Tourette's syndrome advocate blurts out profanity, racial epithet at BAFTAs

"There were some awkward moments at the British BAFTA awards Sunday when Tourette's syndrome advocate John Davidson blurted out random profanities and a racial epithet during the ceremony, whose audience included the Prince and Princess of Wales. Variations on the word f could be heard throughout the evening in the background as awards were doled out. Most notably, the n-word erupted from Davidson's lips as veteran actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented the first award of the evening,"

"The moment underscored the relevance of the BAFTA-nominated movie I Swear, illustrating in real life the challenges of having the neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by sudden, involuntary movements and/or sounds called tics, as the Tourette Association of America describes it. Tics can range from mild/inconsequential to moderate and severe, and are disabling in some cases. Davidson was the inspiration for the film, which has grossed $8 million in the U.K. so far and is scheduled to hit U.S. theaters in April, according to CNN."

During the British BAFTA awards, Tourette's syndrome advocate John Davidson involuntarily blurted out profanities and a racial epithet while the audience included the Prince and Princess of Wales. Variations of the f-word were audible throughout the evening as awards were presented. Host Alan Cumming explained the involuntary nature of the outbursts and asked for understanding and a respectful space. The incident paralleled the BAFTA-nominated film I Swear, which was inspired by Davidson and portrays the challenges of tics. I Swear has grossed $8 million in the U.K. and will be released in U.S. theaters in April. Davidson experienced symptoms from age 12 and was diagnosed at 25.

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