One word can be enough to spark a massive controversy.
A Tourette’s outburst overshadowed this year’s BAFTA Awards. While numerous celebrities weighed in on the controversy, Twitch streamer Sweet Anita, who also lives with Tourette’s, shared her thoughts on the situation.
BAFTA Night Turns Controversial After Tourette’s Activist Shouts Slur
Like every year, the BAFTA Awards honor the best British films and series. One movie in particular dominated this year’s ceremony. I Swear was among the biggest winners of the night, earning six nominations and taking home three awards. The film tells the story of a man in Scotland living with Tourette’s. It is based on the life of activist John Davidson, who advocates for greater education and awareness around the condition. Naturally, Davidson was present at the ceremony.
However, when Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo stepped onto the stage, Davidson shouted the N-word. Host Alan Cumming later asked the audience for understanding, saying that these tics were involuntary.
Even though Davidson’s Tourette’s and coprolalia diagnosis is publicly known, the incident sparked massive backlash, with several celebrities weighing in. Jamie Foxx commented on Instagram, “Unacceptable,” and added:
“Nah, he meant that sh*t.”
The journalist Jemele Hill also addressed the controversy in a post on X:
“Black people are just supposed to be ok with being disrespected and dehumanised so that other people don’t feel bad.”
Amid the debate, Twitch streamer Sweet Anita also shared her perspective on the situation, especially given that she, too, lives with Tourette’s.
Sweet Anita Responds to Critics
She addressed the controversy in a recent stream, emphasizing that the tics of a person with Tourette’s and coprolalia are involuntary. Responding to critics who questioned why that specific racial slur was shouted and suggested racist intent, she said:
“It’s just a verbal spasm. A lot of people are questioning, ‘well why is that particular racial slur at that time?’ […] Everyone knows what the n-word is. Everyone knows that word. It’s in everyone’s vocabulary. Whether racist or not, you know what that word is.”
She also shared her thoughts in multiple posts on X, writing:
“I have been where John is, and people debated for years whether I deserved the right to livestream because I have TS. It sucks that this is still happening to people when Google is free.”
In another post, she further underlined her stance:
“Imagine making a film about your life with Tourette’s to stop people misunderstanding your tics… Only for it to win a BAFTA and people still misunderstand your tics.”
With that, her position is clear. However, for many observers, the real scandal does not stem from Davidson’s tics but from how the BBC handled the situation.
BBC Faces Backlash Over Editing Decisions at BAFTAs
The ceremony was broadcast with a two-hour delay, meaning the BBC retained full editorial control over what aired. However, while remarks of “Free Palestine” made by award winner Akinola Davies Jr. were edited out, the racial slur remained in the broadcast. The ceremony was even made available on BBC iPlayer before being taken down on Monday. According to The Guardian, the editing team was sitting in a truck and reportedly did not hear the slur at the time.
The contrast has raised questions about editorial consistency. While political remarks were removed, the offensive outburst was not. For many viewers, that discrepancy became the real point of controversy. In the end, the incident was uncomfortable for everyone involved, and much of the fallout might have been avoided with better headphones for the editing team.
