Legendary comedian Jerry Seinfeld made headlines earlier this month by suggesting that he is on the autism spectrum. However, in a new interview with Access Hollywood this week, Seinfeld clarified his comments.
While speaking with Billy Bush, Seinfeld was asked about those comments he made to Brian Williams in an NBC Nightly News segment on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.
“I don’t have autism,” Seinfeld said. “I’m not on the spectrum.”
He said that he had just seen a play about autism and began to wonder why he connected so much to the story.
“I related to it on some level. That’s all I was saying,” Seinfeld added.
As previously reported, Seinfeld did tell Williams that he believed he was on the autism spectrum and discussed being anti-social. He’s not diagnosed, but told Williams that he’s often focusing on the wrong things.
“Basic social engagement is really a struggle,” the former Seinfeld star said. “I'm very literal. When people talk to me and they use expressions, sometimes I don't know what they're saying. But I don't see it as dysfunctional. I just think of it as an alternate mindset.”
In Seinfeld’s chat with Bush, though, he said that most comedians he knows, particularly the ones who are on Gars Getting Coffee, have trouble communicating with other people.
“Comedians never talk about normal things,” Seinfeld said. “They don’t talk about the weather, and how you’re doing... they’re always talking about something weird.”
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