We Can Do Hard Things

Hannah Gadsby: How to Communicate Better (Best Of)

Feb 23, 2025

Hannah Gadsby, a multi-award-winning comedian and author from Tasmania, dives deep into her later-in-life autism diagnosis, describing it as an “exfoliation of shame.” She shares how neurodiversity shapes her relationships, emphasizing connections through what captivates her rather than societal norms. Hannah's commitment to avoiding self-deprecating humor about her body and identity resonates throughout the conversation. Lastly, she highlights her unique approach to storytelling, preferring to share personal experiences in bulk rather than in intimate settings.

01:06:28

Episode guests

Hannah Gadsby

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Hannah Gadsby describes her autism diagnosis as liberating, helping her move past shame and reframe her identity positively.

She emphasizes the unique challenges faced by neurodivergent women, highlighting the importance of recognizing neurodiversity as differences rather than deficiencies.

Gadsby advocates for authentic storytelling in comedy, rejecting self-deprecating humor to empower her true self and promote understanding.

Deep dives

Daily Look: Simplifying Fashion

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Intro

3min

Unmasking Autism: A Personal Journey

15min

Understanding Connections: Neurodiversity in Interaction

7min

Navigating Neurodiversity in Relationships

11min

Navigating Identity and Diagnosis in Neurodiversity

5min

Navigating Identity and Health: A Journey Through Storytelling

22min

Embracing Authenticity in Parenting

4min

1. Why Hannah describes her later-in-life Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis as “an exfoliation of shame.”

2. How neurodiversity affects Hannah’s relationships–and how she connects to the world through what’s “interesting” instead of what’s “important.”

3. Hannah’s revolutionary commitment to stop using self-deprecating humor about her body, sexuality, and gender–and why we might all consider the same commitment.

4. Why it’s easier for Hannah to share her personal stories “in bulk” on stage instead of one-on-one.

5. What it takes for Hannah to prepare for conversations–like ours on We Can Do Hard Things.

About Hannah:

Tasmania’s own Hannah Gadsby stopped stand-up comedy in its tracks with her multi-award-winning show, Nanette. When it premiered on Netflix in 2018, it left audiences captivated by her blistering honesty and her singular ability to take them from rolling laughter to devastated silence. Its release and subsequent Emmy and Peabody wins took Nanette (and Hannah) to the world. Hannah’s difficult second album (which was also her eleventh solo show) was named Douglas after her dog. Hannah walked Douglas around the world, selling out the Royal Festival Hall in London, the Opera House in Sydney and the Kennedy Center in DC, a sit-down run in New York and shows across the US, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Douglas covered Hannah’s autism diagnosis, moving beyond the trauma at the centre of Nanette and instead letting the world see the view from Hannah’s brain – one that sees the world differently but with breathtaking clarity. The show was an Emmy-nominated smash hit and is available throughout the world on Netflix, recorded in Los Angeles.

Hannah Gadsby’s “overnight” success was more than ten years in the making, with her award-winning stand-up shows having been a fixture in festivals across Australia and the UK since 2009. She played a character called “Hannah” on the TV series Please Like Me and has hosted multiple art documentaries, inspired by her comedy art lectures. In 2022, Hannah’s first book Ten Steps to Nanette: A Memoir Situation was published by Ballantine, an imprint of Penguin Random House, in the United States, Atlantic in the UK, and Allen & Unwin in Australia.

Hannah has done plenty of other things over the course of more than a decade in comedy, but that will do for now.

IG: hannah_gadsby

TW: HannahGadsby

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