The Autistic Jester: Understanding Autism Through The Lens of Jordan Schlansky
Introduction: I want to preface this by saying that I am not a professional, and that these are entirely my own opinions; feel free to dispute any of my findings. I may occasionally phrase things as factual statements, but I do so only to avoid prefacing every claim with “I believe.” I also want to note that when I use the term “level 1 jester,” I do not intend it in a condescending manner. Rather, I believe the term aligns strongly with the social experience of being an Asperger’s/Level 1 autistic individual. People who are perceived as visibly autistic are more often met with understanding or infantilization, whereas Level 1 autistic individuals are typically held to the same social expectations as neurotypicals and are therefore met with perceptions of strangeness or unintentional humor.
The reason Jordan Schlansky is perceived as so humorous is, in my opinion, the combination of his and Conan O'Brien’s polarizing personalities, along with the consequences of being what I describe as a “level 1 jester,” something Conan constantly highlights. I also believe the humor comes from Conan’s unapologetic negativity toward Jordan, which many neurotypical people may privately feel but socially repress. Ultimately, I would like anyone reading this to become more aware of these social cues and, rather than treating these individuals as “jesters” or “creeps,” understand that the way they think and communicate are influenced by a disability.
Note: I have been told that my writing can sometimes be difficult to follow. Please let me know if anything is confusing so I can better explain what I mean.
Does Jordan Schlansky, an associate producer from the late-night show Conan, exhibit traits associated with autism? Many discussions have questioned this possibility. While Jordan has never publicly claimed to be officially diagnosed, he demonstrates an abundance of traits throughout the show that many viewers associate with autism. “Conan’s Dinner With Jordan Part 1” (https://youtu.be/Gx1B0Fkc51U?si=ojiZI1usktReW0NB) is a clip that strongly encapsulates these patterns. However, I encourage the reader to watch almost any video featuring Jordan, as autistic traits begin to appear consistently once you know what to look for. Here, I will list a few notable traits that make Jordan stand out:
*Eye contact
*The difference in attention Jordan gives to discussing an interest versus a non-interest
*Hand movements
*Orchestrated dialogue
*“Easy sequiturs”
*A highly logical approach to responses
I would strongly suggest rewatching the video with close attention to these traits in order to better understand autism, or more specifically Asperger’s/Level 1 autism. I will now begin unpacking how Jordan functions as a figurehead for what I describe as the “level 1 jester.”
“Easy sequiturs”: I am aware that the Latin term sequitur does not appear frequently in English rhetoric, but I needed a term to encapsulate a unique conversational tactic often used by autistic people in social situations. In this video, Jordan frequently uses the phrase “I understand.” To explain why I view this as an autistic trait, I will reference a specific example. At 1:40 in the video, Conan tells Jordan, “You can look me in the eye if you want to.” Jordan responds with his “easy sequitur": “I understand.”
Jordan likely uses this response to avoid giving a much longer and more honest explanation. A more literal response might sound something like: “Historically, I have struggled with eye contact, but I can try to accommodate you by asking whether you prefer more or less eye contact.” Logically, there is nothing wrong with this statement. However, Jordan appears self-aware enough to recognize that such a response would attract negative attention and reinforce the perception that he is “strange.” So instead, he responds with “I understand.”
He does this frequently throughout these videos. The response feels easy and automatic, which is why we do not visibly see him processing the longer explanation internally; it has likely become a learned social skill developed through years of practice. He uses the phrase again later in the video, although the previous dialogue is less clear. “Easy sequiturs” are closely related to the next trait I want to analyze: the difference in attention Jordan gives to discussing an interest versus a non-interest.
The difference in attention Jordan gives to discussing an interest versus a non-interest: I want to begin this section by focusing on moments where Jordan appears to deliberately suppress the response he genuinely wants to give. Similar to “easy sequiturs”, this reflects a conscious effort to avoid becoming what I describe as a “level 1 jester.” Yes, he could fully explain his thoughts, but doing so would likely result in what neurotypical people perceive as “overexplaining,” which in turn attracts more negative attention.
One example appears around 5:43 in the video, when Conan asks Jordan how often he uses his bullwhip. Jordan simply replies, “sometimes.” Clearly, this is an interest of his, yet he appears aware that elaborating too much would increase the perception of “strangeness.” Many videos featuring Jordan revolve around one of his special interests. While viewers may find it humorous when he begins speaking extensively about a niche subject, through the lens of autism, you realize how much over explaining interests means to him.
Throughout the video, Jordan often explains topics in depth even when he is not directly prompted to do so (such as around 2:16). He appears so fascinated by his interests that he feels compelled to share his knowledge. A few sentences spoken by Jordan likely represent only a tiny fraction of the time he has spent deeply engaged with these subjects. This is why, from an autistic perspective, it can be frustrating to watch him repeatedly get shut down by Conan whenever he begins explaining something in detail.
This pattern extends beyond Jordan Schlansky himself. One of the most important things people can understand about autism is the significance of special interests. Allowing autistic people to discuss their interests can function similarly to allowing someone to vent emotionally; it is an important outlet. Returning to the topic, notice how quickly Jordan shuts himself down when Conan shuns him for going on a tangent. In my opinion, this reaction likely comes from years of being interrupted or socially discouraged from speaking at length. It is a pattern many autistic people become familiar with over time.
Also notice his eye contact whenever Conan cuts him off. He often shifts from being animated and expressive to looking downward in a fixed position. This may also connect to another autistic trait: difficulty sustaining engagement with topics that are personally uninteresting, and you can see this through his eye contact and mannerisms.
Eye contact: Autistic eye contact does not follow one universal pattern, other than often being perceived as “unusual” by neurotypicals. Jordan appears to have developed a form of intense eye contact that many viewers find off-putting or unintentionally humorous. Throughout the video, he clearly seems to struggle with maintaining what neurotypicals would consider “natural” eye contact.
However, I want to focus on a more subtle aspect of this behavior. Notice how his eyes often drift when he is discussing one of his interests or when listening carefully to Conan speak. A common autistic trait is looking away while thinking or processing information. To neurotypical people, this may appear as disinterest or avoidance, but for many autistic individuals it actually improves concentration and cognitive processing. Without an understanding of autism, behaviors like this are often reduced to mere “strangeness.”
Orchestrated dialogue and hand movements: Around 2:16 in the video, Jordan goes on another tangent related to professionalism and hygiene, both of which appear to be strong interests of his. Pay close attention to his hand movements, facial expressions, and vocal tone. If you rewatch the scene multiple times, the delivery begins to feel almost rehearsed, as though he has practiced variations of this explanation before.
In many ways, he probably has. Not necessarily by standing in front of a mirror rehearsing lines, but mentally. Many autistic individuals repeatedly rehearse conversations internally before or during social interactions. Jordan’s gestures, expressions, and tone shifts may reflect an attempt both to express enthusiasm for his interests and to communicate them in a way that feels understandable to neurotypical people.
From an autistic perspective, it can be upsetting to watch how hard Jordan appears to be trying to connect with Conan, only to receive dismissive responses such as, “I hear you, let’s get the grub on.” Repeated experiences like this can contribute to autistic shutdowns and the feeling that authentic self-expression is socially unsafe. Jordan appears to shut down frequently throughout his interactions with Conan.
Another important part of their comedic synergy is that Jordan often does not seem to find Conan particularly funny. When Conan performs bits or jokes that Jordan appears uninterested in, Jordan frequently engages in small self-soothing behaviors with his hands, such as inspecting objects, repositioning glasses, or adjusting his posture. Much of Jordan’s humor stems from his highly logical communication style, especially when his attempts at precision begin sounding unintentionally absurd in ordinary English conversation.
One example from another video is when he refers to feces as “human soil.” He appears to momentarily “break character” after realizing that although the phrase is technically logical, it sounds completely ridiculous in everyday English rhetoric. Conan immediately points this out as well. I think moments like this help explain not only Jordan’s humor, but also a broader type of humor commonly associated with autistic communication. Autistic individuals are often highly self-aware of how they are perceived socially, and that self-awareness itself can become humorous. Jordan knows he is perceived as “weird.” When viewers say he “breaks character,” I think what they are actually seeing is Jordan briefly reflecting on the contrast between his authentic thought process and neurotypical social expectations.
Logical responses: Lastly, I want to discuss Jordan’s “unusually” logic-driven conversational style, which many viewers interpret as humorous. This specific interpretation may be more speculative than my previous points, but I still think it is worth examining.
At around 4:03 in the video, Jordan begins discussing another one of his interests in depth. Conan jokingly responds by asking Jordan to stab him in the head. Jordan immediately becomes quiet and appears to shut down once again. If he had been forced to respond seriously, I genuinely believe his response might have been something like: “That knife is too dull to penetrate your frontal bone.”
While highly logical, a response like this would also sound unintentionally hilarious to most people. Jordan appears extremely aware of this dynamic. He understands that certain perfectly rational responses can sound absurd when placed into ordinary social conversation. This is why logic often sits at the center of autistic humor: the speaker is attempting to communicate with precision, while neurotypical listeners interpret the excessive literalism as comedy. This example may sound odd, but I think it's important to understand how logic plays a forefront in autistic dialogue. It's more likely it wouldn't sound odd to an autistic person.
Arguments people may have against my interpretation: Jordan comes off as patronizing quite frequently, this is a trait that many autistics unknowingly show but if you watch many videos with him you'll see that he is definitely self-aware of this. With this self-awareness you would argue he does it on purpose, therefore refuting the claim that he is autistic because autistic people say these things unknowingly. I think Jordan may be partially “exaggerating” this trait. Someone with autism would better understand this by saying he is unmasking more, and being more authentic. I believe he does this for the show, as unmasking creates the level 1 jester people find so humorous.
Let me know what you guys think, thanks for reading