-[Cian] Hello. -Hi.
Wow, you look great.
I love this. [chuckles]
-[Cian] Shall we get started? -Yes.
Are you looking for love?
Uh, yes. Unquestionably so.
I don't want to be single forever, no. 'Cause I don't wanna feel lonely.
I haven't dated in 33 years.
[sighs]
It's… It's really hard.
To have a lovely lady,
oh my goodness,
I'm all for it.
Ah.
[narrator] Finding love can be hard for anyone.
Keep looking for that fish in your pond.
You're in competition with
-all the other young men. -[groans]
[narrator] And for some people, it can feel like an impossible dream.
Uh, let's change the topic. Can we change the topic?
You find your Prince Charming. I find my Cinderella. Bam!
[narrator] This series follows people on the autism spectrum…
I dub thee Sir James.
Through this process, he might find love.
-Oh yeah. -[woman] Yeah.
[narrator] …as they navigate the confusing world of relationships…
I really like how you hold my hand.
[narrator] …and dating.
Do you wanna be my girlfriend?
-[Cian] Hello. -How's things going?
-[Cian] Good. How are you? -I'm doing fine. Thank you so much.
-[Cian] So you're ready for this? -Um, you bet.
My name is Dani.
I am 26 years old.
You could say I have a mixture of six different nationalities.
So mostly Mexican, Caucasian, and a smidge of Asian.
I am single, and I am on the autism spectrum.
-[Cian] Are you looking for love, Dani? -I am.
[sighs] Unfortunately, it's just so hard to find a boyfriend.
It's… [sighs]
You could imagine, I have to kiss many frogs to find the right guy.
It's not just about the looks.
I'm looking for somebody who is motivated and has really great hygiene,
because I don't like bad breath.
[narrator] Dani lives in Los Angeles with her aunt and uncle.
-Serve you some coffee. -Thank you.
[narrator] She's lived with them since she was 11 years old.
It's hard for me to find the right person who is so much like me.
-I've been desperate to look for love. -[aunt] Don't be desperate, Dani.
I want somebody with a career
who can win good bucks, good salaries.
I need somebody who's financially secure, who can maintain a company.
[Cian] You're not a gold digger, are you, Dani?
-Yeah. -[chuckles] "Yeah."
Know what a gold digger is?
Gold digger means they're trying to look for guys who are rich.
-[uncle] Yes. -[aunt] Is that you?
-Pretty much, but… -[both laugh]
Yeah, I think where that comes from is her dad.
My sister, which is her mom, and her husband were married.
He didn't work.
So he was always at home with the girls while my sister was working all the time.
So she doesn't want that.
It's called a dysfunctional upbringing.
Yeah, but you turned out just fine. Both you and your sister, right?
-Right? -Yes.
I wanted to find somebody special, somebody who can depend on me.
We want to depend on each other,
and work together to have a sustainable living.
My aunt would tell me,
"There's many fish in the sea. You'll eventually catch a big one."
"You'll eventually catch a whale."
Well… [laughs]
It's a metaphor.
You remember your practice boyfriend?
Well, um, I do.
[Cian] What's a practice boyfriend, Dani?
A practice boyfriend is, um, somebody that you, um, use for practicing.
[both laugh]
[Cian] What kind of things did you practice?
Kissing and, um…
To her, it was just practice.
To him, it was like, "I have a girlfriend." [laughs]
I didn't say, "It's a practice." I never mentioned that.
-[aunt] So you crushed his heart? -Yeah.
Because she wanted to learn how to kiss,
so we looked up a YouTube video about how to learn how to kiss,
and they used a cupcake to show how to kiss.
So then she picked that up and started using that with boys.
But how do you do it?
Hold up a cupcake, like you're licking the icing.
[aunt and uncle laugh]
[uncle] So romantic.
[aunt and uncle] Uh…
-[uncle] No. -[aunt and uncle laugh]
[aunt] Okay, you're grossing out Uncle.
[chuckles] Patrick, you're so sensitive.
[aunt laughs]
I'm Abbey, but my real name is Abigail, but people call me Abbey for short.
-[Cian] You are on the spectrum, Abbey? -Yes.
Speaking of, autism makes me feel like not human.
[Cian] Why is that?
I don't know. It's just because I feel like Ariel in The Little Mermaid.
When I can't get my words out, I feel like Ariel.
It's like how I want to be typical, Ariel wants to be a human.
And she becomes human, she can't talk. That's how I feel.
-[Abbey] Hey, Cian. -[Cian] Hey.
This is my room.
A lot of stuff in it.
These are my lions and all that.
I love princesses, but I do not like the villains.
Villains are kind of…
I think more boys are interested in them.
Girls seem to like stuffed animals and all that,
and I bet the Disney princesses love stuffed animals.
[Cian] So, Abbey, are you looking for love?
Yes.
'Cause I wanna be like a princess, like Cinderella going to the ball.
[Cian] And have you been in love before?
Yes, I have. In school, in high school.
Being in love made me feel romantic.
I felt safe, and it meant a lot to me.
I'd like to go on a date with a boy who has things in common with me
is what I want, is the most important thing.
So he could understand my autism.
We could do things. We could go to water parks.
We could go to the beach, the zoo.
Maybe we can go on a double date with another autistic couple.
Double date!
You're so cute! You're so cute!
[narrator] Abbey lives with her mom, Christine, and her brother, Ben.
Peel and then put it in there, okay?
Okay.
-[Christine] This is messy. -This is a little bit complicated.
This is a mess.
Well, how can you clean it up, girl?
It's hard.
I saw how Abbey was with her first boyfriend,
and it was truly one of the most beautiful things.
And I want that for her.
And I know she wants it, but she's a little scared.
[Cian] When was Abbey diagnosed with autism?
[Christine] She was maybe two,
and she was putting everything in her mouth, running around…
It was a chore. I remember thinking, "I can't wait till this stage is over,
'cause this is really awful."
But then I put her in a pre-- preschool
and four days into it, the preschool called me and said…
[whimpers]
[crying] "We can't have your kid in here."
So the journey began.
I took her in, I got her diagnosed, and I didn't want to believe it.
And on a good note,
what she's doing now,
I could have never imagined she would be capable of doing.
-Abbey, which one is that? -It's Moana.
-That's a Disney thing, right? -Uh-huh.
Oh, wonderful. Okay.
-All right, how was your day today? -You know, it was great.
You know the actress who does the voice of Moana is Ben's age.
-[man] Okay. -[Cian] Who's this gentleman here, Abbey?
-This is Mike. -Yes.
He's like my stepfather. He has a husband named Bob.
They're together.
We live in the back.
The guesthouse.
[Mike] Dinner's ready.
Oh, Clemmy's here.
She's waiting for--
[Christine] She's waiting for us.
Anything that drops on the ground is Clem's, right?
[Christine] So why don't you tell Bob and Mike what you're doing, Abbey?
-She is gonna start going out more, right? -[Abbey] Yeah.
[Christine] Maybe go on a few dates.
-Where would be your dream place to go? -A cruise in Africa.
-[Christine] A cruise. -[Abbey] Yeah.
-[Christine] I've not ever been-- -Mm, and an indoor water park.
It would be nice to see her go out with a nice boy.
What do you think, Ben, about your sister going on a date?
-[Ben] If she meets the right person… -[Christine] Right?
…that'd be good. I still get those brotherly instincts once in a while.
I know, right?
So what else do you want to find in a boyfriend?
He needs to understand my autism.
And he'd have to be funny, like us.
-'Cause, you know… -And handsome, like someone at the table.
-[Christine laughs] -You guys!
[all laugh]
-[Cian] Hello there. -Oh, yes, hello. How are you doing today?
My name is James. I am 34 years old.
I have Asperger's syndrome. I do not allow it to limit me.
It does not define me, and yes, I am seeking love.
I'm seeking to find a partner, you know, a soul mate
with whom I can spend my life.
At the time that I was diagnosed,
society did not have a great understanding of Asperger's syndrome or autism,
so, sadly, help-- It was difficult to find help.
Mm, as sad as it is, other students mocked me and bullied me.
That did have an effect on my self-esteem.
I would always be terribly nervous being in large crowds
or being outside my house for any significant duration.
With practice, though, I overcame that.
Now I have no problem at all, becoming more confident
in being around other people, being in large crowds.
[narrator] James lives with his family in Massachusetts.
All these stones I have over here are certainly not for any practical use,
but they're interesting conversation pieces.
They add character to the room.
This here is a type of glass called fulgurite.
It happens when lightning strikes sand.
This is a preserved alligator head from Louisiana.
[blows]
Isn't that something?
I have a Japanese katana and a European longsword.
This is a cheap display unit.
This one could not be used in battle,
but this sword is actually fully functional.
I got it at King Richard's Faire from one of their blacksmiths,
and the blacksmiths there assured me
that everything they forge, though, is fully functional.
So, yes, I mean, in the rare chance I ever had to use it in battle, I could.
"A good friend will bail you out of jail,
but a true friend will be sitting next to you saying,
'Damn, that was fun!'"
Yes, I really like that plaque a lot, and…
Oh, these are stamps with classic movie monsters.
These are stamps with classic American aircraft.
I'm never going to use them.
I'm just keeping those there as conversation pieces.
[Cian] Who comes in here for the conversation pieces?
Um, actually, nobody really.
This is… It's just… I guess it's for my own benefit.
I've made myself accounts on various online dating services.
There have been times
where I… match with… with a… with a woman on the site,
and none of them have ever agreed to meet me in person,
as sad as that is.
Oh, yeah, see?
This cane here
is made out of bullet casings that have been welded together.
Pretty cool, wouldn't you say?
Show them the cane that belonged to your great-grandfather.
This one?
Oh, yes, this belonged to one of my ancestors.
-He died in 1943. -Okay.
This is my father, Lawrence.
-[Lawrence] Where's Mom? -Oh.
-Come on over, Mom. -[James] Oh.
-Hello. -[James] Uh, yes.
-This is my mother, June. -[June] How are you doing?
-I'm feeling slightly nervous. -Can I sit?
Of course. Oh, yes, that's right, Mom, King Richard's Faire will be open soon.
Yeah! You were telling me. Wanna sit?
-I'm gonna invite my friends. -What are you going to wear?
Oh, yes, I'll wear my full… all my medieval regalia, as I so often do.
-[Cian] Can you show it to us? -[groans]
I guess so. Please wait a moment.
-[chuckles] -Okay, so how does this look?
-Isn't that something? -[Lawrence] Yeah. That's great.
-Now, you need a cane, a formal cane. -[June] Don't you have your own cane?
-What about this one? -Yeah, that's good.
Yes. [chuckles]
What do you think?
[June] It goes great with your dungarees!
Oh, mm, yeah, well, I don't have time to change into all the clothing, you know,
but it's still pretty cool, isn't it?
-[June] It's very cool. -Yes.
Yes. I'm going to put these away.
-Please wait a moment. -[Lawrence] Okay.
[James] Oh.
All right. Please wait a moment.
He's a very family-oriented young man,
and, uh, uh… we want… we want the best for him, you know.
Like any parent does.
He's got a very… a very kind heart. Um…
He would do anything for a friend or family.
We can't wait to see you with a lovely lady.
-Oh, yes. Thank you very much. -[chuckles]
[June] You know what?
We love your hair, James,
but I think, because of the two different colors,
it might be a really good idea to professionally have it cut and colored.
I do plan to do that.
That way, when you first meet someone, you're gonna make a better impression.
[James] Yes. Yes, of course.
You know, as a young man, it's expected of you to attract a young lady, okay?
And without looking at your watch all the time.
-[groans] -You know?
I'm sorry. Well, I am glad I'm so young from your perspective.
You're in competition with all the other young men
who are trying to pair up
-with a young lady, okay? -Yes.
So, it's important for you to make yourself
-attractable, okay? -[James] Yes, I know that.
[Cian] So, James, we've got a date lined up for you on Saturday.
-Oh, really? That's pretty great. -[June] Oh, wow!
Do I get to come to the restaurant and hide and peek and watch?
Give me a break, Mom. I'm 34, okay?
I'm kidding. I'm kidding, sweetie.
[groans]
[dog barks]
[Christine] Clementine, do you need a treat again?
This dog could eat all day long.
Is she gonna be a fat dog?
This is LA. You cannot be a fat dog in Los Angeles.
[laughs]
[Cian] What's the hardest thing about dating?
You have to talk to your boyfriend a lot, and that can be hard for me.
Like when I was dating Garrett, he was kind of…
He was interested in history, and I wasn't.
But he did like Star Wars, and I like Star Wars.
We had that in common.
[narrator] Autism expert Jennifer Cook is visiting Abbey
to help her in her search for love.
I was identified as being on the spectrum about ten years ago,
and it made everything beforehand in my life make sense.
[Abbey] Hi.
-Hi, I'm Jennifer. -Hi, I'm Abbey.
-Nice to meet you. -Nice to meet you too.
[Jennifer] Autism really means
it's a constellation of behaviors and challenges and aptitudes,
but we're all dealing with sensory sensitivities.
We're all dealing with challenges with social cues.
-Hi. I'm Jennifer. -Hi, Jennifer. I'm Christine.
-Nice to meet you, Christine. -Nice to meet you. Welcome.
But I can promise that what's going on in the inside
often has nothing to do with what's shown on the outside.
[Abbey] Your hair reminds me of Ariel in The Little Mermaid.
-Thank you. -[chuckles]
I really understand Ariel,
because when she was singing her "Part of Your World" song,
she couldn't get the words out.
And when I can't get my words out, I feel exactly like that.
That's why I like her so much.
-Abbey, you want to know something? -Yeah.
I'm on the spectrum too.
-I have autism too. [chuckles] -[gasps] Ooh.
And all three of my kids do too.
So how could you have kids if you're on the spectrum?
-You can do anything you want to. -[Christine] It's up to the individual.
-It has nothing to do with autism. -Exactly.
-Exactly right. I know that's-- -Do you take pills?
-You know what? I do. -Hmm.
-[Jennifer] I do take medicine. Mm-hmm. -Do they make pills for pets?
They do make pills for pets.
[Christine] We can take left turns in the conversation.
-I know. I know. -So I'm just giving you that heads-up.
No, I get it, and that's okay.
Do you like Mike Myers?
-[Jennifer] I've never met him. -Me neither.
-What were you thinking about before? -[Abbey] I don't know.
-It just popped into my head. -Okay. That's fine. That's fine.
Tell me about your dating history.
Dated a boy named Garrett in high school.
-Okay. -[Abbey] I loved it.
-[Jennifer] Okay. -I had fun.
So when you're going on a date,
what you're really doing is you're trying to make a friend, okay?
We want to ask questions as well as give answers.
And there are some things that I know you like to talk about
and some things that maybe your date would like to talk about.
So what are the things that you like to talk about the most, do you think?
Candy Crush.
-Okay. -[Abbey] Going to the zoo.
[Jennifer] Great.
I like watching African safari animals and sea animals.
-Documentaries… -[Jennifer] I love documentaries.
…about wild animals.
Cool, so what we want to do is,
if this is sort of like your conversation during your date,
then what you want to do is make sure that we leave enough room
for what your date might want to talk about, so maybe your date…
Let's come up with some things that he likes to talk about.
Maybe he likes to talk about music, gaming.
-[Abbey] Video games? -[Jennifer] Mm-hmm.
-Ooh. -[Jennifer] You like video games too, huh?
Candy Crush is like a video game.
You just did something really good.
-Do you know what you did? -What?
You just found your first common interest, because if this is your conversation,
you gotta make sure that, with all that you want to talk about,
we have to make sure there's room in the air
for somebody else's words too.
Come on over here with me on the floor. I'll sit over here.
Perfect. So I'm gonna roll this to you, but I'm gonna roll a bunch of them.
-Ready? -Yeah.
So what do you like to do?
-What's your favorite color? -My favorite--
-Do you like dogs? -Yes. My favorite color's--
-What'll you do tomorrow? -That's a lot of questions.
It is a lot of questions!
When somebody asks you a lot of questions like that,
it's hard to figure them out and listen to what they're saying,
which means I didn't get to know anything about Abbey.
-Right? -Yeah.
Okay, so let's try something different.
Will you roll the balls back at me?
What's your favorite thing to do?
I like to play with my dog.
What's your favorite thing to do?
Work out and swim.
Roll it back to me. Okay, great.
-What do you like best about swimming? -'Cause mermaids swim.
I don't wanna go too far. There's dangerous animals.
Roll it back. Good answer.
Yeah, that's true. Sharks can be scary, right?
Speaking of sharks, I've been watching a movie called Soul Surfer.
Tell me more about that.
About a girl was surfing with her friend, and a shark bit her arm off.
Bethany Hamilton.
Yes. I saw her.
She did amazing things all around the world,
even though she had one arm.
How?
Well, I think a lot of determination. Do you think so?
-Yeah. -Do you know what you just did?
-What? -You just had a conversation with me.
-Oh my gosh! -[Jennifer laughs]
You stayed on the topic. That made perfect sense to me.
And we talked about it together.
May I shake your hand?
-Yes! -Yes!
-That was awesome.
Abbey's primary challenge, I think, is going to be staying in the moment.
She's changing topic because her mind is catching so much interest.
It's being able to put words to that
in a way which also brings the other person along,
so if she can do that,
then all of her flight of thought
is actually gonna be great and interesting and fun
and make for a great date.
It was really nice to meet you.
[Abbey] It was really nice to meet you too.
[Jennifer] Thank you very much.
-Thank you. -Thank you.
-It was great to meet you. -Yeah, really nice to meet you too.
-Thank you so much. -I can't wait to hear how it all goes.
Bye.
Thanks again.
Okay, Abbey, do you want a sandwich?
Animation is my greatest passion.
[Cian] Tell me about your company.
I got the inspiration from Satoshi Tajiri, the creator of Pokémon.
And he's on the autism spectrum, which is amazing.
He started his company, Game Freak, when he was 17,
so I started my animation company at age 14.
It was fully launched with the help of my…
with my aunt and uncle.
[Cian] So you teach animation to people on the spectrum?
That is true. It's good to see their work shine.
-[Dani] Ready? -[Cian] I'm ready.
This is my office.
Right here is my collection of all kinds of achievements
that I've, um, earned over these years.
These are the flyers that I passed out when I was at San Diego Comic-Con.
[high-pitched voice] "Hi, everybody. Mindy Da Vinci Lavender here."
That's Mindy's voice. She's named after my dog,
and her personality is pretty much based upon my optimistic, happy self.
Best of all, there's even Bachelor's of Fine Arts,
Master's of Business Administration.
The more awards I get, I think I need a bigger house.
My ideal partner would be somebody who is running another company.
Not only we see each other like lovers, but also work partners.
[Cian] So it sounds like you want your love life and your work life
to almost be entwined.
Into one.
Like a helix of a DNA structure.
[narrator] In Hollywood, Dani is meeting her good friend Devin for a drink.
Bonjour.
Oh, hey, how are you?
Nice to see you.
-How are you? -Good, fine, thank you so much, Devin.
Wow, this place is like… it reminds me of art, of France.
But did you know in France,
they have the biggest animation festival in the whole world?
You talk about animation nonstop.
It's so funny.
I want to hear about your dating life.
-Okay. -How has that been going?
I'm about to start dating again.
[Devin] I know. What made you decide to start dating again?
'Cause the last real one was maybe a few years ago or…
Yeah, it's because, um… oh, I felt so lonely.
I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.
A lot of people on the autism spectrum think I'm too smart and too motivated,
while neurotypicals think I'm too strange.
Just wanna be sure they're motivated enough and have a good sense of hygiene.
And you're looking for a guy with pretty much no facial hair, right?
Yeah.
I take insult to that. What is wrong with facial hair?
-I don't like the bushy stuff. -Oh my God!
How has your dating life been?
I got myself a fourth date coming up.
-[Dani] Oh, wow. -Same girl.
This is fabulous.
I know.
What are you hoping, eventually, when you do find love?
'Cause I know it's gonna happen. Are you wanting to get married, have kids?
I've always wanted to get married and hopefully have a surrogate child.
So you're not ever gonna get pregnant in your life?
Yeah, because I can imagine labor's gonna really hurt.
[laughs]
-Oh, thank you so much. -Thank you.
Cheers to us autistic people
that are coming over leaps and bounds
through our crazy lives growing up, to now possibly one day finding love.
Cheers. You find your Prince Charming.
I find my Cinderella. Bam!
Bam!
Mm.
[narrator] Abbey is getting ready to step out on her first blind date.
This is getting all over the place here.
-You're starting to look like Bette Davis. -No, I don't look like a witch.
-It won't come off. It's like supersonic. -I want to look like a princess.
-[Christine] Come on, princess. -I want to look like a princess.
[Christine] Stand up. Look in the mirror.
What do you think?
Pretty good.
Do a fashion pose.
[laughs]
-Are we ready to rock and roll? -[Abbey] Yeah.
-[Christine] Here we go. -[Abbey] Let's go. Ah!
[man] Hey, western screech owl.
Hoo, hoo, hoo. Hoo.
[narrator] Abbey is meeting David.
He likes lions
and being in a car wash.
He doesn't like horror movies
or clowns.
-[Abbey] Hey. -Hey.
Hey, it's nice to meet you. Oh, I like your shirt.
I see you have sharks on your shirt.
Thank you.
-That's so cool. What's your name? -David.
-Nice to meet you. -What's yours?
-I'm Abbey. Nice to meet you. -Nice to meet you too, Abbey.
It's so nice.
What's your favorite animal?
The African lion.
[Abbey] Me too!
You know they made a live-action version of The Lion King and… with Beyoncé?
Wow, I did not know that.
Yeah, she has an amazing voice.
I've been to Africa, since winter break.
-You have? -Yes.
[Abbey] Oh, I'm so jealous.
I want to go too.
Going to Africa costs a lot of money.
-It's too expensive. -[David] Yeah.
My mom can't afford it just yet. She doesn't have enough money.
I know, but she's working on it.
-If we're a billionaire… -Yeah. Mm-hmm.
I was wondering, how old are you?
I'm 26. How about you?
-Twenty-three. -Wow.
-We're both in our twenties. -Yep.
You're not far from my age.
What's your favorite thing to get at In-N-Out?
Only a plain cheeseburger. What about you?
-I went to In-N-Out yesterday. -What did you like to get from In-N-Out?
I like the cheese fries, but I just don't eat them every day
'cause I know it's not good for you.
[David] Mm-hmm.
Where's the owl?
[David] It's right there.
They call it the western screech owl.
[Abbey] Aw. Hi, owl!
Let's go look at some animals.
Great. Can't wait to take pictures of the ones I like.
[Abbey] Oh, a big snake.
Ooh, I'll add that to the collection.
[Abbey] Aw! Look at the little monkey!
They're called the common squirrel monkeys.
[Abbey] Oh, they're so cute.
There's a lemur.
[David] Aw, lemurs!
They're so cute.
[David gasps] Look at the porcupine. Wow!
-Porcupine. -Yeah.
[David] Be careful. Their quills are spiky.
Oh, look at the big birds. Those are eagles.
[chirping]
-[David] Wow. -They kind of look a little aggressive.
Yeah. Only when they're on the hunt.
-And their claws are as big as my hand. -Wow.
-Almost. -Yeah.
Is he trying to use his words?
'Cause they can't talk.
Maybe they want something.
At least they can do a screech.
-Yes, that's how they communicate. -[David] Wow!
-Oh, he pooped! -Ugh.
[Abbey] What's your favorite bird?
[David] I love all birds.
-Do you like storks? -Mm-hmm.
-Herons? -Yes.
-But do you like falcons? -[David] Yes.
-Pelicans? -Yes.
-Parrots? -[David] Yes.
Me too.
[David] Look at them falling in love with each other.
[Abbey] Cute.
Hello, you two adorable kitties.
-[Abbey] I love cats. -[David] Mm-hmm.
I am a cat person.
[Abbey] Me too.
This is so fun.
Yes.
I love this place.
Thanks. So do I.
Let's just sit on the bench and just enjoy.
Ah.
[Cian] Can you describe your ideal partner?
I would like a woman who is similar to me, but not an exact copy, obviously.
I wouldn't expect to find a woman who was a radiant, unearthly beauty,
but, obviously, I want a woman who is still fairly attractive.
A woman who's attractive to the point that when I see her,
I do not feel a desire to avert my gaze, you know?
And a woman who is,
you know, who is very big on hygiene and well groomed.
I don't think that's asking too much, is it?
I hope not.
[narrator] As he readies himself to get back into the dating world,
James is meeting his younger brother William for dinner.
Hey. How's it going?
-Good seeing ya. -I'm doing just fine. How are you doing?
[William] Good. Good. Doing well.
Okay. Good. Good.
Glad to hear that.
How was your day?
Oh, Nothing out of the ordinary happened, which is how I prefer it.
-Yes. Yes. -Oh, that's a good thing.
So what's been going on lately?
[splutters] Oh, well, actually, I have a date on Saturday night.
-Really? -I'm quite excited about that.
Hopefully she'll have a good personality, and hopefully I'll get along with her.
Yeah, that's exciting. Good for you.
So I don't know if you've heard yet, but Uncle Henry has a new girlfriend.
-Oh, really? -Yes. Yes.
He apparently met her online, so he's had…
Despite his age, he's had more success with online dating than I have.
Well, hey, maybe you and he will both have new girlfriends at the same time.
That would be something.
It's definitely, uh… Look at that.
A mai tai for you, and the food is on its way, okay?
-Cool. Thank you. Appreciate it. -Nice. Thank you.
That's right. Cheers to your date this Saturday.
That's amazing.
Ah.
When you're asking her questions and things like that,
make sure it's not like you're just going through a checklist,
-like asking one, asking the next. -Certainly not.
Ask a few different questions, a few follow-up questions,
like, you know, so that way it kind of really shows that genuine interest.
You do a good amount of talking,
but at the same time, make sure that she's able to contribute just as much.
Yes.
Basically like, very much a fifty-fifty interaction.
It's a way for her to build confidence.
It helps, you know, say, "Okay, this guy really truly is interested in me."
-Fish tacos. -All right.
Look at that.
And the grilled…
-Very nice, thank you very much. -Wow.
-You guys enjoy. -Thank you.
-That looks good. -Ah. Yes.
So if you were to say what you, uh… what you're looking for in a girl,
what would you say?
Someone with whom I feel a close special bond
and someone whose presence enhances my life
and makes life feel more vibrant, more energetic, and colorful.
That's good.
May I have some of your french fries, please?
-Sure. -Oh, yes, thank you.
I suppose maybe it would probably be okay, you know,
on a first date, to give someone a compliment
on their clothing or jewelry or whatever,
but it might not be so good to comment on their hair or body,
I'd have to imagine.
[laughs] No, probably not.
If a woman told me she didn't like my hairstyle,
I probably wouldn't want to have a second date with her, for instance.
[laughs]
[Abbey] The topic we're gonna talk about is sea creatures.
Oh, yes.
What's your favorite creatures that live in the sea?
I like mermaids, but they don't exist.
Like, I really understood the story of The Little Mermaid when I was younger.
But now I don't need to apply… that no longer applies to me.
-Wow. -'Cause I've come so far since then.
The Little Mermaid is one
-of the list of my favorite movies. -Me too.
[Abbey] Hi, owl.
-Hi, guys. -Is he a mean owl?
She is actually very nice.
[both] Hoo, hoo, hoo.
[chuckles] Now these guys are one of the largest types of owls in the world.
-[David] Hi, big owl. -[laughs]
-[woman] What do you think? -It seems gentle.
What do you like to do for fun?
Oh, so they don't speak human.
When you're turning your head, we have seven neck bones.
These guys have 14,
so they have twice as many as us.
-[woman] Ready to meet a sloth? -[Abbey] Yeah.
-Let's talk about sloths. -[woman] Come with me this way.
So sloths hang upside down their whole entire lives.
They're never right side up like us.
They sleep all day long. They sleep between 15 and 20 hours every day.
[David] Hey, sloth.
[Abbey] Look at the tiny little fox.
[woman] Those are our fennec foxes.
-[David] They're-- -[Abbey] Do they yip?
-They make high-pitched screeching noises. -Like, "Ah!"
-Yes, a bit like that. -They're from the north of Africa.
-[woman] Have you been to Africa? -[David] Yes.
And I'm gonna go there again in a heartbeat. And Abbey?
Me too. My heart will be beating, but it always does.
If it weren't, I wouldn't be on Earth.
-[David] Yeah. -Very true.
How would you like to come to Africa with me?
Yes, I would love that. My heart's gonna beat so fast.
[David] I really had fun seeing the animals with you.
Me too.
I had a total fun blast with you.
[David] Bef…
Before you go, I think I have something special for you.
What?
Here you go.
Okay.
What is it?
[gasps]
-What is it? -It's a flamingo bracelet.
-I got it from San Clemente. -Oh my God.
You did? Is it in Africa?
-Like from Africa. -Oh my God, I love it so much.
Allow me to get that for you.
Thanks.
[Abbey] It's got a flamingo. I like it.
I'm glad you do.
Thanks.
Will I see you again?
Maybe one day. I'll think about it.
I'll let my mom know.
Take all the time you need.
-Okay. -Bye.
Bye.
[Cian] Do you believe in love at first sight?
I do. It's like, wow, this could be the greatest opportunity
to get to know the person more.
I'm hungry for more.
It's the power of, um… power of love.
-[aunt] Are you going to… -Put on my makeup.
[narrator] Dani is getting ready to head to downtown LA
for a first date.
-[Cian] How are you feeling, Dani? -I am doing great.
Just putting on the magical touches
to show my dream boyfriend.
[Cian] Can't guarantee he's your dream boyfriend, but you never know.
[Dani] That's right.
[aunt] You ready?
[Dani] I am ready, Sandy.
A little nervous.
-Maybe you should have a shot of tequila. -Thanks, Sandy.
-Thanks for your suggestion. -So you could relax.
Okay.
[Sandy] Just one shot.
Here's to your first date in two years.
Okay.
-[chuckles] -[sighs]
[Sandy] Yep.
Looks are a bonus, they're beautiful, but it can also be a bit seductive,
so I try to be very careful.
I always get attracted to some people with long hair, shoulder-length hair.
Especially some androgynous-looking guy, that I really love.
[Cian] Do you find that sometimes you can find yourself attracted to someone,
but you think, "Hang on, Dani, that person isn't right for me 'cause--"
Yeah.
He could be lazy or manipulative.
[overlapping chatter]
Adjust my hair, adjust that.
[sighs]
[narrator] Dani is meeting Solomon.
He likes writing poetry
and good vibes.
He doesn't like messy eaters
or aggressive birds.
-My name is Solomon. -I'm Dani. Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you too.
-These are for you. -Oh, lovely flowers bouquet.
That's so wonderful. Thank you so much.
Any time.
So how are you doing?
I'm doing fine, great.
Sorry, I'm kind of nervous.
[both laugh]
-Yeah. -I'm nervous too.
Yeah, so, um…
I'm sorry, I'm just kind of nervous.
[chuckles]
-Have you ever been on blind dates before? -I haven't, no.
Same here.
So what are your interests?
My interests, I do animation.
I teach animation to youth on the autism spectrum.
That's really cool. How long have you been doing that for?
I guess I've been doing animation ever since 14.
-A long time. -Wow.
-Fourteen? -Yep.
That's a good passion.
Well, I just finished, you know, my AA degree at Santa Monica College.
[Dani] Oh, wow.
I'm majoring in Communication, like, Studies,
so I'm gonna be working with kids, like, that have disabilities
and just teaching them, like, how to do the right stuff and--
This is perfect.
Yeah, yeah. I just want to teach them my perspective,
and, like, what I went through, and how I became the person I am today.
And I got into the Law of Attraction. You know what that is?
Law of Attraction? What's this about?
So it's about when you spread good vibes,
like, you attract that good energy and they give it back to you.
[Dani] Oh, wow.
It's very powerful.
I tried it with friends and family,
and my relationships are through the roof now.
I really want to find my soul mate,
and that's why I started the Law of Attraction as well too,
to, like, actually, you know, find that abundance in my life, so…
[Dani] Wow.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
-[waitress] Of course. Enjoy. -Yeah, thank you.
Do you like anime?
Yeah, I watch some of it. Not all the time though.
Have you ever been to San Diego Comic-Con?
-I have, yeah. -[Dani] You did?!
Yeah, it's really nice.
Oh my goodness.
I gotta use the restroom for a second. Be right back.
Okay.
[Dani] What are your first impressions?
Solomon. Oh, he is so attractive.
I mean, not just attractive from the looks,
but also, like, we have something in common.
Helping people of different disabilities, including autism, be themselves,
and it's like, oh, I'm just so nervous, and…
Oh, by the way, I'm just… in love.
We also share lots of hobbies.
-[Cian] Did you just say you're in love? -Yes.
Hey, I'm back.
[Solomon] Hey.
I'm just very…
so authentic about spirituality
and just with the Law of Attraction. Like, I just love it so much.
[both chuckle]
So…
-Let's enjoy our drinks. -[Solomon] Mm-hmm.
It's really good.
So have you tried online dating?
Well, I did, but I was just a little too nervous.
I kind of… It kind of creeped me out.
-Yeah. -No, no, no, no, no.
Bad idea. Bad idea.
With me, online dating didn't go too well.
-Yeah. -'Cause I feel like I just get judged.
You gotta get to know the person for who they are.
You know, I told you I'm into spirituality and all that.
[Dani] Yes, you sure do. Tell me about that.
I love it.
It's like, literally, I listen to… You okay?
I am in love with you.
Huh?
I think you are so hot.
-[Cian] What's up, Solomon? -I wanna take a little break.
-[Cian] Yeah, sure. -I'm sorry.
[Cian] If you need to take a break, take a break.
-I'm sorry. -It's okay. [chuckles]
Okay, maybe the situation's a little awkward.
I think I might have frightened him off.
[sighs]
[suspenseful music playing] ned him off.