Why everyone's talking about Love on the Spectrum
Love on the Spectrum is a reality dating series unlike any other.
Instead of being set on an island, or asking people to connect through a wall, or focusing on whether people are "there for the right reasons," this show brings a decidedly warmer energy to the genre. Now in its third season, the series follows people on the autism spectrum in the U.S. as they navigate the world of dating and relationships.
The new season lands at a particularly crucial time for autistic people in the U.S., as U.S. Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has recently made troubling and scientifically inaccurate comments about the condition. Some of the cast have even spoken out about these comments, and suggested the U.S. Health secretary might benefit from watching the show.
Though it's won multiple Emmys and earned a loyal fanbase of viewers, some point out that the series isn't without its faults. Can a reality show change people's perceptions — and is this the show to do it for the autistic community?
Today on Commotion, author Sarah Kurchak and culture critic Glenn Sumi join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to discuss the popular Netflix reality dating series, and what it can tell us about mainstream television's perceptions of autistic people.
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Vancouver Sun
5 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Montreal Grand Prix fans stuck paying turbocharged prices for accommodation
MONTREAL — Paula Wadden has been a huge Formula One fan ever since she got hooked on the Netflix show 'Drive to Survive' a few years ago. But the Halifax-area health-care worker says watching the Grand Prix in Montreal this weekend comes with high-octane prices. The Montreal hotel where she's spending the first part of the week doubles in price for the weekend. Instead, she'll spend the weekend at a hotel outside the city, near the airport, for about $600 a night. 'The tickets (prices) are OK, it's the accommodation and the means that are getting expensive,' she said Tuesday in Old Montreal. 'I don't know how the average Joe can afford it.' Plan your next getaway with Travel Time, featuring travel deals, destinations and gear. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Travel Time will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Wadden said the trip, which she's taking with her daughter and her daughter's partner, will cost $6,000 to $7,000. And that's despite the switch in hotels and the decision to save money by driving the 12 hours from Halifax rather than flying. While looking up hotels online, she said she saw even more eye-watering hotel prices ranging between $1,200 to more than $2,000 a night, as well as $4,000-per night Airbnbs. The Grand Prix is Montreal's biggest tourist event, expected to attract some 350,000 visitors and generate $162 million for the city, according to the head of Tourisme Montreal. Yves Lalumiere estimates average hotel room prices on Grand Prix weekend at $600 to $800 per night — although some wealthy CEOs will pay $8,000 for a suite. 'This year's prices will probably stabilize quite a bit, maybe a two to three per cent increase over the previous year,' he said in an interview. 'But the last five years I've seen an increase year after year, and a substantial increase as well.' A ticket package for the three race days starts at $360, according to the Canadian Grand Prix website — though well-off fans can pay much more. Packages with perks such as VIP concierge service, reservations at popular restaurants and parties, and access to areas such as pit lanes and paddocks can run in the tens of thousands of dollars. However, Lalumiere noted that the city also offers plenty of free entertainment, including a Grand Prix party on Crescent Street. And he said hotel room prices are still 'very competitive,' especially for those paying in U.S. dollars or euros. Crowds, meanwhile, are not only growing but also becoming more diverse, he said. 'I think F1 has done a great job in selling the sport over the media,' Lalumiere said. 'And, therefore, now you're attracting a lot more ladies, you're attracting a lot more young people as well to the race.' Black-and-white checkered banners were already fluttering on St-Paul Street in Old Montreal on Tuesday, as tourists lined up to photograph a Formula One car on display outside Max Bitton's racing-themed store, Fanabox. Bitton said he brought in the car as a gift to fans after last year's Grand Prix, which was marred by mishaps on and off the track that left a bad taste in some fans' mouths. Those issues included traffic headaches, flooding from rain, fans turned away from a practice session they were led to believe was cancelled, and restaurants ordered to suddenly close their patios on one of the busiest evenings of the year. 'I'm trying to give back because last year was so tough,' Bitton said. While Grand Prix fans are generally well-off, Bitton also worries about rising prices, especially now that the city has imposed tougher new rules on short-term rentals for primary residences. Next year, the Grand Prix will be held from May 22 to 24, which is outside the June-to-September window in which primary residence rentals are allowed. 'A lot of the fans love to flock here because of the heritage and they love this place,' Bitton said. 'They're willing to pay more but at some point it doesn't make sense.' At Bitton's store, tourists said attending the Grand Prix was costly, but worthwhile. Max Harrison, from Bournemouth in southern England, said he managed to find a spot in a hostel for about $40 a night early in the week. For race weekend, he's spending $200 a night to stay in a room in an Airbnb shared with several others. 'It's a bit much, you can tell they've spiked (the prices),' he said. He believes 'Drive to Survive' has brought new fans to the sport, which means prices will only continue to go up. But for him, it's worth it to check the Montreal Grand Prix off his bucket list. 'The championship this year is looking really close, so it's going to be a really good race,' he said. 'And Canada is a beautiful place and I've always wanted to come.' Denise Beevor and Mark Omerod, from West Sussex in England, say they're spending 'a small fortune' for a 10-day trip that includes Sunday's race as well as stops in Quebec City and Mont-Tremblant. 'I think, particularly since COVID, it's important to have things to look forward to and to take memories away with you, and you can't replace that,' Beevor said. 'Possessions come and go, memories don't.' The CEO of the greater Montreal hotels association said the occupancy this weekend is expected to be around 90 per cent, similar to last year. Dominique Villeneuve said the industry was prepared to meet the demands of Grand Prix weekend 'enthusiastically and with the same professionalism that characterizes our industry.'
Toronto Star
11 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Arnold Schwarzenegger says he loves working in Toronto — especially for this one unexpected reason
You know who might not be impressed by Premier Doug Ford's plan to rip up bike lanes in Toronto? None other than the Terminator himself. When I interviewed Arnold Schwarzenegger last August — three months before the province passed a law allowing it to remove bike lanes on major city streets — the legendary actor shared his love of Toronto and singled out one of the things he liked most: its bike lanes. 'I'm a bike rider,' said Schwarzenegger on the Etobicoke set of his Netflix action series 'FUBAR' (an acronym for 'F—ked up beyond all recognition'). ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'I ride around with my bicycle and they have bike lanes everywhere, and even at night when I ride, I feel safe. Obviously you can always get hit, but the bottom line is it is the safest (the city) can make it because there are so many bike lanes, and so that's a big, big plus.' It remains to be seen how many of those bikes lanes will still be around if Schwarzenegger returns to the city next year to shoot a third season of 'FUBAR,' which had yet to be renewed when this story was written. In 'FUBAR,' Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a retired CIA agent who's called back into action. Courtesy of Netflix But, according to the 77-year-old actor — a former professional bodybuilder and erstwhile governor of California — it's not just the body that needs to be honed but the brain too. Schwarzenegger has fought myriad enemies in his many action films — which include 'Conan the Barbarian,' 'The Terminator' series, 'Predator,' 'True Lies' and 'The Expendables' franchise — but these days he has a new foe: retirement. 'That is the villain of villains: retiring and not doing anything,' he said. 'You've got to keep your mind active,' he added, noting that his ex-wife, Maria Shriver, is heavily involved in promoting research and education about Alzheimer's disease. Learning eight to 10 pages of dialogue a day certain helps with that. 'You have to come to the set prepared,' Schwarzenegger said. 'And so you study and you study and you study, and you memorize and you memorize.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW He works his brain even more during night shoots when he plays chess online with friends to stay awake and stay sharp: 'So when someone calls at four in the morning to do a scene, you're ready to go. 'This profession keeps you on your toes.' In 'FUBAR,' Schwarzenegger's character, Luke Brunner, is also being kept on his toes. In Season 1, which debuted in 2023, the CIA operative was about to retire when he got called back into action to save another agent in Guyana, one who happened to be his daughter, Emma (Monica Barbaro of 'A Complete Unknown'). From left, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Monica Barbaro, Milan Carter, Fortune Feimster and Travis Van Winkle in Season 2 of 'FUBAR.' Christos Kalohoridis/Netflix Father and daughter spent the rest of the season navigating their uneasy relationship while working with a motley crew of fellow agents — played by standup comedian Fortune Feimster, Travis Van Winkle ('The Last Ship') and Milan Carter ('Warped!') — to try to take down arms dealer Boro (Gabriel Luna of 'The Last of Us'), Luke's sworn enemy. When the season ended, the whole gang, plus Luke's ex-wife, Tally (Fabiana Udenio), her fiancé, Donnie (Andy Buckley), and Emma's boyfriend, Carter (Jay Baruchel), were forced to flee to parts unknown after Boro and his henchmen ambushed and cut short Tally and Donnie's wedding. Season 2 sees the crew, when they're not driving each other crazy in a safe house, embarking on new missions to save the world, and tackling new adversaries played by British actor Guy Burnet and Canadian star Carrie-Anne Moss, who will forever be known as Trinity from the 'Matrix' movies. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW When I talked to Moss on set she wasn't allowed to tell me anything about her character — we do know she's Greta, an East German spy who has a history with Luke — but she was pumped about working with Schwarzenegger for the first time. Arnold Schwarzenegger as CIA agent Luke Brunner and Carrie-Anne Moss as East German spy Greta Nelso in 'FUBAR.' Christos Kalohoridis/Netflix 'I've never had so much fun on a job,' said the Vancouver native, who's 57. 'He's so funny,' she said about Schwarzenegger. 'And the action is so good. And the comedy is just amazing. And then the family relationship and all the humour in that. And I think this season is even funnier.' When I asked Schwarzenegger about the action in 'FUBAR,' he said he wasn't doing much of it himself — not like the old days when, in 'Conan the Barbarian,' it was OK 'to get a beating, let horses step all over me or get attacked by wolves.' But Moss said he was being modest: 'He does a lot of his action. I was really impressed by that.' And that wasn't the only thing she found inspiring about her co-star. 'It's so easy as we age to want to get a little more cosy, slower. Arnold is not doing that,' she said. 'Watching him, I'm like absolutely: it's so much fun to keep working and to be part of something like this and to keep yourself vital in it. ' That vitality was certainly a theme when talking to Schwarzenegger's co-stars, whether it was his leading the cast on a bike ride, which Barbaro said was amazing, or Moss going to the gym with him — he works out daily — and getting tips. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'For me, he's just inspirational as a human being,' said Burnet. 'And I don't say this just because it's an interview, (but) he's genuinely one of the loveliest human beings I've come across. And he's so funny and hospitable and keen to tell you about his life … he has incredible stories.' 'He doesn't have to work (but) he's passionate about it,' said Feimster. 'He gets a lot of joy from it, I think, but he's also still putting out a lot of joy and doing a lot of good,' she added, referring to his behind-the-scenes philanthropy. For his part, Schwarzenegger directed praise to the people who help make 'FUBAR,' including his co-stars (who, this season, include prolific Toronto actor Enrico Colantoni) and the many crew members. Arnold Schwarzenegger with crew members on the set of 'FUBAR' at Toronto's Cinespace Studios. Christos Kalohoridis/Netflix 'You look around (the set), there's 80 people standing around and you felt this was your family for four and a half months (of shooting). And these are the people that tirelessly helped you to be a star,' Schwarzenegger said. 'I don't put my own makeup on. I don't do my own hair. I don't put this wardrobe on. The people that measure the camera distance and focus and the lighting and all of this stuff — all of these people are working to make you shine. So I always want to let them know that without them we have nothing.' And if Schwarzenegger does return for more 'FUBAR' and you spot him pedalling around town in whatever bike lanes remain, he'll be happy to say hello. 'I think that the people (in Toronto) are really friendly. When you stop when it's a red light, they come up and they chat, and they ask in a very courteous way if they can take a picture with you or whatever. So it's really terrific. I hope we come back again for another season,' he said. 'FUBAR' Season 2 starts streaming Thursday on Netflix.
Global News
13 hours ago
- Global News
Montreal Grand Prix fans gouged on inflated accommodation prices
Paula Wadden has been a huge Formula One fan ever since she got hooked on the Netflix show 'Drive to Survive' a few years ago. But the Halifax-area health-care worker says watching the Grand Prix in Montreal this weekend comes with high-octane prices. The Montreal hotel where she's spending the first part of the week doubles in price for the weekend. Instead, she'll spend the weekend at a hotel outside the city, near the airport, for about $600 a night. 'The tickets (prices) are OK, it's the accommodation and the means that are getting expensive,' she said Tuesday in Old Montreal. 'I don't know how the average Joe can afford it.' Wadden said the trip, which she's taking with her daughter and her daughter's partner, will cost $6,000 to $7,000. And that's despite the switch in hotels and the decision to save money by driving the 12 hours from Halifax rather than flying. Story continues below advertisement While looking up hotels online, she said she saw even more eye-watering hotel prices ranging between $1,200 to more than $2,000 a night, as well as $4,000-per night Airbnbs. The Grand Prix is Montreal's biggest tourist event, expected to attract some 350,000 visitors and generate $162 million for the city, according to the head of Tourisme Montreal. Yves Lalumière estimates average hotel room prices on Grand Prix weekend at $600 to $800 per night — although some wealthy CEOs will pay $8,000 for a suite. 'This year's prices will probably stabilize quite a bit, maybe a two to three per cent increase over the previous year,' he said in an interview. 'But the last five years I've seen an increase year after year, and a substantial increase as well.' Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy A ticket package for the three race days starts at $360, according to the Canadian Grand Prix website — though well-off fans can pay much more. Packages with perks such as VIP concierge service, reservations at popular restaurants and parties, and access to areas such as pit lanes and paddocks can run in the tens of thousands of dollars. However, Lalumière noted that the city also offers plenty of free entertainment, including a Grand Prix party on Crescent Street. And he said hotel room prices are still 'very competitive,' especially for those paying in U.S. dollars or euros. Crowds, meanwhile, are not only growing but also becoming more diverse, he said. Story continues below advertisement 'I think F1 has done a great job in selling the sport over the media,' Lalumière said. 'And, therefore, now you're attracting a lot more ladies, you're attracting a lot more young people as well to the race.' Black-and-white checkered banners were already fluttering on St-Paul Street in Old Montreal on Tuesday, as tourists lined up to photograph a Formula One car on display outside Max Bitton's racing-themed store, Fanabox. Bitton said he brought in the car as a gift to fans after last year's Grand Prix, which was marred by mishaps on and off the track that left a bad taste in some fans' mouths. Those issues included traffic headaches, flooding from rain, fans turned away from a practice session they were led to believe was cancelled, and restaurants ordered to suddenly close their patios on one of the busiest evenings of the year. 'I'm trying to give back because last year was so tough,' Bitton said. While Grand Prix fans are generally well-off, Bitton also worries about rising prices, especially now that the city has imposed tougher new rules on short-term rentals for primary residences. Next year, the Grand Prix will be held from May 22 to 24, which is outside the June-to-September window in which primary residence rentals are allowed. 'A lot of the fans love to flock here because of the heritage and they love this place,' Bitton said. 'They're willing to pay more but at some point it doesn't make sense.' Story continues below advertisement At Bitton's store, tourists said attending the Grand Prix was costly, but worthwhile. Max Harrison, from Bournemouth in southern England, said he managed to find a spot in a hostel for about $40 a night early in the week. For race weekend, he's spending $200 a night to stay in a room in an Airbnb shared with several others. 'It's a bit much, you can tell they've spiked (the prices),' he said. He believes 'Drive to Survive' has brought new fans to the sport, which means prices will only continue to go up. But for him, it's worth it to check the Montreal Grand Prix off his bucket list. 'The championship this year is looking really close, so it's going to be a really good race,' he said. 'And Canada is a beautiful place and I've always wanted to come.' Denise Beevor and Mark Omerod, from West Sussex in England, say they're spending 'a small fortune' for a 10-day trip that includes Sunday's race as well as stops in Quebec City and Mont-Tremblant. 'I think, particularly since COVID, it's important to have things to look forward to and to take memories away with you, and you can't replace that,' Beevor said. 'Possessions come and go, memories don't.' The CEO of the greater Montreal hotels association said the occupancy this weekend is expected to be around 90 per cent, similar to last year. Dominique Villeneuve said the industry was prepared to meet the demands of Grand Prix weekend 'enthusiastically and with the same professionalism that characterizes our industry.'
