"Not Smart Enough": Three Failed Autism Assessments and a Comedy Career That Finally Fits
Janet McNamara is a professional comedian whose 45-minute special "Not Smart Enough" went viral with over 130,000 views on YouTube. She quit corporate America after 15 years of panic attacks, got passed at the Comedy Cellar (with a little help from Amy Schumer), and is moving to New York to pursue comedy full-time.
She's also been assessed for autism THREE times and rejected every time based on outdated criteria...because she's "coordinated," because "people with autism have high IQs," because she "doesn't have sensory issues" (she only wears one brand of socks and didn't notice until a friend pointed it out), and because she "makes appropriate facial expressions" (learned in social skills class as a kid).
Her final diagnosis? Social anxiety disorder. Not autism.
In this episode, Janet talks about sabotaging tests because she doesn't want to find "something else wrong with me," building a comedy career that works for her brain, the neurotypical scripts that feel fake, corporate sensory overload (seven people talking at once in meetings), and her best friend Emily saying, "That's because you're autistic."
This conversation will make you laugh and cry. Janet's story is proof that sometimes you have to build your own life when the world won't accommodate you.
A note from a neuro-affirming, AuDHD therapist/diagnostician: It doesn't have to be this way. If you've had negative healthcare experiences like Janet's, you're not alone. There are providers out there who listen and who "get it." Please connect with the resources below if you need support.
Sharing this podcast helps get autistic voices into the world telling their stories. Please share with anyone who needs to hear they're not alone. Your story matters.
Find Janet McNamara:
YouTube: Janet McNamara (45-minute special "Not Smart Enough")
Instagram: @janet.mcnamara
Performing at the Comedy Cellar in NYC soon!
Get more Janet at a town near you on Punchup
Learn more about high-masking, late-diagnosed autism: Instagram @neurokoryous
Neuro-affirming autism assessments
Unmasking Retreats: koryandreas.com
YouTube: @ThatsMePod
Online Neuroaffirming care course for therapists
Want to tell your story on this podcast?
