John Davidson shouting the N word during the BAFTAS

[Crawse]

John Davidson has Tourettes and is a campaigner for the condition. Whist Michale B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting he shouted out the racial slur. It’s extremely uncomfortable to watch. I feel terrible for the two presenters. I’m really conflicted on this one.

What are your thoughts?

No one should be subjected to abuse. That is my bottom line. Maybe the fact I was called P*** (I’m half Indian) growing up has influenced my views. I obviously recognise Tourette’s is involuntary.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/22/entertainment/baftas-2026-tourettes-racist-slur

You’re missing the point. I never claimed it should be shrugged off or normalised, hence my “it makes me 100 times more angry” comment.

My point is that OP is assuming the actors would be very badly affected because she would be. None of us actually know how badly affected they were. Those of us who have watched the film do know that JD has attempted to take his own life from the shame of his condition. We got to know him, and his feelings, through the story of the film. It is reasonable to understand that he will be feeling absolutely wretched today.

At least lots of people are learning about Tourette’s!

For some reason, the site isn't allowing me to react or quote anybody on this thread...

I suppose there are always going to be conflicting interests - even when there's no blame to ascribe. My DS went to an after-school activity where there was a lad with (I believe) autism, whose condition caused him to randomly smack the backs of other boys' heads very hard - really painfully, as he was a big, strong lad for his age. We raised it with the leaders, but they said he couldn't help it.

It wasn't the only reason, but the presence of this boy was one of our DS's reasons for deciding not to continue doing the activity, after being there for years, so he left. I genuinely don't know what solution we can find when somebody's disability involuntarily causes them to really hurt and upset (physically and/or emotionally) another person. Obviously, we don't want to lock away or restrict the disabled person for doing something that isn't their fault; and we don't want ourselves or our children to remain in the firing line of the upsetting results of the behaviour that the disability causes... so I really don't know what the answer is.

I already apologised for being disrespectful and read the information about it. But I shall do so again to you. I'm sorry and I was wrong.

It is a horrible condition to live with, which is why sending him to a highly stressful event like the BAFTAs where he is surrounded by people and microphones picking up every tick was a terrible idea. If he was determined to go, the BAFTAs should have warned everyone in advance that there was a strong chance there would be verbal abuse so everyone else can make the choice about whether to be in a room with him for 3 hours (there were at least two other occasions of him racially abusing black people last night). But everyone wanted to treat this as a heart warming story of a disability film getting its moment to shine.

I didn't say they secretly want to say the things. I said it means they are thinking the thing when they look at you. Which is just what you've said.

Personally, I would find it discomfiting to know that the foremost thing in a person's mind when they look at me is, 'oh she's fat' - which the Tourette's then involuntarily turns into an insult. But clearly my fatness would be the most notable thing about me to them, or they'd insult me regarding something else. That's not a very pleasant thing.

So what are the stats on people faking tourettes then?

Are you really comparing someone masturbating in public to tourettes? Why not go all out and say if someone has the compulsion to stab someone should it be OK?

However I have known some disabled people to expose themselves in public, those people generally have a carer and the situation is resolved quickly and I don't take offence, no.

What the fuck does that even mean?

Apparently the audience was warned.

And I would argue that there was no verbal abuse - there were tics.

I think a lot of people are missing the point that competing rights or accommodations sometimes just won't be compatible. I absolutely think that no black person should have to listen to slurs. I also absolutely think that no person with coprolalia as part of their disability should have to be sequestered away from public life to prevent harm from something they said. These things cannot be compatible with each other, that's it. That's how it works sometimes.

All the Mumsnet/Reddit/Twitter/whatever threads in the world debating it back and forth are not going to magically find a way round the fact that sometimes there is no way that everyone can both be compatibly and completely accommodated and supported and that's that.

Why are you talking about ‘sending him’ and him being ‘determined to go’ as though he’s a 6 year old going to a birthday party he wasn’t invited to? He’s a grown man who made a film that was nominated for awards, there’s surely no question of him being invited and accepting that invitation.

It means the Queen did not have to put up with racial abuse and people of colour have to on a regular basis. They have to rise above and be gracious.
Is that fucking clear now?

I'll be honest, if I see someone that is very large indeed, I do notice. Most people would. It doesn't mean I judge, or think horrible thoughts about that person - but I have eyes.

I remember a thread a while back in which a poster with Tourette’s said she’d shouted “coffin dodgers” when an elderly couple walked by. Thanks to some informative posts on here I understand why she said it now though I didn’t at the time.

I wouldn't expect anyone to rise above racial abuse, but I do expect people to stop being ableist and recognise what is racial abuse and what is a fucking tic from a disabled man.

Well, I remember back during Covid, it was all the rage.

My take is that I find it upsetting to be verbally abused, so I would try to avoid spending time in the company of people who verbally abuse me, even though I understand that it's involuntary. I don't think that should be a shocking take.

I can also understand if the two actors are upset by that being shouted, as it could taint the moment for them. I think it's strange for people to insist they shouldn't be upset, if indeed they are (who knows!)

I've seen someone with Tourette's on social media say it about his slightly plump female friend - 'fat bitch, fat cow' several times. She seemed to laugh it off, but it was painful to watch, honestly, knowing that he clearly thought 'fat' when he looked at her.

Yes, you’re right. And it’s being framed as John vs Michael and Delroy when for all we know the parties all met after the show and John apologised and explained his involuntary outburst.

I wonder if he was asked to leave the room when Prince William gave his speech and if he was introduced to William and Kate afterwards?

Since people are calling it abuse -

If you're standing near your husband and he opens a cupboard and accidently elbows you in the nose it will hurt but you'll understand it was a total accident.

If you're standing near your husband and he turns around and intentionally punches you in the nose, that's abuse.

Same outcome of being sore, but different intentions entirely.

Same things here, the words may hurt, but the intention matters, and there was no intention, it was a totally involuntary tic.

Having seen the film ( it’s fabulous and on Netflix soon) it really does lay bare the difficulties of living with Tourette’s for friends and family

1000% recommend that if you have not seen it you try and catch it

in a cinema if possible because of the way your reactions may be mirrored by others in the audience

please watch this film

and I won’t edit my 1000 to 100 for the pedants

If she's his friend, he might know that her weight bothers her, rather than him thinking that of her.

💯

So even on her wedding day she must put someone else's feelings first lest she be cast as a bad person?

Ffs you said you know its involuntary. So.............🤷

There was a documentary many years ago featuring this guy and he said the most awful filthy things to female case workers.
Thats the condition. People with the condition say the fowlest things involuntarily. Things that neuto typical brained people probably sometimes think , but have funtioning filters that stop them saying it.

Any issue with this is down to organisers having live mics where he could be picked up. And the BBC for broadcasting it.
Would they broadcast somebody having an epileptic seizure? No. Because its a medical condition.

John is the victim here and the media have exploited him and his disability .