In this episode, we take a closer look at Hollywood’s portrayals of narcolepsy to better understand why they matter and how we can play a role in shaping future portrayals of narcolepsy in the entertainment industry. We are joined by Al Jean, the Executive Producer and head writer for The Simpsons, and Anna Marr, a Los Angeles-based actor, writer, and voiceover artist originally from Ohio.
About our Guests:
AL Jean has been working on The Simpsons for 32 years and has received nine Emmy awards and two Peabody Awards for his work on the show. He developed Season 27, Episode 1 of The Simpsons, when Homer Simpson is diagnosed with narcolepsy.
Anna Marr is the co-founder of Bluelaces Theater, a nonprofit organization that creates interactive multi-sensory theater for individuals with developmental disabilities. Anna developed a dark comedy short film called "Walking Through Peanut Butter" based on her experience navigating New York's comedy scene with narcolepsy. She is also a Rising Voices of Narcolepsy advocate who aims to change how the media represents this chronic neurological disorder.
Download the Narcolepsy Goes to Hollywood Toolkit for more resources: bit.ly/narcolepsy-goes-to-hollywood-toolkit
The Narcolepsy Nerd Alert series invites listeners to dive deeper into specific topics relevant to living with narcolepsy. project-sleep.com/narcolepsy-nerd-alert/
Download episode transcription Here.
Why aren’t primary care doctors asking about sleep? This podcast covers an important but underrated discussion about what work is actually being done to...
Sheila Coutts is a retired pediatric nurse with an interest in health education and wildlife rehabilitation living in Nova Scotia, Canada. She was diagnosed...
Navigating the workplace with narcolepsy can be intimidating. When should you bring up narcolepsy? What kinds of work accommodations are helpful and also reasonable...
