Episode 52: Ode to Joy and what Narcolepsy REALLY looks like (with Charlene Barker)

TRANSCRIPT HERE 

 

What do Moulin Rouge, My Private Idaho, and cheesy comedies Deuce Bigalow and Rat Race have in common? Terrible depictions of Narcolepsy!

Today, Steph is joined by the fashionably creative and wonderful Charlene Barker, to discuss her real life experience of Narcolepsy with Cataplexy, and how it is depicted in the romantic comedy Ode To Joy, starring Martin Freeman. Charlene takes us through what life is like with Narcolepsy and if this film does it justice. Can’t be worse than Rowan Atkinson falling asleep mid jog can it??? (p.s. You can watch Ode to Joy here on youtube for $4)

Follow Charlene @charlenegirl and check out her amazing handmade jewelry @langlesandlings and vintage preloved clothing @volupture!

 

CONTENT WARNING: injury, car accident, nightmares, some ableist terms.

 

The Podcast episode the film was based on:

I've Fallen In Love and I Can't Get Up - This American Life

Project Sleep Resources connected to the film:

• Ode to Joy” PSA
• Ode to Joy: Resources | IFC Films
• Ode to Joy - Project Sleep (project-sleep.com)

Short Film “Walking Through Peanut Butter” which we also discuss:

Walking through Peanut Butter | Short Comedy - YouTube

 

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REFERENCES:

• Cataplexy: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment | Sleep Foundation
• Narcolepsy - Treatment - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
• I have narcolepsy, and it's nothing like what you see in movies (mic.com)
• Narcolepsy is more than a Hollywood punchline, experts explain this mysterious condition - The Hollywood Digest
• \A Comedy of Errors: Ode to Joy's Inaccurate Portrayal of Narcolepsy with Cataplexy - Wake Up Narcolepsy
• - ‘Ode to Joy’ Filmmaker on Long Journey From Studio Rejection to Indie Release – The Hollywood Reporter
• Martin Freeman: ‘The worst thing anyone’s said to me? "I don’t love you"’ | Martin Freeman | The Guardian
• Writer and Actor Anna Marr Channels Comedy and Personal Experiences While Combating Stereotypes About Narcolepsy in Short Film Walking Through Peanut Butter - RespectAbility

 

NOTE: This podcast is not designed to be therapeutic, prescriptive or constitute a formal diagnosis for any listener, nor the characters discussed. The host is not representative of all psychologists and opinions stated are her own personal opinion, based on her own learnings and training (and minimal lived experience). Host and co-hosts do not have the final say and can only comment based on their own perspectives, so please let us know if you dispute any of these opinions – we are keen for feedback!