A Black Tourette’s advocate explains why the controversy isn’t so simple.
Slate • • entertainment
Key Points:
- At the BAFTAs, John Davidson, who has Tourette syndrome and was the subject of the award-winning film "I Swear," involuntarily uttered a racial slur onstage during a segment with Black actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo; the moment was broadcast unedited despite a two-hour delay, prompting apologies from host Alan Cumming, the BBC, and BAFTA.
- Davidson, who has coprolalia (a rare form of Tourette’s involving involuntary offensive speech), expressed mortification over the incident, emphasizing his tics are involuntary and not reflective of his personal beliefs; however, his statement lacked an explicit apology, causing dissatisfaction among critics and affected parties.
- Disability advocate Jhónelle
