'AspieComic' Michael McCreary addresses Asperger's with stand-up comedy

Asperger's syndrome and comedy — if you don't think the two go together then let us introduce you to Michael McCreary, who also goes by the name AspieComic.

McCreary is a stand-up comic who uses his act as an outlet for his Asperger's.

Growing up with Asperger's, McCreary used to channel his energy into journaling and the performing arts, both of which lent themselves to stand-up comedy. McCreary's journal entries turned into joke writing and his time on the stage taught him that he'd rather be up there on his own. 

"When I finally got into comedy, it was a relief because you're the only one who can make or break a performance," McCreary tells Shad.

While McCreary's Asperger's does affect his behaviour in social settings, it does so in a way where he is extremely extroverted.

"I'm not the television stereotype of what an Aspie is, which is the eccentric introvert," McCreary says.

When he joined the Stand Up For Mental Health program — a pivotal moment in his comedy career — founder David Granirer says what makes McCreary stand out isn't just that he's breaking stereotypes, but that he has something to say with his act.

WEB EXTRA | Watch McCreary's set about his mother and catch him in Toronto this Thursday, June 16, at LOL for Autism.