Reality TV star Baylen Dupree has spoken out after a Tourette’s advocate called Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo the N-word at the 2026 BAFTA Awards.
Dupree, who stars on the reality show “Baylen Outloud”, wrote an extensive post on Instagram about her experience with Tourette’s syndrome and the importance of distinguishing between wild tics and what an individual really believes.
“I need to speak on this as someone who lives with Tourette’s,” Dupree wrote on Instagram. “When you live with this disorder, you lose control of your own voice sometimes. And that is a terrifying thing.”
The BAFTA Awards incident has drawn significant backlash, bringing Tourette’s syndrome back to the forefront of social media. Tourette’s syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary muscle movements. The symptoms of Tourette’s are called tics, which are involuntary movements or sounds an individual makes.
Dupree wrote about the difference between tics and an individual’s true belief.
“Tics are not thoughts. They are not opinions. They are not secret beliefs hiding underneath the surface. They are involuntary neurological impulses — like a sneeze, or hiccup — except sometimes they attach themselves to words that carry weight, history, and pain.”
She described the emotional impact of the vocal tics that may be offensive and lead to instant shame and fear of being defined by the moment beyond your control.
“People think if a slur comes out, it must reflect what’s in your heart. But Tourette’s doesn’t pull from hatred — it often pulls from anxiety, from fear, from the very thing you’re most scared of saying,” she said.
She also stated that, although understanding the neurological reality of Tourette’s, the pain and offense that the words cause must not be ignored. “
“It doesn’t excuse the hurt a word carries. Words matter. History matters. Pain matters. But so does neurological reality,” Dupree wrote. “There is a difference between intent and impulse.”
Reality star Dupree went on to state that having to live with Tourette’s means you have to say sorry for things you didn’t necessarily want to do, and that one moment could define you.
“You can hold space for the harm of a word while also holding space for the reality of a disorder. Compassion doesn’t cancel accountability — but education matters,” she wrote.
The reality star closed off by stating that there needs to be more understanding of the neurological disorder and the people who live with it.
“Please understand this: when someone with Tourette’s says something offensive as a tic, it is not coming from their heart. It’s coming from a brain that sometimes doesn’t give them a choice.”
The post Baylen Dupree Speaks Out After Tourette’s Advocate Yells Slur at Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo: “Tics Are Not Thoughts” appeared first on Where Is The Buzz | Breaking News, Entertainment, Exclusive Interviews & More.
