Well, this is awkward.
[Warning for those who didn't read the headline]
Yes, Tourette's campaigner John Davidson, who has Tourette's (and is white), attended the British Academy Awards on Sunday and ended up shouting the N-word while black actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were speaking.
What's more, the show was on 2-hour delay, but the BBC didn't edit out the slur. They even kept it on the online version of the show until finally editing it Monday morning.
I'll send it over to Variety here to explain Mr. Davidson.
BAFTA Film Awards host Alan Cumming thanked the audience for their understanding on Sunday night after a number of outbursts from Tourette's campaigner John Davidson during the show.
Davidson, who is the inspiration for BAFTA-nominated movie 'I Swear,' was diagnosed with the syndrome at the age of 25. His symptoms, which first began when he was 12, include tics and uncontrollable outbursts, often involving cursing.
The movie is essentially his own biography. So that connects the dots of why he was there and why the N-word was uttered.
Also, this wasn't the only tic of the night.
A number of outbursts could be heard throughout the BAFTA ceremony, including 'shut the [fork] up' being shouted during an introductory speech from BAFTA chair Sara Putt and '[fork] you' when the directors of 'Boong,' which won the BAFTA for best children's and family film, accepted their award.
Here's host Alan Cumming speaking at the event.
He later explained,
You may have noticed some strong language in the background. This can be part of how Tourette's syndrome shows up for some people as the film explores that experience ... Thanks for your understanding and helping create a respectful space for everyone.
Sounds like Cumming handled it well.
Jaimie Fox ain't having it.
Charlamagne has a slightly different take.
[Warning: Language]
