How does a television host reconcile their dyslexia with having to read a teleprompter on a live broadcast? For most, it's not easy, but several prominent TV personalities have succeeded in their field despite, and perhaps even because of, their dyslexia.
Comedian and host of
The Soup Joel McHale explained on NPR that he's "pretty dyslexic" and has always struggled with reading, but compensates with his quick wits and ability to improvise. "There are all these live shows I'm doing with
The Soup now, and I'm reading a teleprompter the whole time. So I really have to concentrate. It might not look like I'm concentrating and I'm just screwing around, but I really do have to concentrate while I'm reading. And half of the time I'm getting it wrong, but you can't tell because I'm just making up different words for it. It's smoke and mirrors."
Award-winning journalist and host
Anderson Cooper is another person with dyslexia who has to read on live TV on a daily basis. In a speech given at the
2010 NCLD School Luncheon, Cooper said, "When I was a kid I was diagnosed with a mild form of dyslexia. I remember I would always carry a book around with me, but I was never actually reading the book. I would just pretend to read because I had trouble making sense of the words and letters. Luckily I went to a school that caught the problem very quickly and I had access to people who could really help. It's vital that kids have access to teachers who can meet their unique needs. Too many kids with learning disabilities struggle to keep up with their peers and suffer from low confidence."
Though it was challenging for him, reading is ultimately what ignited Cooper's investigative nature and led him to pursue journalism. In an effort to keep him from losing his love of learning, Cooper's parents encouraged him to read books on subjects he was passionate about. In an
article from O Magazine, Cooper says, "Eventually, I read
Heart of Darkness. That novel, in particular, sparked an interest in seeing what happens to society when everything is stripped away, when you're living without the niceties of modern culture."