tavis: good evening. from los angeles, i am tavis smiley. tonight a conversation with temple grandin. she has devoted her life to the welfare of animals and providing humans with a better understanding of the complexity of our brains. most recently in her latest text which combines the latest round wrecking brain science with some practical advice for chance of -- parents of children on the autistics spectrum. we turn to a conversation with actress toni collette. "is movie "the way, way back in theaters now. isng had that said there always the right time to do the right thing. i just try to live my life every day by doing the right

thing. we know that we are only about halfway to completely eliminate hunger, and we have a lot of work to do. walmart committed $2 billion to fighting hunger in the u.s. cane work together, we stamp hunger out. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. tavis: challenging the conventional wisdom that puts limitations on those within the autistics spectrum has been part of temple grandin's work for

decades. she has championed an inclusive approach to those diagnosed with autism, urging parents and teachers to rethink placing preconceived barriers on achievement. currently a professor of animal science at colorado state university, temple grandin has written a new text about the latest cutting edge brain science as well as practical device for those coping with autism. the book is called "the autistic thinking across the spectrum." i am honored to have you on this program. is me start by asking, what the latest good news about autism? >> optimus a very big spectrum. at one end of the spectrum einstein would be labeled autistic. steve jobs, half of silicon valley. van gogh. at the other end of the spectrum you have severe than -- handicaps when they never learned to speak. when kids are little, they all look the same.

i cannot emphasize the importance of early educational intervention. 20 hours a week working with the teacher. it is a very big spectrum. there is no black and white dividing line. between mild and may be just being sort of socially awkward. tavis: is there good news in the research about how we're doing treating autism? >> research is clear on the importance of early intervention with these kids, that is very clear. one of the places where researchers need is the sensory problems. get center problems with dyslexia, learning problems, adhd. things like sound sensitivity, problems with favre's and lighting. this is one area that needs a lot of research. i have a big chapter just on dealing with sensor problems. tavis: it taught in this book and have made the point any times that parents and others ought to see autism as a gift and not as a curse, not as a challenge. tommy lee made.

>> the milder and of the spectrum, there can be some real advantages. at the more severe and you could have a child that remains nonverbal and cannot participate in a normal events like going to arrest drug because it is too noisy. it is a very huge spectrum. if all the autistic trades were eliminated we probably would not have a tv station here because of the people who are kind of socially awkward who invented tv in the first place. >> tell me how much of what you have learned has to do with your own personal journey being autistic. >> none of the books were available when i was younger. there is some any things available today. somebody out there watching has a little kid that is nonverbal, the worst thing you can do is do nothing. your local joining support group immediately. if you cannot afford early

intervention, get some grandmothers, get some students but the worst thing you can do is nothing. played turn taking games. want to get these kids talking if you can. until howr nonverbal old? >> until four years old. you have a milder autism where there is achilly but they're socially awkward. those kids were around when i was a child. they're called dixon nerds. what helped them is social rules being pounded in. in the 1950's and 1960's, kids were taught how to shake hands. there needs to be a lot more of that kind of stuff because the autistic mine does not pick up subtle cues. they have to be taught. if someone is rolling their eyes they're not happy with what you're doing. that it must be happy with all the media attention that has been devoted of late to autism. there might be some aspect of you find troubling.

is there? >> when you get on the mild and of the spectrum, i am single lot of kids that are milder than me. they're getting hung up on their autism. people in the spectrum tend to get fixated on their favorite things. when i was young it was things like kites and airplanes and older, it was things like cattle chutes. i would rather see a kid get fixated on something they could turn into a career. and these kids get fixated. you want to take these fixations and build on them. read wants trains, let's about trains, broaden that out. i am seeing too many smart, kind of socially awkward kids a lot milder than i was not getting employment because they're not learning job skills. when i was 13 mother got me a selling job. when i was 15 and was planning and horse stalls. i did some internships in college were had to read my own house with another person.

tavis: how are we doing as a society, developing these kinds of solutions for parents? >> things have gotten a lot better for the individuals on the more severe end of the spectrum. all kinds of services available for that. i am seeing too many socially awkward kid get through school and they cannot hold a job. they have not learned the discipline to get up in the morning. people who were socially awkward have paper routes and that taught them the discipline of work. when it comes to social skills, get involved with shared interest. the only place i was not bleed and teased in high school was in shared interests like electronics and horseback riding. activity where their ability is appreciated. tavis: does bullying -- this question might be simple and stupid. but does bullying and teasing kids or autistic set them back?

yes. i can remember being bullied and teased. it was horrible. i got kicked out in ninth grade for throwing a book at a growth of tease me. it was terrible. saudis' high school kids,-some of these high school kids, the best thing to do would be to let them finish up on line. me are gooders like at things like design, industrial design, graphics, art, this kind of jobs and there is the mathematicians. there are your computer programmers. you have the guys that are ward thinkers. they might be good at certain journalism jobs. we have to start teaching word get out andey can get employed. how did animals become

your love? >> i became infatuated with courses in high school. the animals were refuge away from teasing and away from the horrible social stuff and i had friends that also rode horses. that is where my friends were. about whot do we know autism strikes? are there certain profiles of families are kids? >> it is genetic. it is a complicated genetics. themore you love the dice, family history has some adhd, an epilepsy, learning problems, the more you load the dice on both sides of the family the more likely you are to get severely autistic kids. there are clusters around some of the big tax centers. you take to socially awkward computer programmers and put that clusters the genes. it is not a simple genetics.

-- there is no way for the falcons silicon valley -- the focus in silicon valley. who hasave one person autism and another who has those trades and maybe there is some anxiety, depression, a epilepsy in the family history. our side to the gains amaze me. by leaps and bounds, we're learning some of everything about some of everything. all you hoping that the science is going to be much farther ?long >> i think the definition is too broad. , wethe autistic brain review the history of the autism

diagnosis and it has changed of the years. these diagnostic profiles like depression, adhd, autism, dyslexia, it is half science and the other half is a committee of doctors bickering over what it should be and it has changed. it is not precise like a diagnosis of tuberculosis would be very precise. they will find that autism break up into some component parts. but fully verbal ones, the social circuits are not working. they're living in a world of told sensory jumbling. one of the big areas i would like to see more research done on is the sensory problems. it is variable. one kit has sound sensitivity, another one cannot tolerate fluorescent lights. i cannot stand scratchy close. tavis: i like your shirt. very special shirt.

this when i got on a trip to thailand. mcdonald's animal welfare auditing. there was a wonderful store there that makes custom shirts. tavis: the bandanna is always there. let me close by asking you to set your modesty aside for just a second. it is amazing to me and i revel in this that as one who is autistic, you are at the forefront of the research being autism.ut that a big deal. >> one of the things i want to do is be a decent role models. different levels and things like that. i want those kids to succeed. i'm seeing to many kids were the get fixated on their own autism. i would rather have them get fixated that they like tarja or programming computers or they want to sing or trained dogs. something that they can turn

into a career. autism is an important part of who i am. i'm a college professor and an animal scientist first. i like the logical way thing. -- autism is important but it bothers me when i see kids with autism and autism is all they think about. i would rather have them think about some are working or going to do or some science they wanted to do. tavis: let me close our this.sation with i love this name, temple grandin. >> it is an old family surname. tavis: temple grandin is her name. the book is "the autistic brain ." thank you for being here. next, toni collette. stay with us. nomineener and oscar

toni collette this. i love this name, temple grandin. >> it is an old family surname. is here. for putting ay woman with this session of disorder. she can be seen in "the way, way back." she was in a new cbs-tv series entitled "hostages." let's take a look at a clip from "the way, way back." >> i met her, she was caring some halloween party in albany. he has followed me around all night. working.d have been let memember, you did

you pack. it took three months to go with me. >> i did not know you have the kind of stamina. >> there may be hope for you yet. >> what made you finally change your mind? >> we -- he said we're already in this together so might as well. i am lucky. there's a lot of good material around. i have been enjoying it for the last 18 months. on what actorng you talk to, there is an abundance of riches for more often than not there is a dearth and paucity of good stuff. why is the good stuff coming to you? well, i don't know want to say to that. it is cyclical and happens in

phases. fter i finished with "the united states of tara," i took some time off. gets their fair, and going. somewhere where to said what attracted you character, will come back to playing off kilter characters. as you read it, every character in this film either had an element of growth or growth potential or trying to grow. tell me what this growth thing was in these characters. >> the nice thing about any story is how people changed. that is usually a struggle because change character, will k to playing off kilter characters. as you read it, every character in is an uncomfortable thing. what is inevitable is change.

that is what life is. she thinks she knows what she wants and she is going for these relationships with a guy who is a bad person. -- is not bad in this movie. he is a dark, manipulative kind of shady dude and he treats my son really badly. one thing aloud about the story. it is his story. they're trying to see if they can make it as a family and it all kind of goes horribly wrong. he reveals to his mother, we had this idea about growing up knowing everything. he sees this guy for whom the is and he is the one who opened my eyes to it.

his change the labels might change. tavis: what is the takeaway for the audience seeing steve isell the character he not normally? >> i am giving the chance to go and have-i want to watch it because it is exciting to watch the other artists doing their work. it is someone who is uncomfortable and himself learning to be confident and is done in such a funny way and it gives you great feelings. it is one of those feel-good movies. it is so joyous. tavis: is that typical, you're anxious to go to the premier and see it? >> i like seeing people's work.

to see it but i do not like to repeatedly watch it. i find this movie so lovely. i have not said know yet. tavis: this reunites it with a couple of people. what happens when there are people you work with that you want to work with over and over again? the material has to be there for it to happen but i get the sense -- where people work together repeatedly. >> i would work with steve any day of the week. he is such a talented guy and such a gentleman. lovely to be around. this is a fortuitous thing that happened.

i think something is meant to be, it will be in the end. i mentioned earlier in the introduction, i assume i am not too off kilter myself that you like playing characters that are off kilter. what is the attraction for you? >> i think there is so many movies that represent this kind of idea of what is to be human which is off the mark and a glossy hollywood version of what life is. i really think there is no such thing as normal. if you believe that, everyone is a character and very much an individual. i personally kind of year and to play characters for complex and who struck a tree full chord in me. who are challenged in some way. i guess who moved through those challenges. what are you learning about the complexity of our individual

humanity? as humans we cannot revel in the humanity of each other. in the complexity of each other. raise kids in this world. they're trying to develop their own identity. what do you make of that? >> i believe in b-1s. -- oneness. together. in this far as kids go, they have to

develop a sense of individuality. the older i get the more i appreciate the fact that we really are just so connected. to me, there are so many different things to believe in. i believe ultimately we are all energy. energy keeps changing. ultimately it is a connectedness and it is strange because it seems that society is promoting or nurturing this kind of ostracized existence. people are very much in their own little world. a funny time. i am sure any time you live-in you consider it funny. lots have changed and it will keep doing that. it is a matter of embracing it or not. there is a fascinating point. we could have a show about this notion. there are so many go, they haveo develop a sense of individuality. the older i things to believe. the movie is about that notion. you're trying to raise this boy who is trying to figure out what to believe in.

regard to your own children, how in a world where there are so many things to believe and aside from your character, how do you direct and guide question might-direct and direct and guide? >> i allow them to have the their own ideas and nurture and foster that sense of following their own instincts. my kids are 5 and 2. start to pop-on up. one of us will answer and the village other and go, is that ok? it is not a matter of sitting

down and having a lecture. we love each other and support each other. that in itself is a great thing to feel solid in. not everyone gets that in life. >> the movie we're talking about tonight does not fit this. together question. now that you have two young children, does that in any way factor into the choices and decisions you make about the work that you take now, that you know years from now there will be looking at? i wonder if -- if they knew that i started to amend my ideas and choices, that would find that disappointing. about actors who have these plans. from a to be to here to there. i have never done that.

i do not know it has changed. i have never been a fan of violence. not done many movies that do not turn man. i like the character and my-and the journey. "the way, way back" with toni collette. good to see you. that is our show. watching and as always, keep the faith. >> for more information on today's show, visit tavis smiley at pbs.org. tavis: hi, i'm tavis smiley. join me next time for a conversation with on the war on

drugs. we will see you then. >> there is a saying that dr. king had that said there is always the right time to do the right thing. i just try to live my life every day by doing the right thing. we know that we are only about halfway to completely eliminate hunger, and we have a lot of work to do. walmart committed $2 billion to fighting hunger in the u.s. as we work together, we can stamp hunger out. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> be more. >> be more. >>

>> we have, in washington today, a government that is absolutely incapable of resolving the problems that are confronting the nation. what has happened here is it really goes back to the money that has become the overriding and the driving factor in politics. >> the slush of money that have come in and the fact that you can now have unlimited amounts of dollars flow in to campaigns without any even disclosure. the citizens united supreme court case, which basically took off all the campaign finance restrictions. i got to hope and pray that the supreme court realized they