Discussing Tourette Syndrome and ‘I Swear’ with Dr. Tamara Pringsheim
Today Asif and Ali combine the medicine and entertainment subjects when they discuss “I Swear” – the BAFTA award winning movie about Tourette Syndrome (1:52). They chat about the background of the movie and how it is based on activist John Davidson, who has a severe version of Tourette Syndrome. They review how the film was developed, including discussion about director Kirk Jones and star Robert Aramayo. Then they give their thoughts on the film and single out Aramayo’s performance, which was awarded the BAFTA for Best Lead Actor earlier on this year.
Then, they welcome guest Dr. Tamara Pringsheim to discuss the portrayal of Tourette Syndrome in ‘I Swear’ (13:59). Dr. Tamara Pringsheim is a Professor of Clinical Neurosciences, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary and program lead for the Tourette and Pediatric Movement Disorder Program at Alberta Children’s Hospital. Dr. Pringsheim gives a brief overview of Tourette syndrome before examining the film’s depiction of severe tics, the sudden onset of symptoms, and commonly misunderstood features such as coprolalia (involuntary swearing), spitting, and hitting. She then discusses tic suppression, medication and the risks of advising someone to stop treatment without appropriate medical assessment, and the apparent “miracle cure” device featured at the end of the movie. Asif and Ali then ask Dr. Pringsheim about how the film has been received by clinicians and the Tourette community, the controversy surrounding the BAFTA awards, and whether ‘I Swear’ , along with the increasing visibility of tics on social media, has helped improve public understanding of Tourette syndrome.
Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay
Contact us at doctorvcomedian@gmail.com
Follow us on Social media:
Twitter: @doctorvcomedian
Show Notes:
- https://moviesnstuff.com/
- John's Not Mad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxfJDpd3XcY
- How ‘I Swear’ star Robert Aramayo prepared to play Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson: “It’s impossible to copy John’s tics”: https://www.screendaily.com/interviews/how-i-swear-star-robert-aramayo-prepared-to-play-tourettes-campaigner-john-davidson-its-impossible-to-copy-johns-tics/5212033.article
- The True Story Behind I Swear and John Davidson's Journey with Tourette's: https://time.com/article/2026/04/21/i-swear-true-story-john-davidson/
- Robert Aramayo Wins the Leading Actor BAFTA for I Swear | EE BAFTA Film Awards 2026: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgRm0ZaDiJg
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
