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

If you (general you) know you’re going to be triggered to call people who don’t know you ‘N””””’ and ‘P”””””, yes, you should briefly step out.

That doesn’t mean confining yourself to a basement.

If she knows them well enough to invite them to her wedding she would know them well enough to have a proper grown up chat ( remember those?) with the person and come to a mutual agreement.

I do think the choice not to broadcast should have been made give it clearly was a choice - unlike johns outburst

all Blame and all apologies should only be expected from the BBC not from John

Yeah fine, they can leave if they’re ignorant enough to not understand

BAFTA and the BBC failed in their duty of care/ safeguarding and they should take all the heat.

The point is people are saying she would be discriminatory not to invite them, even if they were to call her the N word.

He's going to potentially tic at every single person he meets in life. What do you expect him to do?

This @Crawse Tourettes is a recognised disability.

So, he should live where? And never go to the shop?

Maybe only live in a predominately white area in case he sees a black person on his nip to the cafe for some breakfast?

It’s not ignorant to not want to be in a situation where you may be called ‘n””””’, no matter how involuntary.

He doesn’t know how his tics are going to manifest. He can hardly live his life avoiding everyone/everything in case he might say x, y, z.

Then the onus is on you to remove yourself from the situation if you're going to go through life being offended by people's disabilities.

But he can’t avoid all people all the time.

Or is it just black people you’re bothered about? I think that’s maybe the crux here. You’re only going on about black people being offended.

Of course he’s going to tic, and people will rightly treat that with understanding.

That doesn’t mean people can’t suggest ways forward for awards ceremonies.

But if he knows seeing black people at an awards show is a trigger, then stepping out for 5 minutes is hardly a huge hardship.

Oooh, you’re just worried about people being offended at award ceremonies?? Right, got it….

I really doubt this is going to be an ongoing issue at awards ceremonies.

There are people on this thread who have said black people just have to suck it up.

You do get that the event being discussed is an … awards ceremony. Right?

Understand that it was a tic and not an intentional slur, yes. That's the non-ableist, adult approach.

Five minutes?! Or black people (seeing as you’re only bothered about them) could look up Tourette’s and educate themselves on tics, and choose not to attend if they feel those tics would be too much to
deal with (which may or may not happen, JD has no control over this for the millionth time).

Better to step out tor 5 minutes rather than leave the event entirely as John did.

This is where you misunderstand Tourette's. They weren't abused. You can say that maybe non-poc people won't understand, and I agree that if you have never been on the receiving and of racial abuse, it's hard to understand how dreadful it is; but if you don't have Tourette's, you have no idea how awful it is to have your tics described as abusive, even as unintentional abuse.

It goes way beyond that, to people telling black people that they can’t put themselves first, even on their wedding day.

Demonstrating your cluelessness about tourettes

the only way John can avoid offending or upsetting people if they are determined to take offence at a tik is to avoid all people at all times. No train just in case , no bus, no supermarket, no pub no club no gym nowhere

for something he can’t control

we can control how offended and upset we get at most things