‘Love on the Spectrum’ moms have launched a podcast, ‘Talk to Me, Sis’

They are careful not to over-define “Talk to Me, Sis,” as they don’t want to limit the topics to just autism, but that is the focus of the first six episodes.

“We’re not reporters, we’re not therapists, but we have real life experience, and we’ve raised these great gentlemen, so we feel like we have something to offer,” said Lise, of Cumming. “We did have some funny feedback after the first episode in regard to our overuse of the word ‘absolutely.’ You know what, they were right. You could hear our nerves, and it was absolutely good feedback.”

Credit: Photo courtesy of Lise Smith

Credit: Photo courtesy of Lise Smith

They are less concerned with numbers as they are about advocating for autism awareness and enjoying this wild, unexpected ride.

It was Jack Tomlinson, Lise’s 20-year-old son, who got the ball rolling for Connor Tomlinson’s spot on “Love on the Spectrum.” He messaged director Cian O’Clery after the first season aired and pitched Connor as a candidate for season two. Lise never fathomed Connor, now 26, would be chosen, but when O’Clery asked to meet with the family, the needle scratched the record.

“I hit pause and called a family meeting,” said Lise, 53, who shares six adult children with Tony Smith, her husband of 11 years. “I mean, this is a globally known show. It’s what Connor wanted to do, and he’d expressed being lonely, so we wanted to support him, but putting your family out there is scary. We knew we’d have to take the rough with the smooth. We all committed to that and haven’t looked back.”

Connor’s popularity and opportunities exploded after season two was released in January 2024. Though he is still employed at Kroger where he bags groceries, retrieves shopping carts from the parking lot and sweeps floors, his life has changed in many ways. He has traveled to Los Angeles and New York multiple times to promote the series, been invited to sing onstage at a Broadway show and has amassed nearly half a million followers on Instagram.

Credit: Lise Smith

Credit: Lise Smith

“He receives so many positive messages,” said Lise, who works as a design and sales consultant for Surface Providers in Alpharetta. “Connor has had some really honest moments, like his panic attack scene, that have inspired and resonated with viewers. We had no idea how much he’d help people. And I never imagined how many messages I’d receive, mostly from mothers asking questions, looking for someone to talk to.”

Nicci, of Saint Matthews, South Carolina, echoes Lise’s sentiments. After her son Tanner, 26, appeared in season two of “Love on the Spectrum,” he became famous overnight, bombarded with brand offers and speaking opportunities. Nicci, who had been a stay-at-home mom to her four children, including Tanner, was contemplating a return to her nursing career, but Tanner’s rise to fame, and the onslaught of direct messages, redirected her.

“I jumped in to help Tanner manage this new life of his,” said Nicci, 52. “He’s overcome so much and worked so hard. He missed out on a lot when he was a child. He had no social life or big, fun opportunities, so I say ‘yes’ to the opportunities that come his way that make sense and make him happy.”

Season two of “Love on the Spectrum” was the first season for both Connor and Tanner. After watching the episodes, Nicci sent Lise, whom she had never met, a message on Instagram.

“I just knew when I saw her on the show that she was a goddess. I loved her and had to meet her,” said Nicci.

When the women met in person a month later at a cast get together, they felt like they’d known each other for years.

Both Lise and Nicci confided they had inboxes full of questions from viewers, mothers mostly, who wanted to know things like when their children were diagnosed with autism, what therapies they had, how the moms coped with the struggles and so on.

Trying to respond to all the messages felt close to a full-time job for both women. That’s when Nicci had an idea.

“I remembered feeling so alone with Tanner was a little boy, and I knew Lise felt the same,” said Nicci. “When our boys were diagnosed, Tanner at age 4 and Connor at age 5, there was nothing out there for us, no one to talk to, no support groups, no idea of what our future might look like. All those DMs we received were a catalyst to start a podcast, to answer all those questions collectively, and be a source of hope for other families. Lise and I both felt a call to do that.”

Added Lise, “I still love my full-time job, but it’s so energizing to reinvent myself and do something on this path that has opened before us. It’s an exciting time for both Nicci and I. We both look at the hype around ‘Love on the Spectrum’ as a 15 minutes of fame kind of thing, and we just want to enjoy the ride, make some memories, and squeeze all we can out of the experience. One day when if it all dies down, we’ll bow out, look back and say that was amazing.”