How the Most Annoying Asthma Stereotypes in Movies and TV Affected My Asthma Management

Taking asthma medication makes you a nerd and a social outcast. Allegedly.

Cróna Tansey has lived with asthma since she was a child. With her condition poorly managed until her twenties, Cróna explores how the media made her feel “weird” and “weak” for having a respiratory disease. Then, using three well-known characters as examples, Cróna Tansey tackles the most annoying asthma stereotypes in movies and TV.

According to a 2019 study researching the economic burden of asthma in Ireland, 1 in 5 children will experience asthma at some stage in life.

Those who don't have asthma will likely have friends or family members with the condition. 

So it’s disappointing that such a common condition appears to be so poorly managed. The Asthma Society of Ireland study also states that one person dies every six days in Ireland as a result of asthma. Likewise, one person visits the emergency department every four minutes in Ireland due to this condition. 

These are shocking statistics. How can such a common condition be so poorly managed?

Taking asthma seriously

I have reflected on my asthma management over the past few years. I’ve had periods where my asthma was poorly controlled and I recovered from some serious asthma attacks. There were many reasons for this, including lack of knowledge, laziness and self-consciousness.

Asthma is common in Ireland, so I had a very relaxed attitude towards it. I didn’t consider it to be life-threatening, and as a result, I didn’t prepare myself for asthma emergencies. Luckily for me, my asthma was mild for the most part. Only in recent years have I realised how serious asthma can be.

When my asthma became more severe in my early twenties, I realised I couldn't afford to be so relaxed. In fact, the more I learned about the condition, the more I understood how important it is to have consistent asthma management.

How media representations influenced my attitude

As a child, many factors influenced my attitude towards asthma. As I grew up, I watched TV and movie characters with asthma and how they were treated. I'd say this greatly affected my social understanding of the condition. 

In my favourite cartoons, the asthmatic characters share specific traits and skill sets. Actually, the characters were often known more for what they couldn’t do than what they could do.

For some reason, asthma and asthmatic characters were often used as punchlines to long-running jokes. In these films or programmes, asthma wasn't a "serious" condition. It had become a symbol of weakness and neurosis. This definitely had a knock-on effect on my teenage attitude towards asthma. 

At school, I was too embarrassed to use my inhaler in public. I didn’t want anyone to know I had an inhaler. I'm sure this contributed to my poor asthma management later on. I'd wait until I was alone to take my medicine rather than take it as my doctor had prescribed. 

I decided to reflect on some of the TV and film characters that represented my condition during my childhood. 

3 popular TV and movie characters that promote unfair asthma stereotypes 

1. Milhouse Van Houten from “The Simpsons”

Speaking of asthma stereotypes... The first character that sprung to mind was Milhouse Van Houten from The Simpsons. Milhouse is Bart Simpson’s best friend. He is an insecure, socially awkward character who's bullied by Nelson Muntz. 

Milhouse is pretty unfortunate with his health. He has exaggerated versions of typical "sick kid" affliction, including being allergic to his own tears. Short-sighted and asthmatic, Milhouse scrambles to manage his conditions... only to have his peers laugh and bully him. 

In The Simpsons, Milhouse is a patchwork of his conditions. He's physically weak, wouldn't say boo to a goose, and is often painted as a social outcast due to his respiratory and allergy issues. 

I didn’t want to have anything in common with Milhouse.

2. Albert Brennaman from “Hitch”

Hitch honed in on a very prevalent asthma character trope: a self-conscious geek who takes a puff from their inhaler whenever they need to find courage. 

Like Milhouse, Albert Brennaman from Hitch is an awkward, self-conscious, geeky character with asthma. In the movie, Albert hires “date doctor” Hitch to help him win over his love interest, Allegra, as he cannot do so alone.

Albert is neither confident nor strong. Arguably, Albert's primary function is to be a sympathetic walking punchline. So, when Albert and Allegra are finally about to kiss, he first tosses his inhaler away. 

This is apparently "character development" and represents a huge milestone. Gone is the neurotic, socially-awkward Albert. Thanks to Hitch, Albert turns into a man "confident enough" to throw away his "crutch" and get what he wants. 

In reality, Albert would be scrambling to find his inhaler later on. Sadly, gaining courage and confidence isn't a magical cure for respiratory illnesses. 

Overall, Hitch is a very light-hearted movie. I can understand that no harm was meant with the asthma references.

But no harm meant doesn't mean no harm done. What are the underlying consequences of this asthma stereotype in movies and cartoons? What does this characterisation tell young people about using their inhalers in public?

3. Mikey Walsh from “The Goonies”

Similarly, Mikey Walsh overcomes his fears when he leaves the tunnels in The Goonies. He has become a more confident and courageous person. 

Once Mikey emerges from the tunnel, we have another "throw away his inhaler" moment. “New” Mikey Walsh is strong and brave. His previous wheeziness wasn't asthma. It was panic attacks. 

This stereotype says asthma medication is taken for courage, not legitimate medical reasons. That, allegedly, using asthma medication is a sign of being emotionally weaker than your peers. 

Mikey's regular inhaler use in The Goonies poorly represents people who take asthma medication in general. Sometimes, Mikey takes a puff of his inhaler without showing any asthma symptoms. 

This is an unnecessary addition to the film. It could be misleading for people watching who have little to no experience with asthma. Asthma medication isn't a crutch or an idle addiction. 

Mikey's inhaler use is irresponsible and inaccurate, but no one questions it in the movie. 

An inhaler can be a life-saving device, but Mikey's patchy, over-frequent use trivialises that. Likewise, inhalers aren't something to throw away when you've accomplished a goal or feel you no longer need them. This is an unrealistic, unfair, and weirdly prevalent asthma stereotype in many films. 

Saying "no" to asthma stereotypes in the media

What was the last film or series you saw where arthritis or diabetes was the constant butt of the joke? The "asthma is pathetic" stereotype significantly impacts the willingness of young people to take their inhalers in public.

When we're growing up, nobody wants to be the person who isn’t fast or strong enough. Nobody wants to be bullied like many of the characters with asthma we see on television.

Asthma awareness and advocacy must be done positively. We must promote understanding that asthma is often a life-long condition, and having it doesn’t make you "socially awkward.” Rather than making light of the illness, popular culture should portray asthma for what it is -- a common but sometimes life-threatening condition that requires careful and consistent management. 

In short, it isn’t something to be laughed at.

Wheezy from "Toy Story" – a positive movie example

Toy Story's Wheezy the Penguin is fortunate enough to have a kind and caring friend in Woody. Woody looks after Wheezy when he is coughing and wheezing. It is great to see the symptoms of asthma depicted in a positive way like this. Wheezy is not being laughed at; he is being cared for by his friend.

Thankfully, the "asthma is a joke or narrative device" stereotypes have become less popular in modern media. 

As time passes, I hope asthma in film and TV will lose its label as a symbol or plot device. I'd love to see confident, popular, funny characters with well-managed asthma. But let's ensure "funny" means "laughed with" rather than "laughed at." 

Real-life examples of successful people with asthma

Many famous people have succeeded in managing their asthma symptoms, and they inspire people with asthma all over the world.

David Beckham and Frank Lampard are physically fit and successful in sports. Likewise, both are great examples of people who've managed to control their asthma and achieve their goals.

Pink (Alecia Beth Moore) and Harry Styles show that asthma doesn’t have to stand in the way of a flourishing music career.

John F Kennedy, Bill Clinton, and Theodore Roosevelt proved that people with asthma can be successful, confident and socially skilled. After all, they all became presidents of the United States!

The takeaway

I hope the asthma stereotypes described in this article will fizzle out in the future. 

Instead, I hope mainstream media will provide our young people with positive asthma stories and factual information. Asthma has been unfairly represented and stereotyped for long enough. 

Even better, I hope new media will create asthmatic heroes who inspire children to keep up with managing their condition. When well-managed, asthma shouldn’t stop you from achieving your full potential. That’s the real takeaway.

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© 2023 Life Effects by Teva Pharmaceuticals

The individual(s) who have written and created the content in and whose images appear in this article have been paid by Teva Pharmaceuticals for their contributions. This content represents the opinions of the contributor and does not necessarily reflect those of Teva Pharmaceuticals. Similarly, Teva Pharmaceuticals does not review, control, influence or endorse any content related to the contributor's websites or social media networks. This content is intended for informational and educational purposes and should not be considered medical advice or recommendations. Consult a qualified medical professional for diagnosis and before beginning or changing any treatment regimen​. 

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Date of preparation: February 2024
D: COB-GB-NP-00144 (V1.0) / T: COB-GB-NP-00174 (V1.0) / M: COB-GB-NP-00173 (V1.0)