bitchy | John Davidson & BAFTA apologized 24 hours after the racist controversy

To recap, John Davidson is a British man living with Tourette’s Syndrome. The British film I Swear is loosely based on Davidson’s real-life experiences living with Tourette’s. I Swear was nominated for several BAFTAs, and as such, Davidson was invited to the BAFTAs on Sunday. Before the awards show began, there was an announcement that Davidson was present and that BAFTA attendees might hear some outbursts from him. Soon after the show began, Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo came out as presenters. Davidson screamed the n-word at them. Jordan and Lindo’s faces fell and the whole tenor of the awards show shifted. While Davidson reportedly left the show for the last half, he was back in the room long enough to shout the n-word at two other Black people, including Sinners’ production designer Hannah Beachler.

One of the most tragic and infuriating parts of this ordeal was watching too many people extend grace and empathy to Davidson while refusing to acknowledge the impact of Davidson’s words. Intent doesn’t matter when two BAFTA-nominated actors have to stand by silently as someone screams out a racist slur at them in front of their colleagues and friends. To make matters even worse, BAFTA host Alan Cumming repeatedly asked for compassion… for Davidson alone, not the Black artists who had to hear the slurs aimed at them. Cumming also only offered an apology “IF you were offended.” Not only did the BBC air the slur unedited from their delayed broadcast, but the BBC and BAFTA organization refused to apologize to Lindo, Jordan and Beachler in real time. Lindo told Vanity Fair that BAFTA producers didn’t even speak to him afterwards. Well, after a full 24-hour cycle of discourse, outrage and education, both Davidson and BAFTA issued statements:

BAFTA’s apology:

At the BAFTA Film Awards last night our guests heard very offensive language that carries incomparable trauma and pain for so many. We want to acknowledge the harm this has caused, address what happened and apologise to all.

One of our guests, John Davidson MBE, has Tourette Syndrome and has devoted his life to educating and campaigning for better understanding of this condition. Tourette Syndrome causes involuntary verbal tics, that the individual has no control over. Such tics are in no way a reflection of an individual’s beliefs and are not intentional. John Davidson is an executive producer of the BAFTA nominated film, I Swear, which is based on his life experience.

We take the duty of care to all our guests very seriously and start from a position of inclusion. We took measures to make those in attendance aware of the tics, announcing to the audience before the ceremony began, and throughout, that John was in the room and that they may hear strong language, involuntary noises or movements during the ceremony.

Early in the ceremony a loud tic in the form of a profoundly offensive term was heard by many people in the room. Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage at the time, and we apologise unreservedly to them, and to all those impacted. We would like to thank Michael and Delroy for their incredible dignity and professionalism.

During the ceremony, John chose to leave the auditorium and watch the rest of the ceremony from a screen, and we would like to thank him for his dignity and consideration of others, on what should have been a night of celebration for him.

We take full responsibility for putting our guests in a very difficult situation and we apologise to all. We will learn from this, and keep inclusion at the core of all we do, maintaining our belief in film and storytelling as a critical conduit for compassion and empathy.

John Davidson’s apology:

“I wanted to thank BAFTA and everyone involved in the awards last night for their support and understanding and inviting me to attend the broadcast. I appreciated the announcement to the auditorium in advance of the recording, warning everyone that my tics are involuntary and are not a reflection of my personal beliefs. I was heartened by the round of applause that followed this announcement and felt welcomed and understood in an environment that would normally be impossible for me.”

“In addition to the announcement by Alan Cumming, the BBC and BAFTA, I can only add that I am, and always have been deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning.”

“I Swear, more than any film or TV documentary, explains the origins, condition, traits and manifestations of Tourette Syndrome. I have spent my life trying to support and empower the Tourette’s community and to teach empathy, kindness and understanding from others and I will continue to do so. I chose to leave the auditorium early into the ceremony as I was aware of the distress my tics were causing.”

[From Variety]

A few things… per BAFTA’s statement: “During the ceremony, John chose to leave the auditorium and watch the rest of the ceremony from a screen, and we would like to thank him for his dignity and consideration of others, on what should have been a night of celebration for him.” Like… the Sinners team also had the right to celebrate their night, didn’t they? Ryan Coogler won the screenplay award, Wunmi Mosaku won the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress, and Sinners also won the BAFTA for score. Did the Sinners team not have the right to celebrate their wins without being racially abused? BAFTA is falling all over themselves to say that Davidson had every right to be there… while refusing to acknowledge that Black artists (many of whom were nominees) also had the right to be there, to celebrate, to have their work honored without being racially abused in front of their colleagues.

As for Davidson’s apology… like… I don’t know the man and I have compassion for his disability, but I find it odd that Davidson is so heavily emphasizing that his campaign is geared towards increasing compassion for himself, while refusing to acknowledge the impact (however unintentional) of his words, which were enormously harmful. Davidson and BAFTA waiting 24 hours to acknowledge what happened and apologize doesn’t sit right with me either. Davidson and BAFTA org could have and should have made these apologies on Sunday night.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.