Autism In Entertainment partnered with The Miracle Project and The Laugh Factory to host “Let It Out,” a stand-up comedy show for neurodivergent fans Wednesday night.
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“Let It Out” featured comedians Will Hunter, Kruger Dunn, Josh Meyrowitz, Laurie Kilmartin, Jeremiah Watkins and Erik Griffin.
Producer Mike Rotman announced in a Linkedin post Thursday morning that the show raised over $25,000 for the Koby Mandell Foundation and Sheba Medical Center through live streams, in-person ticket sales and donations.
Rotman told Variety he was inspired to create this stand-up program after realizing there were no comedy shows his neurodivergent relatives would feel completely comfortable at. He detailed the process of orchestrating particular tweaks for “Let It Out” such as reducing the volume of music and allowing patrons to wear headphones during the performance. The venue also included a private space in the back for guests to take a break at any point in the show.
Co-producer Rob Kutner explained how Jeremiah Watkin’s wife Maja is a program liaison for The Miracle Project and credited her for helping to streamline the production process for the show. He also shared that The Miracle Project brought a class of neurodivergent students to watch the show.
“This is just the beginning hopefully,” Rotman said of Wednesday night’s performance. “I would love to put together something in a movie theater. I would love to take this other places.”
Judi Uttal, founder of the Autism In Entertainment Workgroup, said the organization seeks to increase employment for autistic talent in the entertainment industry.
“The diversity moment which is big in Hollywood has not included Neurodiversity,” Uttal said.
AIE workgroup PR and sponsorships chair Marlene Sharp detailed how she and Uttal spoke on the social impact panel at the Entertainment X Tracks conference Sept. 12. She also highlighted a series of initiatives Autism In Entertainment is involved in such as hosting a recent Writing For Animation webinar, presenting a paper at the upcoming 2024 Stanford Neurodiversity Summit and screening a short film centered around “Love on the Spectrum” star Dani Bowman at ComicCon.
Meyrowitz told Variety before performing that he would like to see more progress for neurodivergent representation throughout the industry.
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“Stop getting people to pretend to be autistic. Get actual autistic actors,” Meyrowitz said of television and film productions. “There is a line, and I feel like the line has long been crossed.”
Watkins, who met with a fan after the show, said the goal of a performance like “Let It Out” is to make everyone feel comfortable. He referenced how many comedy shows have a propensity to call out or make fun of audience members, but that this event was specifically focused on ensuring an enjoyable experience for all.
During his set, Watkins engaged with audience members, taking time to dive into trains after a suggestion from a fan in attendance rather than strictly adhering to his prepared material.
“I definitely wanted to try to cater to the crowd and what they’re excited about,” Watkins said. “I love trying to connect with as many people as possible. And there shouldn’t be an exception for people who are on the spectrum.”
Griffin emphasized the importance of a show like “Let It Out” in fostering an environment for all people. He brought up the need to extend grace to others and said everyone wants to be able to laugh and feel included.
“The language of laughter is universal,” Griffin said. “We’re all different in more ways than race, gender, sexual orientation…there’s a spectrum.”
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