John Travolta has acknowledged for the first time that his son, Jett, suffered from autism. In painful testimony given during the Bahamas extortion trial linked to Jett’s death in January, Travolta admitted that his son had the disorder, and suffered traumatic seizures every five to 10 days. Travolta’s testimony notably breaks with the teachings of the Church of Scientology, which doesn’t recognize autism as a real affliction. A longtime Scientologist, Travolta has previously claimed Jett suffered from a rare disorder caused by exposure to household chemicals.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
5 Post Office-approved cartoons about mail-in votingCartoons Artists take on reverse logic, Putin's election advice, and more
-
The battle of the weight-loss drugsTalking Point Can Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly regain their former stock market glory? A lot is riding on next year's pills
-
Crossword: August 24, 2025The Week's daily crossword puzzle
