Comedy
The Mask of Contentment: Johnny Carson, RSD, and the Architecture of Control
When Dr. William Dodson first introduced the clinical concept of Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) to describe the intense, agonizing emotional pain experienced by neurodivergent individuals in response to perceived failure or abandonment, it unlocked a massive wave of sudden clarity. One of the most famous clinical anecdotes from the early documentation of RSD involves a patient who, […]
The Microphone as a Shield: How ADHD, RSD, and Trauma Shape the Comedy of Provocation
When we think of stand-up comedians, we picture people who are fearless. We see individuals willing to stand alone under blinding spotlights, facing a room full of strangers whose sole job is to judge them in real-time. For decades, icons like Lenny Bruce, Sam Kinison, and Sarah Silverman have pushed the boundaries of what is […]