March 5, 2025 • 38 mins
Jimmy Clare, the digital changemaker behind Crazy Fitness Guy, shares his inspiring journey from overcoming early challenges with autism and a nonverbal learning disorder to becoming a prominent advocate and influencer. We dive into Jimmy's unique perspective on the intersection of autism and fitness, and how his personal experiences shape his advocacy. His passion for technology and media, nurtured by his family, has led him to create a platform that champions health and wellness without judgment. Through his story, we explore the potential of technology to empower individuals with autism and the importance of designing accessible user experiences.
As an autism advocate, Jimmy sheds light on the growing complexity of autism diagnoses and proposes new ways to understand the condition, such as the term "autism web." He envisions innovative tools to help recognize social cues, highlighting the gap between current technology and the needs of neurodivergent individuals. Our conversation also touches on the critical need for direct human support over impersonal chatbots, and how technology giants can better meet the needs of diverse communities. Jimmy's insights call for a more inclusive approach to technology design, one that values and supports all users.
Transitioning from keynote speaking to podcasting during the pandemic, Jimmy recounts his initial hesitations and eventual growth in this new medium. Balancing podcasting with education and keynote engagements, he shares valuable lessons on self-investment and maintaining mental well-being. Our discussion also covers optimizing website design for user-friendly navigation and the importance of continuous learning. We wrap up with an invitation to explore more about Jimmy's advocacy work on his website, encouraging listeners to join the digital changemaker community. Tune in next week as Annika Jackson introduces another inspiring guest, keeping the momentum of empowerment and insight alive.
This podcast is proudly sponsored by USC Annenberg’s Master of Science in Digital Media Management (MSDMM) program. An online master’s designed to prepare practitioners to understand the evolving media landscape, make data-driven and ethical decisions, and build a more equitable future by leading diverse teams with the technical, artistic, analytical, and production skills needed to create engaging content and technologies for the global marketplace. Learn more or apply today at https://dmm.usc.edu.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to Mediascape insights from digital
changemakers, a speaker seriesand podcast brought to you by
USC Annenberg's Digital MediaManagement Program.
Join us as we unlock thesecrets to success in an
increasingly digital world.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
I am thrilled to have Jimmy Clare on the podcast
today.
I had the opportunity to be onJimmy's podcast and live video
show and really enjoyed it andknew that, Jimmy, that you could
make such an impact by comingon the Mediascape podcast.
So thank you for being here.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Thank you for having me.
I appreciate it and I'm sosorry again for my internet
troubles and I'm so glad I canmake it because I hate when I
have internet troubles.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Yeah, we all do.
We all do, and you're not theonly one today.
I'd love for you because youtruly are that.
You know.
This podcast is MediascapeInsights from Digital
Changemakers, and I do see youas a digital changemaker.
You are a keynote speaker,podcaster, live stream host and
autism advocate, and you werediagnosed with autism and
(01:15):
nonverbal learning disorder.
Can you tell us a little bitabout what that means?
Together and separate?
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Basically what that means is I didn't speak at an
early age for basically a lot.
Basically, my parents were toldthat I may never be able to
fully speak, might not be ableto clean, cook, might not be
(01:46):
able to clean, cook, and somepeople listening might be
wondering clean, who likescleaning anyway?
Because I don't Every time Ihave to put my to-do list, clean
the bathroom.
I was like why can't this besome automatic cleaning feature?
That'd be great Self-cleaning.
(02:07):
And so basically, the list goeson and on and on.
And my parents got me speechtherapy, occupational therapy,
physical therapy, and you'reprobably wondering, like, what
does that have to do withtalking?
Not everything has to do withtalking.
The speech does, but the otherstuff was, I guess I wasn't
reaching my milestones inwalking tying shoes.
(02:29):
My coordination was not thebest Well, still not, depending
on my nice new wrist issue.
So I'm prone to injury.
So you might as well just wrapme up in bubble wrap while I
walk, can't you?
So basically, to make a very,very long story short, basically
because I was not reaching somekind of milestones some may set
(02:54):
in place.
I still don't know who is incharge of those milestones.
Eventually I started to learnhow to talk, tie my shoes.
And what's really funny though,it wasn't really that necessary
for me to learn tying shoes,because now we have slip-on
shoes.
Anyway, it's not the old.
(03:15):
When they first came out theywere like, oh, this is what your
grandparents would wear.
Now it's style gym shoes, shoeswearing slip-ons.
So I was like, yeah, reallygreat milestones.
This was like when I was bornin 1993.
And it's like we're going toset all these limitations on you
(03:38):
and yet, fast forward, we haveslip-on shoes.
That does not look likegrandparent shoes, not making
fun of my grandparents.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
So your platform is Crazy Fitness Guy.
I'd love to hear how you wentfrom being diagnosed, finally
hitting your milestones, tobecoming this keynote speaker,
podcaster, host person who isreally advocating for health and
you know through your platformof me not putting any judgments
(04:35):
or not limiting to me of basedon data, because you know how
data is so accurate.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
I have proof on that.
Just go if anybody who won, andso I just I have to make a
reference, but if anybody whoruns a website, you know what I
mean.
Google Search Console does notgo along with Google Analytics.
And one thing, just one otherthing I want to add on there.
Those two will never match.
So I just wanted to point outhow accurate data is.
(05:01):
Not at all.
So, basically, because myfriends, my family members, and
didn't put any limitations on medue to being autistic didn't
treat me any differently.
I mean, I needed some extrahelp in school.
I still need some in college,depending on what the course is.
(05:24):
If it's something aboutmedia-related or tech, I'm good,
but if it's math, well, I'mnever going to be an accountant.
Not that I want to be anaccountant and I'm not going to
find any of accountants.
Of course, me and numbers donot go together whatsoever.
I mean, I can still do math,but it's going to take me a
(05:45):
while to equations and formulasNot my thing.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Or science?
Yeah, did media and tech cometo you naturally?
Or you just found you had anaffinity for it, and so the more
interested you were, the moreyou kept learning.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Yep, that's pretty much what happened.
I got into my brother and mydad taught me a lot about all
the some stuff about media.
My dad I was in charge of itwhen for his work and he
basically taught me stuff thathe knew, my brother knew.
But then there was a certainpoint where they couldn't teach
me anymore.
(06:21):
So I just started playingaround with buttons and you
might probably think, well, areyou going to blow up the
computer or something?
And it's like no, it's prettyhard to do that.
Most of you are going onsuspicious websites and I'm
keeping that PG.
So whatever you want to fillthe blank in in your own mind,
go right ahead.
But basically what I did I waslike, well, there's really no
(06:44):
way to screw up a computerunless you know where to factory
reset and go into suspiciouswebsites.
And so basically I got morecomfortable with everything I
wouldn't say.
I know the computer inside andout, I know what kind of specs
to get for computers, butbasically and I know what kind
of stuff, but I'm more of asoftware kind of person, like I
(07:07):
can tell you that the softwareto stay stay away from software
to go after one of the softwareI use is for my own business,
for my streaming platform Ihighly do not recommend is by
Logitech.
So and you might say that's apersonal preference but my last
(07:29):
10 guests I had on my showthey'd been having a lot of
troubles logging in on the guestend and so I told them.
So basically I kind of justbeen throwing them under the bus
every single episode.
I know they've never sponsoredmy show anytime soon.
I was like thanks, I will neverbe backed by Roger Tech, I'm
(07:51):
okay.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
So your family treated you like an equal.
They helped you understandtechnology, computers, all the
ins and outs that you would need.
But now you're a podcaster, ahost, and I understand you also
were bullied a bit by otherpeople, but now you're a fitness
enthusiast.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
Yeah, and how I got into the whole Crazy Fitness Guy
was?
It started off with a projectthat I did after my first
English class in college.
It was going to just be aself-improvement kind of project
to keep writing, because who'sgoing to write in a Word
document every single day?
Not me.
Then I decided to go to youknow what could I possibly do to
(08:38):
continue my writing, to be abetter writer?
So I said let's start a website.
And like that was an idiot ideaof mine, because the reason why
it was an idiot idea becauseand I want to make it clear that
I'm not bashing this company, Isay is I went to WordPress like
(08:58):
everyone else did.
And, for those who may befamiliar with WordPress, the
reason why it was a bad idea forme is because, even though I've
come from a technologicalbackground, technological
background plus website is awhole different ballpark of
crazy plugin does not work withthis plugin and vice versa, and
(09:27):
I was like there's no way thatthe whole internet runs on.
Wordpress is like I'm economic.
Basically, it only came in mymind where I just saw somebody
just picturing something, justlike banging their head on the
desk all day, just from all thefrustrations that I I was
working 90 plus hours a weekdoing that.
So then I jumped to Squarespacefor five, four years and then
(09:50):
on my fifth year that I wasgoing to renew, I jumped to
PodPage, where I'm happily atbecause and not bashing
Squarespace either but just myneeds changed.
So I'm not saying don't go toSquarespace or anything, it's
changed.
So I'm not saying don't go toSquarespace or anything and I'm
not saying don't go to WordPress.
It is that if you're notsomebody who's familiar running
the websites and stuff, go tosomebody who does or hire
(10:15):
somebody who does.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
But I didn't have the resources to hire somebody.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
So I was like I'd rather go to somebody who knows
who runs it like an actual party, not the person, because, let
us say, someone in my family andI'm not going to name the title
or who it is to keep itdiscreet but let's just say the
person I know is being takenadvantage by a certain someone
(10:45):
in that department because herelied on a certain person and
it's like you're doing it with acompany and it's like this guy
is taking advantage of you, butof course no one listens to me.
It's like well, what do youknow, jimmy?
It's like, well, it's only mymom must study that flippant
study in college.
I know nothing.
No one takes my advice, though.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
So you started out with the website first, but how
did you become a fitnessenthusiast, an entrepreneur, the
crazy fitness guy?
Speaker 3 (11:15):
Well funny.
Basically I've had familymembers who's been in
entrepreneur mindsets, played alot of Monopoly growing up and
pretty much every time when Ihung out with my cousins growing
up just playing games, being anentrepreneur always came to
(11:35):
mind.
My imagination ran wild.
And how I got into fitness wasafter I lost 30 pounds with P90X
.
I was like there's not manypeople who speak about autism
and fitness from their point ofviews.
Now, I'm not saying I'm theworld's leading expert in
(11:56):
fitness and everything, becauseI know I'm not, but I understand
why it has worked for me andthat makes me an expert of me.
I'm not saying saying hey, godo this.
I'm just saying, hey, if youwant to try it, go try it.
But I'm not saying, okay, gorecommend this, because you and
I don't have any degrees infitness.
(12:16):
But I'm just sharing from myautistic point of view.
It's like, well, if it workedfor me, it could work for
somebody else.
Yeah, but what got me into thewhole autism advocacy was I got
frustrated.
I'm still a little bitfrustrated.
I don't say frustrated, but I'minspired to shape Like I'm
(12:40):
going to speak at the top techconferences at some point and
say I'm going to speak at thetop tech conferences at some
point and say, with all thistechnology, we have AI now and
everything else.
I was like we need to createdevices that basically support
people with autism and extrachallenges.
And I was like we probablycould make something more
(13:02):
affordable.
At the moment, we have the top$4 billion companies in the
world that have and it's like weprobably can make something
more affordable.
At the moment, we have the top$4 billion companies in the
world that have all the money inthe world at the moment.
And I'm not saying that topreach or anything, I'm just
stating a fact.
And I'm only saying thatbecause I don't care about
politics, I don't care about anyof that stuff, but basically
(13:23):
because, like much to say, thestart of this week was very
emotional and I was thinking tomyself if only I can read social
cues better.
And it's like wouldn't it becool to have some kind of James
Bond glasses that would takesomething that would basically
say, not like it doesn't show onthe front end, but just on the
(13:46):
back end for myself, and it'slike, oh, this person's happy or
he's sad or mad, because, likeI said to my parents, I said to
my brothers, like I can hear thetone in people's voices, but
just because somebody is maddoesn't mean doesn't share with
me, me, what are you mad at?
Was it something I did?
(14:06):
Was it something it was like?
All I know is like okay, Ientered the room.
Person's mad.
Okay, are you mad at me or didI do something wrong?
I can't read minds and then if Iask, then I'm prying.
So it's like what do I do?
And so it's like why can'tgoogle come up with something
like this?
And so it's like what do I do?
And so it's like why can'tGoogle come up with something
(14:26):
like this?
And then it's like in Apple,but the only thing that two seem
to come up with like, hey, youknow what?
We just created?
Like 10 cameras on a phone.
And it's like how many morecameras can we put on the phone?
Let's try 30.
How about that?
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Right, but they're not solving issues that affect a
large part of the population.
Right, I was talking to a guestand we were talking about how
28.7% of the population has somekind of disability or different
ability, as I would prefer tostate and that's a huge market
segment that's being overlooked.
(15:03):
A lot of consumer power, a lotof buying power for
organizations and people thatneed to have access to these
tools that you're talking about.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
Well, here's a stat for you from the Autism Painting
Magazine.
When I was born, there was onein 150 diagnosed with autism
back in 1993.
1993.
(15:39):
Now and today, just as lastyear in 2023, it was one in 36
people being diagnosed withautism today and the total stat
is 247% 247% since 2000.
So I was like, okay, so autismis not just 1 in 150 anymore.
It's not rare.
It's like everything isliterally falling on the
(16:01):
spectrum and I didn't evenconsider a spectrum anymore.
To be honest, I really feellike they need to be, because at
some point you would think thatthe spectrum has to end.
So I thought of a creative termthat I actually know a couple
of people with autism and asadults, and I ran it by them to
(16:22):
see.
It was like what do you thinkabout them, about this?
And so, based on my idea for itand feel free anybody to take
this idea, but you have to giveme a a little footnote in it and
my brand name next to it that'smy exceptions and basically my
idea was being the autism web,because at least the web would
(16:43):
be autism in the middle.
Whatever goes from this and this, and we'll think of a bit one
of those mind maps that comes tomind.
So because at least it can keepgoing and keep going, and keep
going where the spectrum is likewhen does it run out?
Does it run out?
Does it hit one of the you knowin the cartoons growing up, and
(17:07):
it's like does it just keepgoing to infinity until the road
runs out somewhere?
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
When it comes to websites technology.
What are some things, factors,perhaps, that people should be
thinking about when they'rethinking about how are we going
to have the right userexperience and interface for
somebody who's neurodivergent orautistic, or both?
Speaker 3 (17:36):
So I have to give this example and make sure that
it's easy to.
I think the easiest way possibleis to make it easy for it to
contact someone from customersupport live chat either a live
chat box floating or a link toit so that if you can't find
(17:57):
something, somebody can justgive you the information.
But do not use a stupid chatbot,because and here's why when I
contacted my internet providertoday, I noticed a few chatbots
did not like my voice.
I mean not saying theyprogrammed specifically for me,
(18:17):
but basically since sometimes myvoice gets monotoned and I talk
like a robot sometimes which Iknow it's not really always the
case but if I'm just likespeaking like blah blah, blah,
blah, just quietly to my parents, but basically the robot like
when I say home, it's like oh,I'm sorry, I don't understand
(18:39):
you.
I'm like how do you notunderstand?
It's like I literally just hadthe word home and, uh, it still
doesn't understand.
It's like oh, like, oh, she'scoming through an agent and it
went back to the robot a fewtimes and it's like, I swear.
It's like they're just trulylike okay, you know anybody
named Jimmy and Claire, justgive them the robotic voice and
(19:01):
we don't give a crap.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
So voice recognition technology still has a long way
to go is one thing that you'resaying.
And then having a nice userexperience where it's easy to
find the information you'relooking for or it's easy to
communicate with somebody incustomer service who can help
you navigate that.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
Yeah, and somebody who knows what they're talking
about, so like if I hadexplained something.
Let's say, oh, I used to beable to do such and such, let's
say just using Logitech.
Example my guests can't comeinto the studio.
It says loading.
Please wait or join, butnothing happens.
(19:43):
Then there's like, oh okay, wegot to go fix this, and they
just go fix it.
Or they know what you'retalking about, but so far all I
got was an autoresponder and all, and I paid a lifetime tool for
it and all I get is a lifetimewait for it.
So I'm like so that's where Istand, that's good yeah I don't
(20:07):
know, money back.
so crazy fitness guy started asa website when did you move it
to being a live stream platformand a podcast?
It started to after just havinglike just writing articles for
it.
It started to become a podcastonce I got into.
It started going to a podcastwhen I started being a keynote
(20:31):
speaker Because at the time whenI had very peccable timing and
by very peccable timing I'mbeing very sarcastic I started
my keynote speaking career rightat the height of the pandemic
and I was like that's greattiming.
And so my college professortold me, who I still stay in
(20:53):
touch with today and becauseshe's been going to bat for me,
helping back in my credibility Igot voted literally voted out
of about 20 people in my publicspeaking class as the most
persuasive speaker and I waslike I don't take that for
(21:15):
granted, I wear that as a nametag, but basically, yeah, so you
were keynote speaking.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
You started during the pandemic and did your
professor encourage you?
Speaker 3 (21:25):
She basically encouraged me to go into
podcasting to get my name outthere, because she's like, right
, right now, we don't know whenyou can go back into speaking in
public, because you know I sawso many no offense or anybody
listening but there were somepeople, so many people, online
during the pandemic and it kindof cracked me up on some of
(21:47):
these people.
It was like, yeah, you know,speaking is easy and yet they're
just talking to your camera.
It's like this is not publicspeaking and it's like the
reason why people are afraid ofpublic speaking is because they
have to speak right in front ofan audience and see what their
reactions are to on people'sfaces, and that's why public
speaking is the number one fear.
(22:08):
So, basically, so sheencouraged me into the
podcasting and I like todescribe it this way.
When she told me it's likejimmy, has it, start the podcast
I basically looked at her likemy, how my dogs look at me, like
I had six heads and shebasically and I was like a
(22:30):
podcast on top of everythingelse I do I was like are you
totally nuts?
Well, my very first podcastinterview that I got on luckily
for me the person's host at thetime and I'm not going to say
who the host was, because theyrebranded and I'm not trying to
bash anybody and I'm not tryingto bash anybody, so but at the
(22:52):
time it was a good start for mebecause I was like, well, this
person, like on the hostingsetting, there was like a way to
hide a logo or show the logo ofthe host, and basically she
kept it front and center andbasically, which I didn't mind,
because it's like basically waskind of handing me on a silver
(23:12):
platter.
It's like, well, now I have ahost, now I don't have a way for
me to back out of podcastingnow.
So I was like, well, I didn'thave to do any research.
No, I don't mean, I don't do anyresearch but, just because I'm
still figuring how am I going todo this and still do a podcast?
How out, how am I going to dothis and still do the podcast?
How much research am I going tohave to do to figure this whole
(23:35):
thing out?
And I figured let's get started, even if I mess up a few times.
I'd rather just get started,figure my way out, versus I
could read every single articleon the planet Earth and still
won't get started because I Iran into this person not gonna
do many names, but they's likeI'm gonna do this a, b, c and d
(24:00):
before I do this.
You know what happened.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Never heard from them , ever again yeah, yeah, that's
often what happens, I think.
We get excited about somethingbut then we don't start acting
on it, and if you don't starttaking action, then it's easy to
let it fall behind and thenjust to let it die.
So today you monetize.
This is your job podcasting,keynote speaking.
(24:28):
You're also a student.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Yep, currently not in this semester just because,
let's just say, I had a sciencecourse for my degree but since
science is not my expertise, Ineed some extra help.
Let's just say I didn't haveanywhere to go for extra help
this semester, so, and my tutor,who tutored me in statistics,
(24:54):
who did much better than mystats professor, who didn't
teach anything whatsoever I meanit was not my course, to be
fair, but I mean, let's just behonest, he was non-existent.
So basically, we.
So, even though I could haveasked my friend for help let's
just say the directions of thecourse I couldn't figure out the
(25:19):
assignments and I was eitherstaying this course and figure
out how to get help or drop itto get my money back, and was
like, okay, I'm gonna drop itbecause I also had the
opportunity to go to Japan withmy brother for 10 days.
I was like, take this course orgo to Japan and I'm like and
(25:44):
plus, my parents were goingthrough knee surgeries and hip
surgeries, so they couldn't helpme with science either.
So I was like, you know, I'mjust gonna take the semester off
, I'm gonna go into japan andjoin myself.
I mean, I mean I didn't drinkor anything, but I mean I was
like, but I was feeling justtense, stress and everything
(26:04):
else whatsoever.
And so I was like, okay, maybea time away from Pennsylvania
and New Jersey, because in NewJersey I go back and forth on
the shore in the summertime.
But I was like, maybe I justneed to completely get away from
everything.
And so I was like, okay, let'sgo.
And I was excited.
(26:26):
But I was also just nervousbecause like, okay, I don't
really want to mess up when Iget my associate's degree, so I
can get to move forward,continue moving forward.
I'm telling you, everybody putso much pressure on me.
My parents are like when areyou going to graduate?
When are you 60?
I'm like, well, if you keeptrying to keep from more trial
(26:50):
opportunities underneath me?
Speaker 2 (26:54):
Well, I'd love to hear more about how people can
support your podcast, yourYouTube channel, your keynote
speaking.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
Well, the easiest way for people to support me, I
have a premium version of mypodcast called Crazy Fitness
Guys Premium Podcast.
It was either that or changedthe whole logo and everything
else.
It's like I think people willknow what premium stands for.
So I mean, I wasn't saying thatsarcastically, I just like I
(27:26):
was like I don't know what elseto call it Crazy Fitness Guy
Plus.
It sounds boring.
So basically, there's a premiumversion of my podcast.
You get extra bells andwhistles, ad-free, of course.
It's all listed on the site, sojust go to that.
It's under the mall link.
It tells you what you get ineach version.
(27:47):
And if you don't want the extrabells and whistles, there's
just the ad-free version on myhosting platform that it's $4 a
month.
It's either $3.99 a month or$30 a year, but basically at the
moment the hosting will notonly let me do it monthly, so
(28:08):
that's why it's $4.
It didn't let me do it $3.99.
So I was like like I'm justgonna probably argue over a
penny right yeah, I tried it.
So if you want to hire me fromkeynote speaking, there's a form
on my site under speaking.
It gives you a quote.
Let me know.
Yeah, budget wise can negotiate, I don't care, I'm flexible.
(28:29):
So you can hire me for speakingand just subscribe to your
YouTube channel.
You can listen to my podcasteverywhere.
You can get your podcasts.
I always like to say at the endof my show if you can't find me
on your platform, reach out tome.
I'll put it on your platformand I'm still working with
SiriusXM on how to get mypodcast on the show.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Fantastic.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
It's like well, they haven't reached back to me yet,
and it's like any day.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
now I'm also wanting to know how having a podcast and
a platform has changed yourlife.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
I think how it changed my life is I met a lot
of amazing autism advocatesaround the United States, around
the world.
I get to meet all these amazingpeople I have never would have
ever meet otherwise.
I get to talk one-on-one withan expert for a whole hour.
Otherwise, I get to talkone-on-one with an expert for a
whole hour without having tocharge me a dime.
I mean, I'm not being sarcasticon it.
(29:41):
These people's expertise a lotof them I talk to they've gone
through hours and hours of workto get their degrees and a
master's and doctorates andwhatnot.
They would cost me likethousands and thousands of
dollars for a whole hour andyeah, or by the hour, and so to
(30:04):
get them on your podcast.
That's pretty crazy.
I mean, it's exposure for them,but it's also exposure for you.
It's like guess what?
I'm having a bunch of expertscoming in.
They're not a bunch of newbies.
Some of them, I mean, are otherpodcasters who sometimes are
(30:26):
serious, sometimes they're notserious, but those I've gotten
better at figuring out who's whobut not naming any names, of
course.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
Yeah, of course.
Speaker 3 (30:37):
I don't mind if somebody's a hobby, but tell me
you're a hobby or whatever.
But if you're serious, youbetter show up on time and be
serious, and I'm not saying youpersonally, andrew.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
I know.
Yeah, it is important.
It is important to be able tokind of separate.
I've had the same experiencesthat you have had with some of
these issues, depending on ifsomebody is more of an obvious
or it's taking it seriously aspart of their business and
thought leadership.
If they're just trying to getas many episodes to get it
ranked on a chart, that may ormay not mean anything.
(31:12):
Jimmy, I also was wondering forthe people who are listening,
many of whom are studentsgetting their master's in
digital media management.
We do talk about accessibility,we do talk about equity.
We talk about designing a greatuser experience.
So earlier you did say if therewas something that could help
(31:32):
you.
We talked about some websitethings that could help customer
service, and you also mentioned,of course, if there was a tool
or device that could help youread people better, because I do
know it can be hard for anyone,but, particularly if you're
autistic, there's another layerof complexity with people's
(31:53):
varying tones and all of that.
What are some recommendationsor other things that you would
like to see come out in themarket, or things that people
should consider if they'reneurotypical and that they are
really thinking about design inan accessible way?
Speaker 3 (32:10):
I would say, put the most important links at the top
of the website.
Like I know, it kind of dependson the platform, how it's built
, but, like for my own stuff,like I put, I put the mall, I
put the about a way to contactand the the best way to contact.
(32:34):
So I, uh, because by email,emails are not the best way
because I mean, depending on howcompanies are set up, but like
emails, they can get lost intrash spam, depending on
security, it might be lost incyberspace and then you have to
think about that.
(32:55):
But I would say, put your mostimportant stuff on the top If
you want.
At the bottom you have extrastuff.
Maybe repeat the stuff that'sat the top or add some stuff
that you wanted to add, but putit down there.
Yes, I look top and bottom ofwebsites to say, oh, okay, like,
(33:16):
look at amazon, it's a littlecrowded but at least it's
labeled nicely.
Like, oh, this is this, this isthat I can find something.
But, for example, example, Ihave a bad website.
Look at Verizon.
It goes from Verizon Miles,verizon Fios, and then trying to
figure out, trying to log in,and it's like, oh, what's your
(33:37):
account number?
I was like, really, why can'twe just go with just an email
and password like everyone elseanymore?
So it's like what makes youguys special?
And so my point is that you knowthere's so many people making
chatbot softwares and it's likethey all chatbots are stupid.
(33:59):
It's like, yes, you can createa whole database, train it, but
at the end of the day, ifsomebody types in something that
the chatbot doesn't recognize,it's going to be stupid.
It's going to be a stupid bot.
And the reason why I know thatis because I tried making a
chatbot and it was stupid.
I thought it was the way to go,but I was like this is really
(34:24):
stupid.
It's like chatbots need to go.
But I was like this is reallystupid.
I was like chatbots need to die.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
Wow, and, of course, I want to ask you for a piece of
advice that you would alsoleave the audience with from
your personal professional lifethat's helped you move through
the world.
One thing that you had sharedwith me was always invest in
yourself, and it definitelysounds like you've continued to
believe in yourself, to investin yourself and not be limited
(34:48):
by what other people'sexpectations are.
Speaker 3 (34:51):
You know, I do believe in investing in yourself
, because if you don't invest inyourself, like if you don't
continue learning well, what doyou have to offer?
If you don't continue toeducate yourself?
What do you have to offer?
If you don't continue investingin business, what do you have to
offer?
If you don't continue investingin business, what do you have
to offer?
And if you don't continueinvesting, like in your podcast
(35:13):
host, what do you have to offer?
You know there's freebies outthere, like free hosting
companies, but if thosecompanies go on the wayside,
what do you have to offer?
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Nothing.
Speaker 3 (35:26):
Yeah, and I get it.
Money is tight, especiallythese days.
I feel it, everyone feels it,but you know, who knows, maybe
it will get better, hopefully.
And basically what I say topeople you know, just because
(35:46):
you can't get to the mostfanciest house whatsoever, don't
go to the like all the ways.
Freebie may start free beforethe first, maybe the first year,
just until you get the hang ofit and what, what you want to do
with it, how you plan to goforward.
But invest in some stuff.
I mean, don't go into the mostinexpensive tools and go
(36:08):
bankrupt.
But you know, if you can getsome good deals, like you know,
go go on app sumo.
They have life.
There's certain companies thatstart off with life like
lifetime products.
I mean keep them on there forlike forever and ever and ever,
because then they need to makemoney.
But yeah, I got a few lifetimetools the Logitech one, which I
(36:32):
think has already been alifetime, it feels like.
But then there's other oneslike Vista Social, my favorite
marketing tool whatsoever.
I'm like hands down, it has AI.
I mean I don't use AI foreverything.
It's kind of cool that whatthey have, they have, they
create this brand voice thing,so you can basically take how
(36:55):
you say stuff and do stuff andwhat you would normally say, put
it in the tool and basicallyspit back like close enough, and
if I have to re-edit some stuff, I'm like, okay, you know.
Speaker 1 (37:09):
I like it.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
And it goes everything to my social media.
I can schedule stuff out.
I mean, I love this tool.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
I used to use HelloWolfie, but oh well, yeah,
there are so many tools andthank you for sharing a couple
of your recommendations.
We're gonna have everybody goto crazyfitnessguycom.
I'll have it in the show notesso that people can get all the
information how to follow yourshow, how to support you, how to
(37:39):
book you for a keynote.
But I really, really appreciateyou coming on sharing, sharing
your perspective, a little bitof your story and how you've
become an advocate, not just foryourself, but for many others.
Speaker 3 (37:51):
Thank you for having me and please do go check out my
website, because you knowthere's nobody backing me.
I mean, I have a fewsponsorships, but they're not
paying my bills.
I can tell you that they'resaving me on some stuff, but
they're not paying my bills.
I would love them some.
Just give me a million dollarsa year, I'll be great.
Speaker 2 (38:15):
And, with that, thank you to everybody who's watching
or listening to this episode ofMediascape Insights from
Digital Changemakers.
I'm one of your co-hosts,Annika Jackson, and I will be
back, or my co-host, JosephAttai, will be back next week
with another amazing guest toshare their story, their
insights and how you, too, canthink about becoming a digital
(38:36):
changemaker.
Speaker 1 (38:38):
To learn more about the Master of Science in Digital
Media Management program, visitus on the web at dmmuscedu.
Welcome to Mediascape insights from digital
changemakers, a speaker seriesand podcast brought to you by
USC Annenberg's Digital MediaManagement Program.
Join us as we unlock thesecrets to success in an
increasingly digital world.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
I am thrilled to have Jimmy Clare on the podcast
today.
I had the opportunity to be onJimmy's podcast and live video
show and really enjoyed it andknew that, Jimmy, that you could
make such an impact by comingon the Mediascape podcast.
So thank you for being here.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Thank you for having me.
I appreciate it and I'm sosorry again for my internet
troubles and I'm so glad I canmake it because I hate when I
have internet troubles.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Yeah, we all do.
We all do, and you're not theonly one today.
I'd love for you because youtruly are that.
You know.
This podcast is MediascapeInsights from Digital
Changemakers, and I do see youas a digital changemaker.
You are a keynote speaker,podcaster, live stream host and
autism advocate, and you werediagnosed with autism and
(01:15):
nonverbal learning disorder.
Can you tell us a little bitabout what that means?
Together and separate?
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Basically what that means is I didn't speak at an
early age for basically a lot.
Basically, my parents were toldthat I may never be able to
fully speak, might not be ableto clean, cook, might not be
(01:46):
able to clean, cook, and somepeople listening might be
wondering clean, who likescleaning anyway?
Because I don't Every time Ihave to put my to-do list, clean
the bathroom.
I was like why can't this besome automatic cleaning feature?
That'd be great Self-cleaning.
(02:07):
And so basically, the list goeson and on and on.
And my parents got me speechtherapy, occupational therapy,
physical therapy, and you'reprobably wondering, like, what
does that have to do withtalking?
Not everything has to do withtalking.
The speech does, but the otherstuff was, I guess I wasn't
reaching my milestones inwalking tying shoes.
(02:29):
My coordination was not thebest Well, still not, depending
on my nice new wrist issue.
So I'm prone to injury.
So you might as well just wrapme up in bubble wrap while I
walk, can't you?
So basically, to make a very,very long story short, basically
because I was not reaching somekind of milestones some may set
(02:54):
in place.
I still don't know who is incharge of those milestones.
Eventually I started to learnhow to talk, tie my shoes.
And what's really funny though,it wasn't really that necessary
for me to learn tying shoes,because now we have slip-on
shoes.
Anyway, it's not the old.
(03:15):
When they first came out theywere like, oh, this is what your
grandparents would wear.
Now it's style gym shoes, shoeswearing slip-ons.
So I was like, yeah, reallygreat milestones.
This was like when I was bornin 1993.
And it's like we're going toset all these limitations on you
(03:38):
and yet, fast forward, we haveslip-on shoes.
That does not look likegrandparent shoes, not making
fun of my grandparents.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
So your platform is Crazy Fitness Guy.
I'd love to hear how you wentfrom being diagnosed, finally
hitting your milestones, tobecoming this keynote speaker,
podcaster, host person who isreally advocating for health and
you know through your platformof me not putting any judgments
(04:35):
or not limiting to me of basedon data, because you know how
data is so accurate.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
I have proof on that.
Just go if anybody who won, andso I just I have to make a
reference, but if anybody whoruns a website, you know what I
mean.
Google Search Console does notgo along with Google Analytics.
And one thing, just one otherthing I want to add on there.
Those two will never match.
So I just wanted to point outhow accurate data is.
(05:01):
Not at all.
So, basically, because myfriends, my family members, and
didn't put any limitations on medue to being autistic didn't
treat me any differently.
I mean, I needed some extrahelp in school.
I still need some in college,depending on what the course is.
(05:24):
If it's something aboutmedia-related or tech, I'm good,
but if it's math, well, I'mnever going to be an accountant.
Not that I want to be anaccountant and I'm not going to
find any of accountants.
Of course, me and numbers donot go together whatsoever.
I mean, I can still do math,but it's going to take me a
(05:45):
while to equations and formulasNot my thing.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Or science?
Yeah, did media and tech cometo you naturally?
Or you just found you had anaffinity for it, and so the more
interested you were, the moreyou kept learning.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Yep, that's pretty much what happened.
I got into my brother and mydad taught me a lot about all
the some stuff about media.
My dad I was in charge of itwhen for his work and he
basically taught me stuff thathe knew, my brother knew.
But then there was a certainpoint where they couldn't teach
me anymore.
(06:21):
So I just started playingaround with buttons and you
might probably think, well, areyou going to blow up the
computer or something?
And it's like no, it's prettyhard to do that.
Most of you are going onsuspicious websites and I'm
keeping that PG.
So whatever you want to fillthe blank in in your own mind,
go right ahead.
But basically what I did I waslike, well, there's really no
(06:44):
way to screw up a computerunless you know where to factory
reset and go into suspiciouswebsites.
And so basically I got morecomfortable with everything I
wouldn't say.
I know the computer inside andout, I know what kind of specs
to get for computers, butbasically and I know what kind
of stuff, but I'm more of asoftware kind of person, like I
(07:07):
can tell you that the softwareto stay stay away from software
to go after one of the softwareI use is for my own business,
for my streaming platform Ihighly do not recommend is by
Logitech.
So and you might say that's apersonal preference but my last
(07:29):
10 guests I had on my showthey'd been having a lot of
troubles logging in on the guestend and so I told them.
So basically I kind of justbeen throwing them under the bus
every single episode.
I know they've never sponsoredmy show anytime soon.
I was like thanks, I will neverbe backed by Roger Tech, I'm
(07:51):
okay.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
So your family treated you like an equal.
They helped you understandtechnology, computers, all the
ins and outs that you would need.
But now you're a podcaster, ahost, and I understand you also
were bullied a bit by otherpeople, but now you're a fitness
enthusiast.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
Yeah, and how I got into the whole Crazy Fitness Guy
was?
It started off with a projectthat I did after my first
English class in college.
It was going to just be aself-improvement kind of project
to keep writing, because who'sgoing to write in a Word
document every single day?
Not me.
Then I decided to go to youknow what could I possibly do to
(08:38):
continue my writing, to be abetter writer?
So I said let's start a website.
And like that was an idiot ideaof mine, because the reason why
it was an idiot idea becauseand I want to make it clear that
I'm not bashing this company, Isay is I went to WordPress like
(08:58):
everyone else did.
And, for those who may befamiliar with WordPress, the
reason why it was a bad idea forme is because, even though I've
come from a technologicalbackground, technological
background plus website is awhole different ballpark of
crazy plugin does not work withthis plugin and vice versa, and
(09:27):
I was like there's no way thatthe whole internet runs on.
Wordpress is like I'm economic.
Basically, it only came in mymind where I just saw somebody
just picturing something, justlike banging their head on the
desk all day, just from all thefrustrations that I I was
working 90 plus hours a weekdoing that.
So then I jumped to Squarespacefor five, four years and then
(09:50):
on my fifth year that I wasgoing to renew, I jumped to
PodPage, where I'm happily atbecause and not bashing
Squarespace either but just myneeds changed.
So I'm not saying don't go toSquarespace or anything, it's
changed.
So I'm not saying don't go toSquarespace or anything and I'm
not saying don't go to WordPress.
It is that if you're notsomebody who's familiar running
the websites and stuff, go tosomebody who does or hire
(10:15):
somebody who does.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
But I didn't have the resources to hire somebody.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
So I was like I'd rather go to somebody who knows
who runs it like an actual party, not the person, because, let
us say, someone in my family andI'm not going to name the title
or who it is to keep itdiscreet but let's just say the
person I know is being takenadvantage by a certain someone
(10:45):
in that department because herelied on a certain person and
it's like you're doing it with acompany and it's like this guy
is taking advantage of you, butof course no one listens to me.
It's like well, what do youknow, jimmy?
It's like, well, it's only mymom must study that flippant
study in college.
I know nothing.
No one takes my advice, though.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
So you started out with the website first, but how
did you become a fitnessenthusiast, an entrepreneur, the
crazy fitness guy?
Speaker 3 (11:15):
Well funny.
Basically I've had familymembers who's been in
entrepreneur mindsets, played alot of Monopoly growing up and
pretty much every time when Ihung out with my cousins growing
up just playing games, being anentrepreneur always came to
(11:35):
mind.
My imagination ran wild.
And how I got into fitness wasafter I lost 30 pounds with P90X
.
I was like there's not manypeople who speak about autism
and fitness from their point ofviews.
Now, I'm not saying I'm theworld's leading expert in
(11:56):
fitness and everything, becauseI know I'm not, but I understand
why it has worked for me andthat makes me an expert of me.
I'm not saying saying hey, godo this.
I'm just saying, hey, if youwant to try it, go try it.
But I'm not saying, okay, gorecommend this, because you and
I don't have any degrees infitness.
(12:16):
But I'm just sharing from myautistic point of view.
It's like, well, if it workedfor me, it could work for
somebody else.
Yeah, but what got me into thewhole autism advocacy was I got
frustrated.
I'm still a little bitfrustrated.
I don't say frustrated, but I'minspired to shape Like I'm
(12:40):
going to speak at the top techconferences at some point and
say I'm going to speak at thetop tech conferences at some
point and say, with all thistechnology, we have AI now and
everything else.
I was like we need to createdevices that basically support
people with autism and extrachallenges.
And I was like we probablycould make something more
(13:02):
affordable.
At the moment, we have the top$4 billion companies in the
world that have and it's like weprobably can make something
more affordable.
At the moment, we have the top$4 billion companies in the
world that have all the money inthe world at the moment.
And I'm not saying that topreach or anything, I'm just
stating a fact.
And I'm only saying thatbecause I don't care about
politics, I don't care about anyof that stuff, but basically
(13:23):
because, like much to say, thestart of this week was very
emotional and I was thinking tomyself if only I can read social
cues better.
And it's like wouldn't it becool to have some kind of James
Bond glasses that would takesomething that would basically
say, not like it doesn't show onthe front end, but just on the
(13:46):
back end for myself, and it'slike, oh, this person's happy or
he's sad or mad, because, likeI said to my parents, I said to
my brothers, like I can hear thetone in people's voices, but
just because somebody is maddoesn't mean doesn't share with
me, me, what are you mad at?
Was it something I did?
(14:06):
Was it something it was like?
All I know is like okay, Ientered the room.
Person's mad.
Okay, are you mad at me or didI do something wrong?
I can't read minds and then if Iask, then I'm prying.
So it's like what do I do?
And so it's like why can'tgoogle come up with something
like this?
And so it's like what do I do?
And so it's like why can'tGoogle come up with something
(14:26):
like this?
And then it's like in Apple,but the only thing that two seem
to come up with like, hey, youknow what?
We just created?
Like 10 cameras on a phone.
And it's like how many morecameras can we put on the phone?
Let's try 30.
How about that?
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Right, but they're not solving issues that affect a
large part of the population.
Right, I was talking to a guestand we were talking about how
28.7% of the population has somekind of disability or different
ability, as I would prefer tostate and that's a huge market
segment that's being overlooked.
(15:03):
A lot of consumer power, a lotof buying power for
organizations and people thatneed to have access to these
tools that you're talking about.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
Well, here's a stat for you from the Autism Painting
Magazine.
When I was born, there was onein 150 diagnosed with autism
back in 1993.
1993.
(15:39):
Now and today, just as lastyear in 2023, it was one in 36
people being diagnosed withautism today and the total stat
is 247% 247% since 2000.
So I was like, okay, so autismis not just 1 in 150 anymore.
It's not rare.
It's like everything isliterally falling on the
(16:01):
spectrum and I didn't evenconsider a spectrum anymore.
To be honest, I really feellike they need to be, because at
some point you would think thatthe spectrum has to end.
So I thought of a creative termthat I actually know a couple
of people with autism and asadults, and I ran it by them to
(16:22):
see.
It was like what do you thinkabout them, about this?
And so, based on my idea for itand feel free anybody to take
this idea, but you have to giveme a a little footnote in it and
my brand name next to it that'smy exceptions and basically my
idea was being the autism web,because at least the web would
(16:43):
be autism in the middle.
Whatever goes from this and this, and we'll think of a bit one
of those mind maps that comes tomind.
So because at least it can keepgoing and keep going, and keep
going where the spectrum is likewhen does it run out?
Does it run out?
Does it hit one of the you knowin the cartoons growing up, and
(17:07):
it's like does it just keepgoing to infinity until the road
runs out somewhere?
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
When it comes to websites technology.
What are some things, factors,perhaps, that people should be
thinking about when they'rethinking about how are we going
to have the right userexperience and interface for
somebody who's neurodivergent orautistic, or both?
Speaker 3 (17:36):
So I have to give this example and make sure that
it's easy to.
I think the easiest way possibleis to make it easy for it to
contact someone from customersupport live chat either a live
chat box floating or a link toit so that if you can't find
(17:57):
something, somebody can justgive you the information.
But do not use a stupid chatbot,because and here's why when I
contacted my internet providertoday, I noticed a few chatbots
did not like my voice.
I mean not saying theyprogrammed specifically for me,
(18:17):
but basically since sometimes myvoice gets monotoned and I talk
like a robot sometimes which Iknow it's not really always the
case but if I'm just likespeaking like blah blah, blah,
blah, just quietly to my parents, but basically the robot like
when I say home, it's like oh,I'm sorry, I don't understand
(18:39):
you.
I'm like how do you notunderstand?
It's like I literally just hadthe word home and, uh, it still
doesn't understand.
It's like oh, like, oh, she'scoming through an agent and it
went back to the robot a fewtimes and it's like, I swear.
It's like they're just trulylike okay, you know anybody
named Jimmy and Claire, justgive them the robotic voice and
(19:01):
we don't give a crap.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
So voice recognition technology still has a long way
to go is one thing that you'resaying.
And then having a nice userexperience where it's easy to
find the information you'relooking for or it's easy to
communicate with somebody incustomer service who can help
you navigate that.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
Yeah, and somebody who knows what they're talking
about, so like if I hadexplained something.
Let's say, oh, I used to beable to do such and such, let's
say just using Logitech.
Example my guests can't comeinto the studio.
It says loading.
Please wait or join, butnothing happens.
(19:43):
Then there's like, oh okay, wegot to go fix this, and they
just go fix it.
Or they know what you'retalking about, but so far all I
got was an autoresponder and all, and I paid a lifetime tool for
it and all I get is a lifetimewait for it.
So I'm like so that's where Istand, that's good yeah I don't
(20:07):
know, money back.
so crazy fitness guy started asa website when did you move it
to being a live stream platformand a podcast?
It started to after just havinglike just writing articles for
it.
It started to become a podcastonce I got into.
It started going to a podcastwhen I started being a keynote
(20:31):
speaker Because at the time whenI had very peccable timing and
by very peccable timing I'mbeing very sarcastic I started
my keynote speaking career rightat the height of the pandemic
and I was like that's greattiming.
And so my college professortold me, who I still stay in
(20:53):
touch with today and becauseshe's been going to bat for me,
helping back in my credibility Igot voted literally voted out
of about 20 people in my publicspeaking class as the most
persuasive speaker and I waslike I don't take that for
(21:15):
granted, I wear that as a nametag, but basically, yeah, so you
were keynote speaking.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
You started during the pandemic and did your
professor encourage you?
Speaker 3 (21:25):
She basically encouraged me to go into
podcasting to get my name outthere, because she's like, right
, right now, we don't know whenyou can go back into speaking in
public, because you know I sawso many no offense or anybody
listening but there were somepeople, so many people, online
during the pandemic and it kindof cracked me up on some of
(21:47):
these people.
It was like, yeah, you know,speaking is easy and yet they're
just talking to your camera.
It's like this is not publicspeaking and it's like the
reason why people are afraid ofpublic speaking is because they
have to speak right in front ofan audience and see what their
reactions are to on people'sfaces, and that's why public
speaking is the number one fear.
(22:08):
So, basically, so sheencouraged me into the
podcasting and I like todescribe it this way.
When she told me it's likejimmy, has it, start the podcast
I basically looked at her likemy, how my dogs look at me, like
I had six heads and shebasically and I was like a
(22:30):
podcast on top of everythingelse I do I was like are you
totally nuts?
Well, my very first podcastinterview that I got on luckily
for me the person's host at thetime and I'm not going to say
who the host was, because theyrebranded and I'm not trying to
bash anybody and I'm not tryingto bash anybody, so but at the
(22:52):
time it was a good start for mebecause I was like, well, this
person, like on the hostingsetting, there was like a way to
hide a logo or show the logo ofthe host, and basically she
kept it front and center andbasically, which I didn't mind,
because it's like basically waskind of handing me on a silver
(23:12):
platter.
It's like, well, now I have ahost, now I don't have a way for
me to back out of podcastingnow.
So I was like, well, I didn'thave to do any research.
No, I don't mean, I don't do anyresearch but, just because I'm
still figuring how am I going todo this and still do a podcast?
How out, how am I going to dothis and still do the podcast?
How much research am I going tohave to do to figure this whole
(23:35):
thing out?
And I figured let's get started, even if I mess up a few times.
I'd rather just get started,figure my way out, versus I
could read every single articleon the planet Earth and still
won't get started because I Iran into this person not gonna
do many names, but they's likeI'm gonna do this a, b, c and d
(24:00):
before I do this.
You know what happened.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Never heard from them , ever again yeah, yeah, that's
often what happens, I think.
We get excited about somethingbut then we don't start acting
on it, and if you don't starttaking action, then it's easy to
let it fall behind and thenjust to let it die.
So today you monetize.
This is your job podcasting,keynote speaking.
(24:28):
You're also a student.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Yep, currently not in this semester just because,
let's just say, I had a sciencecourse for my degree but since
science is not my expertise, Ineed some extra help.
Let's just say I didn't haveanywhere to go for extra help
this semester, so, and my tutor,who tutored me in statistics,
(24:54):
who did much better than mystats professor, who didn't
teach anything whatsoever I meanit was not my course, to be
fair, but I mean, let's just behonest, he was non-existent.
So basically, we.
So, even though I could haveasked my friend for help let's
just say the directions of thecourse I couldn't figure out the
(25:19):
assignments and I was eitherstaying this course and figure
out how to get help or drop itto get my money back, and was
like, okay, I'm gonna drop itbecause I also had the
opportunity to go to Japan withmy brother for 10 days.
I was like, take this course orgo to Japan and I'm like and
(25:44):
plus, my parents were goingthrough knee surgeries and hip
surgeries, so they couldn't helpme with science either.
So I was like, you know, I'mjust gonna take the semester off
, I'm gonna go into japan andjoin myself.
I mean, I mean I didn't drinkor anything, but I mean I was
like, but I was feeling justtense, stress and everything
(26:04):
else whatsoever.
And so I was like, okay, maybea time away from Pennsylvania
and New Jersey, because in NewJersey I go back and forth on
the shore in the summertime.
But I was like, maybe I justneed to completely get away from
everything.
And so I was like, okay, let'sgo.
And I was excited.
(26:26):
But I was also just nervousbecause like, okay, I don't
really want to mess up when Iget my associate's degree, so I
can get to move forward,continue moving forward.
I'm telling you, everybody putso much pressure on me.
My parents are like when areyou going to graduate?
When are you 60?
I'm like, well, if you keeptrying to keep from more trial
(26:50):
opportunities underneath me?
Speaker 2 (26:54):
Well, I'd love to hear more about how people can
support your podcast, yourYouTube channel, your keynote
speaking.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
Well, the easiest way for people to support me, I
have a premium version of mypodcast called Crazy Fitness
Guys Premium Podcast.
It was either that or changedthe whole logo and everything
else.
It's like I think people willknow what premium stands for.
So I mean, I wasn't saying thatsarcastically, I just like I
(27:26):
was like I don't know what elseto call it Crazy Fitness Guy
Plus.
It sounds boring.
So basically, there's a premiumversion of my podcast.
You get extra bells andwhistles, ad-free, of course.
It's all listed on the site, sojust go to that.
It's under the mall link.
It tells you what you get ineach version.
(27:47):
And if you don't want the extrabells and whistles, there's
just the ad-free version on myhosting platform that it's $4 a
month.
It's either $3.99 a month or$30 a year, but basically at the
moment the hosting will notonly let me do it monthly, so
(28:08):
that's why it's $4.
It didn't let me do it $3.99.
So I was like like I'm justgonna probably argue over a
penny right yeah, I tried it.
So if you want to hire me fromkeynote speaking, there's a form
on my site under speaking.
It gives you a quote.
Let me know.
Yeah, budget wise can negotiate, I don't care, I'm flexible.
(28:29):
So you can hire me for speakingand just subscribe to your
YouTube channel.
You can listen to my podcasteverywhere.
You can get your podcasts.
I always like to say at the endof my show if you can't find me
on your platform, reach out tome.
I'll put it on your platformand I'm still working with
SiriusXM on how to get mypodcast on the show.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Fantastic.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
It's like well, they haven't reached back to me yet,
and it's like any day.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
now I'm also wanting to know how having a podcast and
a platform has changed yourlife.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
I think how it changed my life is I met a lot
of amazing autism advocatesaround the United States, around
the world.
I get to meet all these amazingpeople I have never would have
ever meet otherwise.
I get to talk one-on-one withan expert for a whole hour.
Otherwise, I get to talkone-on-one with an expert for a
whole hour without having tocharge me a dime.
I mean, I'm not being sarcasticon it.
(29:41):
These people's expertise a lotof them I talk to they've gone
through hours and hours of workto get their degrees and a
master's and doctorates andwhatnot.
They would cost me likethousands and thousands of
dollars for a whole hour andyeah, or by the hour, and so to
(30:04):
get them on your podcast.
That's pretty crazy.
I mean, it's exposure for them,but it's also exposure for you.
It's like guess what?
I'm having a bunch of expertscoming in.
They're not a bunch of newbies.
Some of them, I mean, are otherpodcasters who sometimes are
(30:26):
serious, sometimes they're notserious, but those I've gotten
better at figuring out who's whobut not naming any names, of
course.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
Yeah, of course.
Speaker 3 (30:37):
I don't mind if somebody's a hobby, but tell me
you're a hobby or whatever.
But if you're serious, youbetter show up on time and be
serious, and I'm not saying youpersonally, andrew.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
I know.
Yeah, it is important.
It is important to be able tokind of separate.
I've had the same experiencesthat you have had with some of
these issues, depending on ifsomebody is more of an obvious
or it's taking it seriously aspart of their business and
thought leadership.
If they're just trying to getas many episodes to get it
ranked on a chart, that may ormay not mean anything.
(31:12):
Jimmy, I also was wondering forthe people who are listening,
many of whom are studentsgetting their master's in
digital media management.
We do talk about accessibility,we do talk about equity.
We talk about designing a greatuser experience.
So earlier you did say if therewas something that could help
(31:32):
you.
We talked about some websitethings that could help customer
service, and you also mentioned,of course, if there was a tool
or device that could help youread people better, because I do
know it can be hard for anyone,but, particularly if you're
autistic, there's another layerof complexity with people's
(31:53):
varying tones and all of that.
What are some recommendationsor other things that you would
like to see come out in themarket, or things that people
should consider if they'reneurotypical and that they are
really thinking about design inan accessible way?
Speaker 3 (32:10):
I would say, put the most important links at the top
of the website.
Like I know, it kind of dependson the platform, how it's built
, but, like for my own stuff,like I put, I put the mall, I
put the about a way to contactand the the best way to contact.
(32:34):
So I, uh, because by email,emails are not the best way
because I mean, depending on howcompanies are set up, but like
emails, they can get lost intrash spam, depending on
security, it might be lost incyberspace and then you have to
think about that.
(32:55):
But I would say, put your mostimportant stuff on the top If
you want.
At the bottom you have extrastuff.
Maybe repeat the stuff that'sat the top or add some stuff
that you wanted to add, but putit down there.
Yes, I look top and bottom ofwebsites to say, oh, okay, like,
(33:16):
look at amazon, it's a littlecrowded but at least it's
labeled nicely.
Like, oh, this is this, this isthat I can find something.
But, for example, example, Ihave a bad website.
Look at Verizon.
It goes from Verizon Miles,verizon Fios, and then trying to
figure out, trying to log in,and it's like, oh, what's your
(33:37):
account number?
I was like, really, why can'twe just go with just an email
and password like everyone elseanymore?
So it's like what makes youguys special?
And so my point is that you knowthere's so many people making
chatbot softwares and it's likethey all chatbots are stupid.
(33:59):
It's like, yes, you can createa whole database, train it, but
at the end of the day, ifsomebody types in something that
the chatbot doesn't recognize,it's going to be stupid.
It's going to be a stupid bot.
And the reason why I know thatis because I tried making a
chatbot and it was stupid.
I thought it was the way to go,but I was like this is really
(34:24):
stupid.
It's like chatbots need to go.
But I was like this is reallystupid.
I was like chatbots need to die.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
Wow, and, of course, I want to ask you for a piece of
advice that you would alsoleave the audience with from
your personal professional lifethat's helped you move through
the world.
One thing that you had sharedwith me was always invest in
yourself, and it definitelysounds like you've continued to
believe in yourself, to investin yourself and not be limited
(34:48):
by what other people'sexpectations are.
Speaker 3 (34:51):
You know, I do believe in investing in yourself
, because if you don't invest inyourself, like if you don't
continue learning well, what doyou have to offer?
If you don't continue toeducate yourself?
What do you have to offer?
If you don't continue investingin business, what do you have to
offer?
If you don't continue investingin business, what do you have
to offer?
And if you don't continueinvesting, like in your podcast
(35:13):
host, what do you have to offer?
You know there's freebies outthere, like free hosting
companies, but if thosecompanies go on the wayside,
what do you have to offer?
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Nothing.
Speaker 3 (35:26):
Yeah, and I get it.
Money is tight, especiallythese days.
I feel it, everyone feels it,but you know, who knows, maybe
it will get better, hopefully.
And basically what I say topeople you know, just because
(35:46):
you can't get to the mostfanciest house whatsoever, don't
go to the like all the ways.
Freebie may start free beforethe first, maybe the first year,
just until you get the hang ofit and what, what you want to do
with it, how you plan to goforward.
But invest in some stuff.
I mean, don't go into the mostinexpensive tools and go
(36:08):
bankrupt.
But you know, if you can getsome good deals, like you know,
go go on app sumo.
They have life.
There's certain companies thatstart off with life like
lifetime products.
I mean keep them on there forlike forever and ever and ever,
because then they need to makemoney.
But yeah, I got a few lifetimetools the Logitech one, which I
(36:32):
think has already been alifetime, it feels like.
But then there's other oneslike Vista Social, my favorite
marketing tool whatsoever.
I'm like hands down, it has AI.
I mean I don't use AI foreverything.
It's kind of cool that whatthey have, they have, they
create this brand voice thing,so you can basically take how
(36:55):
you say stuff and do stuff andwhat you would normally say, put
it in the tool and basicallyspit back like close enough, and
if I have to re-edit some stuff, I'm like, okay, you know.
Speaker 1 (37:09):
I like it.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
And it goes everything to my social media.
I can schedule stuff out.
I mean, I love this tool.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
I used to use HelloWolfie, but oh well, yeah,
there are so many tools andthank you for sharing a couple
of your recommendations.
We're gonna have everybody goto crazyfitnessguycom.
I'll have it in the show notesso that people can get all the
information how to follow yourshow, how to support you, how to
(37:39):
book you for a keynote.
But I really, really appreciateyou coming on sharing, sharing
your perspective, a little bitof your story and how you've
become an advocate, not just foryourself, but for many others.
Speaker 3 (37:51):
Thank you for having me and please do go check out my
website, because you knowthere's nobody backing me.
I mean, I have a fewsponsorships, but they're not
paying my bills.
I can tell you that they'resaving me on some stuff, but
they're not paying my bills.
I would love them some.
Just give me a million dollarsa year, I'll be great.
Speaker 2 (38:15):
And, with that, thank you to everybody who's watching
or listening to this episode ofMediascape Insights from
Digital Changemakers.
I'm one of your co-hosts,Annika Jackson, and I will be
back, or my co-host, JosephAttai, will be back next week
with another amazing guest toshare their story, their
insights and how you, too, canthink about becoming a digital
(38:36):
changemaker.
Speaker 1 (38:38):
To learn more about the Master of Science in Digital
Media Management program, visitus on the web at dmmuscedu.
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