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Honestly with Bari Weiss · September 30, 2025 · 1h 33m

How One Man Overcame His Autism

Leland Vittert

Leland Vittert, a well-known television correspondent, shares his journey from a child who didn't speak until age 3 and was severely cross-eyed to a confident anchor. His father refused to let the world accommodate his autism, instead training him relentlessly in social skills and resilience. The conversation also touches on the dramatic rise in autism diagnoses—from 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 31—and the resulting politicization, including the Trump administration's recent claims about Tylenol and autism.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Highlights

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Relentless Training to Overcome Autism
Leland describes how his father's insistence that he adapt to the world, rather than expecting the world to adapt to him, drove him through years of intense social skills training to overcome the challenges of autism.
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The Dramatic Rise in Autism Diagnoses
In the 1980s, about 1 in 1,000 American children were diagnosed with autism; today, it's 1 in 31.
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Editorial

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The Politicization of Autism
The discussion of what causes autism and how to treat it has become so politicized that it leaves people resentful, anxious, and confused.
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References

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Born Lucky: A Dedicated Father, a Grateful Son, and My Journey with Autism — Leland Vittert (2025) — Author's memoir about overcoming autism

Misc

✧Leland didn't speak until age 3 and was born severely cross-eyed.
✧He struggled with eye contact, humor, conversation cues, and social rules—middle and high school were 'hell.'
✧He left Fox News in 2021 after clashing over the network's Trump coverage, later joining NewsNation.
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