Feb. 23, 2026
Award Show Shocker: Man Shouts the N-Word as Michael B. Jordan Presents Awards
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RSS Feed The BBC is apologizing after a racial slur was shouted during the BAFTAs last night in London. Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo (both Oscar nominees for "Sinners") were presenting the first award of the night when the n-word could be heard shouted out in the theater. The show host later apologized to the audience and blamed the outburst on a man's Tourette Syndrome. But that didn't stop an intense and heated debate online; many suggesting there's no way this was a coincidence. Whatever you do, please listen to the end of this episode where Amy and T. J. apply context and explain "coprolalia," a term you might not be familiar with but might explain why the incident might not have anything to do with racism.
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00:00:10
Speaker 1: Hey there, folks. It is Monday, February twenty third, and everybody is a buzzing right now after two very prominent OSCAR nominated black actors were on stage at the most prestigious acting award show in London last night and the inward was hurled at them while they were on stage, And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and tj Robe. This gives people an opportunity to be outraged, but it's also given us an opportunity to take a beat and maybe learn a little more. This is a fascinating story that actually has people hot, so I don't want to downplay this. People are pissed about what happened last night to Michael beat Jordan in particular.
00:00:53
Speaker 2: Yes, when you watch the video of Michael B.
00:00:56
Speaker 3: Jordan and Delroy Lindo, who were both nominated for Oscars, as you pointed out, for their roles in Centers, the probably one of the biggest movies of the year in this country and around the world. But yeah, they're up there presenting an award at the BAFTAs and you clearly hear someone yell out the N word, and the looks on their faces said so much.
00:01:20
Speaker 2: And they just paused briefly and kept.
00:01:22
Speaker 1: Going, well, I gotta give them credit for that for not understanding what was happening at the time. But I guess BAFTA folks aren't familiar. This is the Oscars of the UK, this is their Oscar, So this is a very big moment. Every big star who's nominated for every Oscar is in that room last night. So this is a to give you an idea. Most people, I think Robes right, are familiar with the BAFTAs. But to put you in the context of to see Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo, two black prominent actors nominated for the highest award awards in the world. This was the first award of the night, Robes and they barely got the first words out of their mouth. And yes, the inward plain as day is hurled shouted in the room. Now, Robes, no one, we should beak clear is coming out and saying that's not what you heard. They're saying, yep, that's absolutely what was said. And they were explaining that someone in the audience has turetts and that's why. But it's more to it than that as well, Robes, this person with Turett's is actually very much a prominent player, if you will. In the BAFTO Awards last night.
00:02:25
Speaker 3: Yes, In fact, the actor who won Best Actor portrayed this man in a movie called I Swear that is coming, I believe, to the United States this spring in April. So we haven't necessarily heard of it, but it's been a big movie in the UK.
00:02:41
Speaker 1: And so for clarity there, how big it is. This guy who won Best Actor beat Timothy Schallomey and Leonardo DiCaprio for the award last night. So to let you know this is no the guy who won the award for Best Actor last night was portraying the guy who yelled inwards while Michael B. Jordan and del Roy Lindo were on stage. You can't make this shit up.
00:03:03
Speaker 2: You can't make it up.
00:03:04
Speaker 3: The movie, and the movie being called I Swear, is all about this man's journey. His name is John Davidson, his struggle with Tourette syndrome, the fact that he swears uncontrollably, says really offensive things at really inopportune times. That's what this movie is about, explaining it, creating understanding for this disease that is hard for a lot of folks to get their head around, so to speak, because you just see someone saying offensive things with swear words outbursts, and to have it actually happen in real time on international television to two black prominent American actors, you literally you can't make it up.
00:03:45
Speaker 1: And that's why some people aren't buying it, because what are the chances, right? I think a lot of people just in some way you're tangentially aware of Tourette's, what it is, what it's about, that people can't do anything about it. We under it's part of pop culture, and frankly it's made fun of sometimes in movies and skits and whatnot. But we have a general idea. The part that people are struggling with Robes is the timing. How much of a coincidence can it be that someone with trets and ticks is what they're called, shout out all kinds of things, and you just happen to shout out the N word at this moment, at this time when these two guys happen to be up there. A lot of people are scratching their heads and saying they aren't buying it, and that's part of the debate that's erupted online.
00:04:27
Speaker 3: Yeah, you have a Jamie Fox weighed in saying he meant that shit basically, and that's the sentiment you're hearing from a lot of folks on X saying I'm not buying this bs.
00:04:39
Speaker 2: He said it and he meant.
00:04:40
Speaker 1: It, and that is I think if you just see the clip, you have a hard time understanding if you don't understand Touret's. Now. I don't know this man, don't know him at all, don't know what's in his heart, but I know what medical professionals are telling us. And that's what we want to get into in a moment here because robes a lot of people are talking about rats and saying, you all are just popping off right now. Clearly don't understand turetts. Don't understand what it's about. The response to that is, sure, we understand ticks, but that's got to be in his heart, in his head, in his vocabulary for it to just for that word, you could have yelled out all kinds of stuff that word. Those two. That is what people are struggling with. That is what common sense kind of tells you because medically we don't understand it, and quite Frankly, a lot of the medical community doesn't understand Turett. So that is the debate that's going on with the incident in itself. Robes, you've seen the video as well, right.
00:05:37
Speaker 2: It's shocking, you know to hear and he yelled loudly.
00:05:40
Speaker 3: This is a huge auditorium and obviously you have everyone else on mike so to be able to hear him.
00:05:47
Speaker 2: I mean, he screamed it. It wasn't like he said it under his breath.
00:05:50
Speaker 3: I mean, look again, don't fully understand this disease at all, know about it just from reading about it, Yes, seeing it portrayed in movies and certainly skits and you oftentimes do hear it or see it in a comical way, which is not fair because these folks are actually suffering from what they claim as an incontrollable tick, and doctors have supported that.
00:06:10
Speaker 2: However, the way it was yelled and shouted to.
00:06:13
Speaker 3: Be heard by all, that's I question how loudly he said it, you know, could he have just said it under his breath?
00:06:19
Speaker 2: Could he have just said it so that the person next to him heard it. No, he yelled it from the rooftop.
00:06:25
Speaker 1: So that's what they heard, and that's what they tell you. That's what the ticks are. And this is what a condition is. Is never said under your breath or in the normal it's shouted out oftentimes. So put you in the context of this video, which if you haven't seen already, you will see here in just a second. I'm sure you'll be looking it up if you haven't already. But they're up. It's quiet. It's a it's an award show. You've seen these award shows. Everybody in the audience is sitting, hundreds of people quietly, and then one person two people on stage are commanding that moment. It is quiet. We are listening to Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo. We give them that respect. The room was quiet, and the the only thing you hear outside of their voices is the N word shouted at the top of someone's lungs. I give them credit, Robes absolutely for continuing. I'm not sure how I would have reacted in that moment, because I don't know if they put together that oh, that's probably the Turette's guy back there.
00:07:15
Speaker 3: I doubt they were able to think that in that moment, that is something that yes, when you watch them and how they handled it, you give them full credit. I've seen some freeze frames of the look on their face in that moment, and it was palpable. And I don't think any of us can imagine being up there and being hurled the worst possible word. You can imagine one that's filled with history and hatred hurled at you on an international stage, and how you would react. They handled themselves professional, giving credit and it was remarkable because I think a lot of other people would have reacted differently.
00:07:47
Speaker 1: Yes, including Jamie Fox probably anyway, but they did. The BBC, which put on the event, the host Alan Cumming both addressed it. That will tell you the BBC apology. First, they said, quote, some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the baft TO Film Awards twenty twenty six. This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Touret syndrome and was not intentional. We apologize for any offense caused by the language heard. And then robes Alan Cumming I think at least on two maybe a third occasion during the show actually comment. I mean he kind of went away from his prepared remarks, had to stop things, and he made a couple of comments.
00:08:23
Speaker 3: Yes, he said, you may have noticed some strong language in the background. This can be part of how Turett syndrome shows up for some people as the film explores that experience. Thanks for your understanding and helping create a respectful space for everyone.
00:08:36
Speaker 2: And then later and.
00:08:38
Speaker 3: This is where some people I think took offense to his statement.
00:08:41
Speaker 2: At least that's what I read online.
00:08:42
Speaker 3: Tourett syndrome is a disability, and the ticks you've heard tonight are involuntary, which means the person who has Tourett syndrome has no control over their language. We apologize if you are offended tonight. If you are offended tonight, bothered a lot of people online I saw, yeah, we were offended.
00:08:58
Speaker 2: Don't question whether or not we might be certainly were.
00:09:02
Speaker 3: Yeah.
00:09:03
Speaker 1: I mean they're doing the best they can. And where's the line about a safe space? Where is that one was starting to create a safe environment. I saw that one as well, the idea of creating a safe environment for everyone, and I think that was directed towards the guy with threats, which is awful. And some people took issue, Well, it's not a safe environment for the black folks in the room that so much of what we heard had to do with him and an understanding of what he was going through, but not an understanding of still like, just deal with it. You just got call the inward on a big international stage. Hope you're okay.
00:09:39
Speaker 3: It's a medical condition. He can't help it. I hope it really wasn't. It was just hope if you're offended, you can create a safe space for him to continue to hurl insults because he can't help them.
00:09:50
Speaker 1: We get where that comes from what they're trying to say. It just as once again to a lot of black folks were seen once again as oh, well deal with it, we apologize, you should be okay, he has to rest. How many times you have to hear some explanation for why we shouldn't be offended by things that offend us? Pisses black folks off as I'm sitting here talking about it and didn't plan on it, but you get pissed about that. And that's where Hannah I say I have it here at the bottom. She is a production designer for Sinners. She actually said. Another outlets reported there were several other incidents of him having tics and shouting things out a couple of times, had to do during a speech from the BAFTA chair, and another time when there was a presentation of a family film, he yelled out some offensive stuff profanity. This time it wasn't racial slurs, but this happened throughout the evening.
00:10:43
Speaker 3: Yeah, he said shut the fuck up during the speech from the BAFTA chair, and then he said fu. But he said the F word during the children and family film presentation. I'm trying not to laugh because it's so outrageous. It's hard to get your head around. And then you have to question whether or not it was appropriate to even have him in there.
00:11:01
Speaker 2: Look, I know they put.
00:11:02
Speaker 1: Out he left at some point, if they said on his own, he wasn't asked to leave, But yes, to that point, yes.
00:11:06
Speaker 3: I mean, and especially if he knew what he was capable of, with the fact that this entire film was made up about him. And look, I watched the interview he gave on the Red Carpet beforehand. Interestingly enough, he didn't have any moments or lapses at least that I saw during that interview. But if you know you're capable of that, why would you even risk disrupting this prestigious event that actually is set to honor people. And if you know that, you're going to be disruptive and potentially dishonor folks up there, which is what it sounds like he has done for most of his life based on his condition.
00:11:40
Speaker 2: I'm just questioning the decision to even have him in the room.
00:11:43
Speaker 1: Well, the argument there is that he should be able to write. We should understand that he has this condition he can do nothing about. He shouldn't have to stay at home. He should be able to go out and enjoy this moment, go out and enjoy an event, go out and enjoy a night. That is completely yes, and argument people are making, and that I see. The other argument still in that camp is that yes, you all got to see, you got an education in Turet's last night, and how sometimes not just don't be making fun of it. He is embarrassed, This is awful and he had no control over it. That is the argument. If you want to say, when the last time we had a national conversation about Turette's right, so they're saying, like, job well done. This was purposeful and excuse me, not purposeful. It was meaningful and it serves a purpose is what I'm in the other side of that is yours robes? Can he not or should he at all be asked to be respectful of a particular environment and of people on a night when his presence could be not just disruptive but offensive. Robes, And it's taken the spotlight completely off of what your lifetime achievement was last night for a lot of these actors. How do you balance that that as a big part of the debate.
00:12:59
Speaker 3: Look, I get it, and I do think it's an important It's important for all of us to try and understand what other people are going through that we don't know, that we couldn't possibly live with or through. So yes, I appreciate the movie being made, appreciate an education into what folks who have turets go through and deal with. But I do not believe that the comfort of one person should outweigh the peace and comfort of a larger group. I don't think that one person's desire should outweigh or perhaps the opportunity and I hate to even use that word for an education to see in real time what turets can mean and do. I don't think it's worth the harm and hurt, it caused Michael B. Jordan and so many others who were in that room. And certainly, look, it's a good conversation to have, but I don't think that the cost outweighs the good.
00:13:54
Speaker 1: We didn't know that was going to happen. He didn't know and how it was going to do to happen. So that is the argument. If you take if you take his disability, take someone who has to use a wheelchair, Take someone who can't communicate as well, take somebody with autism, take somebody. Do you take all these things that we call disabilities and say we're gonna put you to the side because we can't deal with you as a society. That is a part of this argument. What do you do? I should I shouldn't say argument. This should be a conversation. This is great, I think in the possibility of having a conversation and furthering and educating and having grace. But Robes, that's not the conversation we're having it right now. But online, it's all about racism. It's all about this had to be in his heart, this had to be in his head, this had to be in his vocabulary. I was mentioning Hannah Beecher here at the bottom if you see. But she is a lady who was a part of the of Sinners custom design, a costume design or production design, costume design.
00:14:52
Speaker 2: I believe she was costume design.
00:14:54
Speaker 1: But she came out she said she heard it, yes, in there, but it happened a couple other times. And she put this statement on X saying that she had this guy say the N word directly to her.
00:15:07
Speaker 3: Whooh, yes, she said, the situation is almost impossible, but it happened three times that night, and one of the three times was directed at myself on the way to dinner after the show, and a third time at a black woman. I understand and deeply know why this is an impossible situation. I know we must handle this with grace and continue to push through. But what made the situation worse was the throwaway apology of if you were offended.
00:15:35
Speaker 1: That sucks, it does and just and that comes from history with us a lot of times if you were offended. Of course we were. And it's just I understand, it's just.
00:15:43
Speaker 3: The words matter. Just you say it all the time, yes, how you say something.
00:15:47
Speaker 1: First degree murder and manslaughter are two different, right, punishments. But the result is the same. Somebody's dead. I'm saying, the result here is the same. We were highly offended. What I always say, sometimes an argument is rope. It's not even the crime, it's the cover up or the follow up after like this, him yelling it out and understanding. Yet Turette's wasn't the part to get me moult heated to see this we have to do. It's like no consideration, even to Oscar nominees of hope you won't offend it.
00:16:19
Speaker 3: Yes, and to your point, she said at the end of the show, of course we were offending, but our frequency, our spiritual vibration is tuned to a higher level than what happened, and I appreciate that. But again, I'm just making the argument. It's not that I think people who are different than us should be locked away in a closet or never to be seen again. But there are certain circumstances in which you know it's going to be disruptive and potentially offensive, and therefore the needs of one can't outweigh the needs of all. And I just think there could have been another option. Obviously, he's had a history of this, this isn't some one off there was a there's a movie made a man one ABAFTA Award portraying him. Clearly, this is an exceptional, extreme situation. So it just seems as though it was I don't want to say sloppy, but just how could they not have seen this coming or something like this happening? Why not give him maybe another room with the video feed or give him some sort of accommodation where he gets to participate but doesn't distract or disrupt or offend people in the process.
00:17:17
Speaker 1: Well, folks, we heard about and we hear about turettes. You have a general idea, But folks, the most important thing you're going to hear in this episode of our podcast is coming up next from the Turet Association of America and it's about something called corporal lalia. You may have never heard of it, but you need to hear it right now and understanding, and you might think a little differently about this story. Sty hear all right, folks, Well continue here on Amy and TJ. This story is still as we are recording this morning, we're still number one, number two trending on Twitter. Tourette's has been trained. I guess ropes. People are trying to get a better understanding of it. Our general idea is of what ticks, people have uncontrollable verbal outbursts that can sometimes be offensive. That is, if you would have asked me yesterday, that would have been my answer. And I think that's generally what we understand.
00:18:15
Speaker 3: Yes, the way I've understood it is that folks who suffer from turets do yell out offensive words, curse words, things that are inappropriate, things that you would never want to say out loud. But suddenly, according to the Threat's Association of America, you have no control over. This isn't voluntary, This isn't something you can stop or you can manage. This happens without you being able to stop it.
00:18:41
Speaker 1: Have you ever known anybody with tourettes? No, I don't think. I'm trying to think of even in a story or somewhere spent significant time around someone and I can't recall now. But we were looking this and looking this up, and the Turete Association of America, it's the biggest trade or the advocacy group for turets in this country, and they have just a whole wealth of information online about it and What I didn't realize Robes is that they, yes, Tourett's is one thing, but then they have a category within it in which they explain or explains what the symptoms are. And corporal lalia is the name. Corporal lalia is the specific thing that they point to that said, this is the thing that causes the outbursts, and Robes this and we are going to read it word for word from Turet Association of America explain explaining corporal lalia and put now the incident at BAFTA in context. Once you hear this.
00:19:39
Speaker 3: Okay, yes, so it says the most commonly accepted explanation of what causes corporal lalia involves the same faulty wiring of the inhibitory mechanism of the brain that causes involuntary movements that typically or that typify Tourette syndrome. It seems that the innate ability we all have to suppress unwanted movements and unconscious thoughts is somehow impaired in people with Tourett syndrome. Just as people with TS must satisfy the overwhelming urge to twitch, so they must let out sounds and words that build up and must be expressed before momentary relief can be felt. Depending on the symptoms severity, the pressure to express those symptoms will reoccur because the irresistible, unbearable urge to twitch, curse, or shout cannot be inhibited indefinitely. The particular manifestation of such language may have to do with the individual's stronger emotional content in certain parts of the brain. Such symptoms have been seen in individual's following stroke or other brain injury to the deep frontel regions of the brain. As with all ticks, increased symptoms may occur with heightened emotional stress, pleasant excitement, or even fatigue. The emotional state does not cause the tick symptoms, but rather may increase them. Of note, the words that may be expressed in corporal lalia are often distressing to an individual and not indicative of their personal convictions, such as in the context of racial slurs. In many individuals, copra lalia is not able to be controlled.
00:21:21
Speaker 1: I'll listen to them, and that's been there and been posted. This wasn't in response to what happened. This stuff is out there and this is understood robes They say. It has nothing to do with what may be in his head, his vocabulary, or his heart, and in fact, even the pleasant environment or enjoying himself might have caused. Look, that's the best I got, as pissed as I am. Excuse mesh and say pissed, as frustrating or offended as I am, even offended for Michael B. Jordan. I can hear this and listen to this and put in some kinds of context and give some element of grace robes and that's all we can hopeful.
00:21:58
Speaker 3: And that is only the yours to give. That's your grace, to give, your community's grace to give. It's for no one else, because we can't possibly imagine just the depth of pain that that word causes.
00:22:13
Speaker 2: And it is what it is.
00:22:14
Speaker 3: But it's so interesting that they actually have and you point out, not in response to what happened, but already posted online that they specified such as in the context of racial slurs.
00:22:25
Speaker 2: I found that interesting.
00:22:26
Speaker 1: Not indicative of their personal convictions, but to hear it explain, and there's a great dammit. I want to give this young lady credit. Young lady that has Tourette's put a video online explaining it. She's sixteen years old. I think and throughout she's doing her tics and she's she's a black girl explaining it, and damn it, I wish I could give her credit in her name right now, which she is just fantastic. And that's the one everybody should go read, excuse go listen to, because she said, it's just a misunderstanding of what happens to us and what happens to folks with Turet's. We do not. She said, I yelled stuff out all the time that I ain't ever used in my vocabulary, and that is not a part of my vocabulary. So, folks, we just wanted to hop on this is what everybody's talking about this morning. You will be talking about it, but I hope as you talk about it and have a conversation about it today, you do it with a little more grace and maybe a little more context and understanding of Tourette's And with that, we always appreciate you spending some time with us. TJ. Holmes On behalf of my dear Amy ROBOC will talk to y'all soon.
Speaker 1: Hey there, folks. It is Monday, February twenty third, and everybody is a buzzing right now after two very prominent OSCAR nominated black actors were on stage at the most prestigious acting award show in London last night and the inward was hurled at them while they were on stage, And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and tj Robe. This gives people an opportunity to be outraged, but it's also given us an opportunity to take a beat and maybe learn a little more. This is a fascinating story that actually has people hot, so I don't want to downplay this. People are pissed about what happened last night to Michael beat Jordan in particular.
00:00:53
Speaker 2: Yes, when you watch the video of Michael B.
00:00:56
Speaker 3: Jordan and Delroy Lindo, who were both nominated for Oscars, as you pointed out, for their roles in Centers, the probably one of the biggest movies of the year in this country and around the world. But yeah, they're up there presenting an award at the BAFTAs and you clearly hear someone yell out the N word, and the looks on their faces said so much.
00:01:20
Speaker 2: And they just paused briefly and kept.
00:01:22
Speaker 1: Going, well, I gotta give them credit for that for not understanding what was happening at the time. But I guess BAFTA folks aren't familiar. This is the Oscars of the UK, this is their Oscar, So this is a very big moment. Every big star who's nominated for every Oscar is in that room last night. So this is a to give you an idea. Most people, I think Robes right, are familiar with the BAFTAs. But to put you in the context of to see Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo, two black prominent actors nominated for the highest award awards in the world. This was the first award of the night, Robes and they barely got the first words out of their mouth. And yes, the inward plain as day is hurled shouted in the room. Now, Robes, no one, we should beak clear is coming out and saying that's not what you heard. They're saying, yep, that's absolutely what was said. And they were explaining that someone in the audience has turetts and that's why. But it's more to it than that as well, Robes, this person with Turett's is actually very much a prominent player, if you will. In the BAFTO Awards last night.
00:02:25
Speaker 3: Yes, In fact, the actor who won Best Actor portrayed this man in a movie called I Swear that is coming, I believe, to the United States this spring in April. So we haven't necessarily heard of it, but it's been a big movie in the UK.
00:02:41
Speaker 1: And so for clarity there, how big it is. This guy who won Best Actor beat Timothy Schallomey and Leonardo DiCaprio for the award last night. So to let you know this is no the guy who won the award for Best Actor last night was portraying the guy who yelled inwards while Michael B. Jordan and del Roy Lindo were on stage. You can't make this shit up.
00:03:03
Speaker 2: You can't make it up.
00:03:04
Speaker 3: The movie, and the movie being called I Swear, is all about this man's journey. His name is John Davidson, his struggle with Tourette syndrome, the fact that he swears uncontrollably, says really offensive things at really inopportune times. That's what this movie is about, explaining it, creating understanding for this disease that is hard for a lot of folks to get their head around, so to speak, because you just see someone saying offensive things with swear words outbursts, and to have it actually happen in real time on international television to two black prominent American actors, you literally you can't make it up.
00:03:45
Speaker 1: And that's why some people aren't buying it, because what are the chances, right? I think a lot of people just in some way you're tangentially aware of Tourette's, what it is, what it's about, that people can't do anything about it. We under it's part of pop culture, and frankly it's made fun of sometimes in movies and skits and whatnot. But we have a general idea. The part that people are struggling with Robes is the timing. How much of a coincidence can it be that someone with trets and ticks is what they're called, shout out all kinds of things, and you just happen to shout out the N word at this moment, at this time when these two guys happen to be up there. A lot of people are scratching their heads and saying they aren't buying it, and that's part of the debate that's erupted online.
00:04:27
Speaker 3: Yeah, you have a Jamie Fox weighed in saying he meant that shit basically, and that's the sentiment you're hearing from a lot of folks on X saying I'm not buying this bs.
00:04:39
Speaker 2: He said it and he meant.
00:04:40
Speaker 1: It, and that is I think if you just see the clip, you have a hard time understanding if you don't understand Touret's. Now. I don't know this man, don't know him at all, don't know what's in his heart, but I know what medical professionals are telling us. And that's what we want to get into in a moment here because robes a lot of people are talking about rats and saying, you all are just popping off right now. Clearly don't understand turetts. Don't understand what it's about. The response to that is, sure, we understand ticks, but that's got to be in his heart, in his head, in his vocabulary for it to just for that word, you could have yelled out all kinds of stuff that word. Those two. That is what people are struggling with. That is what common sense kind of tells you because medically we don't understand it, and quite Frankly, a lot of the medical community doesn't understand Turett. So that is the debate that's going on with the incident in itself. Robes, you've seen the video as well, right.
00:05:37
Speaker 2: It's shocking, you know to hear and he yelled loudly.
00:05:40
Speaker 3: This is a huge auditorium and obviously you have everyone else on mike so to be able to hear him.
00:05:47
Speaker 2: I mean, he screamed it. It wasn't like he said it under his breath.
00:05:50
Speaker 3: I mean, look again, don't fully understand this disease at all, know about it just from reading about it, Yes, seeing it portrayed in movies and certainly skits and you oftentimes do hear it or see it in a comical way, which is not fair because these folks are actually suffering from what they claim as an incontrollable tick, and doctors have supported that.
00:06:10
Speaker 2: However, the way it was yelled and shouted to.
00:06:13
Speaker 3: Be heard by all, that's I question how loudly he said it, you know, could he have just said it under his breath?
00:06:19
Speaker 2: Could he have just said it so that the person next to him heard it. No, he yelled it from the rooftop.
00:06:25
Speaker 1: So that's what they heard, and that's what they tell you. That's what the ticks are. And this is what a condition is. Is never said under your breath or in the normal it's shouted out oftentimes. So put you in the context of this video, which if you haven't seen already, you will see here in just a second. I'm sure you'll be looking it up if you haven't already. But they're up. It's quiet. It's a it's an award show. You've seen these award shows. Everybody in the audience is sitting, hundreds of people quietly, and then one person two people on stage are commanding that moment. It is quiet. We are listening to Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo. We give them that respect. The room was quiet, and the the only thing you hear outside of their voices is the N word shouted at the top of someone's lungs. I give them credit, Robes absolutely for continuing. I'm not sure how I would have reacted in that moment, because I don't know if they put together that oh, that's probably the Turette's guy back there.
00:07:15
Speaker 3: I doubt they were able to think that in that moment, that is something that yes, when you watch them and how they handled it, you give them full credit. I've seen some freeze frames of the look on their face in that moment, and it was palpable. And I don't think any of us can imagine being up there and being hurled the worst possible word. You can imagine one that's filled with history and hatred hurled at you on an international stage, and how you would react. They handled themselves professional, giving credit and it was remarkable because I think a lot of other people would have reacted differently.
00:07:47
Speaker 1: Yes, including Jamie Fox probably anyway, but they did. The BBC, which put on the event, the host Alan Cumming both addressed it. That will tell you the BBC apology. First, they said, quote, some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the baft TO Film Awards twenty twenty six. This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Touret syndrome and was not intentional. We apologize for any offense caused by the language heard. And then robes Alan Cumming I think at least on two maybe a third occasion during the show actually comment. I mean he kind of went away from his prepared remarks, had to stop things, and he made a couple of comments.
00:08:23
Speaker 3: Yes, he said, you may have noticed some strong language in the background. This can be part of how Turett syndrome shows up for some people as the film explores that experience. Thanks for your understanding and helping create a respectful space for everyone.
00:08:36
Speaker 2: And then later and.
00:08:38
Speaker 3: This is where some people I think took offense to his statement.
00:08:41
Speaker 2: At least that's what I read online.
00:08:42
Speaker 3: Tourett syndrome is a disability, and the ticks you've heard tonight are involuntary, which means the person who has Tourett syndrome has no control over their language. We apologize if you are offended tonight. If you are offended tonight, bothered a lot of people online I saw, yeah, we were offended.
00:08:58
Speaker 2: Don't question whether or not we might be certainly were.
00:09:02
Speaker 3: Yeah.
00:09:03
Speaker 1: I mean they're doing the best they can. And where's the line about a safe space? Where is that one was starting to create a safe environment. I saw that one as well, the idea of creating a safe environment for everyone, and I think that was directed towards the guy with threats, which is awful. And some people took issue, Well, it's not a safe environment for the black folks in the room that so much of what we heard had to do with him and an understanding of what he was going through, but not an understanding of still like, just deal with it. You just got call the inward on a big international stage. Hope you're okay.
00:09:39
Speaker 3: It's a medical condition. He can't help it. I hope it really wasn't. It was just hope if you're offended, you can create a safe space for him to continue to hurl insults because he can't help them.
00:09:50
Speaker 1: We get where that comes from what they're trying to say. It just as once again to a lot of black folks were seen once again as oh, well deal with it, we apologize, you should be okay, he has to rest. How many times you have to hear some explanation for why we shouldn't be offended by things that offend us? Pisses black folks off as I'm sitting here talking about it and didn't plan on it, but you get pissed about that. And that's where Hannah I say I have it here at the bottom. She is a production designer for Sinners. She actually said. Another outlets reported there were several other incidents of him having tics and shouting things out a couple of times, had to do during a speech from the BAFTA chair, and another time when there was a presentation of a family film, he yelled out some offensive stuff profanity. This time it wasn't racial slurs, but this happened throughout the evening.
00:10:43
Speaker 3: Yeah, he said shut the fuck up during the speech from the BAFTA chair, and then he said fu. But he said the F word during the children and family film presentation. I'm trying not to laugh because it's so outrageous. It's hard to get your head around. And then you have to question whether or not it was appropriate to even have him in there.
00:11:01
Speaker 2: Look, I know they put.
00:11:02
Speaker 1: Out he left at some point, if they said on his own, he wasn't asked to leave, But yes, to that point, yes.
00:11:06
Speaker 3: I mean, and especially if he knew what he was capable of, with the fact that this entire film was made up about him. And look, I watched the interview he gave on the Red Carpet beforehand. Interestingly enough, he didn't have any moments or lapses at least that I saw during that interview. But if you know you're capable of that, why would you even risk disrupting this prestigious event that actually is set to honor people. And if you know that, you're going to be disruptive and potentially dishonor folks up there, which is what it sounds like he has done for most of his life based on his condition.
00:11:40
Speaker 2: I'm just questioning the decision to even have him in the room.
00:11:43
Speaker 1: Well, the argument there is that he should be able to write. We should understand that he has this condition he can do nothing about. He shouldn't have to stay at home. He should be able to go out and enjoy this moment, go out and enjoy an event, go out and enjoy a night. That is completely yes, and argument people are making, and that I see. The other argument still in that camp is that yes, you all got to see, you got an education in Turet's last night, and how sometimes not just don't be making fun of it. He is embarrassed, This is awful and he had no control over it. That is the argument. If you want to say, when the last time we had a national conversation about Turette's right, so they're saying, like, job well done. This was purposeful and excuse me, not purposeful. It was meaningful and it serves a purpose is what I'm in the other side of that is yours robes? Can he not or should he at all be asked to be respectful of a particular environment and of people on a night when his presence could be not just disruptive but offensive. Robes, And it's taken the spotlight completely off of what your lifetime achievement was last night for a lot of these actors. How do you balance that that as a big part of the debate.
00:12:59
Speaker 3: Look, I get it, and I do think it's an important It's important for all of us to try and understand what other people are going through that we don't know, that we couldn't possibly live with or through. So yes, I appreciate the movie being made, appreciate an education into what folks who have turets go through and deal with. But I do not believe that the comfort of one person should outweigh the peace and comfort of a larger group. I don't think that one person's desire should outweigh or perhaps the opportunity and I hate to even use that word for an education to see in real time what turets can mean and do. I don't think it's worth the harm and hurt, it caused Michael B. Jordan and so many others who were in that room. And certainly, look, it's a good conversation to have, but I don't think that the cost outweighs the good.
00:13:54
Speaker 1: We didn't know that was going to happen. He didn't know and how it was going to do to happen. So that is the argument. If you take if you take his disability, take someone who has to use a wheelchair, Take someone who can't communicate as well, take somebody with autism, take somebody. Do you take all these things that we call disabilities and say we're gonna put you to the side because we can't deal with you as a society. That is a part of this argument. What do you do? I should I shouldn't say argument. This should be a conversation. This is great, I think in the possibility of having a conversation and furthering and educating and having grace. But Robes, that's not the conversation we're having it right now. But online, it's all about racism. It's all about this had to be in his heart, this had to be in his head, this had to be in his vocabulary. I was mentioning Hannah Beecher here at the bottom if you see. But she is a lady who was a part of the of Sinners custom design, a costume design or production design, costume design.
00:14:52
Speaker 2: I believe she was costume design.
00:14:54
Speaker 1: But she came out she said she heard it, yes, in there, but it happened a couple other times. And she put this statement on X saying that she had this guy say the N word directly to her.
00:15:07
Speaker 3: Whooh, yes, she said, the situation is almost impossible, but it happened three times that night, and one of the three times was directed at myself on the way to dinner after the show, and a third time at a black woman. I understand and deeply know why this is an impossible situation. I know we must handle this with grace and continue to push through. But what made the situation worse was the throwaway apology of if you were offended.
00:15:35
Speaker 1: That sucks, it does and just and that comes from history with us a lot of times if you were offended. Of course we were. And it's just I understand, it's just.
00:15:43
Speaker 3: The words matter. Just you say it all the time, yes, how you say something.
00:15:47
Speaker 1: First degree murder and manslaughter are two different, right, punishments. But the result is the same. Somebody's dead. I'm saying, the result here is the same. We were highly offended. What I always say, sometimes an argument is rope. It's not even the crime, it's the cover up or the follow up after like this, him yelling it out and understanding. Yet Turette's wasn't the part to get me moult heated to see this we have to do. It's like no consideration, even to Oscar nominees of hope you won't offend it.
00:16:19
Speaker 3: Yes, and to your point, she said at the end of the show, of course we were offending, but our frequency, our spiritual vibration is tuned to a higher level than what happened, and I appreciate that. But again, I'm just making the argument. It's not that I think people who are different than us should be locked away in a closet or never to be seen again. But there are certain circumstances in which you know it's going to be disruptive and potentially offensive, and therefore the needs of one can't outweigh the needs of all. And I just think there could have been another option. Obviously, he's had a history of this, this isn't some one off there was a there's a movie made a man one ABAFTA Award portraying him. Clearly, this is an exceptional, extreme situation. So it just seems as though it was I don't want to say sloppy, but just how could they not have seen this coming or something like this happening? Why not give him maybe another room with the video feed or give him some sort of accommodation where he gets to participate but doesn't distract or disrupt or offend people in the process.
00:17:17
Speaker 1: Well, folks, we heard about and we hear about turettes. You have a general idea, But folks, the most important thing you're going to hear in this episode of our podcast is coming up next from the Turet Association of America and it's about something called corporal lalia. You may have never heard of it, but you need to hear it right now and understanding, and you might think a little differently about this story. Sty hear all right, folks, Well continue here on Amy and TJ. This story is still as we are recording this morning, we're still number one, number two trending on Twitter. Tourette's has been trained. I guess ropes. People are trying to get a better understanding of it. Our general idea is of what ticks, people have uncontrollable verbal outbursts that can sometimes be offensive. That is, if you would have asked me yesterday, that would have been my answer. And I think that's generally what we understand.
00:18:15
Speaker 3: Yes, the way I've understood it is that folks who suffer from turets do yell out offensive words, curse words, things that are inappropriate, things that you would never want to say out loud. But suddenly, according to the Threat's Association of America, you have no control over. This isn't voluntary, This isn't something you can stop or you can manage. This happens without you being able to stop it.
00:18:41
Speaker 1: Have you ever known anybody with tourettes? No, I don't think. I'm trying to think of even in a story or somewhere spent significant time around someone and I can't recall now. But we were looking this and looking this up, and the Turete Association of America, it's the biggest trade or the advocacy group for turets in this country, and they have just a whole wealth of information online about it and What I didn't realize Robes is that they, yes, Tourett's is one thing, but then they have a category within it in which they explain or explains what the symptoms are. And corporal lalia is the name. Corporal lalia is the specific thing that they point to that said, this is the thing that causes the outbursts, and Robes this and we are going to read it word for word from Turet Association of America explain explaining corporal lalia and put now the incident at BAFTA in context. Once you hear this.
00:19:39
Speaker 3: Okay, yes, so it says the most commonly accepted explanation of what causes corporal lalia involves the same faulty wiring of the inhibitory mechanism of the brain that causes involuntary movements that typically or that typify Tourette syndrome. It seems that the innate ability we all have to suppress unwanted movements and unconscious thoughts is somehow impaired in people with Tourett syndrome. Just as people with TS must satisfy the overwhelming urge to twitch, so they must let out sounds and words that build up and must be expressed before momentary relief can be felt. Depending on the symptoms severity, the pressure to express those symptoms will reoccur because the irresistible, unbearable urge to twitch, curse, or shout cannot be inhibited indefinitely. The particular manifestation of such language may have to do with the individual's stronger emotional content in certain parts of the brain. Such symptoms have been seen in individual's following stroke or other brain injury to the deep frontel regions of the brain. As with all ticks, increased symptoms may occur with heightened emotional stress, pleasant excitement, or even fatigue. The emotional state does not cause the tick symptoms, but rather may increase them. Of note, the words that may be expressed in corporal lalia are often distressing to an individual and not indicative of their personal convictions, such as in the context of racial slurs. In many individuals, copra lalia is not able to be controlled.
00:21:21
Speaker 1: I'll listen to them, and that's been there and been posted. This wasn't in response to what happened. This stuff is out there and this is understood robes They say. It has nothing to do with what may be in his head, his vocabulary, or his heart, and in fact, even the pleasant environment or enjoying himself might have caused. Look, that's the best I got, as pissed as I am. Excuse mesh and say pissed, as frustrating or offended as I am, even offended for Michael B. Jordan. I can hear this and listen to this and put in some kinds of context and give some element of grace robes and that's all we can hopeful.
00:21:58
Speaker 3: And that is only the yours to give. That's your grace, to give, your community's grace to give. It's for no one else, because we can't possibly imagine just the depth of pain that that word causes.
00:22:13
Speaker 2: And it is what it is.
00:22:14
Speaker 3: But it's so interesting that they actually have and you point out, not in response to what happened, but already posted online that they specified such as in the context of racial slurs.
00:22:25
Speaker 2: I found that interesting.
00:22:26
Speaker 1: Not indicative of their personal convictions, but to hear it explain, and there's a great dammit. I want to give this young lady credit. Young lady that has Tourette's put a video online explaining it. She's sixteen years old. I think and throughout she's doing her tics and she's she's a black girl explaining it, and damn it, I wish I could give her credit in her name right now, which she is just fantastic. And that's the one everybody should go read, excuse go listen to, because she said, it's just a misunderstanding of what happens to us and what happens to folks with Turet's. We do not. She said, I yelled stuff out all the time that I ain't ever used in my vocabulary, and that is not a part of my vocabulary. So, folks, we just wanted to hop on this is what everybody's talking about this morning. You will be talking about it, but I hope as you talk about it and have a conversation about it today, you do it with a little more grace and maybe a little more context and understanding of Tourette's And with that, we always appreciate you spending some time with us. TJ. Holmes On behalf of my dear Amy ROBOC will talk to y'all soon.