Baylen Dupree Tourette's Tics Aren't About Feelings or Intent
Published February 24, 2026 12:16 PM PST
John Davidson's Tourette's tic -- which resulted in the disability activist screaming out a racial slur during an awards broadcast -- isn't necessarily about his true feelings coming out ... so says a reality star with firsthand knowledge of the disorder.
Baylen Dupree -- star of the hit show "Baylen Out Loud" -- released a statement Tuesday about Sunday's incident ... saying she felt she needed to say something as a person who deals with tics as well.
Baylen writes these verbal tics are not thoughts, opinions, or beliefs hidden deep beneath the surface -- they are involuntary impulses -- no different than a hiccup or a sneeze.
Dupree says tics don't usually come from places of hate ... but instead, it's fear or anxiety ... and the brain simply misfires.
That said, Baylen makes it clear history matters and words have meaning ... but, neurological reality exists ... and people with Tourette's are constantly apologizing for words they don't mean.
She asks people to remember tics don't come from the heart ... they come from the brain making mistakes.
BBC
As you know ... Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting at The BAFTAs on Sunday when Davidson involuntarily yelled out the N-word. The BBC mistakenly left it in the broadcast.
Davidson issued a statement in which he expressed regret about the incident. Some online -- including Jamie Foxx -- have insisted he meant to use the slur, a contention Baylen clearly disagrees with.









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