One of my friends has a 19 year old brother with Asperger's and another friend has a 25 year old brother with autism. Neither of them feel the need to boast about themselves or have the inability to know when to stop appreciating their own efforts.

Don't tell me ................... it's because neither of them have Tourette's as well

Methinks it's simply because the guy was far up his own backside to begin with and all the fawning from the judges has turned him into his own haemorrhoid.

He should be loud and proud because he and Casey are by far the most talented. Those two are better then nearly all the artists around at the moment in my opinion.

In American Idol this year on performance level James is miles in front. If you want a nice lad that just stands and sings and you would like to watch that sort of concert then vote for Scotty. Myself i want entertainment and someone that can bring the crowd to life.

My 20 year old friend who I mentioned doesn't have Tourette's either. Like I said, everyone with Asperger's is as different as anyone without, however one social defect which can be caused by Asperger's is being wrapped up in oneself. Some Aspies have obsessions, but the friend I mentioned doesn't, particularly.

Just because James has Asperger's and Tourette's doesn't mean that he is similar to every other person with Asperger's and/or Tourette's.

James is a performer anyway, manyy of the world's most popular performers could be considered self important. Anyway, disability or no disability, I'd say that Jacob comes across as more arrogant than James.

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Why on earth would you expect everyone with Aspergers/ Autism to be effected in the same way as people you know with it?
These conditions effect people in vastly different ways. Obsession and discussion on one topic is very common - with some it is their stamp collection, with some their career and it is also fairly common not to have the inhibitors that many others have to check themselves so as not to appear boastful etc.

My condition is rather similar, and I talk non-stop about the Idols, but I accept criticism of my favourites and enjoy bantering about them, unlike my friend who's obsessed with Rhydian.

I also ruminate about negative things in my life, which causes me a lot more problems than my interest in AI

Although I've compared James to one of my friends, they're still completely different people. My friend loves to perform in amateur dramatics while James would love to be a rock frontman. Both involve being the centre of attention whether you have a disability or not - that can just exaggerate the behaviour.

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If you google Aspergers and arrogance or arrogant you get loads of hits, showing how behaviour is interpreted as arrogant, based on assumptions of what the behaviour means.

How about if you google the non-Aspie Jacob and arrogance?

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I tend to watch just the performance shows rather than the results one so I don't really get to see much of them apart from their actual "turn". The only uber-icky thing I saw from anyone was the America not being able to look in the mirror. That was just so bizarre and I think probably was down to him trying to say something profound rather meaning to imply that there would be something wrong if you didn't like him

in general, I like to see artists having a healthy confidence in their talent

Haha that's the comment I was referring to, bet he wishes he could take that back and rephrase it now!

I like to get to know the Idols' personalities. Confidence and a lot of character are great, just not too much confidence lol - and I don't think James has too much confidence

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Why on earth would you expect anyone who knows your ulterior motive for pretending to support James to take anything you say seriously?

Ibeca is far from alone.

Whatever's gone on between other posters re: previous contestants, it's not really relevant to these threads or everyone else having to read them.

what a silly thread I have worked with people with asbergers and autism and also have close family members with a variety of ranges on the autistic spectrum from severe to very high functioning. just like everyone else they are individuals who deal with their situation differently, nature v nurture and all that .
James is American, and from what I can see it is seen as ok to be confident and proud of yourself there where as here not so much. I like his style but Scotty is my fave because of their voices. Also we can all say daft things at times, if we didn't forums would be very boring lets look at the singing and enjoy the show for what it is an entertainment show, I am entertained every week so thank you A I .

The sad thing is there have been several other examples from James over the weeks similar to the one I quoted in my original post and not one to make me change my mind.

I know people with Asperger's and autism and I've also known some people who have been diagnosed as being on the spectrum for the most minutest suggestion when all they have had is behavioral or social inadequacies that are simply down to upbringing. Autism and particularly Asperger's seems to be "Condition of the Time".

I know many Americans. You may be surprised to know that most British people have no problem with confidence as long as it's not seen as misplaced. Americans have just as much of a problem with misplaced confidence as the British do however.

I used to have an American key worker, and she tol me that she used to teach in America, where students with special needs, no matter how severe. Students like me, my friends and James would spend a lot of their time in mainstream classes, but have a unit to go to if they needed extra support. (I would probably have a 1-1 anyway, as I'm also partially sighted). More severely autistic students would remain in the unit all, or nearly all, of the time, but they would still be in the mainstream environment, so everyone in the school would be eposed to them and their conditions.

Perhaps this is where there's a difference between America and Britain. Many Brits may see James as arrogant, if they have little or no knowledge of Asperger's, or if their only experience of Asperger's is through people they know, who happen to be very different to James.

Americans probably see James as a regular guy with a few quirks, and a great performer. That's how I see him too, but as I have a similar condition myself, I have been exposed to many different types of person with Asperger's and even Tourette's, some similar to James, some not so much. I alsp sing, and I am confident but a massive perfectionist. James may well be similar, but so was Stefano - he said himself that he beat himself up about criticism that was given to him by the judges, so these traits are not unique to peiople with Asperger's, especially not amongst performers.

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You think children with disabilities aren't taught in mainstream schools in this country? Not that that is something I agree with. It does the disabled children, whatever their condition, little favours.

Where does this notion that it's a problem with confidence come from? Particularly on this forum on this site? Have you seen who the evidently most popular contestant, judging simply by the size of the appreciation thread and the fact that it is still active two years on, on here is? Hardly an understated shrinking violet lacking in confidence is he?

Americans saw Casey as a regular guy with a few quirks and a great performer but voted him out (twice). Whatever it is they see James as, after last night a lot of them must see him as a guy undeserving of the horrendous type so many of his fans showed themselves to be after the way they were carrying on on Twitter. Shameful.

Sadly James already clearly thinks he is pretty damn perfect and his beating himself up over the judges' comments is not as you stated it but due to not being able to see why they criticised (and let's face it, they haven't exactly drowned him in criticism, much as it has often been deserved, so God help him if they had).

Please don't be so condescending about what are or are not regular traits for performers. Particularly when you have no idea about the backgrounds or professions of the people you are addressing.

Some people with mild disabilites are taught in mainstream, more so these days than ever. Some people with more severe disabilities are also in units, but it isn't as common over here as it is in America.

I wouldn't be able to be taught in mainstream based on the way my condition mainfests itself, but for some people it works. I do think people with disabilities should have a range of options open to them, so they can go for what's best for them.

A problem with confidence is something that's been discussed a lot on this thread, not only by me. Adam is very popular, but so is James - despite all of the criticism that each of them receive, whether it relates to their personalities or their performances.

Not quite getting the Casey comment, but I assume it's a spoiler. Thanks fr that. At this stage, all of the contestants will have fans who believe they deserve to be there, and people who don't. I believe that Stefano deserves to be there way more than Haley, and always will. Doesn't mean the voters in America agreed with me

Speaking of Stefano, it was actually him I was referring to when I described a contestant as beating himself up after receiving criticism from the judges, not James. I was trying to make a point that traits such as perfectionism and brittle confidence can be present in those without disabilities, but may manifest themselves differently in people like James who have diagnosed conditions.

I can only speak from my own experience of performing and how I see the contestants. This is an opinion forum, so I'm not stating my opinion as fact unless I state otherwise. Neither am I suggesting that my opinions apply to everyone.

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