Eric Cartman from Le Petit Tourette
James Durbin of American Idol fame didn’t talk that much about his Tourette’s Syndrome, but it was obvious to me that he had tics, particularly when he would finish singing and was waiting for feedback from the judges.
I recently gave a lecture at the University of Utah in the linguistics department. I asked the question: Who can name some famous people Tourettes? Not one answer, and I couldn’t even find it in me to tell them about James Durbin.
Back when my mother was trying to find out if I had Tourette’s, she hunted for role models for me, just in case. The results weren’t that encouraging. She read a book that mentioned that Mozart might have had tics, and that some of the poor suckers from the Salem Witch Trials might not have been possessed by the Devil after all, but may have just been twitching like yours truly.
In the past year I have gotten more interested in finding out if how many famous people are out there with Tourette’s.
This list will be a work in progress. If you have an addition, please tell me and I’ll add it. Some of the names below (like Mozart) will be based on speculation. I’m also going to toss in some fictional characters who have TS or pretend they have it.
One other note: sometimes any sort of Obsessive Compulsive Behavior (OCD) gets lumped in with or diagnosed as Tourette’s. For instance, soccer player David Beckham is listed on a couple of sites as having TS, but most of what I read simply sounds like he has OCD.
Not everyone, even among specialists, agrees exactly what TS is or when it starts.
Famous people with Tourette’s Syndrome
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Those poor Salem Witches, maybe
- Eric Cartman (one episode of South Park)
- The main character of Jonathan Lethem’s novel Motherless Brooklyn
- Samuel Johnson (famous lexicographer and a man after my own heart–I’d be thrilled to find out he actually had it)
- NBA player Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (original name was Chris Jackson)
- Howard Hughes
- Dan Ackroyd
- Howie Mandel
- One of Deuce Bigalow’s dates
- James Durbin
- Baseball player Jim Eisenreich
- Musician Micheal Wolff
- Tim Howard, soccer player for Manchester United
- Josh Hanagarne, Z List celebrity (that’s me!)
Josh
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
Deuce Bigalow’s date, that’s the only one that I would have been able to think of. I’m suprised at Dan Ackroyd and Howie Mandel, I’ve never heard of them having it. Do some of these folks have a mild case or something where it’s not as obvious?
Tim Howard, is also the US World Cup goalie
Thank you.
And thank you as well. Like others reading your blog, I am a parent of a child with TS. My son won’t read it because he’ll need to ” try” your tics and that scares him. But I can read & then pass on your ideas and stories. Deborah
I have tourettes and so does my son. I get worried of trying other peoples tics Deborah. Not many famous people with tourettes then?? Well im famous in my own town that’ll do! Jayne xx
All right, Jayne. Consider yourself added to the list. Your soon too!
Yeah Jayne!
In the past few months, my son has really been challenged by his tics (he’s considered a moderate case to begin with) so when this new cycle kept getting more intense it really surprised us all. (It shouldn’t have though). In any case, like you Josh, my son turns towards humor and the video camera for just about anything. He and his friends make videos all the time, but he’s never made one on his Tourettes until now. I’m so proud of him for getting himself out there like this, even if he is poking a bit of fun at others. He was responding to an event in one of his classes that was extremely upsetting. If you care to watch:
http://t.co/CabT9DCJ
Take care
;-D
Thanks Josh!!
Debbie that’s fab your son did that, how brave! At his age my tourettes was so bad I dont even want to go into it on a light hearted blog. My son is 12 so waiting for his tourettes to go out of control any day. Im 30 so mine has settled to maybe 7-10 tics I occassionally get a new one but doesn’t seem to stay too long. Its such hard work for me. You have to use humour or you’d cry! Tourettes is a painful thing and I am proud of your son for putting something up so public. Good for him!
You’re both american!! Im english
Ps Eric. Mine isn’t always noticible, you’d have to be with me 24 hours sometimes to notice, I’ve become very good at hiding it and also its settled as im older so yes its not always obvious but it is always painful. I have a thumb and arm tic at the moment you’d have to watch very careful to see it and if you saw me for a short period you’d assume I was just stretching.
Jayne! Your comments are so encouraging.
As i mentioned, he really dies have a mild case possibly a lot like your TS is now. His new vocal tics though are doing him in. I think theres one on the video. Somehow he is able to keep them in check while on camera! Who knew it? We’re just starting to think about bio feedback. Do you know anything about it?
Deborah
Just a note Tim Howard does not play for Man U any more. He now plays for Everton. Plus he was the goalie for the USA World Cup team.
Thanks Susan.
I was just looking for some help/support groups on the internet and had an email for this, which I totally forgot about. So anyway, while I am switched on does anyone know any or anyone want to be my Tourettes moaning buddy?? xx
Jayne, I’ll be your Tourettes moaning buddy. And I’m going to start putting that on my resumes. Send me an email and we’ll set up a time to talk, if you like.
How can i send you an email where everyone else can’t see it?
Use the contact form up at the top of the page.