum?

SPEAKER_03 6:01

So I've definitely had autistic friends before. I have not probably worked as closely with someone uh who was autistic before we did, but I mean I'm I have always I was raised with a lot of acceptance and a lot of uh awareness, fortunately, about things that might give people different abilities in their lives, whether one way or another. So uh, you know, and having had autistic friends, I was not upset by it or bothered by it or even really nervous about it at all. But it's uh, you know, I knew it would be a little different uh than what I was used to. But, you know, honestly, it's been amazing getting to know you and working with you. So I've been very grateful. And you've taught me in this short amount of time that we know each other a ton about autism that I didn't know. And and you a lot of what you did is you sort of put a name to things, like things that I would know are sort of traits of autism, but I had never pondered them deeply. And then you're kind of like, yeah, this is this thing, and it's this reason, and this is this other thing, and this is the reason for that. And it made a lot of sense. So I I learned and grew a lot from it. But but I I wasn't I wasn't upset about it or nervous about it at all. I was excited about it.

SPEAKER_01 7:01

So how did Kirk tell you about me? That's the I because I don't know what happened behind the scenes because I was talking to Kirk for about a month before I met you.

SPEAKER_03 7:10

Yeah, it was interesting just because he came to me and he said, Hey, would you be interested in the idea of having an intern on your show? And of course I was like, Absolutely. Like, I love the idea, especially when he said it was a girl. I was like, I'm I'm a I'm a dude out here talking to dudes, and sometimes you feel like you need a woman's input on things. And I used to be on a morning show with a woman, so that was immediately like a great idea. And then when he said you were autistic, you know, I was like, that's great because autistic people, one thing I I have learned is uh special interests for autistic people end up being so fascinating, like whatever their thing is, they're gonna be so passionate about it and be so easy to talk to about and so fun to hear them talk about it. And you'll learn a lot. So uh that was basically it. He did mention it beforehand that you had autism, but he didn't mention it right away. At first, he was just saying, you know, which I appreciate too, because he didn't he didn't come out with that like it was gonna be a deal breaker. He just mentioned it after it was confirmed that you were going to. He's like, also just as a heads up, she is autistic, so you know going in. And I was like, great, you know. So like, because uh not to jump too far into the discussion, but like one of the things that I think people, and we've talked about this before that I think people have a hard time adjusting to when they first meet someone autistic is how you know they tend to not make direct eye contact. And I think that bugs people, but I already knew that going in, so I knew that you know that was just you being on the spectrum. It had nothing to do with like I was being weird or you know, you didn't want to look at me or something. It was just a natural thing, you know. And I've known other people that were that way, even if they weren't diagnosed autistic or whatever.

SPEAKER_01 8:35

So I don't know. Is that one of your traits, Chase? I don't know. Did you look people in the eyes when you were younger or no?

SPEAKER_00 8:42

Um, one of my traits, I believe, was um, I do know what's weird though is like I've been forgetting lately, like kind of like the only thing I remember about like my childhood back then is like I was like obviously shy and that like the arts helped me come out of my shell with like local school productions. But um uh I think if memory serves though, like say like when walking down the halls, I always like looked down on the ground. Yeah, yeah. Even like with regardless of however many friends, like because like obviously like when you're in the halls, you don't have like a lot of time to chat because you gotta get your turn next class, but like I would always like look down. Um I don't know if I s I think I still do that, but only if I'm going downstairs or something, because I feel like I I think everybody does that.

SPEAKER_03 9:38

Yeah, yeah, you gotta keep your eye on them tricky stairs. You don't want them to running away from underneath it.

SPEAKER_00 9:43

But like even if I do look down when I'm casually like walking, either I don't recognize it or like I may not be doing it.

SPEAKER_02 9:50

Sure.

SPEAKER_00 9:51

But I was also like kind of like um and I still am today, like I'm also like a um, oh I'm a bit I'm a bit of an empath. Yeah. Meaning obviously, like I try to be empathetic as I can. And like what sucks too is like about being autistic, it's hard to recognize emotions.

SPEAKER_03 10:11

Emotions. Right. That's one of the big things is not reading subtle cues as well, right? And yes. Would you agree with that description of it? Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:18

Cause I'm a hugger and Oh, I'm a hugger.

SPEAKER_03 10:20

And I've had to learn the hard way that some people don't want hugs, and it's not personal. Yeah, yeah. They just don't want hugs. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:26

Yeah, especially like um, I I'm able to understand that more like if it's like um, like even if they just straight up say, Oh, I'm I'm not a hugger, or if it's like say someone like who excuse me, who who even is like on the spectrum or not. Um and like and I totally respect that, and like I try to like say, like, is there anything like you do accept whether it's like a handshake or like like a pat on the back or even like because nowadays like I I've like learned that I know it's not accurate, but like I I have learned it through movies, but also like kind of like hearing some of it as well, like in disc in various discussions that like even sometimes like being there for someone, like say like if they're like like in their time of need, um like even if you don't know what to do, like just physically being there. Absolutely. And like not even like like even if you even if they don't want to be hugged or touched or anything.

SPEAKER_03 11:24

Sure, and even if they don't want to talk about it, just just being present.

SPEAKER_00 11:27

Being there and like sitting through like the silence or whatever it is, um, like just helps.

SPEAKER_03 11:32

Yeah, that's a really great point. And you made another great point a minute a minute ago that I wanted to return to, if you don't mind. Yeah and that was about you talking about the you know, working in theater and the arts and things really helped you come out of your shell. And that's one of the things that we were talking about, actually, me and Hannah were talking about before you before you got here, is it's interesting to me that, you know, because there are biases against autism and things, but it's like I have found that autistic people are some of the most creative and passionate people, and they often don't have avenues to be outlets for those things, but as soon as they do, they can end up being the most vibrant people. You know, there's so many great entertainers and inventors and all kinds of different things, business owners. Yeah, absolutely. Like, definitely autistic, you know. Yes, like yes, and and I'm blanking. Uh Temple Grandon talked about another great grand, yes.

SPEAKER_00 12:17

I was there when she was um, it wasn't at the Capitol, but like it was Skypack, yeah. Skypack, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:21

Oh, I got that confused.

SPEAKER_00 12:22

It's okay, it's a simple mistake.

SPEAKER_01 12:24

I've been up since six in the morning. It happens.

SPEAKER_00 12:26

We get that, but um, yeah, I was there too. Um, and it was just an honor to be there, like in her presence.

SPEAKER_03 12:34

Yeah, yeah, and because she's a person who in a different time, her creativity and her vision might not have had an outlet. But she was painting those, you know, rodeo signs, all this different stuff, and designing cattle chutes, and somebody saw, like, wait a second, your brain is doing something different here than my brain can do, and it is good. Yeah, and I want to invest in that.

SPEAKER_00 12:54

Yeah, she's made a big impact in that in that field, in that industry, which is the um, I'm trying to remember like the name of said industry, but you know what I'm talking about.

SPEAKER_03 13:03

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:04

Yeah, like I think it's like um like animal cruelty or something. Like, or even like doing it safely. Yeah. Because like with uh agriculture? Some I believe it's agriculture, but like, yeah, like um her machines, her projects I want to say, or like her works of art have basically just made a huge impact. And like I know there was even like this, and I've yet to seen it, but there was also but there was like uh in back in 2010, this HBO original TV movie about her and Yeah, and it was a huge hit, and I never actually saw it, but I started seeing Tim Bulgrann and stuff online and things, and then I saw that she was coming to Skypack, so I went and spoke or I went and saw her speak.

SPEAKER_03 13:46

I got to meet her and get her autograph afterwards. I got I bought a copy of her book, her book, Different Kinds of Minds. Yeah, and yeah, and it was a great time for me to see her because of having worked with Hannah for a few months before that. I had even further insight into the life of people who are on the spectrum, and then got to hear her insights and feel very much the same way. Of like, you know, a lot of those people just need to be put in the right position to thrive. And like, obviously, stage creativity was a thing for you that helped you open up and be a lot more of your natural self through that. Yeah, you learn you learn what it is to be on a stage and to be in the zone and to have to look at the crowd and to have to do these different things, you know, that expand what you would have normally been doing and you know, really help you open up.

SPEAKER_00 14:31

Yes, because like the arts have like obviously like made a huge impact on me because like my mom can vouch when I say this, because um, when I was like super young, like I I don't remember like how old like you are when someone says like when they were like a toddler, I don't know, like the age range. Like four, something around that, yeah. But like we came out of the movie theater at that time, and it was for the live action Scooby-Doo film. Yeah, and I was quote and I was quoting the the breakup scene. I was quoting that like word for word at such a young age, and my mom was astonished.

SPEAKER_03 15:11

Yeah, wow, immediately like, okay, your memorization skills are off the charts. There's something going on.

SPEAKER_00 15:17

And what's I and what's funny about that is that I've been forgetful lately. Hey, it happens, it happens, it happens. But yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 15:24

And not everything is as memorable as the 2002 live action Scooby-Doo.

SPEAKER_00 15:28

Oh yeah. Cannot believe that is now 22 years old. Isn't that insane? Yeah. And the sequel's 20.

SPEAKER_03 15:36

Yeah, yeah, insane, man. What's it called? Monster Island? Is that it?

SPEAKER_00 15:39

Uh that's the fictional place that they're on, yes. Okay. And um, they filmed it in um if memory serves in Australia, which I've been wanting to go to. And I didn't know that. That's awesome. And I know that Matthew Lillard worked with Airbnb a couple years ago and like had the mystery machine like up on there.

SPEAKER_03 15:54

That's amazing. We love Matthew Lillard.

SPEAKER_00 15:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:58

Yeah, um yeah. I started in theater and then moved towards radio.

SPEAKER_03 16:04

Right. Which again, there are probably a lot of people, even a lot of greats in radio who are autistic because it's the kind of thing that ends up being your special interest, right? It's the kind of thing that like you can because there's so much to fine-tune, there's so many logistics, there's math involved, there's presentation, there's so many things to think about that the average brain might, well, whatever you consider the average brain, might get pretty scattered, but a person who's on the spectrum might see a broader picture and see a lot more of the complexities of it than other people.

SPEAKER_00 16:35

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 16:36

Yes. And back in my NPR days, it's like I came up with the good stories that a few went national because of I was on the spectrum. Because I created the good stories. People liked them.

SPEAKER_03 16:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:49

I I would say my favorite story I have done was the stories that brought people back to the Kentucky Museum.

SPEAKER_03 16:58

Oh man. Love the Kentucky Museum. And honestly, anything that gets people in museums or libraries, I'm for it.

SPEAKER_00 17:03

Yeah, museums nowadays are just like it's hard. It's hard.

SPEAKER_03 17:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:08

It just like for like movie theaters because like everything's like on streaming.

SPEAKER_03 17:11

Exactly. Yeah, why why leave the house? Everything's on the internet. And it's not the same. I mean, I I love museums. And when you go to a museum, sometimes you will walk away with so much insight. And you know, again, yeah, I know there's a YouTube video about that thing I could watch, but it's so much cooler to go to it and see it in person and learn there in person.

SPEAKER_01 17:29

And like I'm gonna ask, what what qualities did you see in me with me being on the spectrum after you learned? Like, what what did I tell you I don't remember, or what did you notice?

SPEAKER_03 17:41

I think like I said, one of the biggest things that that stood out immediately is that is that you're not a big eye contact person, which again doesn't bother me. I am used to it, I'm totally cool with that. That stood out to me, and then uh just mostly because you've talked about it, that there would be I could I could see that you were worried about misreading social cues because sometimes you would say a thing joking with me or whatever, and then you'd kind of later be like, I hope you didn't take that the wrong way, or I hope I didn't offend you. And of course I'm like, No, but I think that came from that part of you that is worried because you know you feel like you're on the spectrum, you're might you might misread social cues that you had said or done something wrong, and of course I'm like, no, like you're totally good. That those would be the big things I'm trying to think. I mean, one of the things, and I don't know if this is related to being on the spectrum or not, but one of the things that I have always been impressed with you working with you is your tremendously good attitude and how you know, like me, you know, me and me can I say Tony on this? Is it okay to just say Tony? Me and Tony had talked about it when he was telling me that he was happy to hear that I was working with you. It's like Hannah will do any job you put in front of her. If you ask her to do it politely and respectfully, she will be there at 5 a.m. She will be there at 10 p.m. She will do whatever you need her to do. And I think that kind of dedication may not necessarily be related to you being on the spectrum, but also I've worked with a lot of people who are not on the spectrum and they do not care and are not trying that hard. And because I think it comes from your determination to do the thing, you know?

SPEAKER_01 19:10

And I think it was how I was raised was my parents taught me to work hard, work extra hard because you're gonna have a harder time in life. And I was working towards being accepted. Work hard is going to pay off.

SPEAKER_03 19:27

Amen. And you knew that you had a harder road ahead of you because of biases against people on the spectrum.

SPEAKER_01 19:33

Yes. I don't know if there's any in the building here. I I don't judge, but I there were days I did not feel welcomed.

SPEAKER_03 19:42

Here in this building? Yes. I hate to hear that.

SPEAKER_01 19:45

It's sad. I just don't share it.

SPEAKER_03 19:47

Yeah, no, totally. Because you and Alan tell me who it is off air and I'll be I'll beat him up. But me and Alan were always good to you. Yes. And Alan's a sweetheart, he's one of the nicest guys on earth. It's the thought that counts. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 19:59

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 19:59

So speaking of it, I don't want to oh go ahead, Chase.

SPEAKER_00 20:03

Yeah, I was just gonna say that like it kind of reminds me of like, and I know like I tend to do this, even though yes, I am a film major. Um, it makes me think of like like say even like some of our favorite films or TV series, like there would be like bad um like stuff happening behind the scenes, like the most notable one being the shining, like like like Stanley Kubrick, the director of the film, was such a just abusing poor Shelly Duval, yes, the main actress.

SPEAKER_03 20:34

Yes, yes, making her do the same takes over and over again. Hundreds of times. Demanding that she be crying for like 12 hours while shooting.

SPEAKER_00 20:43

And he would have the crew also be mean to her.

SPEAKER_03 20:45

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:46

Yeah, yeah, it's insane. Yeah, and um and but what's interesting too is like he would be so nice to the little boy, of course, Danny Lloyd.

SPEAKER_03 20:56

Yeah, and supposedly Danny Lloyd never even knew he was making a scary movie.

SPEAKER_00 20:59

It's yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 21:00

They kept all that from him. But yet Shelly Duvall, they made her personal life a living hell to try to get these acting performances out of her, and it's crazy.

SPEAKER_00 21:07

Yeah, and honestly, I'm so happy that like she got the like that her voice was heard about it.

SPEAKER_03 21:17

Yeah, because for many years people weren't even talking about that. Yeah, she even of what someone a visionary director like Kubrick could get away with. Yeah. Which I love Kubrick in his movie making, but yeah, it's yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:28

Yeah, he's like one of those people where it's like um he's one of those people in the industry, or just people in general, where it's like he's good at his job, but is a complete jerk.

SPEAKER_03 21:39

Right. And that that that always brings up the question of how how much can you get away with just by being good at your job? Because, you know, again, I love Kubrick. I literally, you're gonna love this. I literally played a clip from The Shining today on on the cinema, Say What. And I made people uh say Scatman Cruther's name because I was like, you can't call on them with the name of the movie. I said name either the director or the The actor in this scene, and it was Dick Callaran saying, you know, you know how I knew your name was Doc? But but yeah, so you know, for many years people weren't ever asking that question of does the means justify the end? Yeah. Like, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:13

Yeah, and what sucks too is like she resi she received um a Razzie nomination or a Razzie win. And for those who don't know, like the Razzies is basically for like bad movies and all that, like worst actors.

SPEAKER_02 22:25

Yeah, the Golden Raspberry Awards.

SPEAKER_00 22:27

Yeah, yeah. It's basically like the opposite of the Academy Awards.

SPEAKER_02 22:31

Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 22:31

And um, but what's good though is that um I believe the Razzies actually ended up taking like if you look at her filmography on her IMDB, which is like the go-to for filmography, oh yeah, um, under awards, I believe they like kind of like took that back because of the stuff that she went through, which I'm glad they did. Yeah. And rest in peace to Shelly Cabal.

SPEAKER_03 22:57

I know. What a brilliant film actress.

SPEAKER_00 22:58

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 22:59

She was in all those Robert Aldman movies in the early days and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_00 23:01

Yeah, and she had like this cool uh children's show too. Yeah. Yeah. She was like just such a beautiful soul.

SPEAKER_03 23:07

I love it. Hannah, I was gonna ask you, how old were you? Because I don't think you've ever told me this, because we were talking about growing up, your work ethic growing up, different things like that. Uh, how old were you when you were diagnosed as on the spectrum?

SPEAKER_01 23:22

Um, I had the signs as young of three or four, but I did not get diagnosed until about two and a half years later after my epilepsy diagnosis in kindergarten. Oh my. Yes, I got diagnosed with epilepsy in kindergarten, and by second, third grade range, I was diagnosed with autism. Yeah. And my first seizure was actually here in Bowling Green at the Holiday Inn.

SPEAKER_03 23:49

Really? Oh my goodness. Do you remember what caused it? Was it anything specific?

SPEAKER_01 23:53

We don't know.

SPEAKER_03 23:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:56

And sorry if I interrupted, but like and I and you can correct me if I'm wrong, but like um from what I recall from epilepsy, it's like it's like lighting and like certain lighting and like stuff. It's it's been a while since I looked up.

SPEAKER_01 24:08

It's a mix. Lighting, be like being too tired, not having enough fluid in your body, food. Yeah. I've dealt with sinus issues and seizures and being overwhelmed. We think most of my seizures happened in high school. My later years of high school was due to stress. Even though it has not been said. I I could have had my license at a younger age.

SPEAKER_00 24:36

It's okay. It could have been worse, though.

SPEAKER_03 24:39

It could have been much worse.

SPEAKER_00 24:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 24:42

I mean, listen, if you had ever, you know, had a seizure while driving and and it could have been a bad situation.

SPEAKER_01 24:46

So yeah, honestly, I have it under control. I've been seizure free for seven years. Amen.

SPEAKER_00 24:53

I'm applaud I'm applauding that.

SPEAKER_01 24:55

That's hard. Yeah. Telling people like, oh, I can't do this, or I can't like go through a haunted house. That's why I don't like Halloween.

SPEAKER_03 25:04

Oh, yeah, lots of flashing lights and movies. I didn't even think about that.

SPEAKER_00 25:08

I didn't think about that either. But it makes total sense. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:13

Don't I like I don't do haunted houses. I never went to high school dances because I didn't want to ruin the fun for all my fellow classmates.

SPEAKER_00 25:22

Quote unquote, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:24

Because they use strobes.

SPEAKER_00 25:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:26

I literally just went to a wedding and I forgot. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_03 25:30

Oh yes. I know. I'm probably personally responsible for uh and actually I've done weddings. I will say I've done weddings where they tell me, hey, can we tone down the flashing lights? We have, you know, somebody with epilepsy or whatever else. And it's actually come up. So I'm always very, you know, understanding of that.

SPEAKER_01 25:45

And it was like a small room too, and I'm like, with no AC.

SPEAKER_00 25:49

Oh no, that's the worst. Yeah. Because I remember um my prom had like where we were at, it was like no AC, I think. Yeah. But um I did learn a valuable lesson that night.

SPEAKER_01 26:04

What? Where do you odor it? It is an important lesson.

SPEAKER_00 26:08

Well, not only that, but don't get a big dessert after your dinner. Oh and I'm also a party animal.

SPEAKER_03 26:18

Fell. Fell.

SPEAKER_00 26:20

Yeah. But I am also glad that I was the only one that did that. Does that make sense? Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. Like I didn't want anyone else to be sick or anything. And like what's good though is like I decided to throw up a few couple times and you were over it, you were good.

SPEAKER_03 26:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 26:37

Obviously I had to sit down for a while, but I took it easy.

SPEAKER_03 26:41

Yeah, it's easy to get a little overheated and a little overstimulated with all that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 26:45

Yeah. But what's interesting though is like I'm okay with strobing lights. And like like but like I know like uh because what's interesting too is like that's both uh that could be either or for both epilepsy and or autism. Yeah because it's like a sensory thing.

SPEAKER_01 27:04

Yes, and I can tell you the days where I feel over-censored is usually the days I'm lacking sleep and I had to get up early. Sure. Or I've had a migraine. And let me tell you, the after effects of a migraine are the worst.

SPEAKER_03 27:17

I hate migraines so much. It's worse. Nothing worse.

SPEAKER_01 27:20

It's worse like when you're on the spectrum, you're overscensored and you're like learning a new job and you're trying not to be grouchy.

SPEAKER_03 27:27

Yeah, absolutely. And and you don't know how to and again you're dealing with you don't know what people's understanding of epilepsy or autism is like, so you don't know if you're trying to if you're talking to a wall trying to tell them the other thing or if you need to just address it, whatever you never you know, you don't even know how to handle all that.

SPEAKER_01 27:43

Welcome to running bored, and the only way you talk to your person is via text.

SPEAKER_00 27:47

Oh yeah. I'm surprised I never had a migraine. I don't remember what causes them, but anything. Oh yeah. Yeah, because I because like I feel like stress is like the number one causing effect for everything. Oh yeah, stress kills. Ain't that the truth?

SPEAKER_01 28:04

Yeah, like one of my big issues when I first started at Woohoo was I didn't know what would set my headaches off because sometimes smells actually cause my headaches. Oh really? Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 28:15

Like a strong, like a strong candle smell, maybe.

SPEAKER_01 28:18

Candles, perfume perfume. Because remember I told you I didn't like cigarette smoke.

SPEAKER_03 28:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:23

Because I honestly thought that would cause my headaches to get wires. They never did. That was so interesting.

SPEAKER_00 28:28

Yeah, that's a good that's good at least. Yeah, but as long as it's it was like a specific strong smell, it had to be like a strong smell.

SPEAKER_01 28:34

Like I can't be in Bath Body Works less than 15 minutes.

SPEAKER_00 28:38

Oh, yeah. I can understand that.

SPEAKER_03 28:39

Yeah, or like if someone was in this closed studio right now with a lot of perfume or cologne on.

unknown 28:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:44

Yeah. But light smells like food, certain foods and all that are fine. Like it's like it's it's just like something strong, obviously. Strong, like Yeah, fine.

SPEAKER_03 28:53

Well, yeah. What question did you have next?

SPEAKER_01 28:55

Me?

SPEAKER_03 28:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:56

Um Aren't you aren't you the boss of this show? Yeah, yeah. I actually I'm one of the co-producers. There you go.

SPEAKER_00 29:02

Let's go.

SPEAKER_01 29:03

Um You talked about growing up. Um, how many classmates did you like see do you think had that were on the spectrum?

SPEAKER_03 29:12

You know, I'm trying to think. I mean, I do remember having classmates that were and knowing it, but I don't remember specifics, but it wasn't very many. Like, you know, I'm a few years older than you, and and and even when I was in school, autism was not as well understood as it is now. I mean, we're learning new things about how it works and what it means to be on the spectrum every day. I mean, I I mean, wouldn't you agree with that?

SPEAKER_01 29:33

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 29:34

Like, so I don't think it was nearly as well understood then, but we definitely had it and we definitely knew what it was. Um, and and there were definitely a few classmates, but I don't remember a lot.

SPEAKER_01 29:43

Like, were they called like certain names?

SPEAKER_03 29:46

Like, oh, definitely. There was there was definitely discrimination. And for the most part, like, I mean, I was lucky because I surrounded myself with compassionate people and the kind of people who wouldn't act that way. But you definitely saw it, you know, and that's part of what got me inspired early on. You know, I've done work with the Special Olympics and I've done all these things because you see how people get treated so differently for things that were never in their control, for things they're trying to make the best of, and things that don't have to hold them back at all. It's just things that make them different from what people are quote unquote used to, and it makes people act mean. People don't like things that scare them or they're not used to, you know? Yeah, and it's I definitely saw bullying for sure.

SPEAKER_01 30:24

Especially if you go public school around.

SPEAKER_03 30:26

Yeah, which I did, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:27

And that's a sad fact too, because like it's a it's a known fact that like um I don't remember the exact quote of the fact, but it's uh along the lines of like people on the spectrum tend to be uh bullied a l like it's like a certain number, but like it's a sad fact, basically.

SPEAKER_03 30:49

Oh, I'm sure of it because like I said, I saw it, you know, even at even in my school where someone is, you know, a perfectly intelligent, compassionate, awesome human being, and they get bullied just because they, you know, like something like they struggle to make eye contact or they're getting over overstimulated in a situation and they you know might act in a way that people don't know what to make of it, and you know, they get bullied, made fun of and stuff, and you're like, this person is having a totally normal thing, and you can be totally chill about it, but you chose not to.

SPEAKER_00 31:21

Yeah, and like to me, like like there's no need to bully like in general, because like like say even if like you're just bullying someone because they like something different, like why? Yeah, it they're they're not you, exactly. Yeah, they're not you why do you care?

SPEAKER_02 31:38

You're the weirdo for caring what they like.

SPEAKER_00 31:40

Exactly. Like, like, why do you have this strong urge to like cause an unnecessary scene and unnecessary harassment and like dude, or whatever gender said bully may be, like just if we were all you, then we'd all be robots.

SPEAKER_03 32:03

Exactly. 100%.

SPEAKER_01 32:04

I I will say it's harder being a female on the spectrum.

SPEAKER_03 32:07

I well, because it's already a harder road for women in life in general. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:11

I w I was actually bullied. I don't talk about it because you let go of the past. Sure.

SPEAKER_03 32:17

Um I would that's the thing is because you know, they say a grudge is a punishment you give yourself for someone else's actions. It's like you can't hold a grudge on those people. Hopefully they grew up, maybe not, but it's not your problem anymore.

SPEAKER_01 32:30

Yeah, because I know I was bullied and I hid my disability. Like I tried to fit in. It was extremely hard. Like, I think all of my high school years, I hated being autistic. Like I didn't want to talk about it. I I was ashamed that I would have to go to a different college than my friends. But I was like, But by the time I got through my first year of college, I was like, nope, I love my disability. Yeah, and it's agreed.

SPEAKER_03 32:57

And it should be that way with anything that makes us different in our lives, you know? Like anything, whatever it is, if it is if it makes you different, but it doesn't hurt other people, you should embrace it and find a way to because you're not going to be able to change it. Just like, I mean, obviously, this is not nearly the same, but you know, a lot of the bullying that I endured personally is growing up short. I got a lot of crap from guys who, you know, would bully me for being short or chubby or whatever else. And you're like, Well, I I did not choose to be short. It's not out of any lack of trying, you know, that I'm short. So eventually I got over it. And now it's like, I love being a short king. I embrace it. But it used to be something that I would get bullied about and be very sensitive about, and then you learn to embrace whatever part of you that people and then you take away the power of those bullies when you embrace whatever the thing is, like embracing your your you know, your status as a person on the spectrum or whatever it might be. When you embrace that, it takes away their power because bullies only have power if they can hurt your feelings. If they say something and you're like, Yep, that's true. Bye.

SPEAKER_00 33:59

Yeah, yeah, you like that's a crappy thing about two uh too about bullying. Like they have the power if you let them have it. Yeah. So like it turns into like almost like like where it's like almost like I don't want to say where it's like the victim's fault, but it's really not, obviously. Like it's just like it's just a matter of like how you handle it.

SPEAKER_03 34:24

It is, and that's the worst thing, is because you know, it's so hard to tell somebody who's enduring bullying, oh, you just have to change your mindset about this, you know, because it's the other person who is wrong, but at the end of the day, no one can control anyone except for themselves. You know, I always say life is like driving on a highway. You can only control the one vehicle on the highway, so you gotta be alert of what everybody else is doing because all you can do is drive your own car. It's the same way in life. Yeah, you can't control anybody else being a jerk. You can't change most people. All you can do is change how you react.

SPEAKER_00 34:54

Exactly. And hopefully along the way they change, but if not, just forget them.

SPEAKER_01 35:01

Yep. And and the interesting thing was when I first came to Woohoo, I'm like a good five feet taller than Andy. Five feet? Wait, five feet. I'm sorry, five inches taller. I'm not gonna say that's five inches taller than okay, Caitlin Clark. All right, let's see it.

SPEAKER_03 35:18

Let's see you dunk.

SPEAKER_01 35:19

Come on. Oh my god, I can't. Oh my gosh. Um, I was five inches and I was like, this was another issue I ran into. Anytime I worked with men and I was taller than them, they hated it.

SPEAKER_03 35:30

Oh, it threatens men, yeah. And and I and you know, like I was talking about embracing m being a short king. Like I've I I've dated women who are taller than me. I dated a girl for like two years who was a full head taller than me. And it didn't bother me for a second. Because like I I had gotten over that part of my life where it used to bother me, and now it it baffles me when it does bother guys. Or like their girlfriend bowls with a heavier bowling ball than they do. And you're like, if you're defining your worth based on your height or what bowling ball weight you throw, uh, you need to do some inner work, my friend. Amen.

SPEAKER_01 36:02

Because I was like, is this gonna bother him? Because I had worked with a guy that was shorter than me, and he had issues with it.

SPEAKER_03 36:08

And I That's so silly.

SPEAKER_01 36:10

Yeah, yeah, it's not Tony. Like I said, I figured, I figured. Yeah, because Tony's a little bit.

SPEAKER_03 36:15

But Tony's a short king too, though. No, he's a little taller than me, but You gotta respect short kings. That's right.

SPEAKER_01 36:19

Yeah, exactly. Because I was like, that was my one thing, is like as soon as I stood up, I'm like, what's like because I get judged for being also tall.

SPEAKER_03 36:28

I know. Yeah, it's a hilarious thing that we built for ourselves that men get bullied if they're short and women get bullied if they're tall. And we're like, why can't we just stop caring?

SPEAKER_01 36:37

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 36:38

You know, because like again, I said women get bullied for being tall, men get bullied for being short. Yeah, that's like so dumb. It's so silly. And it's like the same thing is like you drew that genetic card at birth. No amount of of anything will allow you to be able to change your height. Now they have surgeries for it, which is horrifying, and it takes like six months. And I'm like, why would you spend six months of your life with getting your bones broken and extended and doing all this? It's like over your height.

SPEAKER_00 37:07

Yeah, like like just own it because it's a part of you. Be proud of it. Yeah. Don't, don't, don't, don't bring yourself down about it.

SPEAKER_03 37:16

It's it's and it's the same thing like we're talking about with with being on the spectrum. You drew that car to birth. The only people I ever want to bully are people who act like jerks, and then you're like, you know what, you've earned bullying because you chose to act like a jerk. Yeah. You know, that I am gonna give you a hard way to go. Yeah. But anything that is a genetic draw of the card or anything that is out of somebody's control, you know, like it makes no sense to give somebody a hard way to go about it.

SPEAKER_00 37:41

Yeah, because it's it makes me think of like the classic saying, uh, treat people how you want to be treated. And honestly, if you're gonna treat me like a jerkwad, I'm gonna treat you like a jerkwad.

SPEAKER_03 37:51

I'm gonna bring that same energy, baby. We're gonna have a good time.

SPEAKER_01 37:54

Oh Lord.

SPEAKER_00 37:55

Yeah. But I did also look up some um some some of those statistics, like um, going along with what you said, Hannah, like how it is harder like to be to be a woman on the spectrum, because like it according to the CDC, ASD is nearly four times, four times more common among boys than among girls. And to me, I don't know why, but like to me, that's like a sad fact. Because like, oh I and I just realized why. Uh because like like so many undiagnosed exactly. That's literally what I was about to say.

SPEAKER_03 38:34

It's probably a lot of women going undiagnosed.

SPEAKER_00 38:36

Yeah, and what's great too is like there's this new way of getting diagnosed. It's like I think it's like with your brain scan.

SPEAKER_04 38:43

Yeah, from what I've heard. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 38:45

Something along the lines of that. Uh but it's it's a brilliant new way, in my opinion. And it's a and it's also a great respectable way, I'd say. Because it's actually really diving into the science of it.

SPEAKER_01 39:00

Yeah, like I literally came to the Kelly Autism Program, because I told you about the Kelly Autism Program, right?

SPEAKER_03 39:07

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 39:07

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 39:09

And you said that was part of why you came to Western, was for the Kelly Autism program.

SPEAKER_00 39:12

Same here.

SPEAKER_01 39:14

Yeah. So when I came in 2017, Lord, I've been in Bellingrey for so long. Um, I was one of the very few female students they had. So I was outnumbered. I was like, I had to start acting like a dude a little bit to fit in. Oh, I'm sure. It was annoyed.

SPEAKER_00 39:34

I'm like, Yeah, because now that I think about it, yeah, there are like I am seeing some more women, but not as much in the program. Does that make sense?

SPEAKER_01 39:44

Yeah, it it bursted for a while, and then I feel like it sh kind of shrank because I think girls are too scared to be in the program.

SPEAKER_00 39:52

Yeah, I'm also not seeing like a lot of like diversity.

SPEAKER_01 39:55

No, we've had a little bit of diversity, but not much.

SPEAKER_00 39:59

Yeah, it's just like it's it's sadly like kind of like sprinkled in rather than Yeah. Yeah, and not to disrespect on that, but I feel like it's probably just because of like it varies on the person, maybe. Yeah. And like their family on like what they're doing. And opportunities and things like that. And opportunities, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 40:16

Yeah, like we're giving a a little bit of a dive of what the building consists of because and I was even talking about it just recently with somebody, is that some of the even newer students is like they're too scared to do anything. I I was talking with Dave, and uh he's like, Do y'all do anything outside of cap social? I said, Well, I do. He said, Yeah, because I see you everywhere. I was like, Well, I know.

SPEAKER_03 40:42

You do stay hustling though. Good Lord. You're all over town. And all over the state, actually. You're on your way back up to Frankfurt to tomorrow.

SPEAKER_00 40:52

Oh, what's that about?

SPEAKER_01 40:53

You know my other job.

SPEAKER_00 40:55

I forgot. I'm sorry. It's okay, I forget too. Yeah, you can tell me after whatever. But yeah, um, I'm still uh awesome on that. Dap it, dap it. There we go.

SPEAKER_01 41:06

Yeah, ice cream season ended, and now I actually get to work on what I actually got a degree in. I have two! Woo!

SPEAKER_03 41:15

Oh two degrees, that's right. Let's go.

SPEAKER_01 41:18

Can you remember them?

SPEAKER_03 41:19

History uh with was it religions? Yeah, and then and then your second one is is broadcasting. Yes, yeah. See, look, look at me go.

SPEAKER_00 41:28

Interesting. Yeah, I guess that's something that you and I have in common because I already have two associates' degrees. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_03 41:35

Yeah, and originally I was going to school for history as well. I was thinking I was gonna be a high school history teacher because coming, and that was because I had high school history teachers, especially and English teachers that I bonded with a lot and reached out to me and did a lot for me that I wanted to give that back if I could, you know.

SPEAKER_01 41:48

And I I was gonna say is you're still such a history nerd.

SPEAKER_03 41:54

Oh, love it. That's my jam.

SPEAKER_01 41:56

And I was gonna ask a question.

SPEAKER_03 41:57

Knowing what year something happened in is like my favorite thing. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 42:03

Absolutely. But yeah. Um, but also uh kind of to go back and sorry if I was about to interrupt your thought. Um, I was also uh bullied as well. But like to me though, it it was just like a once or twice thing. Sure. Like out of my whole life, like like a one-time or two-time thing. I don't talk about it because honestly, it's practically just forgetful because like it wasn't constant, which I'm grateful for nonetheless. But like I feel like bullying, in my opinion too, like depending on how you're bullied, is like how it sticks to you. Yeah. Like, even if it's like from a one-time thing, or even like as something as small that that can probably lead to a big thing, like whether it's like a rumor or like a a dumb joke, or even like getting I don't want to say pulverized, but like punched or like beat up or whatever. Yeah, something like that. Like and like yeah, it could vary, but like for me though, like it it was just like this happened and just moved on. Cause like it happened to me like in uh my eighth grade trip. Uh we were going to DC, and I'll make it quick. Um basically, like, I was just sitting on the bus trying to relax. Um, and this guy behind me just like just kept blowing behind my ear, and I kept telling him to stop it. So childish. And then and it was like late at night on the bus too, and like the teachers were asleep, and basically I literally like lit up and I was just like, Stop it. And like they just like he and like the other buddies in the back were just like just laughing it off or whatever, and so I just moved to the front. Well moved up.

SPEAKER_03 43:52

It's funny. I have a I have a real brief uh school bus bullying story to tell you too. There was a there was a guy that was giving me, and I I don't remember why. He was just a guy on the bus who was like, you know, a couple years older than me, and he liked picking on me or whatever. And one day he did, and I just talked such trash to him, and it was so funny because he then was like, Oh, really? I'm gonna come over there and you know, blah, blah, blah. And I was like, I was like, no, you won't. Sit down. And like, and of course, if this dude would have crushed me if we had actually been in a fight, but because I just didn't back down, he like, he backed down. And I was so like, that was a big turning point in my life where it's like, if you just call people on their stuff, because bullies are little people at heart, they can't, they they don't realize, even when they're doing it, that the reason they're putting you down is because they need to feel better about something in their life.

SPEAKER_00 44:39

Yeah, because they may be go they maybe also be going through something too. You don't know if they're like either broken or just like or just straight up pure evil.

SPEAKER_03 44:49

Yeah, they've got a horrible home life or they've got they've been through stuff that they haven't dealt with, so they're taking it out on the world around them. And again, when you take their power away by just being like, you ain't gonna get to me, man. Like, you know, that that's the that's the turning point for you.

SPEAKER_01 45:02

I wish I was that way, but I have anxiety problems.

SPEAKER_03 45:05

And that's tough too. I mean, listen.

SPEAKER_00 45:07

I have anxiety.

SPEAKER_03 45:08

Oh, yeah.