As an actor, Brendan Fraser can strip down to his core and expose the most vulnerable aspects of humanity. (His heart-wrenching work in Darren Aronofsky's film The Whale earned him a well-deserved Best Actor Oscar at the 2023 Academy Awards.)

So, it's not surprising when he gets emotional discussing things near and dear to his heart—like autism awareness. In past interviews, Fraser has been very open about his son Griffin's diagnosis and the unexpected beauty that came with it. In a 2022 piece for Interview Magazine, Fraser shared, "And because of the beauty of his spectrum—call it a disorder if you will, I disagree with you—he knows nothing of irony. He doesn't know what cynicism is. You can't insult him. He can't insult you. He's the happiest person and is, in my life and many others', also the manifestation of love."

The documentary short film Saving Superman www.youtube.com, Switchboard Magazine

In 2024, Fraser co-executive produced the award-winning short documentary film Saving Superman. It tells the heartwarming story of Jonathan Charbonneau, a man in his fifties on the spectrum who loves to dress up as the DC comic book character. As seen in the film, he delightfully appears around his hometown of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, to play music and greet the community. In the movie, Charbonneau shares why he was specifically struck by Superman, which he learned about on Sesame Street. "I believe in the ideals he represents. There's only one reason why he does 'no mischief,' let alone anything criminal or evil. He chooses not to out of respect for morale."

On an recent appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show in November 2025, Fraser tearfully discusses the film and explains how the community in Glen Ellyn wholesomely came together to raise money for Charbonneau after finding out he was not going to be able to afford rent once his apartment building got sold. (In the film, it's relayed that his dear friend started a GoFundMe which went viral around the world.)

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Fraser tells Clarkson, "I'm the dad of a son with special needs. I want to be a part of it and for that reason—we need to do well by everyone who has a family on the spectrum. We need more services available to them. And I do know that he's the hero that we need right now." Getting choked up, Fraser then tearfully hugs Clarkson.

This has struck such a deep chord in the community, as exemplified by the comments on The Kelly Clarkson Show (@KellyClarksonshow) Instagram Reel. Many people praise Fraser for his kindness, but also relay tales of Jonathan firsthand. One fan writes, "I grew up and came back to live in Glen Ellyn. Everyone knows Jonathan aka Superman here. He's a staple in our community and we are lucky to have him. Glad he's getting the support he very much deserves."

Another commenter echoes this warm acknowledgement. "As soon as his picture came up in this video, I audibly went 'Superman!!' My family is from Glen Ellyn, and I worked in downtown in my late teenage years. Jonathan is a staple!" They later add, "While GE isn't my hometown, I have spent a lot of time there, and don't remember him NOT being in town."

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This comment reflects pure love for Fraser: "And I was thinking I couldn't love this man more. He just proved me wrong! He is simply wonderful!"

And this Instagrammer is especially impressed with Fraser using his platform to effect change, writing, "Thank you for using your voice & speaking for those that need it the most 💙 we have more that united us than divides us after all."

Learning a new skill, such as playing an instrument, gardening, or picking up a new language, takes a lot of time and practice, whether that means scale training, learning about native plants, or using flashcards to memorize new words. To improve through practice, you have to perform the task repeatedly and receive feedback so you know whether you’re doing it correctly. Is my pitch correct? Did my geraniums bloom? Is my pronunciation understandable?

However, a new study by researchers at the Institute of Neuroscience at the University of Oregon shows that you can speed up these processes by adding a third element to practice and feedback: passive exposure. The good news is that passive exposure requires minimal effort and is enjoyable.

"Active learning of a... task requires both expending effort to perform the task and having access to feedback about task performance," the study authors explained. "Passive exposure to sensory stimuli, on the other hand, is relatively effortless and does not require feedback about performance."

A woman reading a book.via Canva/Photos

So, if you’re learning to play the blues on guitar, listen to plenty of Howlin’ Wolf or Robert Johnson throughout the day. If you’re learning to cook, keep the Food Network on TV in the background to absorb some great culinary advice. Learning to garden? Take the time to notice the flora and fauna in your neighborhood or make frequent trips to your local botanical garden.

If you’re learning a new language, watch plenty of TV and films in the language you are learning. The scientists add that auditory learning is especially helpful, so listen to plenty of audiobooks or podcasts on the subject you’re learning about.

But, of course, you also have to be actively learning the skill as well by practicing your guitar for the recommended hours each day or by taking a class in languages. Passive exposure won't do the work for you, but it's a fantastic way to pick up things more quickly. Further, passive exposure keeps the new skill you're learning top-of-mind, so you're probably more likely to actively practice it.

Researchers discovered the tremendous benefits of passive exposure after studying a group of mice. They trained them to find water by using various sounds to give positive or negative feedback, like playing a game of “hot or cold.” Some mice were passively exposed to these sounds when they weren't looking for water. Those who received this additional passive exposure and those who received active training learned to find the water reward more quickly.

A woman tending to her garden.via Canva/Photos

“Our results suggest that, in mice and in humans, a given performance threshold can be achieved with relatively less effort by combining low-effort passive exposure with active training,” James Murray, a neuroscientist who led the study, told University of Oregon News. “This insight could be helpful for humans learning an instrument or a second language, though more work will be needed to better understand how this........

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