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‘N word’ at the BAFTAs

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Daddima Tue 24-Feb-26 17:42:01

So, ‘I Swear’, the excellent film about John Davidson and his life with Tourette’s Syndrome wins three awards at the BAFTAs.
John Davidson was in attendance, and when two black actors were onstage to present an award, he had a ‘tic’, in the form of calling out a ‘racial slur’.
Now, we seem to have gone from praise for the film for educating about Tourette’s to massive discussion about BBC not editing out the ‘N word’ ( are we really such delicate wee flowers that we can’t even hear or read the word, no matter what the context?), or should Alan Cumming have apologised, should John Davidson have stayed at home, or , unbelievably, to onliners alleging he was saying it deliberately?

RosiesMawagain Wed 25-Feb-26 11:04:40

Tuliptree

I thought most people were complaining about the broadcasting of what he said and the role of the BBC in enabling widespread dissemination .

"Michael B Jordan was left ‘disgusted’ after being subjected to a racial slur on stage while presenting at the Baftas".
"On Sunday night the American actor presented the first award of the night alongside his Sinners co-star Delroy Lindo"
"As the pair prepared to hand out the best visual effects award to Avatar: Fire and Ash, Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson was heard shouting the N-word, which prompted gasps across the audience in London’s Royal Festival Hall"

Oh the irony.
(Just one example reported in Metro.)
They weren't listening to the unedited broadcast.

ViceVersa Wed 25-Feb-26 11:06:19

Tuliptree

I thought most people were complaining about the broadcasting of what he said and the role of the BBC in enabling widespread dissemination .

Not on the majority of social media sites - it almost seems like a pile-on by the entire black population of the US!

RosiesMawagain Wed 25-Feb-26 11:06:51

Tuliptree

And F and C words are qualitatively different from the N word as you well know

Really ??
Please explain how.
I (and I am sure I am not alone) find them equally unacceptable

ViceVersa Wed 25-Feb-26 11:23:33

RosiesMawagain

Tuliptree

And F and C words are qualitatively different from the N word as you well know

Really ??
Please explain how.
I (and I am sure I am not alone) find them equally unacceptable

Yes, I'd love to know the difference too.

Allira Wed 25-Feb-26 12:40:05

RosiesMawagain

Tuliptree

And F and C words are qualitatively different from the N word as you well know

Really ??
Please explain how.
I (and I am sure I am not alone) find them equally unacceptable

Perhaps some people use them in every day language.
There is a thread about Danny Dyer and his appalling language.
The 'c' word is just as offensive as the 'n' word. One is racist, the other sexist.

Tuliptree Wed 25-Feb-26 12:43:26

If you can ask that question, then you are not interested in any answer I can give. Clearly you know nothing about American history

Allira Wed 25-Feb-26 12:47:24

Allira

RosiesMawagain

Tuliptree

And F and C words are qualitatively different from the N word as you well know

Really ??
Please explain how.
I (and I am sure I am not alone) find them equally unacceptable

Perhaps some people use them in every day language.
There is a thread about Danny Dyer and his appalling language.
The 'c' word is just as offensive as the 'n' word. One is racist, the other sexist.

However, if I knew someone using any of those words had Tourette's Syndrome, especially if I was at a ceremony where someone was receiving an award for a film demonstrating how it affects him and others I'd understand it was not that person being offensive.

It is not their fault.

Those two actors must lack any empathy and have a complete lack of awareness of anyone else and their problems, even when they are explained to them.

Tuliptree Wed 25-Feb-26 12:50:10

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Maremia Wed 25-Feb-26 12:53:52

We have no control over how other forms of social media react. On GN we have a Report button. As far as I can interpret, nobody on this Thread is criticising the man with the disability, who shouted out.
The BBC is being criticised for not editing the extremely offensive racist word.
I understand this complaint, if as stated, there were two hours between the shout and the broadcast.

Oreo Wed 25-Feb-26 12:58:26

Calling posters/ attitudes ‘racist’ in this case is really scraping the barrel.
The actors may have been surprised but not shocked at the time,when it was pointed out to them that the man of the hour at the ceremony has Tourettes.
SM is awful at times, real hysteria and faux outrage whipped up at the drop of a hat.

Oreo Wed 25-Feb-26 13:00:34

Since the BBC edited out other words in the broadcast I think it could be said with confidence that one word, slightly muffled wasn’t heard by the team in the van as they claim to be the case.

Tuliptree Wed 25-Feb-26 13:02:51

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Tuliptree Wed 25-Feb-26 13:10:00

Oreo

Since the BBC edited out other words in the broadcast I think it could be said with confidence that one word, slightly muffled wasn’t heard by the team in the van as they claim to be the case.

Of course because the BBC should have managed the predictable risk better AND not left the unedited version on player as long as they did. But hey oh, interesting to see who’s now a BBC backer in what circumstances

GrannyGravy13 Wed 25-Feb-26 13:18:05

Perhaps the man with uncontrollable Tourette’s should just stay home, never leave the safety of his four walls just in case one of his tics should upset someone

As ridiculous as the above sounds, that is the only way to ensure that nobody is ever offended by his disability.

Oh then we could start confining those with visual disabilities that might just offend…

Allira Wed 25-Feb-26 13:18:12

Unfair post, Tuliptree

What I am saying is that these two men must have missed the message that was being portrayed by this film.

They seem to have no empathy or understanding of someone with a disability, even after this disability has just been portrayed to them.

They were more upset by being called an offensive name, which the man could not help saying because of that very disability.

In fact, they are discriminating against a disabled person instead of having any understanding even after it had just been explained to them.

No-one thinks this word is acceptable, nor is the word you mentioned acceptable either and no-one would normally use it.

However, the circumstances were exceptional.

GrannyGravy13 Wed 25-Feb-26 13:18:52

By the way my post was tongue in cheek

sixandahalf Wed 25-Feb-26 13:26:16

Tuliptree

And I do wonder what the reaction would have been if it had been an anti-Semitic phrase.

The outrage would have been off the scale.

Tuliptree Wed 25-Feb-26 13:29:02

Allira

Unfair post, Tuliptree

What I am saying is that these two men must have missed the message that was being portrayed by this film.

They seem to have no empathy or understanding of someone with a disability, even after this disability has just been portrayed to them.

They were more upset by being called an offensive name, which the man could not help saying because of that very disability.

In fact, they are discriminating against a disabled person instead of having any understanding even after it had just been explained to them.

No-one thinks this word is acceptable, nor is the word you mentioned acceptable either and no-one would normally use it.

However, the circumstances were exceptional.

And you know all this how? You are attributing thoughts, feelings to them , accusing them of disability discrimination- based on what? There was a groundswell of reaction from thousands that the sainted BBC could have avoided but hey why blame the BBC when there’s two black men who behaved appalling and caused it all? Plus ça change

GrannyGravy13 Wed 25-Feb-26 13:29:16

sixandahalf

Tuliptree

And I do wonder what the reaction would have been if it had been an anti-Semitic phrase.

The outrage would have been off the scale.

I doubt it, most intelligent people are aware of Tourette’s Syndrome and its uncontrollable tics.

Allira Wed 25-Feb-26 13:32:53

sixandahalf

Tuliptree

And I do wonder what the reaction would have been if it had been an anti-Semitic phrase.

The outrage would have been off the scale.

Well, he still would not have been able to help it.
He has a disability which was explained in the film for which he received awards.
As GrannyGravy says, perhaps he should have stayed at home and sent a representative to pick up his awards on his behalf.

Tourette Syndrome and Disability
TS is a disability and therefore people are protected under the Equality Act 2010 from being discriminated against because of their condition. All the usual rules about discrimination apply to people with TS.

Allira Wed 25-Feb-26 13:35:07

GrannyGravy13

sixandahalf

Tuliptree

And I do wonder what the reaction would have been if it had been an anti-Semitic phrase.

The outrage would have been off the scale.

I doubt it, most intelligent people are aware of Tourette’s Syndrome and its uncontrollable tics.

Obviously they should be seen and not heard.
Or not even seen.

Perhaps shut away in a sanatorium if people find it so offensive for someone with Tourette's to be out in public with their disability?

Allira Wed 25-Feb-26 13:35:36

That was tongue-in-cheek too, btw.

Allira Wed 25-Feb-26 13:38:30

You're making things up, Tuliptree

No-one has said the two black actors behaved appalling as you claim.

They lacked insight ad empathy, even after the film ‘I Swear’ had just won three awards.
The irony is not lost on me.

Washerwoman Wed 25-Feb-26 13:45:12

Whilst the N word is vile and is associated with dreadful prejudice,and no doubt in the moment the 2 actors were shocked and upset I should imagine John has suffered just as much prejudice and dreadful treatment in his life for a condition that's out of his control.So yes be upset but also show some empathy towards someone also marginalised. I saw the film an it reduced me to tears.Also his first foul mouthed rant in the film made me react with discomfort. Until I caught myself and thoughts if this is how an actor in a film can provoke such feelings imagine what John has had to live with day to day.

GrannyGravy13 Wed 25-Feb-26 13:47:10

Washerwoman good post 👍