Whenever the movie based on her life won an award, she bolted up in the audience and waved to the crowd beaming like a kid who had just found out that school had been canceled for the year. 

Grandin's social awkwardness is the hallmark of her type of high-functioning autism, often described as Asperger's Syndrome. And that awkwardness became abundantly apparent as she jumped to her feet each time her name was mentioned. And it was thrilling to see. When other real-life celebs were mentioned, they usually remained in their seats and demurely waved, as Dr. Jack Kevorkian did. (A movie about him, You Don't Know Jack, was nominated against Grandin's film.) He only stood up after he was called upon by Emmy winner Al Pacino, during his acceptance speech for his portrayal of Kervorkian. Claire Danes won an Emmy for her portrayal of Grandin.

Grandin, in a conversation we had in 2009, described her type of autism as "a continuum," that ranges from genius to mentally retarded.

Most people with Asperger's, she said, are just unique individuals with eccentric habits. "They're the same thing," she said. "And ‘nerd' is another word for Asperger's. Computer geek is another term for Asperger's. They are the same thing. And they're called geeks. They're called engineers. They're called musicians. It's the same thing."

Her point: Thrive on your Asperger's traits. If you are obsessed with computers, then work in computers; if the only thing your Asperger child is interested in is music, then direct her to a music career. There is great hope for Apserger kids, Grandin assured me, if the child is taught social manners and is allowed to pursue his singular interest.

But there are many negatives they face as well: sensory problems, inability to maintain proper body distance, inability to read social cues, abruptness, lack of emotion, circumstantial speech, and defensiveness to touch.

Grandin's inability to connect physically to other people led her to invent a "hug machine," which squeezes the body, providing a person with autism and accompanying sensory problems and physical defensiveness, with physical comfort he or she is unable to accept from another person.

Life for children with autism is not easy, and although things have changed significantly since Grandin was a schoolgirl, she remembered it distinctly. "When I was in high school," Dr. Grandin told me, "I used to get teased all the time, and it was absolutely, totally, terribly awful." What a moment of redemption that must have been for her when her name was mentioned from stage at the Emmys and the audience broke into applause. No wonder she jumped up proudly waving to those around her to savor the moment.

But all of the classic symptoms mentioned above took second stage for Grandin when she was finally brought up on stage for Temple Grandin's big award, "Best TV Movie." At one initially uncomfortable moment, she grabbed the microphone from producer Emily Gerson Saines, to pay tribute to her mother who was in the audience, and then, in the highlight of the entire Emmy show, Grandin grabbed Saines in a prolonged and heartfelt hug. She became her own "hug machine," and broke all stereotypes of autism by exhibiting unbounding emotion. It was a classic, iconic moment, with an impact that most of the viewing audience probably did not fully comprehend and appreciate.

And that outfit? Watch it become the latest trend.

For the interview with Dr. Grandin, and more information about Asperger's and other autism spectrum disorders, read Alphabet Kids: A Guide to Developmental, Neurobiological and Psychological Disorders for Parents and Professionals..