Antrim's Adam swears allegiance to fellow Tourette's campaigner after BAFTA race row

AN Antrim man has thrown his weight behind the ‘inspirational’ Scots man who found himself at the centre of a race storm following this year’s chaotic BAFTA awards.

Seated among the VIPs that night was John Davidson, whose story of living with Tourette’s Syndrome was immortalised in British film ‘I Swear’.

The condition causes involuntary tics, both physical and verbal - and in John’s case, the language is often coarse.

Since his early teens, he has tried to contain his outbursts, but a second after he thinks of the very thing he should not say, it’s there on his lips.

And at the BAFTAs, which saw Robert Aramayo win Best Actor for his moving portrayal of John, the inevitable happened.

As two members of the cast of ‘Sinners’ came on stage, the ‘N word’ rang out.

Despite the BBC showing the awards bash with a two hour delay - and the fact that other comments were snipped out before the show aired - John’s outburst remained in and soon travelled around the world.

It is ironic that the man who had been there to celebrate a film promoting tolerance and understanding was left humiliated at his moment of glory, hounded on the internet and branded a racist.

Sadly, John is well used to that. Though the film is harrowing, darkly humorous and ultimately uplifting - it is not a story of victory, but one of quiet endurance.

‘I Swear’ aired on Netflix this week, and immediately went to number one and Antrim man Adam Mogey - who also has Tourette’s - hopes that it will help promote greater understanding of the life-changing condition.

“It’s been a mad few weeks surrounding Tourette’s,” the rising comedy star told the Antrim Guardian this week.

“What happened at the BAFTAs could have easily been avoided to blow up the way it did.

“I feel that the broadcasters let themselves down there as I do believe they had cut a lot of other statements during speeches from at the same event.”

And in the immediate aftermath it was John, who voluntarily left the theatre before learning that his film was honoured, who was ‘thrown to the lions’.

“Johnny Davidson is a man I have known about a lot of my life,” said Adam.

“I’ve watched the documentaries and interviews and admired his hard work trying to get people to understand this condition.

“What I have seen online from comments to videos suggests that his work is far from done. There seems to be a lot of people needing more of an education on Tourette’s.”

The local man revealed that he is happy to play his part in that mission.

“I myself have received messages from concerned parents telling me their kids have started some tics and I am always happy to offer any advice I can give.

“I welcome those conversations and I’m happy to try and help others understand.”

A good starting point, he believes, is to learn more about the challenges people with Tourette’s must contend with every day.

“I urge people to watch ‘I Swear’. Sit down and watch it.

“It tells you everything you need to know about what Tourette’s Syndrome is and how severe this condition can get.

“There is some bad language in the film given the severity of Johnny’s condition but I would also urge you to let your children watch it to get an understanding.

“The movie is superb. It’s funny, educational and at times absolutely heartbreaking.

“The first half of the film I felt like I was watching my own childhood played out in front of me - not the home life but the going to school, playing football and knowing something wasn’t quite right.

“I lived so many of these experiences to the point I was watching the film and I knew what was going to happen before it had even happened.

“Johnny Davidson is someone I can look up to as he has knocked down so many barriers by speaking out and creating more knowledge on the subject.

“I have always put what I go through on a daily basis into my head and bottled it up, but the likes of Johnny has helped me feel comfortable in speaking out and more happy to have conversations about it to anyone who’s curious enough to ask.

“I’ll say it again, watch the film.”

It is no laughing matter, of course, but Adam has been turning his experience of Tourette’s into comedy gold.

Rather than allowing it to limit him, the enterprising Antrim man has made it his USP. It would not hold him back - no, it’s a super power that makes him stand out from the crowd!

“I was first diagnosed with Tourette’s when I was 16. I was always told ‘you’ll grow out of it’ which obviously I never did - or else I haven’t grown up yet!

“It’s had a very big impact on my life. I have always been embarrassed about it and have tried my best to hold it in and avoid any confrontation about it at all. If anyone did ask I was always making it out as I had a cough or the hiccups.

“It got me down so much so I didn’t want to leave the house or be round friends or family. I became a bit of a recluse for a few years which affected me a lot.

“Then I decided to speak out about it and weirdly enough I felt my time to do that was with a microphone in my hand in front of a room of people I don't know too well!

“Once I started speaking about it, it felt like such a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

“So much so I got very emotional during my first couple of jokes about it. It got a fantastic response.

“It felt like I was finally freed from hiding it away and once I knew people were laughing with me and not at me it was an amazing feeling.

“It became such a relief and I’ve never been as comfortable talking about it as I am on stage.

“My time on stage has led me to have a great relationship with it now as I have many stories about my Tourette’s still to share - it’s almost as if it’s the one thing holding me back doing the thing I’ve always wanted to do is the main reason I should be doing it.

“A lot of my material is based on me having Tourette’s and situations Tourette’s has gotten me into, whether it be from me nearly passing out during minute silences trying to hold my breath and not let anything out to complaints from the neighbours about my dog barking at night. I don’t have a dog.”