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

Because it was white English people who persecuted Irish people, not black people.

Calling people racist slurs is always abusive. You are gaslighting.

No it’s not.

Why hasn’t he been arrested and charged then?

Some of you on here are too black and white (excuse the pun) on this issue. Nuance, context, intention ALL MATTER.

Everything fits into nice little neat compartments doesn't it? I stand by exactly what I said about your obvious intentions.

You literally do want him hidden so that people don’t get offended by his disability though. There’s no strawman here. Shameful. Total lack of empathy.

Snap, exactly what I've just said. Compartmentalised thinking.

Still waiting for you to call out the poster on her defence of the N word.

I suspect I'll be waiting a long time.

Well I most certainly would apologise because my child does not have Tourette’s and it wouldn’t be acceptable

But I’d never expect for a nanosecond for any woman to perpetually apologise for her child’s disability in public. Would you?

Again, are you not embarrassed for being so thin skinned that you’d be offended by the uncontrolled words of a disabled child? Maybe you need to address your oversensitivity rather than expect disabled people to pander to you?

Involuntary actions as diagnosed by medical practitioners - let's just throw the book away. Epileptic sufferers will be next.

We're white people (although that's occasionally debatable even though we're about as pale as people get outside of a physical condition) and the slurs are aimed at us by people of all nationalities and colours.

Nasty people come in all shades. Nastiness is directed at people of all shades.

Davidson wasn't being nasty. He can't help it. He literally says the one thing that he knows would be the worst thing to say. He said that because he knows it's awful but his condition compelled him.

Hi! I’m here still, after having explained what I said twice already!

I stand by it!

Double post.

I agree with you that JD shouldn’t be castigated, but unless you are black then I wouldn’t engage in discussions about the status of words that have never been used against you and that don’t refer to your history of oppression.

For black people, the word obviously does hold special status, just as for disabled people other words that have been hurled at them and those like them and that have a long and horrible context hold special status.

But only one word was used by John that refers to a specific group of people on this occasion, and that was the N word and it upset people. Which is why we’re talking about that, and not about words for white people or whatever.

So lets let black people and disabled people all have their say, and try to all say what we have to say respectfully and with understanding and come to a place where if we can’t agree, we can at least agree that there are no villains here.

I realise that is a big ask for the internet, but let’s try

No, not hidden. No need for the dishonest hyperbole.

But if he’s likely to shout racial abuse at people of colour when he encounters them then there IS a conflict of interests around his attendance at events where he’s going to be sharing space with any.

If we are going to keep anyone indoors can it be the ableist bigots so that people with Tourette’s, who already suffer distress enough, don’t have to be around such nasty little wet wipes?
I mean if we are locking anyone away that seems like the logical choice?

Why would he should something so racist though? Is it not in his mind already? Why that particular thing?

We're white people (although that's occasionally debatable even though we're about as pale as people get outside of a physical condition) and the slurs are aimed at us by people of all nationalities and colours.

Imagine how much worse it is for black people.

At least you haven't had people on this thread tell you that's not such an issue for people to say Paddy etc, as they have said about the N word.

It may well have been hurtful, but it’s certainly not racial abuse.

The man has Tourette’s syndrome.

You seem like the kind of person who has definitely said the words “educate yourself” once or twice, so I suggest you do the same. Educate yourself.

FFS🙄

So objecting to racial abuse makes you an ableist little wetwipe does it?

Because that's literally how Coprolalia works.

He can shout offensive words at literally anyone at any time.

He either gets shut away or he doesn’t.

Given people with Tourette’s are not psychic, it’s not possible to know when and where their tics will happen.

So how about we all put our big girl pants on, accept he can’t help it and get over it. Because everyone else at the BAFTAs will go home and live a Tourettes-free life without a worry, while JD goes on living with this torture - and rather than hand wringing he actually does the most amazing things to help people like him. He should be lauded and applauded, not hidden away because other people don’t “get” Tourettes

Don't make things up - I've never claimed there was no issue with the n-word. I've pointed out that there's a difference of intent between someone using it as a deliberate slur, and a disabled man's tic.