New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who was the city’s first publicly elected official with Tourette syndrome, released a video on Monday night in which he expressed disappointment that BAFTA did not better support all parties involved in the N-word debacle: Michael B. Jordan, Delroy Lindo and John Davidson.
“I have Tourette syndrome, diagnosed more than 30 years ago,” Williams says in the clip. “You might be able to tell I’m also a very proud Black man. I also have Coprolalia, which means I sometimes tic socially unacceptable words, including the N-word.”
Williams goes on to say that the incident on Sunday — in which Davidson, Tourette’s activist and the subject of the nominated film “I Swear,” shouted the N-word while “Sinners” stars Jordan and Lindo were presenting an award on stage— was mishandled. (The BAFTAs aired in the U.K. on Sunday with a two-hour delay, edited in real-time. The version that was broadcast edited out a winner saying “Free Palestine” and Paul Thomas Anderson using the word “piss,” but the racial slur remained.)
“BAFTA should have done a lot more to explain what is going to happen before and after,” he said. “Definitely should have provided more care for Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo so they had the information they needed and they themselves could have explained what was going on…