Charity Condemns ‘SNL’ Tourette’s Sketch Following BAFTA Controversy

Tourette’s Action charity CEO Emma McNally criticized a Saturday Night Live sketch that mocked celebrities by attributing their controversies to Tourette’s syndrome. “Mocking a disability is never acceptable,” McNally stated, calling Tourette’s “a complex neurological condition” that “is not a joke.” The sketch, cut from the February 28th episode but shared on YouTube, featured cast members portraying figures like Mel Gibson and Bill Cosby claiming Tourette’s explained their past controversies. The criticism follows recent backlash after activist John Davidson involuntarily shouted slurs during the BAFTA Film Awards, prompting what McNally described as “horrific” online trolling against the Tourette’s community. McNally emphasized the sketch “set us back years” in awareness efforts, stating it creates “real consequences” including “fear, isolation, bullying” for people with the condition