SNL is being ‘canceled’ by fans after a ‘disgusting’ sketch insulted 1.4 million people.
What began as a painful, complicated moment at Britain’s most prestigious film awards has spiraled into a transatlantic culture war, and now, Saturday Night Live finds itself at the center of a backlash so fierce that some viewers are calling for the show to be “’canceled.’
The controversy didn’t start in New York. It began in London, at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards, where a single involuntary outburst would ignite a debate about race, disability, editorial judgment, and the limits of comedy.
Only after weeks of public reckoning did SNL wade in, and for many critics, it did so in the worst possible way.
The BAFTAs incident that shocked the industry
The 2026 BAFTA Film Awards were meant to celebrate British cinema. Instead, they became synonymous with one of the most uncomfortable moments in recent awards history.
At the center of it all was John Davidson, a Scottish Tourette syndrome campaigner whose life inspired the critically acclaimed film I Swear. Davidson, first known to the public through the 1989 documentary John’s Not Mad, has spent decades raising awareness about Tourette syndrome and was awarded an MBE in 2019 for his advocacy.
Tourette’s syndrome is a neurological condition characterized by involuntary movements and vocalizations known as tics.
While many associate Tourette’s with swearing, only about 10–20% of people with the condition experience coprolalia, the involuntary utterance of obscene or socially inappropriate words.
Coprolalia is not a reflection of belief or intent. It is a neurological event. But on that night, nuance was drowned out by shock.
As actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo stood on stage at London’s Royal Festival Hall presenting the Best Visual Effects award, Davidson shouted the N-word from the audience, an involuntary tic, but one that reverberated through the room.
The atmosphere instantly shifted.
BAFTA host Alan C***ing addressed the audience, explaining that Tourette syndrome is a disability and that the language heard was involuntary.
Davidson later left the auditorium voluntarily, stating he was ‘deeply mortified’ and aware of the distress his tics were causing. But the controversy didn’t end there.
The BBC’s editorial double standard
The ceremony was broadcast by BBC on a two-hour tape delay, meaning producers had ample time to edit out offensive material. They did not remove the racial slur.
The word aired nationally on BBC One and remained available on iPlayer for approximately 15 hours before being pulled and re-edited.
What made matters worse was what the BBC did cut.
Filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr.’s “Free Palestine” comment? Removed. A joke referencing Donald Trump? Cut. An expletive in Paul Thomas Anderson’s speech? Bleeped. The asymmetry was glaring.
Critics accused the broadcaster of selective censorship, willing to edit political speech and profanity, but failing to remove one of the most traumatic words in the English language.
Backlash poured in. Actor Jamie Foxx called the situation ‘unacceptable.’ Journalist Jemele Hill questioned why Black people were expected to absorb such harm quietly. Radio host Charlamagne tha God suggested the timing felt ‘convenient.’
Meanwhile, disability advocates urged caution, reminding the public that coprolalia can include the most taboo words precisely because they are socially explosive.
Black Voices With Tourette’s Speak Out
Perhaps the most powerful responses came from Black individuals who also live with Tourette syndrome.
Shay Amamiya, a Black TikToker with coprolalia, revealed that she, too, has the N-word as a tic.
“I’m Black, and I also have the N-word as a tic,” she said in a viral video. “Does that mean I use it regularly?”
Her message was not one of dismissal, but complexity. She acknowledged the trauma carried by the word while emphasizing that involuntary tics do not equal belief.
Others echoed similar sentiments: Tourette’s explains the tic, but harm still exists, and apologies still matter.
New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who has Tourette’s and coprolalia, urged people to research the condition before forming judgments, reminding the public that some of the people most affected by such tics are Black themselves.
For weeks, the debate simmered. Then Saturday Night Live stepped in.
SNL’s sketch: satire or cruelty?
In a PSA-style sketch titled ‘Tourette’s,’ SNL imagined a lineup of controversial celebrities claiming the condition as an excuse for past scandals.
Among those portrayed were Mel Gibson, J.K. Rowling, Bill Cosby, and Kanye West.
Cast members joked that Tourette’s could explain racist comments, antisemitic rants, and sexual assault allegations. One character claimed to suffer from “drink Tourette’s.” Another suggested that years-long obsessions were symptoms.
The fictional organization sponsoring the PSA? National Workforce of Rethinking Disabilities,’ abbreviated as N.W.O.R.D., a pointed reference to the BAFTAs incident.
To some, the sketch was satirizing celebrities who deflect responsibility. But to many others, including disability advocates, it crossed a line.
“This is not acceptable.”
Tourettes Action, a leading UK charity that supported Davidson and the film I Swear, issued a blistering response.
CEO Emma McNally wrote in all caps: “THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.”
Her statement condemned the sketch for reducing a complex neurological condition to a punchline and warned that such portrayals undo years of progress in combating stigma.
“Mocking a disability is never acceptable,” she wrote. “It is not a joke. It is not a personality trait. It is not a source of entertainment.”
She also revealed that members of the Tourette’s community had endured a wave of trolling and harassment in the days following the sketch’s release.
British comedian Al Murray called the sketch ‘disgusting,’ while journalist Lewis Goodall labeled it ‘genuinely shameful.’
Viewers on social media described it as ‘ableist’ and ‘punching down in the worst possible way.’
One social media user went as far as to say: “This is a new low for SNL. I am disgusted watching this. Tuning out as a viewer. Forever.”
brought to you by the national workforce of rethinking disabilities pic.twitter.com/F5Fj1wpPhJ
— Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) March 1, 2026
A pattern of ‘punching down?’
The controversy arrives less than a year after SNL faced criticism from actress Aimee Lou Wood over a parody that exaggerated her teeth in a sketch about The White Lotus, per the BBC.
Wood described that portrayal as ‘mean and unfunny,’ accusing the show of misogyny and saying it ‘punched down.’
Now critics argue SNL has repeated the same mistake , targeting a marginalized group under the guise of satire.
Comedy often thrives on discomfort. But the central question remains: Who bears the brunt of that discomfort?
In this case, many argue, it wasn’t powerful celebrities being skewered — it was the 1.4 million Americans estimated to live with Tourette syndrome.
The fallout
Online, calls to ‘cancel SNL’ trended for days. Some viewers pledged to boycott the show. Others argued the backlash misunderstands satire.
SNL has not issued a formal on-air apology as of publication.
Meanwhile, Davidson himself has taken a measured stance. He has reiterated that he will never apologize for having Tourette’s, but he will apologize for any pain his condition causes.
“I will keep on keeping on,” he wrote, reaffirming his commitment to education and awareness.
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