‘N word’ at the BAFTAs

ViceVersa

Sarnia

ViceVersa

Tuliptree

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

You do realise that he can't help it, right? Even if he had said something anti-Semitic, I would hope people would realise that. Put it this way, if he saw me in the street, he might well call me a 'fat c&nt' - would I take offence? No, because I know it's an involuntary tic - part of his condition.

ViceVersa I admit I know very little about Tourette's. Up till now I thought the sufferer involuntarily said inappropriate comments and swear words completely at random. Your post makes me wonder if they react to a certain situation and come out with something that shocks but is relevant.
Jamie Foxx asked why of all the words he could have come out with did it have to be that one. Almost making it sound as if he was deliberately choosing that word when 2 black actors were presenting an award.
Many of us may think inappropriate things at times but do Tourette's sufferers have no filter and just say what they think?

I'm going by what my friend, who has known and worked with John for many years, said and how he explained it to me. He said that in John's case, it's like thinking of the worst possible thing you could say in any given situation - and then being compelled to blurt that out.
For example, he's said 'I've got a bomb' when at the airport, and when he was being presented with his MBE, said 'F*ck the Queen' in front of her Majesty.
He said it was like you or I perhaps seeing someone and thinking 'gosh, that person's really fat (or tall, or ugly, or smelly etc' and while we wouldn't say that to their face, John can't help himself.

Thank you for that. I didn't have that understanding of the condition before.

Maremia

Thanks Allira, and I don't think anyone on this Thread is criticising the shouter.

🤔

Well, thinking John was given a free pass and was absolved of all responsibility does rather seem like condemning someone for their disability ie the inability to control their body and their speech.

Sarnia

ViceVersa

Tuliptree

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

You do realise that he can't help it, right? Even if he had said something anti-Semitic, I would hope people would realise that. Put it this way, if he saw me in the street, he might well call me a 'fat c&nt' - would I take offence? No, because I know it's an involuntary tic - part of his condition.

ViceVersa I admit I know very little about Tourette's. Up till now I thought the sufferer involuntarily said inappropriate comments and swear words completely at random. Your post makes me wonder if they react to a certain situation and come out with something that shocks but is relevant.
Jamie Foxx asked why of all the words he could have come out with did it have to be that one. Almost making it sound as if he was deliberately choosing that word when 2 black actors were presenting an award.
Many of us may think inappropriate things at times but do Tourette's sufferers have no filter and just say what they think?

I'm going by what my friend, who has known and worked with John for many years, said and how he explained it to me. He said that in John's case, it's like thinking of the worst possible thing you could say in any given situation - and then being compelled to blurt that out.
For example, he's said 'I've got a bomb' when at the airport, and when he was being presented with his MBE, said 'F*ck the Queen' in front of her Majesty.
He said it was like you or I perhaps seeing someone and thinking 'gosh, that person's really fat (or tall, or ugly, or smelly etc' and while we wouldn't say that to their face, John can't help himself.

Maremia

Sarnia, could it be a bit like Fawlty Towers and 'don't mention the war'?
You are thinking 'Don't say, don't say'.
Only it is much worse if you have the condition?

It could be. People with Tourette's perhaps come out with what many are thinking but don't say. When he shouted that word it made me think that they cannot help but say what was on his mind when he saw 2 black presenters. I will read up on it, I think.

Sarnia, could it be a bit like Fawlty Towers and 'don't mention the war'?
You are thinking 'Don't say, don't say'.
Only it is much worse if you have the condition?

Thanks Allira, and I don't think anyone on this Thread is criticising the shouter.

ViceVersa

Tuliptree

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

You do realise that he can't help it, right? Even if he had said something anti-Semitic, I would hope people would realise that. Put it this way, if he saw me in the street, he might well call me a 'fat c&nt' - would I take offence? No, because I know it's an involuntary tic - part of his condition.

ViceVersa I admit I know very little about Tourette's. Up till now I thought the sufferer involuntarily said inappropriate comments and swear words completely at random. Your post makes me wonder if they react to a certain situation and come out with something that shocks but is relevant.
Jamie Foxx asked why of all the words he could have come out with did it have to be that one. Almost making it sound as if he was deliberately choosing that word when 2 black actors were presenting an award.
Many of us may think inappropriate things at times but do Tourette's sufferers have no filter and just say what they think?

Maremia

I know we don't always manage to edit our posts on GN, but the BBC has a professional editing team, and I think had two hours to get the broadcast up to standard.

The two people who were there were outraged as it was shouted when they were on the stage. They were bound to be upset but, as had just been made evident from his film and his award, he could not help it.
That is why the film I Swear won awards - to explain to a wider public that it is not deliberate, it's involuntary.

Tourettes sufferers have no control over the content of their tics, which don't in any way reflect their thoughts or opinions.

I don't know how anyone could possibly be offended by it.

Fuss about nothing. The guy has a condition: some sort of outburst was pretty predictable, surely?

If you see the book Biscuit buy it. It’s hilarious 🤣
Biscuit is one of the authors trigger words.

I know we don't always manage to edit our posts on GN, but the BBC has a professional editing team, and I think had two hours to get the broadcast up to standard.

I'm not entirely sure the world has errupted.

I don't recall ever being called " White Woman"

The film was excellent, which is where the focus should be.

So if black footballers routinely call each other N---- why is it offensive for a white footballer to do that. I've been called "White man" is that racist ?

Franski

I watched I swear and found it incredibly moving. That poor man snd what courage.
My question though is this: isn't Tourettes about not being able to control the verbal outbursts? In which case the thinking or attitude was there but not controlled..? I don't really understand how something can pop out that isn't already somewhere in your sub-conscious.
Dont shout me down! Genuinely trying to understand.

Do you know it's an inappropriate thing to say? My guess is you do so it's in your head marked "don't say it" and it's in his head just the same but unfortunately tourettes makes him say the most inappropriate thing. Doesn't mean he's racist.

Black footballers call each other the word constantly and no-one reacts because they're black so it's allowed.
Richard Pryor used the word constantly in his stand up and no-one reacts because he was black so it's allowed.
John Davidson involuntarily used the word with no ill intent or even conscious thought because of his disability and the world erupts because he's not allowed because he's white.
How dare he! He's mortified and even more distressed by his disability but context isn't taken into context because he's white.
What's that thing called when people are judged purely by the colour of their skin...oh yeah...racism.

petra

Tuliptree

Allira

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.

How do you know they lacked insight and empathy? You’re making things up

The terms and conditions on GN obviously passed you by when you joined.
We have little tiffs with one another but we never tell another member that they are making things up
Just not on.

I do apologise for saying Tuliptree was making things up.
She perhaps misread or misunderstood others' posts, perhaps they were not clear.

Or perhaps I missed a post where someone said the two Americans were behaving appalling.

ViceVersa

Thank you for that explanation. Makes sense.

Tuliptree

Allira

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.

How do you know they lacked insight and empathy? You’re making things up

The terms and conditions on GN obviously passed you by when you joined.
We have little tiffs with one another but we never tell another member that they are making things up
Just not on.

Yes. Hence, 'I have a bomb' when walking through customs.

Franski

I watched I swear and found it incredibly moving. That poor man snd what courage.
My question though is this: isn't Tourettes about not being able to control the verbal outbursts? In which case the thinking or attitude was there but not controlled..? I don't really understand how something can pop out that isn't already somewhere in your sub-conscious.
Dont shout me down! Genuinely trying to understand.

The way it was explained to me by someone who has worked with John for years is that his particular type of Tourette's is like thinking of the worst possible thing you could say in a particular situation - then being unable to stop yourself from blurting that out.

I watched I swear and found it incredibly moving. That poor man snd what courage.
My question though is this: isn't Tourettes about not being able to control the verbal outbursts? In which case the thinking or attitude was there but not controlled..? I don't really understand how something can pop out that isn't already somewhere in your sub-conscious.
Dont shout me down! Genuinely trying to understand.

I think there’s a bit of a sniff about this incident.
Listening to The Media Show this afternoon 3 bbc employees brought up the issue of the microphone very close to John.
When the crap hit the fan the microphone disappeared 🤷‍♀️

Why are people offended by a disability? This is the nub of the matter, he can't help what he says. Leave the subject alone and get on with life. It really doesn't need to be chewed over relentlessly with demands for apologies.

I didn’t watch either.

I’m pretty clear about what the word was but what did the presenters do that showed a lack of insight and empathy.

I have googled but can’t find out.

Don’t answer if it’s against guidelines and will get you (and me) into trouble.