There’s a petition out there, created by Julie Flygare (founder of Project Sleep to: “Urge NBC to ensure accurate portrayal of narcolepsy in Stumble“
After watching the trailer of the show, it was clear that the stereotype misrepresentation of the actual symptoms, and disease was at play. They, of course, use it as a comical thing. So, I support the petition and signed it.
In the official trailer, you can see two different representations of it: at minute mark 1:28-1:38 and again at 2:17-2:23.
While I would say they were portraying Cataplexy in these 2 clips, they over did it, had she perhaps not ‘fell’ as she did, but rather ‘melted’ or ‘awkwardly stumbled’ rather – just some extent of a different onset and reaction rather than, boom on the ground, to a joke-punchline; it could have been presented semi-accurately.
But, the way it is set up and happens, is gross.
Being at the expense of what is a real – and in such rare amongst rare, actual cases, to such a severe-complete severity extent of Cataplexy – physiological neurologic event.
I left the following comment on the Youtube Official Trailer of the show:
“Thanks so much for stereotyping further so, what is a broken stereotype towards Narcolepsy. The effects of such are profoundly negative, impactful on every person who lives with the disease. It is insulting, it is wrong, it is disingenuous, and shameful on NBC. If they’d of portrayed the symptoms of the disease Narcolepsy in an appropriate manner, rather than of course using it in a comical while extreme and absolutely not accurate manner; perhaps I’d of been eager to watch it, for that reason, but rather as is the norm – the disease is portrayed completely wrong and in the typical negative manner that again, reinforces what is a botched, wrong, and insulting, inaccurate representation of the symptoms of (and/or/also) the disease Narcolepsy. I hope the show gets pulled, to be quite honest. There’s a petition going around on this, to “Urge NBC to ensure accurate portrayal of narcolepsy in Stumble” – please feel free to go and sign it.”
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Seek a qualified medical professional with expertise in Narcolepsy for diagnosis or treatment. I am not a medical professional.
Spanish version
Japanese/ソロモン・ブリッグスによる日本語訳
Created by: Solomon Briggs
(aka Narcoplexic)
November 9th, 2025
NBC ‘Stumble’ Cheerleading show – Petition © 2025 by Solomon Briggs is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0
To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
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