Author |
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Boberg
Member
10-04-2002
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 6:51 am
The house guests speak of it, we post about it. Zach seems awkward and uncomfortable in this social experiment. My question is why? Zach will walk into a room and just stand there and look. He appears to want to be part of the group but doesn't know how to socialize and fit in, so he just stands or sits there for a while and eventually people will start to leave the area. The house guest have made up a new terminology for it, "Zaching". Remember that hug in the bedroom that was shown on the show where others were hugging and he lumbered over and put his arms around them to be a part of it. Looked very awkward. Like something he was very uncomfortable with but he wanted to be like them. Zach himself has said he has never had many friends, was always picked last for games in school, etc. I have wondered alot about why he appears so awkward and uncomfortable in small social situations and evidently this is something he has dealt with for a long time. I wonder if he has had a degree of autism that he continually tries to overcome. Would autism explain his poor social skills and awkwardness? Knowing that this place, TVClubhouse, has a diverse group of posters with a wealth of knowledge and experience I thought I would put this out there to be discussed and see if any of you might be able to shed more light on the subject of Zach's Social Awkwardness!
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Mssas
Member
08-04-2006
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 6:57 am
My guess is he is Gay. Not that I have anything against gay people because I don't. I just think he is and is still in the closet.
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Colordeagua
Member
10-25-2003
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 7:22 am
I'd bet he's an only child. Do we know?
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Tera
Member
08-10-2000
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 7:33 am
virgin?
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Zachsmom
Member
07-13-2000
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 8:39 am
I wonder if he has had a degree of autism that he continually tries to overcome. Would autism explain his poor social skills and awkwardness? my own zachary has autism and has poor social skills. i am not going to diagnose this zach with autism as i do not know him.
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 8:49 am
I really would not diagnose someone whom you have seen only from a distance.
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Boberg
Member
10-04-2002
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 8:53 am
"I really would not diagnose someone whom you have seen only from a distance." I wouldn't either Costacat, and I haven't.
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Kizz
Member
07-26-2001
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 8:56 am
I don't think Boberg was looking for a diagnosis, but rather was just asking the question if it was a possibility.
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Tresbien
Member
08-27-2002
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 9:00 am
He's not an only child. His brother called in to Housecalls on Friday (sounded like a peppier version of Zach). When I was growing up, there was a phrase, "To have a friend you must be a friend." I think Zach got off on the wrong foot by carrying around the chess board and only talking about the game. I didn't see him take a personal interest in others. When people want to be alone, he seems to take it as a personal affront whether or not it's meant that way. I've seen him make unnecessary snide and sarcastic comments that I would find off-putting. He's got to have something interesting about him for the producers to put him in the house. I don't get why we're not seeing it. It perplexes me!
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Spunky
Member
10-08-2001
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 9:04 am
But he had some ... spunk earlier on in the game. Wasn't he the one who kept telling Dick, "you are worst than my girlfriend, just let me talk!!" And he's not shy, we saw him running in the nude... so, where is the awkardness coming from? I think he's been shunned by the others and he feels rejected... it's normal to see him acting like an outcast... oh my, where is that armchair again..
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Milosmom
Member
06-10-2006
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 9:05 am
He looks darn cute in that bunny suit! I think he is just trying to fit in and doesn't know how. He would find it hard to fit into a Big Brother house for sure, particularly since he says he was the one always picked last for games, etc. It is beyond cruel for the hgs to have come up with the "Zacked" phrase but of course they also made fun of Dicks friend oding. Maybe he is a dark horse, who still might surprise us!
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Tera
Member
08-10-2000
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 9:11 am
What do we know about him? I have learned: - He likes rocks. He has his own tumbler at home. - He likes Playboy bunnies. He hung out with several at a "popular Hollywood Club" the night before entering BB sequester. - He was kicked out of his fraternity for getting naked at an inappropriate time. - He likes to talk about women's undies. (wearing on the head, eating, etc.) - He really likes his tattoo. Whenever he needs to "swear" on something he swears on his tattoo.
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Moonlight
Member
08-04-2007
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 9:23 am
I WELCOME THIS DISCUSSION AND DO NOT FEEL THE INITIAL POST WAS AN ATTEMPT TO DIAGNOSE ZACH. I BELIEVE IT WAS MEANT TO INITIATE A DISUSSION THAT IS PROBABLY RELEVENT TO SOMEONE WE HAVE ALL KNOWN AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER IN OUR LIVES. I FOR ONE AM MARRIED TO SOMEONE QUITE LIKE ZACH. HE HAS ASPBERGER SYNDROME WHICH IS A DISORDER ON THE MILD END OF THE AUTISM SPECTRUM. PRIMARILY IT IS A DISORDER THAT EFFECTS SOCIAL FUNCTIONING. GOOGLE IT SOMETIME AND I WOULD BET YOU HAVE SOMEONE IN YOUR LIFE THAT STRUGGLES WITH THIS DISORDER. BUT, ON THE FLIPSIDE OF THIS, YOU WILL ALSO FIND BRILLIANT, CREATIVE AND LOVEABLE PEOPLE WITH THIS DISORDER; IE: EINSTEIN AND POSSIBLY BILL GATES (SOME SPECULATE). I FEEL DISCUSSIONS LIKE THIS CAN ENLIGHTEN AND IF USED IN A POSITIVE WAY, CAN ONLY MAKE THE WORLD A KINDER PLACE FOR PEOPLE LIKE ZACH AND MY HUSBAND.
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Tera
Member
08-10-2000
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 9:29 am

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Marksman
Member
05-04-2007
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 9:39 am
I was just thinking last night he is socially retarded. Some of the comments he makes are crazy. He is always making sexually suggestive comments to the females that are totally inappropriate. He doesn't know how to interact with other people, he doesn't know how to carry himself. Hopefully he can stay a bit longer and really learn something from this experience. Because he definately has some issues interacting with people. And please lets not play the "Aspberger syndrome" that is a cop out in most cases to label someone who simply lacks appropriate social skills. People tried to make the same claims about someone in the Australian Big Brother House. Zach is the way he is not because of any disease, he is the way he is because of the way he grew up, how he interacted with people how he took feedback on how people responded to him etc. It is how ALL of us develop across the spectrum of social interaction. Zach just happens to fall farther to one end of the scale. Labeling it some kind of disease is a serious dis-service to him because it lets him off the hook from trying to improve and build upon his social behavior and interaction.
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Zachsmom
Member
07-13-2000
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 9:43 am
autism is not a disease. it's a neurological disorder.
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Damick6
Member
07-01-2005
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 9:44 am
Zach is not an only child. He talked this morning about a brother who is not close to their Mother. He also spoke briefly about his Mom being in a hospice type place.
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Pennykandy
Member
08-19-2005
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 9:46 am
I don't know....I think he's just shy. Wants to fit in, but doesn't know what to say. He probably thinks that whatever he has to say is not important, or that the others will laugh at him. I don't think you can say that just because he ran in the backyard naked, that he's not shy. He is so shy, that when challenged, he will do it just to fit in. I am terribly shy in social situations...even small ones of 5-10 people...I have spent entire afternoons not saying one single word to anyone when I've been in a social situation. Literally not one word....just sitting there listening to others talk, Smiling and nodding.....
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Colordeagua
Member
10-25-2003
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 9:56 am
Penny, that sounds so familiar. Much of what you say -- me too. I bet what you say is true of Zach. I'm an only child. That's why I thought he might be also. I am still shy and introverted. But I will say jobs through the years have brought me out of it somewhat. I'm certainly not as bad off as I used to be in that way. I forced myself into some jobs that brought me in contact with the public / strangers. Yet, work and social contacts are two different things. Few years ago I went to a TVCH meet. People there could attest to my shyness / quietness. When I am, I just try to accept myself.
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Beckie03
Member
07-05-2007
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 10:29 am
Maybe, he just doesn't know what to do since his alliance broke up...people aren't dumb when you walked into a room and the entire room shuts up. Zach knows he is not wanted there, he doesn't get talked to by the HOHs a lot... The man's whole game was thrown off, even with a chess board there. Why would someone want to go out of the their way to be nice to people who obiviously hate him and want him gone?? I'm sure Zach is healthy as a horse, mentally and physically. His game was destroyed the third week. People are always talking trash on him, so maybe because of his past always being picked last and what not...makes him turn inward. People handle pressure and stress differently, it is not right to say he as austim or asperger's. These people have and will continue to talk trash on him until he is gone. Why go out of your way to make friends with people, who a) you don't like or b) that don't like you. And as far as I'm concerned...he's playing great. He is keeping under the radar, even though he is on the radar, he keeps getting put on the back burner. Why make yourself known when you know that you could be put up??
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Pamy
Member
01-02-2002
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 10:35 am
only children are usually very outgoing, imo. They usually have lots of friends
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Celticlass
Member
09-10-2005
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 10:43 am
To the OP, you could very well be correct. Asperger's only went into the DSM-IV in 1992, so at his age he could be a non-diagnosed Aspie. Autism and the other pervasive developmental disorders are NOT a disease. Given the great minds that are confirmed Asperger's (Gates, Spielberg, Bill Murray among them) and those that historically are suspected of being Asperger's from what we know of their childhoods and social relationships (Einstein, Edison, Jefferson, Warhol)this is a great cohort of people to be in. I have stated on a thread before, I also see autism-spectrum like behviors in Jen.
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Colordeagua
Member
10-25-2003
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 10:45 am
Pamy, there's at least on exception -- me. I really am kind of a loner. FWIW, never married.
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Pamy
Member
01-02-2002
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 11:04 am
Color, come hang with me then 
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Colordeagua
Member
10-25-2003
| Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 11:19 am
Just curious, where's Riverside? North, south? I've traveled some, but only been to California once. Forty-seven years ago!!!
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