“Gabrielle Leonore shares her life story in this irreverent one-woman comedy, filled with candid anecdotes about sex, drugs, and the aspects of life no one prepares you for – especially as an autistic woman.”
Where: Just the Snifter Room at Just the Tonic at The Mash House
When: 31 Jul-11 Aug
Ticket link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/my-life-as-an-inspirational-porn-star
I have to ask about the title! Why did you decide to use it, and what was the inspiration for it?
Honestly, it felt less like a decision and more like an epiphany. Sure, it grabs people’s attention—I am a performer, after all—but that’s not the only reason I chose it.
The title perfectly captures the tone and heart of the piece: bold, cheeky, and rooted in truth. Just like me. People come for the shock, but stay for the substance.
And I’d be lying if I said the title alone gained all this buzz without the help of my Social Media Slayer Mitch Sims and PR queen Rosaline Hodgetts. I can’t thank them enough.
The phrase “inspiration porn” was coined by the late comedian and disability activist Stella Young to describe those feel-good new stories where disabled people are cast as “hopeful” protagonists simply for accomplishing—or “overcoming”—their disability.
I first heard the term on the podcast Spectrumly Speaking, and it gave me the language for something I’d always felt but couldn’t quite explain: the pressure of being seen as full of “potential,” while trapped by expectations that never truly aligned with who I actually am.
This show became a mix of catharsis, political manifesto, and character study all in one. It wasn’t made to make others feel better about my disability—it was made to take the thoughts, patterns, and projections thrust onto me by society, and throw them right back.
There’s also a paradox built into the title: who’s really being exploited? I’m controlling the narrative—but look at the emotional labor it takes just to be seen as fully human.
I’m proud of my title—but that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what I can do with my writing.
Your show treats your own autism with irreverent and comedy. What should audiences expect?
There’s a phrase I use to describe my sense of humor: “seriously joking.”
Yes, I’m making fun of myself and my autism—but I’m also telling real, uncomfortable truths.
My delivery can be so dry that people sometimes take me literally…or maybe that’s just a Yankee problem. Audiences should expect the unexpected, as cliche as that sounds.
Everyone has their own perception of what autism looks like, and I know for a fact I don’t match that image—especially not as a conventionally attractive (so I’ve been told), bisexual, Latinx autistic woman.
The show ranges from boisterous laughter to deep existential contemplation. One audience member called it an emotional rollercoaster—which I find pretty fitting.
But one thing’s for sure: it’s going to be one hell of a ride.
How did you make a start as a performer?
My first role was the Genie in Aladdin Jr. at my elementary school. It’s actually a part of my show—it was the first time I ever felt good at something.
I discovered a talent that not only brought people joy, but made me feel good, too. Theatre taught me the kind of social skills that are so important—and so difficult—for an autistic person to learn without it.
From there, I went on to perform in a bunch of musicals and plays throughout my childhood, and eventually started creating and producing my own work in college and beyond, both in film and theater.
As much as I love acting, I think my greatest strength is in my voice and writing. To be able to share myself fully and unapologetically on stage is a privilege I will never take for granted.
What are you looking forward to at Edinburgh?
This will be my first time in Europe—and my first time performing a solo show at the Edinburgh Fringe—so it’s a lot of big milestones all at once. Getting to experience it with my best friend and collaborator Mitch Sims makes it even more surreal.
We’ve worked so hard to get here, and now we’re golden. (Which feels especially fitting since we’re currently obsessed with the new Netflix movie K-pop Demon Hunters, and the song “Golden” has somehow become the perfect soundtrack to this chapter of our lives.)
I’m looking forward to soaking in everything—the city, the atmosphere, the beautiful artistic community. And honestly?
With everything happening politically—especially around disability, gender, and queer rights—it feels like a much-needed break from being in the U.S. right now.
Being in a space where people take my work seriously—and engage with it sincerely—feels like both a relief and a radical kind of joy. I don’t think I will ever be the same after it.
Dare I say, I may have changed “For Good”. (Yes, I’m also a Wicked fan too. Is that surprising? Of course it isn’t.)
Where can we see your show after Fringe?
Once it’s been filmed, I plan to post it online so people can experience the show beyond Edinburgh.
I’m also looking into touring—ideally across North America or Europe—because there’s so much more I want to explore with this piece, and so many communities I’d love to connect with.
After Fringe, I’ll be researching the next venues and festivals to bring it to, and I’m also in the early stages of developing a memoir that dives even deeper into the themes behind the show.
And who knows where life will take me after Edinburgh? The world is my oyster.