ANNOUNCER
And here’s your host, Mindy Love!
[Cheers and applause]
MINDY
Who loves you?
CROWD
Mindy!
MINDY
And I love you back. Today on the show we’ve got an extraordinary group of youngsters whose talents will surprise you, delight you, and, in one case, maybe even save your life. We’ll be talking to an eleven-year-old premed student who’ll receive his MD before his friends are halfway through high school, a set of master-chef twins who count Mario Batali and Geoffrey Zakarian among their many fans, and an eight-year-old reptile expert who just returned from an expedition in Honduras and already has a new species of snake named after him. But first, it’s my pleasure to introduce a special young lady with an extremely rare condition known as highly superior autobiographical memory, or HSAM. There are fewer than thirty people in the world with this condition and the person you’re about to meet is the youngest one by about twenty years. She’s only ten years old, and this is her very first television appearance. Please welcome a truly one-of-a-kind guest, Joan Sully!
[Cheers and applause]
MINDY
Well, hello, Joan. Aren’t you adorable. Thank you for coming on my show.
JOAN
Actually, I like to be called Joan Lennon. Not Joan Sully.
MINDY
Like John Lennon, the musician?
JOAN
Yes.
MINDY
And I see you brought your guitar.
JOAN
Yes.
MINDY
Joan, tell us about yourself. Where are you from?
JOAN
Jersey City, New Jersey.
MINDY
Any brothers or sisters?
JOAN
No. But my parents always talk about having another kid.
MINDY
And what about Mom and Dad? Do they have good memories?
MINDY
Just like my husband. [Laughter] And what do Mom and Dad do for a living?
JOAN
Like, for a job?
MINDY
Yes. What are their jobs?
JOAN
My mom is a teacher. My dad used to make music for commercials and movies and stuff.
MINDY
Dad doesn’t work now?
JOAN
He does. He works with my grandpa and my uncle. Not the uncle who might be coming here today, the other one.
MINDY
I see. And where are Mom and Dad now?
JOAN
My mom is tutoring. I don’t know where exactly my dad is.
MINDY
Are you alone a lot?
JOAN
I guess so. Kind of.
MINDY
That must be hard. Do you use your memories to escape?
MINDY
What I mean is, do you find it easier to think about your memories than to think about what’s happening around you?
JOAN
Um. I don’t know.
MINDY
What’s your favorite memory?
JOAN
Probably when I recorded my new song with Dad and Gavin. I mean, my uncle.
MINDY
When was that?
JOAN
July twentieth. It was a Saturday.
MINDY
That’s amazing. Do you always remember the day of the week?
JOAN
Oh. Yeah. Starting around age five.
MINDY
So let me understand. You remember every day of your life, including the day of the week, from today all the way back until you were age five? Is that right?
JOAN
Yes.
MINDY
Incredible. And how about before age five? Do you remember anything before that?
MINDY
You say movies. What type of movies are we talking about?
JOAN
When I think of the day, I see a movie of what happened, but I’m not in the movie, I’m watching it.
MINDY
Tell me, what day of the week was December ninth, 2011?
JOAN
It’s a Friday and I’m at school and Ms. Dudley is teaching us about penguins that live all the way at the bottom of Australia. She puts us in groups, but I don’t like my group because Tracy is in it and I don’t like Tracy.
MINDY
Did Tracy bully you? Did she pick on you?
JOAN
Tracy is a boy. He doesn’t pick on anyone. Everyone picks on him because he smells.
MINDY
Okay, well, I’m sure Tracy is a nice boy. How about August third, 2006? Can you tell me about that day?
JOAN
I’m not sure. I was probably home that day. Maybe we went to the park? I was only three.
MINDY
Let’s try a later date. How about March twenty-sixth, 2009? What day was that?
MINDY
Is something wrong?
JOAN
[Inaudible]
MINDY
Oh, Joan. There’s no need to get upset. Did something bad happen that day? What happened on March twenty-sixth? Take your time.
JOAN
It’s the day after Pepper died.
MINDY
Who’s Pepper?
JOAN
My dog.
MINDY
I’m sorry, honey. Do you miss your dog?
JOAN
Yes.
MINDY
Losing a pet is very tough, I know. It must be even harder when your memories are so vivid. Is it painful to think about your dog Pepper? That’s all right, honey. Take your time. We’ll be right back.
[Music and applause]
MINDY
Welcome back. I’m here with Joan Sully, a special little girl who happens to have a near-perfect memory. Before we move to our next wunderkind, I’d like to get some input from Dr. William Satcher. Dr. Satcher is a neurologist at the Weill Cornell Medical Center here in New York City. Dr. Satcher, tell us, what causes HSAM?
SATCHER
Well, first, I must say that I’m no expert in HSAM. But to my knowledge, there is currently no known cause.
JOAN
My friend Wyatt says I got HSAM when I fell on my head in Home Depot.
[Laughter]
MINDY
Did you really fall?
JOAN
Yes.
MINDY
Tell us what happened.
JOAN
Well, it was when I was two. Dad was pushing me in the cart and I fell out and hit my head on the concrete.
MINDY
How terrible. That must have been very painful.
JOAN
I don’t know. I think so.
MINDY
Were you wearing your little seat belt?
JOAN
No. Dad let me stand up in the big part.
JOAN
He was. He said he was going to put me in the seat but then one of his songs started playing in the store and that’s the first time he ever heard his music playing while he was shopping. I think he was just really excited, that’s all.
MINDY
Were you mad at your daddy for letting you fall?
JOAN
No. It was my fault. I shouldn’t have been leaning over.
MINDY
It’s not your fault, Joan. It’s not your fault.
JOAN
Okay.
MINDY
Dr. Satcher, can a fall like the one Joan describes cause HSAM?
SATCHER
No, I don’t believe so. From the research I’ve seen, none of the people with HSAM show brain trauma of any kind. One of the first places we look is the hippocampus. Damage to the hippocampus would result in a compromised memory. We see that in Alzheimer patients, for example. But with HSAM, the opposite is true. We actually see brain regions that are in fact seven times larger than what you’ll find in the average person. We also see far more white matter connecting gray matter, which results in better communication within the brain. But with regard to the original question, without knowing more about Joan’s accident, I can’t speculate about what might have occurred as a result of her fall.
JOAN
Yes. She gave me a lollipop.
MINDY
You’re a brave little girl.
[Cheers and applause]
JOAN
My grandmother had that.
MINDY
Had what, dear?
JOAN
What he said. The old-timer’s disease. The one that makes people lose their memories.
MINDY
Yes, Alzheimer’s. So your grandmother is no longer with us?
JOAN
She sings to me from a cassette. I was hoping maybe I could help old people like her remember better.
MINDY
That’s an interesting idea. Dr. Satcher, can Joan’s condition tell us anything about diseases like Alzheimer’s?
SATCHER
It’s possible. But we have a long way to go.
MINDY
What if I’m a parent watching at home and I think my son or daughter has a particularly strong memory, like Joan here? What should I do?
As we’ve discussed, HSAM is very rare, so the chances of your child having it, or any other kind of specialized memory, for that matter, are extremely unlikely. But that’s okay. It’s important to realize that we’re using our memory all the time. We often think of memories as mental postcards, or movies, like Joan said, that we can call up when we want to. But most of the time, it’s automatic. Memory is what teaches a child that a stove is hot and he shouldn’t touch it. That said, there are exercises that a parent can do with his or her child to strengthen and improve memory.
MINDY
We’ve posted three of your exercises up here on our board and we’ll also have them up on our website after the show. Thank you, Dr. Satcher. We’ll be right back.
[Cheers and applause]
MINDY
Welcome back. Before we bring out our next child prodigy, we’d like to invite to the stage Joan’s uncle, who says he has a big surprise for little Joan here. Please, have a seat and introduce yourself.
KEVIN
My name is Kevin. Kevin Deifendorf.
MINDY
Welcome, Kevin. Now, are you the one who records music or the one who works with Joan’s grandfather?
KEVIN
Music.
Got it. Now, before you reveal your surprise to Joan, tell us, what’s it like to have a niece with such a unique gift?
KEVIN
She’s in a lot of trouble.
MINDY
Are you saying that HSAM is more like a curse than a gift?
Kevin
No, I’m not saying that at all. Look, I really don’t want to be on the show. I just need to take Joan home.
MINDY
You seem very conflicted about this. Dr. Satcher, let me ask you, what effect does HSAM have on family members?
SATCHER
Well, I can’t speak directly to HSAM. But I can tell you that there is always a ripple effect when it comes to these extreme conditions. Feelings of neglect and jealousy are not uncommon.
MINDY
Interesting. What do you do for work, Kevin? Are you in the music business?
KEVIN
I really don’t want to be interviewed.
MINDY
It’s a simple question.
KEVIN
I’m not working right now. I’m on leave.
MINDY
From what?
MINDY
I see. Is there any particular reason why you’ve taken leave?
KEVIN
Actually, I lost my partner.
[Murmurs]
MINDY
I’m sorry to hear that. Let me ask you, why didn’t Joan’s parents bring her here today? Why was it left to you, her uncle?
KEVIN
I’m not Joan’s uncle.
JOAN
Me and Gavin—I mean, Kevin—wrote a song together.
MINDY
You’re not Joan’s uncle?
KEVIN
No.
MINDY
I’m confused. How are you related to her?
KEVIN
I’m not.
JOAN
The song is about memories.
MINDY
Is that right, Joan? You wrote a song about your condition?
MINDY
I’m confused. Is your name Kevin or Gavin?
KEVIN
Kevin.
MINDY
And you wrote a song about Joan’s condition? But she’s not your niece and you’re not related to her? What exactly is your relationship?
JOAN
Gavin is a great person. He’s a great actor and singer and songwriter and he’s my friend and my partner. I’m the walrus and he’s the blackbird. I don’t like that he doesn’t think I should get my hopes up about the song contest and I don’t like that he didn’t want to come on the show with me today and I don’t think it’s good for him to wear that bracelet and I don’t like how his new beard covers his dimple, but I like just about everything else about him. I knew Gavin was special from the very first time I met him.
MINDY
Kevin, it’s obvious that Joan is quite fond of you. It’s clear to me that, with Dad not around, Joan is looking to bond with a male figure. Would you agree with that, Dr. Satcher?
SATCHER
I’m no psychologist, but it makes sense. I’d be curious to know more about Kevin’s own upbringing.
KEVIN
It’s none of your business. Look, we’re done here. I’m taking Joan and we’re leaving.
Taking her? Hold on. If you’re not her uncle, I don’t think you should be taking her anywhere.
[Applause]
JOAN
I hate my HSAM! I want to play my song!
MINDY
Did you hear that, Dr. Satcher? Joan says she hates her HSAM. Is that normal, to reject oneself like that?
SATCHER
It’s part of the process. We see this in cancer patients. No one wants to be defined by his or her disease.
MINDY
But you wouldn’t call HSAM a disease, right?
SATCHER
Correct, Mindy. I was just drawing a parallel.
MINDY
Let’s go to the audience. Yes, ma’am, what’s your question for our little genius here?
WOMAN
Actually, my question is for him. Are you Gavin Winters, the actor?
JOAN
I’m going to start playing my song now. Hello, this is Joan Lennon on guitar.
MINDY
I thought you looked familiar.
MINDY
It is you. Oh my. This is quite amazing, ladies and gentlemen.
[Guitar strumming]
MINDY
Let’s take a second and get everyone up to speed here. Some of you will remember a story on the news a few weeks back about an actor who set his house on fire and then quickly vanished from the public eye. Well, he’s just popped up on our stage—from TV’s The Long Arm, Mr. Gavin Winters! [Applause] We’ll get to our other whiz kids soon enough. But first, you’re not going to want to miss the very first interview with this reclusive star, which’ll be right after the break. Sit tight, everyone.
GAVIN
Let’s go, Joan.
[Cheers and applause]
MINDY
We’re back with Joan Sully and surprise guest Gavin Winters from the show The Long Arm, whose second season has been getting stellar reviews. Gavin, thanks for sticking around.
GAVIN
I didn’t want to. Joan wouldn’t leave.
MINDY
Gavin, let’s start with the main question on everyone’s mind: Where have you been?
GAVIN
[Expletive deleted]
GAVIN
Look, I really shouldn’t be here.
MINDY
But you are. Come on, tell us, where have you been hiding the last few weeks?
GAVIN
I haven’t been hiding.
MINDY
You do understand, people have been wondering where you are.
GAVIN
Honestly, I haven’t paid attention. I’ve been here the whole time, staying with Joan’s family.
MINDY
Any particular reason why you left Los Angeles?
GAVIN
I felt like getting away for a while, that’s all.
MINDY
Could it have anything to do with you setting your house on fire a few weeks ago?
GAVIN
[Inaudible]
MINDY
What was that?
GAVIN
Maybe.
Some say the video was staged. That it was just a ploy to boost ratings for The Long Arm. You’re laughing. Why is that?
GAVIN
The fire was real. I don’t care what at-KickingButtTakingDames says on Twitter. It had nothing to do with the show. If you want to know the truth, I was trying to burn all my boyfriend’s belongings.
MINDY
From what I understand, he died quite suddenly.
GAVIN
Well, yeah. I woke up one morning and he was just lying there on the living-room floor.
MINDY
I’m sorry for your loss. That must have been devastating.
GAVIN
Yes.
MINDY
So you came all the way to the East Coast for what? To get away? To spend time with friends?
GAVIN
That’s how it started, yeah. But then it turned into something different.
MINDY
What do you mean? What did it turn into?
GAVIN
Being home, in our house, was just impossible. I needed to get away from that. But then I got here and Joan had all these memories of him, memories I didn’t have.
GAVIN
Yes, this Joan.
JOAN
Gavin didn’t want to hear the memories at first.
GAVIN
That’s true. But then Joan and I started talking. It actually felt kind of good.
MINDY
What did?
GAVIN
Remembering.
MINDY
Fascinating. Dr. Satcher, you look like you want to say something.
SATCHER
Sharing stories can have tremendous healing powers. We see it all the time with war veterans.
MINDY
Very good, Dr. Satcher. But Gavin, take us back to the night of the fire. Those of us who have lost loved ones can certainly appreciate the pain you were in, but what made you take that next step and just all of sudden want to burn everything?
GAVIN
Who knows? It hits you when it hits you.
MINDY
What hits you?
I don’t know, the unfairness of it all. Sydney shouldn’t have died. But what can I do about it? I burned it all because I didn’t know what else to do. It’s not rational. I never said it was. God, I can’t believe I’m spilling my guts to Mandy Love.
MINDY
It’s Mindy.
GAVIN
Sorry. Look, Sydney wasn’t a perfect man. Far from it. But he was good. He was good and he was positive and that’s such a hard thing to be. He was the kind of person people gravitated to. He always made you feel better. And he chose me to have a future with. Me. He wanted us to have a child. A baby. That’s all he wanted. For us to share that experience. He was willing to travel far and wide to make that happen. Whatever it took. But I didn’t believe. Not fully. I didn’t trust. That’s love, isn’t it? Trusting. Believing. I wanted the same things he wanted but I was scared. And for that I’m sorry. It’s something I’ll regret for as long as I live. And it’s hard, it’s very hard to…
MINDY
Hey, it’s okay. It’s okay.
GAVIN
Really? Is this really happening? I’m crying on The Mandy Love Show?
MINDY
It’s Mindy.
GAVIN
Sorry. I really am sorry.