American comedian Deon Cole has defended a controversial joke he made about John Davidson, a Tourette Syndrome campaigner whose life inspired the Bafta-nominated film I Swear. The joke, delivered at the NAACP Awards, has sparked widespread backlash, with Piers Morgan calling it 'one of the most despicable things I’ve witnessed in a long time'.
Davidson, who has Tourette's, involuntarily shouted expletives, including a racial slur, while actors Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were speaking on stage. He later said he was 'deeply mortified' by the incident, and the BBC issued an apology. Cole responded to criticism on social media, writing: 'People got to learn how to take a joke. It's all in fun.'
During the ceremony, Cole said in a mock prayer: 'If there are any white men in the room with Tourette's, I advise you to tell them to read the room, lord... Whatever medicine they on, they better double up on it, lord.' The joke was met with gasps and awkward laughter from the audience.
Cole also made a joke about Nicki Minaj, suggesting something in her 'a**' was affecting her brain, as a photo of the rapper was displayed. The camera showed some celebrities laughing while others shook their heads in disbelief. The NAACP Awards also saw winners announced earlier, including Michelle Obama for Outstanding Literary Work and Kendrick Lamar for his Super Bowl halftime show.
