Alan Cumming Shares His Thoughts on the BAFTAs Tourette’s Incident: A Personal Reflection
Alan Cumming, known for his candid remarks, has finally addressed the incident at the BAFTA Awards, where an audience member with Tourette’s syndrome shouted a racial slur during the presentation by Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan. The host of the event had remained silent about the matter until recently.
On Instagram, Cumming extended an apology to Black individuals globally, the Tourette’s community, and the audience who anticipated “an evening celebrating creativity” but instead encountered “a trauma triggering sh*tshow.”
In his post, he stated:
“It’s now been a week since I hosted the BAFTAS. What should have been an evening celebrating creativity as well as diversity and inclusion turned into a trauma triggering sh*tshow. I’m so sorry for all the pain Black people have felt at hearing that word echoed round the world. I’m so sorry the Tourettes community has been reminded of the lack of understanding and tolerance that abounds regarding their condition.
The only possible good that could come of this is a reminder that words matter, that rushing to judgment about things of which we are not fully cognisant is folly, that all trauma must be recognised and honoured.
We were all let down by decisions made to both broadcast slurs and censor free speech. Congratulations to all the artists whose work was overshadowed by the night’s events.”
