Season 2, Episode 10, Part 3: Interview with Sean McElwee & Sean Couevas, "Inclusion"

Sean McElwee and Sean Couevas, both stars of A & E's groundbreaking show "Born This Way", share their close and unique friendship. In this episode they share stories, advice, and the importance of inclusion. They share stories that are both sweet and funny. Sean McElwee owns Seanese, a t-shirt company, stars in his own YouTube show, "The Sean Show", and is a keynote speaker. Sean McElwee has Down syndrome. Sean Couevas is his best friend. He does not have a disability. 

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Transcript

spk_0:   0:00
Hello, My name is Greta Harrison. Welcome to Born Fabulous Podcast Episode 10 of Season two The theme of this season is Changing the world one friendship at a time. You will hear interviews with best friends. One person happens to have a disability, and the other does not. This episode is the third of my Interview with Sean Mac Away and his best friend, Sean Cuevas, both Shawn's Air, famous for being on Annie's groundbreaking show Born This Way. Sean McElwee was one of the main stars, and Sean Cuevas was featured often is his best friend. Many of Sean Cuevas is Life Milestones include Shawn McElroy, and our own film is part of the show. Shawn McElroy. He owns Shaw Nees, a T shirt company. He stars in the Sean Show on YouTube and is also a keynote speaker. He is 25 loves his independence and loves life in a quirky and fun way. He is now known for. Shawn McElwee has Down Syndrome. Sean Cuevas is the proud father of a son named Holden, who is three. He is also an outside sales rep and all around great guy. Sean Cuevas is 36 does not have a disability. Both Shawn's have a deep, fun and interesting friendship. This episode will share more stories and what inclusion means to them. Please enjoy the short clip of Love Is a Potion, the Lyrics or by Melissa Regio, who was the focus of episodes one through four in Season one. The Music and Voice or by Rachel Fuller. Now speaking of Sean M. And Girls. ATTN. The beginning of Born this way. The audience was introduced to his strong, stubborn personality when he he refused to be at the beginning. He really didn't want to give up on your girlfriend Hilary of the time before she was your wife. So let's let's talk about that because some of the audiences may be misunderstood intentions or, you know, there's editing and things that come into play. So why don't we talk about that experience?

spk_1:   2:46
Yeah, E. I mean, it was more more playful than anything, but Sean is could be persistent and, uh, pretty easy to nine. No, no, I wouldn't say it's it. It's annoying. No, I thought it was funny, but I find no Shawn and I knew Sean going into that moment, and he's just He's just a funny person. He wasn't really trying to steal my girlfriend. He was just just being funny. Sean, basically, Yeah, Sarge, Like a duck's got big house. I do jokes. And then with it. Yeah, that's awesome. Yeah, exactly.

spk_0:   3:19
And and sometimes you get carried away, right? Sean in?

spk_1:   3:22
Yeah, you'd be curious or toes. I got an anger problem. Yeah, we all get angry at times, but, I mean, sometimes your jokes go on a little bit too long, but, you know, and with the girls get a little carried away. Yeah,

spk_0:   3:38
Sean m. This is a good time Thio to talk about that. You really do make us last. And and I just want the audience to understand that even though it was portrayed as you really going after Hillary too strongly and maybe you didn't go after her little too strongly. The fact is that the people who were really in the middle of this, which is Sean see, and Hillary they understood you more than anybody else did. Correct. Yes, that's

spk_1:   4:06
true. And we'll have room sometimes, right? Like a team. Ouch. Someone's here isn't to say I know I could be ahead of you guys. And as I love her because it's hard for me. I do. I do understand it. We go sometimes is too much for it. Yeah. Yeah, he was always respectful. If I said, hey, you're going that you're doing a little bit too much. He would he would pull back and, uh, realize that he was going to get a little carried away. I'm not too much. Yeah, right, Zack.

spk_0:   4:44
And so And then you knew that he had good taste in girls, right, Sean? See?

spk_1:   4:47
Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah.

spk_0:   4:51
Okay, so let's talk about what year did not hold on. What did he say?

spk_1:   5:01
He's a dating. Let's talk about

spk_0:   5:02
Dok showing him. Go ahead, talk about dating. Um, I'll just

spk_1:   5:07
go at Clark. Left a lot of air. I'm getting very huh,

spk_0:   5:13
Sean? And you really would like a serious girlfriend. And you really do want to settle down, right?

spk_1:   5:21
Yes, I sort of like that.

spk_0:   5:23
Okay. And you and you really do want to sell down with somebody. Even though you kind of play the field and you've had a lot of girlfriends. Your goal is not to do that forever. Your goal is to settle down. Is that right?

spk_1:   5:36
Yes, but are solid times. This rig. I have his kit of Ah Ah. And with Kennedy. Well, that's old. That's that's

spk_0:   5:49
That's back then. But we're talking about you. Your goal is to be married one day, right? Yes, I agree. A dream home and have a dream. And And we've learned it could happen, right? Yes, we've learned. And Sean see, Is that your goal to for the future or you're just going to take it as it comes?

spk_1:   6:09
I I think so. I would like to get your future. Yeah. And of course, I want a dream home, too. Doesn't everyone? And it could happen. Yes. Alacrity. Yes.

spk_0:   6:22
Shots he has fans to. You know, Sean M. You're not the only one with fans, Sean. See has fans to fight.

spk_1:   6:28
Yes, but me, I'm really Scotia. Well, you are really special,

spk_0:   6:37
huh? Sean? See, let's ask this, um, your background. Had you ever met anybody was a significant disability before. Sean M?

spk_1:   6:49
Yeah, actually, a close family friend to wi his dad. We always referred to as an uncle who was one of my dad's friends. He went to school with. I had a son with down syndrome and I was raised with him, is my cousin. And so we would spend a lot of time together, and he actually moved out of state. So I haven't seen him in a while. I'm relived smoke mostly with his mom now, but we're really grown close growing up and actually was one of the, uh um I forget exactly what they call it for a little liege. I would go out there and help them when you play baseball was really involved with the, uh, his sports teams.

spk_0:   7:32
Oh, that's really cool. And what's he about the same age as you? Or was he younger?

spk_1:   7:36
Yeah, he was one year younger.

spk_0:   7:37
He was when you're younger. And so you grew up with him in your high school. Did you have anybody with disabilities included in your class is the only left

spk_1:   7:46
not in our in any of my classes. Um, there where I was, uh, do some of the people at school. But there wasn't really any inclusion in my classes in high school, which I think would probably I think it would have helped the dynamic of the costumes if we did have it.

spk_0:   8:07
Well, I hope everybody heard you say that. Can you say that again? One more time? A little louder. Go ahead.

spk_1:   8:13
I think just having more inclusion in the classrooms in high school would help with the dynamic and every classroom and would help everybody, not just, you know, people with special needs, but also typical people. It's definitely I think Sean has done more for me in my life than I've done for him. Yeah, and, um, it's just Ah, just raising awareness. And, um, you know, there's more people out there in the world, our own Selves.

spk_0:   8:48
That's really that's really profound. Thank you for sharing that. And then you have you had experience after your friend that you grew up with?

spk_1:   8:56
Yeah, when I was in the military, we We have some special Olympic athletes in our barracks and actually would come picking. Lived with us for a few days on base, which was really cool. Uh, and one of the guys that the guy that lived with me, he was similar to Sean. He was very girl crazy. He wanted me to introduce him to every girl in therefore besides the sporting events spent a lot of time introducing him to other Airman.

spk_0:   9:26
You mean Air Women? Correct. I hear

spk_1:   9:30
a girl called

spk_0:   9:32
I'm just teasing. That was a joke. Oh, that that was purely a joke. But that's that's cute. So I That's very refreshing, because I personally did not know about the time between the military and Special Olympics. So,

spk_1:   9:46
you know, I'm not sure every base does it, but our basted it, which was pretty cool. It's definitely everybody enjoyed it. Everybody. I don't think there was a person that didn't volunteer to have someone staying with them, so it was pretty cool

spk_0:   10:00
that sneak, Sean. See, you're very complex guy. There's a lot to the layers and all the very best way. So that's that's very good. And Sean M. We know that there's a lot to you. A swell. You're a lot to handle. Your You're a lot to handle, aren't you?

spk_1:   10:19
No. Really, Really simple. But I

spk_0:   10:25
think your mom might disagree A

spk_1:   10:29
lot of fun. Last town do take you seriously. I got the whole community. Yeah, please. Yeah.

spk_0:   10:40
Oh, yeah. Of course. There's a lot of things you take in your business. You take seriously to Brighton

spk_1:   10:44
grew. Yes, Ugo. You like a clock out of your business. I do to you, sir, Say, Yeah, he's definitely spend serious with April Clark. We're We're a few weeks now. Yeah, but you've also had you've had long, steady relationships. Your last one was pretty long. It's not Katie. You and Katie, you know, from Las Vegas? No, You got a year.

spk_0:   11:13
You had a girlfriend for over a year. That's what Shaun see is talking about. Let's let's talk about, um, what advice you might have for other people out there. Uh, what? When I When I'm talking about advice, there might be people in places of worship, all different face. Or there might be people in schools or in nonprofits, various areas who might be interested in getting people with disabilities together with typical peers who do not have disabilities. And what advice would you have for them?

spk_1:   11:52
I got, uh, some people I don't wanna hear about noble leagues not know bullies and Haskell don't do that. It cannot start. No boys means no good, because they are not getting fired from girl Chris. Girl and T has girl in college. But anyone else because she's not allowed to do that like no, boy. I agree. That's one thing inclusion and just hang out. You know, special needs or anybody with disabilities with somebody. That's typical. I think it would lessen bullying. People have more experience with people different than themselves. They wouldn't be, you know, acting negatively towards people that they don't understand. I think that's one of the benefits. But there's so many other benefits to just having relationships with people that aren't like you. You can understand other people, and just it helps with a greater understanding of the rest of the world. Yeah, exactly. Like like a different disabilities. Yeah. I mean, there's people with different disabilities. Doesn't mean that they can't be Justus going on as someone without disabilities. Even more so. Oh, I didn't hold out like that. I can't understand that. Yeah. Sometimes people choose to not hang out with somebody because they can't understand. But just being around somebody helps understand war. Yeah, exactly. Like some things some people like that it is, so it can't talk, but, uh, we have, uh, to speak for her hair and stuff like that. I saw Yeah, there was some people that refuge that weren't verbal. But they still got involved and still did all the activities with us and develop friendships. They just communicated differently, Which is which was great to see that you can communicate with people that don't have the same verbal abilities as you.

spk_0:   14:03
That's a wrinkle.

spk_1:   14:04
Is, is really hard for a lot of people. Happens in scores. Yeah, yeah, schools can be tough. Three. Hard yell. It's insurance.

spk_0:   14:17
Well, that's a powerful message because you started with bullying and then Sean see you ended with with how we can all learn about each other and get along well. And I guess I just want to clarify for the people out there who are still hesitant. And they say, Well, I know it's a good thing to do and I want to do it, but I just don't know how. Um, was this was your program refuge driven by demand from the church? Or was it your pastor's idea or whose idea was it?

spk_1:   14:49
You know, I think because

spk_0:   15:04
Sean is kidding. Sean M. Is kidding, but you're not sure whose idea it waas?

spk_1:   15:10
No, I got invited by my friend path, the one that actually went with us and it had been going on for a while. And his name is dead Bullet. Oh, yeah, Dave's Dave runs it. It's the the leader that puts it on every week and that I think he's was involved with the Tesoro Club, right? Yeah, I was like an after school club in a school. And then he I don't know what the correlation was with Rector with Mountain View Church, but that's where he started in that mountain church.

spk_0:   15:45
Okay, well, thank you for that. Thank you for listening to Born Fabulous Podcasts. 10th episode of Season two I hope you enjoyed it and want to hear more. If you would like to see this episode, it is available in YouTube and on Born fabulous podcast dot com. The friendship between both Shawn's is a joy to see as well as here. In Episode 11 Both Shawn's will talk about the Emmys, goals, advice and brotherly love. To see some photos and videos of both Shawn's or to sign up for email list, please go to www dot or in fabulous podcast dot com, please, like a song Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter and subscribe to our YouTube channel. We're also on Pinterest. I'd be honored if you would leave a review on Apple podcasts. Now please enjoy this clip of love is a potion, the lyrics or by Melissa Regio, who was the focus of episodes one through four in Season one, The Music and Voice or by Rachel Fuller.