SPECTRUM SPECTACULAR GALA

Michael Theo, of Love On The Spectrum fame, will be a celebrity guest at the upcoming Spectrum Spectacular Gala Ball in Coffs Harbour. We had a chat with him ahead of his appearance about his experience on the show and what he is looking forward to about participating in the Coffs Harbour event.

ever achieve: fame! I was very surprised at my popularity and so were my parents. The show has been praised for its honest and respectful portrayal of people on the autism spectrum. How did you feel about the way you and the other participants were portrayed?

I believe the other participants and myself were portrayed in a very positive way as we only wanted to find love, and we all came across as authentic. It really showed a lot of people the truth about autism and what amazing people they can really be. I had no complaints with how the show turned out whatsoever.

How did you first become involved in Love on the Spectrum, and what inspired you to participate?

First off, I will reveal what inspired me to participate. For about 10 years, I have been on a quest for love. I have always pictured myself being a potential husband and possibly a father. Everyone wants to be loved and I for one am no exception. My parents have been married for 35 years and I see them as a role model for a marriage, although I admit it’s like watching The Flintstones all over again. My brother got married late last year and he had a few girlfriends before he settled down. I eventually believed that if my brother, sister and parents are able to settle down and make something as beautiful as a romantic relationship work, then I certainly can too! Now to explain how I got involved in the show. In 2019, I was with an employment agency known as Atwork Australia. They were previously called Essential Personnel. I was a client of theirs since senior high school years. Northern Pictures contacted various employment agencies including Atwork and they recommended me for the show. When I first heard about the show, I saw it as a golden opportunity to help me find love. I was so eager to be part of it that I called Northern Pictures numerous times because of said enthusiasm. I didn’t join the show to become famous. Fame was never an aspiration of mine. In the end, I didn’t find love but I gained something I never believed I would

The show follows participants as they navigate the world of dating and relationships. Can you talk about any challenges you faced during this process, and what you learned from the experience?

I honestly had very few challenges during the experience, although I did have trouble developing feelings for some of the people I dated on the show. It is not a reflection of them at all. I can’t help it if I don’t feel anything special for someone. Either you do or you do not. When my gut tells me something I listen to it, if a relationship works out, it also has to make sense. Also, people say that love is blind. That is true in many cases, but you can’t really plan things like love. It just happens, you can’t force it and love takes time to grow. There are a lot of things you should plan or make happen but love just isn’t one of those things. Love is a treasure that can’t be changed.

Can you talk about any particular moments or experiences from filming that were particularly memorable or meaningful for you?

I had many memorable moments from the show. Meeting the late Dawn Wells was one of them. She played Mary Ann on Gilligan’s Island which has been one of my longtime favourite television shows. Other moments, were going on dates even if they didn’t work out, being able to tell my story to the world, hanging out with my best friend Briana and meeting the other participants at our annual photo shoots.

What do you hope viewers take away from watching Love on the Spectrum?

What I hope people will learn from the show is that people on the spectrum are really amazing and they have extraordinary gifts that others may not have previously known. They want to be loved, find a partner and settle down with someone special and in addition, being no different to neurotypical people, because really they are not. I am proud to be on the spectrum and I am quite content and comfortable with who I am.

You will be participating in the Spectrum Spectacular Gala Ball here in Coffs Harbour this month, what made you want to get involved?

Yes I will be. This is the story of how this came about with me. In July last year, a woman from Coffs Harbour named Laura Daley reached out to me via Instagram and asked me about being a part of the Gala. She explained that while I have no connection to Bus Stop Films, I would be there as a celebrity guest because from what I was told, I have many fans in Coffs Harbour who wish to meet me. I enjoy meeting fans as they appreciate my journey and I enjoy the attention a lot.

The Gala is raising funds to establish a Coffs Harbour campus of Bus Stop Films, a film school for people with disabilities. As a podcaster, actor and autism advocate yourself, what do you think this initiative would mean for the community here?

To be honest I think this would be able to give people with disabilities a crack in the world of acting themselves. I believe everyone deserves a fair chance at what they want to do with their lives. We all have dreams and we all need to do what it takes to pursue them and not allow society to determine their paths in life. How do you think media representation of people on the autism spectrum can be improved?

I think the entertainment industry needs to cast people on the spectrum as they all bring their own unique strengths to every table.

They even have certain gifts that neurotypicals may not have. I find it quite insulting when people on the spectrum are underestimated, marginalised and underappreciated because you never know what they can bring to a project. Some are creative with tools or their hands, some are articulate or artistic and, fun fact, I held a full time job for almost 5 years and that says something right there. Actions speak for themselves.

What are you looking forward to most about the Spectrum Spectacular Gala Ball?

What I am looking forward to the most about the Gala is being present at an inspiring event, meeting new people and many fans and being able to do public speaking again, enjoying great food and drinks with new people and show some of my acting impersonations and finally inspire people to follow their dreams and hopefully teach everyone something new because we never stop learning. Thanks Michael.

EEllie’s award-winning picture book,” Auntie Uncle: Drag Queen Hero” was published in 2020 in New York by POWKids. It tells the story of a loving nephew who supports his “Auntie Uncle” to become their true self, bringing two communities together in the process. Her most recent picture book “Frizzle and Me” (Ford St Publishing, 2021) follows the life of a child as their loving rainbow family expands over time. I sat down with Ellie to chat all about allies and her latest projects.

Hi Ellie, can you tell me more about what you think an ally looks like?

Hi Sam, well I believe an ally is any person who believes in human dignity, empathy, respect, and equity and treats people as they would like to be treated. In the context of an LGBTIQA+ community ally, I feel it also means being ready to question the negative assumptions that