Being An Expat Is Autistic (With Abigoliah Schamaun) (Episode 105)

An episode that’s packing its bags and info-dumping along the way.

Here’s what’s in store for today’s episode:

* Amidst the chaos in America, Matt and Angela, with special guest Abigoliah Schamaun, dive into why being an expat is inherently autistic.

* Today's special guest, Abigoliah Schamaun, is a stand-up comedian who’s been all over the game show circuit—including Pointless, a wonderful little quiz show where the goal is simply to get the wrong answer.

* Abigoliah moved from Ohio to the UK, hosts the neurodivergent podcast Neurodivergent Moments, and has gained TikTok fame—along with a touch of international recognition.

* Our guest, Abigoliah, moved to New York at 18 to study musical theater—but ended up falling in love with the world of stand-up.

* Angela and Abigoliah trade expat tales and unpack Angela’s very scientific theory that moving abroad is just autism with extra passport stamps.

* We chat about how being neurodivergent can get totally upstaged by being American—especially when being American is the main event!

* Angela and Abigoliah discuss how podcasting toes the line between freelancing and running your own business, and how burnout can totally mess with posting on socials and creating content.

* We dive into post-diagnosis clarity and the importance of giving yourself grace while navigating burnout.

* Our hosts and guest chat about cultural differences, especially the contrasts between the UK and the USA—particularly when it comes to gun violence.

* We also address the elephant in the room—the glaring differences between the healthcare systems in the UK and the USA.

* In addition, we explore the neurodivergent podcast landscape and dive into the challenges and benefits of cross-neurotype communication.

* We also discuss the trouble with professional autism diagnoses and segue into a surprise promotion for our new book (you’ll have to listen to the episode for all the juicy details!)

* Finally, we chat about Abigoliah’s upcoming spring comedy tour, which you should definitely check out if you're in the UK!

New York comedian, actor and writer, Abigoliah Schamaun is frank, funny, and unapologetic. Her unbridled charisma and comedic skill have taken her all over the world cementing her place as one of the top female headliners on the UK comedy scene. Having cut her teeth gigging in America she moved to the UK where she immediately placed as a finalist in the Funny Women Awards and has since focussed on growing her large fan following. On TikTok her stand up and comedy cooking clips have amassed over 10 million views and she has hundreds of thousands of followers.

Abigoliah lives with ADHD and is very open in talking about her neurodiversity which she does with co-host Joe Wells on their Neurodivergent Moments Podcast.

“As an autistic person, there’s the whole ‘you’re born on the wrong planet.’ I walked around the US feeling like I didn’t fit in, but there was no real good reason, because I actually was born there. Here, I feel like I don’t fit in and I’m like awkward and do these really embarrassing things, but it’s always attributed to me being American.” - Angela

“I hate it when comedians do bits in conversation, I really want to empathize, but this was my reaction - ‘You’re not autistic, you’re just English.’ Cause like, he’s quiet. He’s emotionally subdued. He likes bland food. And when he was like, ‘you’re ADHD’, I was like, ‘no, you don’t understand. These are my people. We’re loud. We’re talkative. It’s just being an American. You don’t get it.” - Abigoliah

“The one thing that I would say the diagnosis has given me is it has just allowed me to give myself some grace. Like if I’m in burnout, if I can’t function one day, I’m like, ‘if I just give myself 24 hours, I’ll be okay tomorrow. If I rest today, I’ll be okay tomorrow.’” - Abigoliah

“I just find that my nervous system is so much more relaxed without guns and with national healthcare.” - Angela

Did you enjoy this episode? Our special guest, Abigoliah Schamaun, takes us through her journey from Ohio to the UK, where she fell in love with stand-up comedy. We dive into cultural differences between the UK and the USA, especially regarding gun violence, and discuss the challenges of freelancing, burnout, and how it affects content creation. We also touch on post-diagnosis clarity and the importance of giving yourself grace during tough times. In the comments, let us know what resonated with you, and use #AutisticCultureCatch to share your thoughts on social media and connect with other listeners!

Show Notes:

https://www.patreon.com/neurodivergentmomentspod

Uk Tour in the spring on sale now. "Legally Cheeky" abigoliah.com/tour

https://shows.acast.com/neurodivergent-moments

Neurodivergent Moments on any podcast app

@abigoliah on all socials

Pointless Celebrities Series 16. Episode 17

Pointless Celebrities - Series 16: Episode 17BBC23 Mar 2024

Related Episodes:

Comedy is Autistic

Ready for a paradigm shift that empowers Autistics? Help spread the news!

Follow us on Instagram

Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Learn more about Angela at AngelaKingdon.com

Our Autism-affirming merch shop

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.autisticculturepodcast.com/subscribe