'Special Interview’: Autistic community slams Keshet for ‘circus’ portrayal

A new Keshet 12 show, Special Interview, billed as a heartfelt platform for autistic Israelis to question celebrities, has instead ignited a firestorm of criticism from the very community it claims to uplift. Aired last night, the program—hosted by actress Rotem Sela—features autistic interviewers quizzing stars like Hanan Ben Ari and Keren Peles. But for many on the spectrum and their families, it’s less a breakthrough than a betrayal, reducing complex lives to a “cute” stereotype for prime-time voyeurism.

“They turned us into a circus,” fumed a high-functioning autistic woman on Facebook, one of many voices decrying the show’s premise. Rejected from auditions alongside another peer, she accused Keshet of cherry-picking lower-functioning participants to ask “dumber” questions—crafting a narrative of autistic people as endearing oddities rather than diverse individuals. “This diminishes our value and undoes years of work to explain what autism really is,” she wrote, her frustration palpable.

The backlash erupted hours after the broadcast, with autistic advocates and parents flooding social media. A mother whose son declined to participate called it “objectification” and “sensationalism,” skewering the production for recycling tired celebrities while peddling “inaccurate stigmas.” “These kids wrestle with existential questions worth more than a thousand Rotem Selas,” she posted. “They should be the ones asking us questions, not babysat for TV ratings.”

Critics say it leans hard into a trope: autistics as unfiltered truth-tellers, free of social nuance—a trait one autistic commenter acknowledged but argued was oversimplified. “No two autistics are the same,” he wrote. “We’re not here to make you feel warm and fuzzy, and we don’t need Rotem Sela as our constant babysitter.” He took a swipe at Keshet’s flagship Channel 2 News, suggesting autistic honesty could teach journalists a thing or two.

The show’s missteps hit a nerve with factual blunders, too. Journalist Ron Notkin, a father to an autistic child, praised the visibility but slammed a glaring error: one interviewer asked Ben Ari what he’d do if a prenatal test showed autism—a condition no test can detect with certainty, even in 2025. “At most, 20% accuracy,” Notkin tweeted on X. “It’s a terrible question that amplifies stigma. Ben Ari struggled with an abortion answer; I struggle with factual errors.” The moment, he said, undercut any goodwill.

Not everyone’s panning it. Some viewers sobbed through the episode, moved by seeing autistic voices in the spotlight on Israel’s top channel. But for critics, the tears feel hollow—a cheap emotional ploy. “It’s polished cynicism masquerading as empathy,” a skeptic wrote. They point to the curated questions—admitted by Sela herself to be prepped with production—as proof it’s more about Keshet’s agenda than authentic autistic expression.

The uproar lands amid a tense cultural moment in Israel, where representation matters more than ever. With war-weary citizens craving unity, Special Interview promised inclusion but delivered a caricature, say detractors. “Autistics aren’t your circus act,” one declared. As Keshet basks in its ratings glow, the autistic community demands better—not a babysitter, but a microphone of their own.