After BAFTAs, Mel Gibson, J.K. Rowling and More Celebs Blame Hateful Speech on Tourette’s in ‘SNL’ Sketch

During a cut-for-time sketch on the Feb. 28, 2026 episode of 'Saturday Night Live,' Mel Gibson, J.K. Rowling and other controversial celebrities blamed their past instances of hateful speech on Tourette syndrome, capitalizing on an incident at the Feb. 22 BAFTAs where advocate John Davidson experienced involuntary outbursts including a racial slur while presenting awards. The sketch featured a parade of opportunistic celebrities who had faced public backlash for their controversial statements, each attempting to deflect criticism by attributing their remarks to the neurological condition. Davidson, who was attending the BAFTAs to support the nominated biopic about his life titled 'I Swear,' was seated near the stage when his involuntary outbursts occurred during the presentation by Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo. Both Davidson and the BAFTAs organization subsequently apologized for the incident, with the ceremony's producers expressing regret for not editing out the offensive word from the original broadcast. The SNL segment has sparked widespread debate about whether celebrities are trivializing a serious neurological condition to avoid accountability for their actions, with medical professionals and advocacy groups expressing concern about the potential stigma against Tourette syndrome patients.