Autistic Culture
The Autistic Culture Podcast
Ghostbusters is Autistic (Episode 02)
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Ghostbusters is Autistic (Episode 02)

If you like Ghostbusters, you like Autistic culture.
Autism podcast: Ghostbusters is Autistic. Join us as we dive into the Autistic characters, and Autistic actors who made Ghostbusters great!  Is Dan Aykroyd Autistic? Yes!  Learn about how his Autistic scripting and his special interest of the paranormal led to him becoming one of the most iconic Autistic celebrities.
M: Autistic children are—it has been studied—are much more likely than neurotypical children to experience the paranormal, to experience ghosts, to experience interesting psychic phenomena.

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast:

Actually Autistic podcast hosts, Angela and Matt, explore the Autistic history and legacy of the Ghostbusters franchise, created by Autistic actor and writer Dan Aykroyd.

Dan Aykroyd displayed Autistic traits from childhood like echolalia and special interests in ghosts, law enforcement, and cars. These all influenced Ghostbusters. Today, he credits his neurodivergent nature for helping him creatively. Delightfully, two main Ghostbusters characters, Ray Stanz and Egon Spengler, are canonically portrayed as Autistic in the films.

“You can always link together this Autistic, hyper-connected brain where we love research, we love learning new things, we love investigations, we love the things that we are incredibly passionate about.” —Matt

The films focuses on the characters' deep research interests, which draws in Autistic viewers who appreciate the detailed world-building, and Ghostbusters 2 explores the Autistic experience of emotional intensity arising for unclear reasons.

“So Autistic friends in the land of Autistica listening, if you are at all worried that your special interest could never make you money: paranormal research, ghosts, law enforcement, cars— there is a fortune to be made in our deep diving special interest research.” —Angela

Recent sequels, Afterlife and Answer the Call take different approaches to representing autism—the former from a strengths-based perspective and the latter more deficit-focused. The female reboot had some Autistic characters (and actresses with Autistic traits), but played them for laughs rather than exploring authentic Autistic strengths.

On this virtual culture trip, the hosts argue Ghostbusters shows the symbiotic relationship possible between Autistic and non-autistic people when they come together around shared interests.

Have you seen a ghost? Foretold the future? Are you tuned into the paranormal? Tell us about it in the comments!

Want to learn about more Autistic celebrities making movie magic? Check out: Industrial Light & Magic is Autistic

The Paranormal Life Of Hans Holzer, America’s First Ghost Hunter

Dan Aykroyd, still autistic after all these years

'I have Asperger's - one of my symptoms included being obsessed with ghosts': Under the microscope with Dan Aykroyd

Dan Aykroyd's 'obsession with ghosts and law enforcement' is due to Asperger's

Ready for a paradigm shift that empowers Autistics? Help spread the news!

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Learn more about Matt at Matt Lowry, LPP

Matt’s social media: Autistic Connections Facebook Group

Learn more about Angela at AngelaLauria.com and Difference Press

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Discussion about this podcast

Autistic Culture
The Autistic Culture Podcast
Welcome to the Autistic Culture Podcast. Each episode we dive deep into Autistic contributions to society and culture by introducing you to some of the world’s most famous and successful Autistics in history!
Whether you are Autistic or just love someone who is, your hosts, Dr. Angela Lauria, the Linguistic Autistic and Licensed Psychological Practitioner, Matt Lowry, welcome you to take this time to be fully immersed in the language, values, traditions, norms, and identity of Autistica!
To learn more about Angela, Matt, and the Autistic Culture Podcast visit AutisticCulturePodcast.com