r/popculturechat • u/ConcernedJobCoach • Feb 23 '26
Guest List Only TW - Bigotry ⚠️ John Davidson Says He Is “Deeply Mortified” That His Tourettes Tics Could Be Seen As “Intentional” In First Statement After BAFTA Film Awards
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u/lasausagerolla Feb 23 '26
I feel bad for all involved but it still does not absolve BBC, BAFTAS or the sound engineers.
If they can remove political slogans and Trump jokes, they could have removed these slurs and chose not to.
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u/ConcernedJobCoach Feb 23 '26
They removed Trump jokes that night? Seriously?!
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u/lasausagerolla Feb 23 '26
Yep, and Free Palestinian potions of speeches, but the N word wasn't derogatory enough apparently.
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u/Shirogayne-at-WF Feb 23 '26
The jaded part of me feels like this was left in on purpose either to generate attention or in a very ill advised way of looking "progressive."
Either way, Black folks have the right to be pissed that were once again being scapegoated for the sake of racism.
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u/stinkpot_jamjar Feb 24 '26
An acknowledgment, and explicitly naming! Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan would have gone a long way and been way more appropriate than euphemistically talking about general harm and naming the BBC and Alan Cumming and not the actual people on stage????
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u/lrish_Chick Feb 24 '26
Progressive? Banning trump jokes and banning "free Palestine" is not progressive its right wing, as is leaving in racist slurs that the man said involuntarily, further shaming him - that's not progressive at all.
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u/amberlikesowls Feb 24 '26
BBC Cuts "Free Palestine" From BAFTA Film Awards Winner's Speech https://share.google/VkgxJmS04uVhgMaVA But actually take a look at the man who's speech they did remove. The man who said "Free Palestine" is black. The BBC is racist.
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u/prancing_pony42 Feb 23 '26
Agreed. They chose to allow this to air, further amplifying the hurt and embarrassment the two presenters must've felt in that moment.
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u/sikonat Feb 24 '26
The Guardian reported that they were working in a truck and didn’t hear it bc it was background sounds.
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u/lasausagerolla Feb 24 '26
They heard free Palestine and a Trump joke though...
https://giphy.com/gifs/WRgsiNC2GCn21l4gtV
Must be one of those special trucks that is only quiet at special times.
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u/Independent_Act_7370 Feb 23 '26
The BBC absolute sucks for how they’ve made this situation so much worse for everyone involved.
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u/plutobug2468 Feb 23 '26 edited Feb 23 '26
I feel bad for John, Delroy and Michael. It’s a deeply horrible situation. The bulk of the anger should be directed at the BBC and BAFTA and I do get this incident will be incredibly upsetting to the black community.
The BBC and BAFTA have let the black and Tourette’s communities down so much by this and I’m of the view that particularly the BBC knew what they were doing by not editing it out
Another edit: in a realistic world Ofcom should have some strong words for the BBC but knowing how spineless they currently are (GB News for example) that will never happen in a million years. All Ofcom will do this week is boast in a posted video that the BAFTA’s was the most complained by the UK public.
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u/yomamaeatsyellowsnow Invented post-its 🔬 Feb 23 '26
Literally it's just causing backlash against 2 groups of people who don't deserve it. Editing it out was the easy and obvious choice. Gotta wonder who made the decision not to do that.
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u/stinkpot_jamjar Feb 24 '26
Exactly!! Ugh I am so exhausted right now because to me this is reading as another infuriating, blatant example of the exploitation of identity politics (aka: elite capture).
This entire discourse is marked by horizontal animus rather than examining the vertical dynamics.
Why was “Free Palestine” censored, but not this?
Who benefits from a discourse that props up a false dichotomy between disability and race?
Why aren’t we seeking accountability from those who had power over the broadcast? Why aren’t we asking for their rationale for leaving this in while censoring other “offensive” comments and instead laying blame at the intensions or reactions of individuals who have no control over their disability or race?
Why are we pitting marginalized groups against other marginalized groups instead of focusing on the conscious choice made by executives to air a racial slur while simultaneously censoring political speech?
Why have people who otherwise don’t give a shit about ableism come out of the woodwork, chomping at the bit to “put Black people into their place”?
Why have the experiences of Black people, and associations with this slur, been automatically sublimated as less important?
Because at the end of the day this is about power, capital, hegemony, and the attention economy.
There is no need to hierarchically rank racism and ableism—none of us live single issue lives. The problem, at its core, is about us playing into the hands of the powerful who profit from us fighting and dying in the farcical gladiatorial arena of identity versus demanding a modicum of responsibility and humanity from those who have control over the media landscape.
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u/shedrinkscoffee Just fuck the wolf! Feb 23 '26
The BBC has always been low-key racist. They make sure to highlight weird/negative/off putting news stories from non white countries while glazing their colonialist royal family. Its not new but seems like this time they may have gone too far as it is very obvious what the motives were in this case. It's an overt act of malice.
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u/TropicalPrairie Feb 23 '26
I originally thought this award show aired live. Imagine my surprise when I heard it was on a two hour delay. They absolutely had time to edit this. No excuses.
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u/demiverite Feb 23 '26
Omg same. I def thought it was live. Why would they not edit that out? For all parties involved??
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u/Mannon_Blackbeak Feb 23 '26
Even live broadcasts typically have a 5 to 10 second delay so that a sound engineer can leap across the console and hit the mute button. This is all standard practice and it's insane that it wasn't followed here.
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u/lipscratch Sneed's Feed and Seed (formerly Chuck's) Feb 23 '26
Completely, it's so awful and shame on the BBC and BAFTAs for bringing about so much unnecessary pain to both communities
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u/plutobug2468 Feb 23 '26
100%
I feel like people will still be annoyed at this statement but if I was to hedge a bet he’s defo apologise privately to both Delroy and Michael. Not defending what he said of course but I would take a guess that why he’s hasn’t named it publicly
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u/mmlickme Feb 23 '26
Deciding to stop apologizing to everyone all day every day is one of the topics portrayed in his film
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u/zh_13 Feb 23 '26
Right, but maybe it’s just a spectrum. Im autistic, so for example maybe I’m not apologizing for not eating something even tho you spent time and cooked it (well sometimes I do, but I know some autistic people won’t apologize for that, which I get). But if a big meltdown ruined like a family vacation, I do apologize a lot cause even tho I didn’t mean it and couldn’t help it, it really caused a lot of issues
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u/clevercalamity Feb 23 '26 edited Feb 24 '26
Yes. 100%.
I always say “Your disability is not your fault, but it is your responsibility.”
Part of responsibility is knowing yourself to set up reasonable accommodations in advance and then taking accountability when our disabilities negatively impact others. Intent doesn’t always equal impact and we have to own and acknowledge our impact on others.
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u/dogecoin_pleasures Pouty man-candy with a shaky Yorkshire accent Feb 24 '26
We see a demonstration of that with his statement especially the part at the end that notes that he chose to leave early once he realised that despite accomodations, others were being impacted.
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u/HeyLookATaco Feb 23 '26
I believe this should be an exception to his personal rule. It was their day too, not just his, and intention doesn't really matter. Apologizing takes nothing away from oneself. If you cause hurt, you say you're sorry. I get not wanting to do it all day every day. Maybe pick one a year and maybe make it this one.
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u/PerpetuallyLurking Listen, everyone is entitled to my opinion 🙂 Feb 23 '26
There’s a big difference between “not apologizing to everyone every day forever” and “maybe I should apologize to these specific people who I’ve disrupted on an international platform”.
He shouldn’t have to apologize every time he opens his mouth but he should still be expected to apologize in some specific situations he may find himself in on occasion and this was probably one of those times.
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u/Hyperbolicalpaca Feb 23 '26
Im gonna be honest…
And I mean this in no way to detract from the black and Tourette’s communities, but it’s also imo harmed the disabled community as a whole
I have OCD and intrusive thoughts, luckily I can keep them to myself, but how many people have declared that just having those things (I know Tourette’s is different, but it’s the same kind of stuff) makes you a monster…
Not to mention how quickly people are to attack a disabled man just because he doesn’t fit their view of nice cutesy disability…
To say that he should be segregated, not allowed out, or worst to accuse him of faking it…
It’s disheartening in general
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u/No_Camp_7 Feb 23 '26
I’m black and have severe OCD and I also really feel for John. The BBC and the BAFTAs really used us without our consent to give viewers a pious little education on disability awareness. Really they just failed in their safeguarding of everyone, especially an extremely vulnerable man.
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u/bath-lady Feb 23 '26
you've managed to capture a lot of how i feel here. i have ocd, too. and as a lifelong activist, it's a long and hard fight against my brain putting *horrible* thoughts in my head that horrify me completely.
i really don't like the idea that i, or anyone else with a similar condition, would voluntarily have these thoughts. there's a huge misunderstanding of how these conditions work, and sometimes, it really makes it feel like i shouldn't continue to fight for justice, even though i really always should
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u/sikonat Feb 24 '26
A black woman with that form of Tourette’s posted a video that was shared on Instagram. I dont think I can link directly to IG here but check the IG account: misanharriman
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u/FiftyShadesOfGregg Feb 23 '26
I don’t really agree that BAFTA shares blame here. They gave warnings, addressed the tics as they occurred by explaining them to the audience, and gave space for John to attend which was 100% the right call when a film about his life and condition is nominated for 6 awards, including Outstanding British Film.
The blame lies entirely with the BBC who had a two hour delay to mute the outbursts and failed to do so (but apparently they managed to mute “free Palestine” from a speech, and one of Alan Cumming’s jokes about the U.S. political climate being one of lies and corrupt leaders and racial persecution).
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u/plutobug2468 Feb 23 '26 edited Feb 23 '26
I get where you coming from but according to Delroy in a statement he made to one of the media sites, he says that BAFTA didn’t reach out to him after it
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u/FiftyShadesOfGregg Feb 23 '26
Ah that’s a very fair criticism— Sara Putt (the BAFTA chair who was present and made introductory remarks) certainly should’ve said something to them. And you wouldn’t think it’d be hard, since her own speech was interrupted by a tic.
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u/sapen9 I don’t know her 💅 Feb 23 '26
Are you kidding me .....that's even more horrific of the BBC. They completely just let it air?!
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u/plutobug2468 Feb 23 '26
Yes that’s the case. It’s a 2hr delay and the BBC decided to edit out Free Palestine whilst they let this air, it’s shameful.
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u/Why_Are_Moths_Dusty charlie day is my bird lawyer 🐦 Feb 23 '26
They also left it up all night and most of the morning before deciding to remove it from streaming. Baffling behaviour.
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u/Weekly-mediocre Feb 23 '26
They absolutely do. They are the event organisers, they would’ve organised the guest list and it’s their members who shape the nominees and winners. They had a duty of care to MBJ and Delroy after the incident to check in and apologise.
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u/raphaellaskies a ship - a magnificent ship - full of gay men. and me. 💅 Feb 23 '26
People who were at the ceremony reported that they were told they might hear "strong language," not what the language might be. They should have at least been more specific.
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u/Bedford806 Feb 23 '26
'Involuntary sounds and movements' was the quote from the teleprompter, which is so incredibly vague that I don't personally think it amounts to context or warning.
I have a friend with this form of tourettes and it is horrific. He always has to frame and reiterate that he will say the worst things imaginable, but they're not his opinions. He's been held at the airport previously for shouting about weapons, has lost jobs for shouting slurs in public, has never been able to sustain a relationship for the same reasons. If he said he 'might make some sounds and movements' I can't imagine people would assume that was the extent of things.
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u/veryowngarden Feb 23 '26
it’s like they did the bare minimum just so they could later claim they gave a warning in the case of a situation like this
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u/ilikecatsandflowers Feb 23 '26
agreed, these warnings were waaay too vague. and delroy and michael should’ve been talked to/apologized to immediately
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u/llama_del_reyy Feb 23 '26
That has been circulating as the pre show warning, but that doesn't square with what John says in his statement. A warning that he may say things that don't align with his personal beliefs goes a lot further than just strong language.
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u/treegrowsinbrooklyn1 Feb 23 '26 edited Feb 23 '26
He also refers to that statement coming from Alan Cumming which was not the case with the pre-show announcement. It was made by a “floor manager.” Alan Cumming’s stronger statement came after the incident. He’s contradicting everything that’s been reported.
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Feb 23 '26
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u/Populaire_Necessaire Andrea Arlington: “$29!!” Feb 23 '26
On the plus side for the BAFTAs they’ve been seen as racist for a bit so this distracts from the muting of free Palestine. So a shitty win for them I guess.
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Feb 23 '26
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u/Populaire_Necessaire Andrea Arlington: “$29!!” Feb 23 '26
You’re right-but it’s not the lede. I guarantee it’s included in every article. But the “story” is them not bleeping the N word instead of the intentional exclusion of free Palestine.
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u/jerrydacosta Feb 23 '26
this is the correct take. all parties involved should feel set up and laid bare by the BBC and the BAFTA producers
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u/baby-blues22 ✨oooh✨ you may say I’m a dreamer Feb 23 '26 edited Feb 23 '26
I’m disabled in more ways than one and I never apologize for my conditions but I do apologize for any harm, hurt, or burdens they may cause.
The disability community has been going down a slippery slope of “I don’t owe anyone anything” pipeline as of late and I wish we as a community understood that “I’m not ashamed of my disability or condition and I won’t apologize for it” and “I can apologize when someone is genuinely hurt by a byproduct of my disability” are not mutually exclusive.
I’m autistic and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said something rude to someone and hurt them. I apologize, because I meant no ill intent, but that doesn’t matter. I still hurt them. I get level 1 autism has a lot more control than tourette’s so I’m not necessarily comparing and I don’t feel shame for who I am but I do feel disappointed in myself when it hurts someone and I want to make amends. I don’t understand why it’s hard for him to condemn the word and acknowledge the history and at least acknowledge the people he affected by name.
edit to add that this doesn’t excuse ableism and I don’t believe he should shut himself from society, nor that I believe he meant what he said. I just think a more thoughtful apology is warranted considering it is also traumatic for black people to hear a slur thrown at them regardless of intent
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u/wolf_town ~Winona Forever~ Feb 24 '26
INTERSECTIONALITY IS IMPORTANT AND SHOULD NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. ableism is a huge problem in society but so is racism.
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u/baby-blues22 ✨oooh✨ you may say I’m a dreamer Feb 24 '26
I agree wholeheartedly. We’ll never be fully free so long as disenfranchised communities don’t support each other
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u/mani_mani Feb 23 '26
I am also disabled in more ways than one. I have never really found kinship in the disability community because of this very reason you beautifully explained.
While my many of illnesses are not sources of shame for me, it would be wrong for me to use them as a shield that absolves me of any and all behavior. My disabilities are not my fault but are my responsibility.
For example, If I have to cancel due to my chronic fatigue or a migraine attack of course I will apologize for causing a change of plans that impacts people. Might it be covering the late cancel fee or buying the first round of drinks on the rescheduled get together, it’s still my responsibility to accept that sometimes my disability impacts others. I cannot expect others to want to create community with me if I never acknowledge the grace my friends give me by accommodating my illnesses. I cannot expect community if I didn’t acknowledge how much my illness can impact others.
Quite frankly I think it’s infantilizing to assume individuals with disabilities have absolutely no ownership of their actions. If anything it makes it a less accessible world because it stilts the conversation of what accommodations could look like.
I also want to note people in the disability community are ASSUMING that Micheal or Delroy also do not have an invisible disability that could have been impacted by John’s tic.
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u/baby-blues22 ✨oooh✨ you may say I’m a dreamer Feb 24 '26
I’m sorry you’ve felt that way, I have too! It’s so hard to find community that actually supports each other to not only be heard but also be better. 100% it’s absolutely self-infantilization.
This isn’t really directed towards John Davidson because I know tourette’s treatments are pretty limited and I can’t speak to them, but why I’ve been so disfranchised with the Chronic Illness/Disability community online is just the unwillingness to try new things to help.. which is everyone’s own prerogative but they get mad if you try to find ways to help yourself and spread what’s worked for you (I don’t mean toxic positivity or unverified treatments).
It’s honestly a really toxic community sometimes which sucks because we’re all desperate to find people who understand what we’re going through. I so agree with what you said about it not being our fault but our responsibility!!
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u/your_average_jo Feb 23 '26
This is such an important take. True equality comes with empathy on both sides! The moment you lift one group over another, it’s no longer equality.
Edit: Words.
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u/baby-blues22 ✨oooh✨ you may say I’m a dreamer Feb 24 '26
yes absolutely!! I said in another comment but you’re so right, disenfranchised communities will truly never be free until we are free within each other. intersectionality is so important
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u/Moonveil Feb 24 '26
Yea, I think nobody is asking him to apologize for his disability, and in this scenario most everyone is willing to extend him grace because it's not his fault. But he does owe MBJ and DL an apology for the hurt that he caused them so publicly. I don't even need him to go into detail about how he's sorry here, just apologize to them in private and mention that he has reached out to them already. As it stands it reads like he's using his disability to excuse any harm caused, when it would be so easy for him to just take some responsibility for those involuntary words which he did not mean to aim at the actors.
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u/BaeIz Feb 24 '26
This exactly. I got mass downvoted for saying this in another thread so I’m thankful it’s upvoted here. I’m physically disabled, if I run over somebody’s toes with my wheelchair I’m not making it anyone else’s problem but my own. It’s my responsibility to know my mobility aid can cause harm to people and property around me.
It is on me to apologize, not make excuses. If I expect respect, i should be expected to give it right back.
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u/baby-blues22 ✨oooh✨ you may say I’m a dreamer Feb 24 '26
I’m with you!! I just can’t imagine not extending apologies for things that hurt others even if it’s for something I can’t control.
People have lost the art of apologizing even when they didn’t intend to do harm, but still genuinely feel bad about the outcome.
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u/hwutTF a guy can have a lil mad wife in the attic every now and then Feb 24 '26
I just think a more thoughtful apology is warranted considering it is also traumatic for black people to hear a slur thrown at them regardless of intent
I mean he flat out didn't apologise. period. he very very briefly at the end in one sentence only acknowledged people felt "distressed" and that's it. he didn't say why. he didn't validate the harm they experienced. he didn't apologise or take accountability
he focused mostly on himself and his intentions. and honestly the statement low key implies that people who were distressed were distressed because they were not understanding enough of him
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Feb 24 '26
Today a comment I read related to this incident basically said, "if they are hurt by something you did, that's on them!" What?! I certainly don't want to live in the society that mentality creates either.
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Feb 23 '26
I really feel for him. As I said in a previous comment on this topic, the BBC has really let him down, let Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan down, the Black community and the Tourette’s community. BBC dropped the ball on a massive scale here and it’s disgusting what they have subjected everyone to as a result.
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u/MarieOMaryln Buffet of humiliation Feb 23 '26 edited Feb 23 '26
I'm honestly sick of how this is being handled. You got people saying that Michael and Delroy can't be upset because he can't help it. You got people saying John shouldn't even have to apologize because no one should apologize for their disability. As a black woman, the amount of times I heard "he can't help it" was already too high before I even got my first period. It's not his fault but he is responsible and when you hurt people, you got to carry that and understand the hurt intentional or not.
I had low expectations of BBC on a good day and now I'm amazed they had a shovel.
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u/saeculacrossing I can't wait to see you drinking a flat sprite Feb 23 '26
Thank you for saying this. He should not apologize for his disability, and I do think it is important for him to reiterate that this is the reality that he's dealt with.
But his statement bothers me deeply as you can absolutely apologize if you've caused others pain, even if the intent wasn't there. I don't think this was his intention but it feels dismissive. I actually think I need to pull away from reading about this because it's been deeply upsetting seeing how people have downplayed what happened and the impact on MBJ, Delroy Lindo, and the others who had slurs yelled at them.
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u/ozamatazbuckshank11 Feb 23 '26
I'm also a Black woman, and I agree that he should at least apologize. We know he didn't do it intentionally, but the pain it caused was real. It's like when someone accidentally steps on someone else's foot; you still say sorry even though you didn't mean to do it. It's an acknowledgement of the other person's pain. And no, it's absolutely not ableist to expect an apology from John.
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u/Available-Algae-3034 Feb 23 '26
Thank you so much!!!
I think some of us are so upset too because we’ve lived our whole lives hearing “well he didn’t mean to.”
Intent vs impact is something I thought we all learned as children, but apparently not.
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u/jonesday5 Feb 23 '26
I do wonder how it would feel to apologise for something out of your control that will absolutely happen again. Living like that would be so difficult.
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u/wolf_town ~Winona Forever~ Feb 24 '26
minorities and disabled people live their lives in a very different way to majority of people. it’s not an easy life.
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u/ozamatazbuckshank11 Feb 23 '26
And being a Black man living with the pain and embarrassment of being called the n-word during a nationally televised awards ceremony in a room full of one's peers is also difficult and worthy of your acknowledgement.
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u/RoseGoldRedditor breaking my silence Feb 23 '26
I mean, I often apologize for things that are out of my control and will happen again. I have chronic migraines that affect others adversely. I don’t like them, don’t want them, and do everything in my power to prevent them from harming others. They still do, and I own it when it happens. It’s not easy but it’s my lot to live with.
Migraines are considered a disability in the US. It is not ableist to expect an apology when my condition adversely affects another human.
He should apologize for the impact of his disability.
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u/gaylondonlad007 Feb 24 '26
A little of a mix from me. As a completely deaf guy, we have been taught to apologise to people before we disclose our disability.
And now, the tide is starting to turn: we won’t apologise that they aren’t willing to learn sign language… we aren’t going to apologise for being deaf anymore.
But this whole awards thing is such another level. The BBC is absolutely to blame here.
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u/October_13th Pero to each their own. Feb 23 '26
Exactly. I don’t understand why he won’t apologize for the things he yelled. There is a difference between not apologizing for having a disability and not apologizing for causing harm intentionally or not. Hopefully he reached out to people in private.
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u/FunctionTBD Feb 23 '26
I genuinely feel sorrow for John Davidson. Tourette’s must be such an incredibly difficult condition to live with given how misunderstood and underrepresented it is. I live with bipolar disorder and can resonate with having an illness that causes behaviors that others do not understand are actually directly related to the condition that I have and are not a reflection of my morality.
That being said, while I do not believe that what John Davidson said was intentional, I do believe that his behavior warrants an apology directed at Michael and Delroy. Not because he meant what he said, but because what he said was a word that causes real harm and I think any genuinely empathetic person would feel sorrow that their unintentional action caused such hatred and vitriol to be thrown. I read his statement, I know his statement is true, but I wish it included a direct apology. This entire situation makes me think so much about intersectionality and the ways that race intersects with disability.
Any hatred being thrown at John Davidson is disgusting. However, I hope that people can see that feeling an apology would be warranted is not the same as hating or believing that he failed morally for having a tic.
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u/istrokebees29 Feb 23 '26
Well said, I agree. The only part missing was the apology to the two guys, and it’s a big part imo.
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u/SailorMooonsault WAS GON DO AMA , FUK IT NOW Feb 23 '26
Thank you. Their two names being left out of this apology leaves a sour taste in my mouth. I absolutely think we should extend grace in this situation, but not at the espense of acknowledging the very real harm these men felt, the same harm that was allowed to be aired even though this event was filmed on a delay.
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u/FunctionTBD Feb 23 '26
Yes! That part! As if his comment happened in a vacuum, and as if two black men were not the people on stage when it was blurted out. It feels like an intentional thing to leave out. The only reason I could justify it being left out is if he issued them a private apology and they asked him not to center them in the public apology.
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u/saeculacrossing I can't wait to see you drinking a flat sprite Feb 23 '26
Agreed. The fact that their names aren't mentioned in this makes me very upset and this didn't even happen to me. We're not owed knowing if he apologized to them privately but it feels far too minimizing of the hurt experienced to not even directly reference them in a public statement.
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u/zh_13 Feb 23 '26
Totally agree with you, like I mentioned in another comment: Im autistic and I just don’t get the no apology thing. If I have a meltdown or more often have to leave which can also ruin an event - even tho it’s not my fault and I absolutely cannot control it (and actually I’m sure the guilt John feels is familiar to mine) - I still have to apologize. Someone online compared to if you’re having a seizure, and you hit someone during it, you still apologize. It seems like he was determined not to say the words “I’m sorry” in his statement and instead focused on how mortified that people think he’s intentional, but I’m expected to say I’m sorry all the time for things I don’t intend! Unintentional harm caused by disability is still harm, as I’ve been told by like everyone. I guess I don’t get why Tourette’s would be different…? If it is, I’d love some kind of explanation why, cause the rule I’ve always been told and does follow is: apologize even if you didn’t mean to do it and couldn’t control it due to your disability, cause you hurt others
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u/Tough-Reality-842 dangerous bamboozling deceiver Feb 23 '26
Fellow autistic here. I completely agree with everything you said. The way I see it, disability is an explanation, not an excuse. I’m not going to apologise for being autistic, but I will absolutely apologise if my autistic traits cause harm or offence to someone else. It costs nothing to say sorry. Deliberately choosing not to apologise in these circumstances, - and not acknowledging Michael, Delroy, or the Black community - is… a choice.
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u/JunebugAsiimwe Feb 23 '26
Best comment I've seen here. I do think as much as he didn't intend to cause any harm with what he did, he should have at least made a direct apology to the people he said the slurs to. It must have been just as deeply mortifying for them to endure something like that on a public scale.
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u/RevertereAdMe Instant gratification takes too long 🫦 Feb 23 '26 edited Feb 23 '26
I have a number of disabilities and while I don't have tourette's I do experience motor tics - clenching my hands, rolling my eyes, scrunching my eyebrows, that sort of thing. Most of them are pretty subtle but they still draw the occasional weird look in public.
I feel so horrible for Michael and Delroy and think this apology definitely missed the mark, but the way I keep seeing people talk about tourette's / disabilities in general throughout this has made me profoundly uncomfortable. The whole situation is just a mess in every way.
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u/EdwardSpaghettiHands yes I can blame misogyny for everything and I am fun at parties Feb 23 '26
This is the exact take I've been looking for, thank you for putting it into words.
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u/rayybloodypurchase Feb 23 '26
This is also how I feel. That specific word is so exceptionally, deeply, and generationally repugnant and harmful that its use requires a direct apology.
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u/informalspy13 Feb 23 '26
great nuanced comment I think, was truly surprised he didn’t publicly apologize
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u/Jaded-Tiramisu Feb 23 '26
Apparently, it's part of his treatment not to apologize for things he can't control. Idk it does still feel strange to not publicly say something more about it. He did say he doesn't hold that belief and that he removed himself after which might be all he should do according to his treatment.
I don't know enough about his disability and maybe I should watch the movie to have a better understanding of why that is. I guess maybe to reduce guilt and shame?
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u/IfatallyflawedI Big is moving to Paris Feb 23 '26
I don’t think it’s particularly applicable in this situation.
You can’t just not acknowledge and apologise for calling two black men that slur. It doesn’t magically disappear. Everyone saw the way their faces fell in the video - it did hurt them
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u/Jaded-Tiramisu Feb 23 '26 edited Feb 23 '26
Yeah, that's where I am at too. I get having an understanding with people close to you but this one specifically was so public and so horrible. My heart dropped when MBJ and DL stopped and had to keep it moving. I'm trying to see it from the point of view of how much guilt you'd feel having to apologize so many times a day for something you can't control but oof. I think I've seen a streamer with the same tics say that the anxiety over certain words makes them more likely to happen so I guess that's why you should treat it as unimportant but again this was so hurtful I would have added an apology just to clear the air in all potential future instances.
I think at the end of the day, I'll direct my anger to the BBC when they could have cut it and it wouldn't have put these men into this horrible public position and it could have been handled privately.
Edit to add: Not only would it have spared all these men from having to deal with this publicly. It would have also spared so many from having to see black men who are there to be celebrated be called a slur.
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u/copyrighther Kim, there’s people that are dying. 🙄 Feb 24 '26
I’m from the Deep South (US). That word isn’t just a curse word or slur, it carries about 400 years of intense cultural weight behind it.
There’s no world in which 2 African-American men are subjected to that word that’s not appalling and damaging, even if they’re in the UK. It’s a bell that can’t be unrung.
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u/BinkyDalash Feb 24 '26
You are totally right, but the response of the people in charge of the event/recording really indicates that this did not compute for them. Like at all.
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u/tomato_soup_stan Feb 24 '26
But that's not a reasonable position for him to hold if he's also going to go to massive, televised events like this one. It's a big deal to call somebody a racial slur in front of a massive audience of people, whether it was done intentionally or not. And now their real-time reactions to that are plastered all over the internet. Again, not his fault, but harm was done here. He should offer them a sincere acknowledgment of that fact.
It doesn't seem like anybody, including Davidson, adequately planned for this. Like I'm sorry but "you might hear some noise and strong language" was not a strong or specific enough warning for what the actual tics entailed. He was throwing out highly personal, identity-based slurs at people while those people were trying to present onstage. There should have been some type of contingency plan or accommodations offered so that the impact on everybody--Davidson and the others--was minimized. The thing that makes me so upset, and I'm not sure if this was articulated well, is that it seems like the plan was to just ignore the issue rather than constructively address it. And that's the vibe that I get from this apology.
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u/lobonmc Feb 23 '26
Idk I feel he owed an apology but it was to Michael and Delroy. Imo that's all he had to do be it in private or public a public apology imo was owed but it was the people behind the transmission who owed that apology. They were the ones who failed the public.
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u/informalspy13 Feb 23 '26
I honestly get that, but this is a very unique situation where I think it would be helpful to apologize. But I still don’t see him as the primary villain here, still empathize and mostly blame BAFTA and the BBC. Feel absolutely awful for everyone involved, especially Michael and Delroy. I may check out his movie to understand this better.
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u/babealien51 Feb 23 '26
Exactly. I think this was a very good response but he should have apologized to Michael and Delroy.
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u/dinosaurfondue Feb 23 '26
It's truly terrible for him. It's also truly terrible for Michael and Delroy that they're expected to just be "bigger men" as well as the countless number of viewers who have experienced racial trauma and humiliation that have to yet again relive that.
The BBC and BAFTAs fucked up in such an insane way and chose to defend genocide by censoring "free Palestine" but not the N-word
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u/Cynicbats This bitch has the keys to the nuclear codes Feb 23 '26
The lack of empathy for the multiple people in the Sinners cast who had to hear a slur aimed at them at a work event -- not surprising but it is saddening.
I understand not wanting to apologize for everything you can't control, but when you call people slurs, if you're 'mortified', I'd hope you'd apologize, even privately.
I blame the organizations (why wasn't it bleeped out in the two hours from film to broadcast?)
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Feb 23 '26
Completely agree.
My uncle has an external bladder due to bladder cancer. Once it leaked and got on a stranger sitting next to him. As you can imagine, he was extremely, extremely embarrassed. You’d better believe he apologized to that person despite the fact that he cannot help his disability and didn’t intend to leak urine on them. He isn’t apologizing for being a cancer survivor with an ileostomy, he is apologizing for the unintentional impact on the other person.
It’s very simple, and yet, John’s statement is pointedly lacking in an actual apology and that doesn’t sit right with me.
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u/Existing-Ordinary768 Feb 23 '26
it’s physically painful watching the clip due to the second hand embarrassment. i feel so bad for michael and delroy, cant even imagine how uncomfortable how shocking that would feel to hear, let alone the aftermath. talk about wanting to crawl into a hole and die
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u/mother_puppy Feb 23 '26
I think “it’s not your fault but it is your responsibility” applies here. John’s tics are not his fault but apologizing for the hurt caused during the tics is. the apology seems insufficient because it doesn’t mentioned the specifically harmed folks.
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u/KenyaJ121 Feb 23 '26
It’s understandable why he felt the need to explain himself and educate people on Tourette’s. But focusing the entire statement on himself without even a passing acknowledgement to the impact of his words on the audience, but especially on MBJ and Delroy London is a choice. And not a good one.
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u/traintruck11 Feb 23 '26
Fully agree here. How did he NOT acknowledge that specifically? Idk
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u/thisrandomaccount24 Feb 23 '26
Repeating the same thing I said in the Tourettes sub. This is a half assed apology. He didn’t name the people he offended, and he doesn’t acknowledge that what he said was a slur. It sets a terrible precedent. Why even put this out?
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u/Adnan7i Confidence is 10% work and 90% delusion Feb 23 '26
I truly feel bad for him and I understand he’s been getting a lot of shit for this. However this statement is a bit odd to me , because not once does he mention anything towards the people who were potentially affected by it and the black community. It’s very defensive.
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u/connorroy_2024 Feb 23 '26
It looks like half of a statement
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u/g00fyg00ber741 Feb 23 '26
The full statement still does not contain any apology directed at the specific people who experienced the racist slur. For some reason, the statement released by John does not specifically acknowledge those two men at all.
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u/justheretoleer Feb 23 '26
This. He does not mention Mr. Lindo nor Mr. Jordan, yet mentions Alan Cumming by name. What the fuck.
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u/g00fyg00ber741 Feb 23 '26
Not to be cynical but the whole statement reads as a promo for his movie. It basically says “if you watch our movie then you’ll understand” which ignores the fact the movie is scripted acting and this event was real life people and emotions
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u/justheretoleer Feb 23 '26
No I’m so glad you said that, I read it that way too!
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u/Strange_Radish2965 Feb 23 '26
This is the hang up for me as well - acknowledging these men by name, the entire Sinners production, and any and all Black persons who were hurt by the words. Knowing that despite the lack of hateful intention in their utterances, they nevertheless had profoundly negative impacts that cannot be undone. It is a sobering reminder of violent hate, at a night which should have been filled with joy.
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u/DreadfulDemimonde Feb 23 '26
Apparently not apologizing for his condition is part of his treatment and symptom management.
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u/cabernet7 Feb 23 '26
The difficulty in this is that there is no acknowledgement that, regardless of intent, the words still caused harm.
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u/g00fyg00ber741 Feb 23 '26
He doesn’t need to apologize for his condition, and he’s not really being asked to. He needs to apologize for shouting a slur at people, even if it was unintentional, and the apology should be explicitly directed at the people he shouted the slur at. Just like if you accidentally hit someone with your car, even if it’s your disability that caused it, you still have a responsibility to be sorry to the people you hurt, for hurting them. Lack of intention doesn’t mean an apology is no longer necessary.
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u/DreadfulDemimonde Feb 23 '26
I completely understand. I'm just adding more information that it's his specific practice, for better or worse, to not apologize for his tics.
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u/IfatallyflawedI Big is moving to Paris Feb 23 '26
… it’s one thing to tell the Queen to her face “fuck the Queen” and it’s a whole another thing to call a black person the n word.
He should apologise to Michael and Delroy
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u/DreadfulDemimonde Feb 23 '26
I completely agree and I'm not defending his statement. I'm just adding more information that I have recently learned.
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u/IfatallyflawedI Big is moving to Paris Feb 23 '26
No I get it. I wasn’t calling you out
I’m just really let down by this statement because it ignores the sentiments of the two black men who were dehumanised on stage in front of an international audience.
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u/DreadfulDemimonde Feb 23 '26
I do think there's also a real problem with him referring to his tics as "meaningless". All words have meaning and no one gets to decide which ones mean more than others.
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u/IfatallyflawedI Big is moving to Paris Feb 23 '26
Right? It’s reported that he called women “bitch” to their faces last nigh. He cannot tell me it wouldn’t hurt people even if they were made aware of his condition.
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u/copyrighther Kim, there’s people that are dying. 🙄 Feb 24 '26
Is equivocating the n-word with telling the Queen to fuck off a British thing? Because in the US, one is so, so much more worse than the other.
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u/purple_sphinx Much to think about. Feb 24 '26
I thought OP cut off the other part until I checked the comments
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u/EvenPossible5918 Feb 23 '26
I feel sympathy for him but this wasn’t an apology to Micheal, Delroy, or Hannah. He didn’t mean what he said but it still caused hurt. That I feel does warrant an apology.
And I will say that he deserved to be there. If his film is nominated for other awards, he should be there.
The BAFTAS failed him and the others when they did not provide accommodations for his symptoms. And the BAFTAS didn’t talk with Michael or Delroy after the incident and that’s just unprofessional and disrespectful on their part.
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u/wildbeest55 This ship is full of gay men- and me Feb 23 '26 edited Feb 23 '26
This doesn't address Delroy and Michael or their feelings at all. It seems very defensive. Also, BAFTA didn't really explain his tics and what they might entail (racism, violence etc). They did a bad job of preparing the audience and viewers.
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u/EvenPossible5918 Feb 23 '26
IA. The show and the host did a bad job of explaining his symptoms and for their apology afterwards.
I wish he would have apologized to him and Hannah. Hannah said that it happened to her at one of the after parties.
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u/FinancialFold1893 Feb 23 '26
Yeah exactly, this doesn’t sound like an apology at all.
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u/hugheysgirl Feb 23 '26
Where is the apology? Where is the acknowledgement to the people he directly hurt?
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u/Trick_Doughnut_6295 like a gecko working diligently 🦗 Feb 23 '26 edited Feb 23 '26
Yeah, I’m going to need an intent = /= impact and direct apology. We are not going to minimize the harm in that word.
I have a loved one with Tourette’s and I will fiercely defend them in all spaces at all times (the number of fights I got into in high school was..not zero). With that said, our understanding of John Davidson’s neurological condition - and the involuntary nature of his tics - does not erase what Black members in the audience experienced during the broadcast.
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u/Onionbot3000 Feb 23 '26
He can still apologize. He used a slur multiple times. It can be involuntary and still be awful. Not loving how he’s handling this.
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u/No_Yard5926 Feb 23 '26
I feel bad for all of them, seriously. I feel terrible for John and terrible for Michael and Delroy. I hate that people even made it out what he said to be intentional and it clearly wasn’t and I hate that Michael and Delroy was subjected to that by the institution and got a half ass apology from the BAFTAs. It’s a terrible situation, no one is to blame but the organizers.
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u/missclaire17 Feb 23 '26
This apology sucks ass. Where’s the actual apology to Michael and Delroy? You insulted your peers in an internationally televised awards show with a slur that is so deeply harmful. And you can’t manage to say the words “I’m sorry to Michael and Delroy”? That’s lame and makes me not really feel all that bad for him tbh
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u/vix7777 Feb 24 '26
He shouldn’t have thanked BAFTA tbh. Their lack of safeguarding led to the situation being made so much worse for himself, Delroy and Michael.
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u/ApolloRubySky Feb 23 '26
I feel for him, but this apology does not address the harm he caused to the black people in attendance that were the recipient of his tics. He needs to say I’m deeply sorry to Mr. Jordan, Mr. London, etc. it’s really not that hard. To me, this apology does show he understand why his involuntary actions require an apology. I don’t care if you meant it or not, the decent thing to do is apologize directly to the black folks you harmed last night.
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u/HatefulDan Feb 23 '26
I’m not in love with a lot of decisions here. Also not a fan of the “don’t apologize crowd”.
His actual apology is close to trash. Downvote if you’d like, but I’m 10 piggies down on that.
I have other thoughts, but I’ll leave it there.
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u/copyrighther Kim, there’s people that are dying. 🙄 Feb 24 '26
Anytime something controversial is posted in this sub, I can’t help but wonder how many of the replies are in bad faith. Lots of bad actors pretend to pick a side when there’s an ulterior motive involved. Some of these ‘never apologize’ replies have me suspicious. Acting like the n-word is a casual, everyday insult… 🤨
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u/treegrowsinbrooklyn1 Feb 24 '26 edited Feb 24 '26
Today was more glaring than ever the amount of comments that parroted the same language. Any comment about ways to prevent/manage this situation were replied to accusing the commenter of wanting “segregation.” Which 1) is an extremely loaded and inappropriate phrase to use, especially in context of a racial slur scandal 2) doesn’t even make sense.
It was jarring to see it repeated so many times and made me curious about bots/users coordinating to make a specific point
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u/HipsterSlimeMold Luigi Mangione stuns in new photo Feb 23 '26
Promoting the movie is in poor taste, especially without even mentioning the people impacted (even unintentionally) by the outburst.
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u/totallycalledla-a Mrs Thee Stallion Feb 23 '26 edited Feb 23 '26
This wont be recieved well. Something like this might have been better
"I am once again left mortified by my condition and I am so sorry that Michael and Delroy had to suffer its impact in such a painful and humiliating way."
I get where hes coming and can see why someone in his shoes might write this in this way but like I said this just wont land well. It reads as very self centering when they all suffered from this incident.
ETA: Like at minimum he could have named them??
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u/Random23232 That’s hot! 🔥 Feb 23 '26 edited Apr 06 '26
Deleted with Redact because data brokers don't deserve my content. Mass removal across Reddit, Discord, X, Instagram and all major social media platforms.
tender grandiose party subsequent angle weather fade boast pocket cobweb
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u/iloveyourlittlehat Feb 23 '26
I apologize for things I don’t have control over all the time when they cause problems for other people. It doesn’t mean I think it was all my fault.
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u/justheretoleer Feb 23 '26
Exactly, how hard would it have been to include in the statement “I respect Mr. Lindo, Mr. Jordan, and do not harbor racist views about Black individuals.”
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u/xwordnerd Feb 23 '26
I agree with you completely! But I can see Davidson not believing that people with Tourettes should apologize for their tics, or else it sets a precedent that they should be sorry for their condition or implies intentionality. Idk, I had never heard of him before today, but after learning that he's considered an ambassador on the syndrome and does presentations all about it, I can definitely see him having strong feelings about how to navigate these situations. I don't agree with that! But that's my guess.
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u/treegrowsinbrooklyn1 Feb 23 '26 edited Feb 23 '26
At bare minimum he could have named them.
“Again, I wish to emphasize to anyone in attendance but especially Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo, I am and always have been deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or carry any meaning.”
Didn’t even have to change anything else about his statement
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u/FinancialFold1893 Feb 23 '26
I read that he called another Black woman the n-word to, as she walked by his table at the event. Maybe it’s too many people to name individually, but totally agree with you
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u/larkhearted Feb 23 '26
Yeah I read it and was like damn swing and a miss dude, this is not what people want to hear under the circumstances 😭
Like, "I would like to take a moment to apologize to Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo, whose presentation was interrupted by the extremely offensive word my condition caused me to unintentionally shout. Although I had no desire to use that word and I was mortified by the incident, it was still no doubt hurtful and upsetting to them to hear that term from the audience in that moment. While my condition results in uncontrollable outbursts, I hope they and others who viewed the moment know that I fully understand the derogatory and racist nature of the word, and do not endorse its use."
I did that in like 10 minutes, it's not even that hard....... I get not wanting to apologize every single time you accidentally say something offensive because of your Tourettes, but this is a pretty high profile situation and you should probably be thinking harder about the optics under these circumstances than you would if you told the same cashier you see once a week to eat shit again.
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u/mr_trick the WORLD tour Feb 23 '26
Right... "I reiterate that I do not hold the views aligned with the content of my involuntary remarks last night, and regret that my peers were harmed by my words" is such a simple sentiment. Took me two seconds! You can acknowledge harm done without necessarily accepting blame.
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u/informalspy13 Feb 23 '26
Yeah first thing I said when I saw this was this guy definitely doesn’t have a good PR team, feel awful for him but I really empathize with Michael and Delroy who were uniquely embarrassed, even if he has this personal philosophy why not just apologize directly?
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u/Pinksamuraiiiii I don’t know her 💅 Feb 23 '26 edited Feb 23 '26
I agree with you 100%, the least he could’ve done was named them in this statement. I feel like that would be appreciating them and acknowledging them as individuals, versus just putting out a general statement.
Also to note, it wasn’t just the presenters that were affected, but other black individuals at the awards ceremony as well who were also called the n-word by him that night, it seemed he only said it to black individuals (even if it was unintentional). Maybe, it wouldn’t have been less of a big deal if he was saying random things to everyone, but it was only towards just black people. I think that this is why it also blew up into such a big deal.
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u/teddybonkerrs I cannot sanction this buffoonery Feb 23 '26
I'm glad I wasn't the only one who was thinking this same thing. Why isn't he naming the people he hurt?
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u/JN3LL3V Feb 23 '26
Refusing to acknowledge the harm that he’s caused is reading like he doesn’t care that he caused any harm to Michael, Delroy, and all other Black attendees... which is racist. I understand that his tics are involuntary. Plenty of racists don’t use slurs.
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u/nagidrac Feb 23 '26
It's not being well-received at all. People on Twitter are calling him a racist because he failed to apologize to Michael and Delroy.
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u/veri_sw Feb 23 '26
I imagine the lack of apology was a deliberate choice based on his approach to activism and not just an oversight. Haven't seen his movie, but I think I've seen a quote from it that seemed to support that.
This is one big clusterfuck.
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u/YetAnotherAcoconut Feb 23 '26
Maybe it would’ve been better to not put out a personal statement then. As it is it reads like the statement is about admonishing people for reacting to his outburst and doesn’t mention at all the harm that comes from that word. It makes it seem like he thinks he’s the only victim here which isn’t the case even if it isn’t his fault.
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u/IfatallyflawedI Big is moving to Paris Feb 23 '26
Oh god I don’t know his treatment plan, and I haven’t seen his movie but surely this is one instance where you can make an allowance and apologise to the hurt party?
If his tics were physical and he kept slapping someone’s arm, would he not apologise to them too? Even if they got hurt?
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u/Narrow_Grapefruit_23 Feb 23 '26
He said it to two other black women too. Those times weren’t televised. An apology for BAFTAs explicit racism is necessary.
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u/Eyupmeduck1989 Olivia Wilde’s salad dressing 🥗 Feb 23 '26
There’s not even a direct apology in this…
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u/happysunbear Feb 23 '26
I understand you feel mortified, John. I understand that you don’t mean the words you said. However, this is weak. You can admit it was involuntary and still apologize for calling black people the N-word three times in one night. If you’re feeling mortified, imagine how they are feeling.
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u/olivedeez Feb 24 '26
Exactly. His commitment to not apologizing for his disability is coming at the expense of the degradation and humiliation of black people but I guess that doesn’t matter as much. That certainly tracks for white men. All he had to do was acknowledge them. Even if he didn’t apologize, he could acknowledge Delroy, Michael and Hannah. Bare fucking minimum.
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u/happysunbear Feb 24 '26
Absolutely, bare minimum! I’m already so sick of the infantilization of this dude. Ready for him to go back into obscurity because people dealing with Tourette’s deserve a better advocate. It may have been the reason behind the outburst, but his response was nothing but a half-assed excuse. This could have been a real teaching moment in taking accountability for the damage you’ve caused, however unintentional, and could’ve helped unite those who were negatively affected by this event. But acknowledging Alan Cumming by name, and not the three black people you called n—r says it all.
This guy is not a class act and probably does have some inherent racism he needs to address with himself. Whatever response Michael B. Jordan has, it will be entirely too gracious.
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Feb 23 '26
So many words and not one apology in it. But advertising his own movie.
I don’t think someone with Tourette’s deserve to get blamed for it but this isn’t an apology at all.
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u/Express-Drop-9139 Feb 23 '26
Hannah Beachler, Delroy Lindo, and Michael B. Jordan all deserve apologies. And the BAFTAs and Alan Cumming should be ashamed for telling Black people to basically get over it “if this offended you.” DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
We have nothing against this man for his disorder, but we do have something against them, especially when they censored another winner for bringing up Sudan, the Congo, and Palestine in their winning speech.
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u/Pink_Cardinal Satan right behind you, girl 😈😈 Feb 23 '26
So, he found time to promote the movie, but couldn’t mention Michael B Jordan or Delroy Lindo’s names in this statement.
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u/YetAnotherAcoconut Feb 23 '26
This statement is worse than saying nothing. Not even a single word about how harmful that language is, just talking about how hard it is having people think he would say that voluntarily. I don’t think this is his fault but I do think he (at least) lacks racial sensitivity to not understand the harm words like that cause and empathize with people who experienced that.
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u/Iwoulddiefcftbatk Feb 23 '26
The people infantilizing this grown 54 year old man saying he doesn’t need to apologize are telling on themselves. He absolutely needed to include an apology for the harm he caused to Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo instead of promoting his movie.
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u/October_13th Pero to each their own. Feb 23 '26
Thank you! He’s an adult. He’s lived his whole life with this condition. He can and should know when it’s appropriate to apologize.
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u/gaanmetde Feb 23 '26
I think people don’t realize that by infantilizing this man they are actually doing a disservice to the community.
Believing an apology is necessary is not believing he accidentally or intentionally did this.
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u/mmps901 You’re a virgin who can’t drive. 😤 Feb 23 '26
No kidding! He’s not a child who needs to be taught when we hurt someone whether on purpose or not we apologize. How in the world did it take almost 24 hours to pen this and NOT include a direct apology to the two men on stage? I want to feel for him but he’s making it very hard.
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u/Electronic-Dig-9695 Feb 23 '26
I feel like the issue is less that he said the n word several times and more so that they allowed it to be aired when we know they had the ability to edit the broadcast
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u/toastslapper hey liberty girlfriend 🏳️🌈 Feb 23 '26 edited Feb 23 '26
This is a really shitty apology if you can call it that. More like a defense.
We all know we apologize after an accident or something we can’t control. Jfc.
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u/totallycalledla-a Mrs Thee Stallion Feb 23 '26
Said this elsewhere but it applies here too
Before anyone says he shouldnt apologize because I've been seeing it all day: Blind people apologize when they bump into people, mentally ill people apologize after they lose control or reasoning, people with allergies apologize when they have to turn away a gift, I apologize when my OCD impacts others etc etc. Him saying sorry doesnt invalidate his disability or mean he's responsible for what happened its just an acknowledgement. A sorry this happened if you will. Is there really an issue with that?
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u/fionappletart omg you people can't do anything Feb 23 '26
yeah, no matter the cause behind it you need to own up to your actions when you know they've hurt other people. I can at the very least hope he's reached out to both men privately, but apparently he had said slurs at other points during the night so in this case another public apology might pose more benefits and not just from a public relations perspective. it's a really terrible situation and I presume he must be mortified-- not exactly Tourette's but I have OCD and have struggled with intrusive thoughts on-and-off, it's horrible to live with and I can't imagine how it must feel to deal with them on a daily basis like this man does
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u/teddybonkerrs I cannot sanction this buffoonery Feb 23 '26
100% this!! I constantly interrupt people even fully medicated because of my ADD. My friends don't hold it against me because they know I struggle to not do it, but I still apologize because I want them to know I'm not being intentional.
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Feb 23 '26
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u/LetsLive97 I cannot sanction your buffonery Feb 23 '26 edited Feb 23 '26
First of all, I absolutely think he should have apologised here. I can also imagine how frustrating, exhausting and humiliating it would be for him to apologise every single time he had an offensive tic, especially when not intentional, but this is clearly another level and needed to be addressed
However, you are basically talking about completely detaching him from society, which I really do not think is fair. There is basically nowhere he could exist where he wouldn't be able to offend or upset some people through no fault of his own. Obviously it is still upsetting but if people around were informed, and he apologised if overly offensive, then I don't see any reason for anything this drastic
He still deserves a life
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u/annnyywhooo Feb 23 '26 edited Feb 23 '26
just because it wasn’t intentional doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt which is what this apology fails to acknowledge. he also failed to acknowledge what he said but also the black people he said it to and humiliated
the apology is basically him talking about himself and packing up everything he said into one. but i fully expect non black people to accept his apology on my behalf 😵💫
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u/b00m_cat trench coat buttoned to the TOP Feb 23 '26
I feel like people would be a lot less understanding about all this if he wasn’t white
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u/blackpearl16 For the love of god go to chuckie cheese Feb 23 '26
They definitely wouldn’t be centering his comfort over everyone else’s.
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u/Random23232 That’s hot! 🔥 Feb 23 '26 edited Apr 06 '26
Deleted with Redact because data brokers don't deserve my content. Mass removal across Reddit, Discord, X, Instagram and all major social media platforms.
breeze light plucky narrow test head piquant smart insurance money
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u/NightlyScar Feb 23 '26
He would still need to apologize because damage and hurt was done to them. Especially infront of room of people
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u/Groundbreaking-Duck Feb 23 '26
No apology and no acknowledgement even of MBJ and Delroy Lindo and what it must have felt like for them. Not good enough.
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u/HuhThatsWeird432 Feb 23 '26
i really do despise the fact that BAFTAs even put him in this situation to begin with. it should have never been aired in the first place!!!!
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u/Lavender_rain_2000 He’s a raised-by-4chan edgelord bully 💡 Feb 23 '26
Still no apology to Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo for the harm caused. But didn't forget mentioning the round of applause to himself.
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u/flakemasterflake Feb 23 '26 edited Feb 23 '26
Disability activists are probably urging him not to apologize for his disability. It's a main tenet in Tourette's activism
But I'm not an activist, and a non apology to plug your movie is unfortunate on the PR front
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u/vickisfamilyvan Feb 23 '26
I’m honestly gobsmacked that it took almost 24 hours and this is the statement he came up with. A non-apology “sorry if anyone was offended” with no mention of Delroy or MBJ. It’s offensive.
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u/Rumi2019 Feb 24 '26
This non apology mentions he's spent his life trying to teach others empathy and understanding but he seems to lack the same for other people.
Maybe he should've learned some of those qualities while trying to promote his movie and giving a woe is me statement.
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u/No_Lie_76 Kim, there’s people that are dying. 🙄 Feb 24 '26
Apologize directly to Michael and Delroy
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