History Main / HollywoodTourettes

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' had an entire episode about Cartman ''[[ObfuscatingDisability pretending]]'' he had Tourette's Syndrome so he could openly swear as much as he wanted and say anti-Semitic things without getting into trouble. However, this episode turned out to be a subversion. As part of his act, Cartman joined a support group for children with Tourette's, and the kids who ''actually'' had it were portrayed more realistically. Most of them had a physical tic of some kind; only two were cursing, and unlike Cartman, it was usually the same word. Cartman faking his Tourette's also [[LaserGuidedKarma came back to bite him in the ass]] by the end of the episode. Since he had gotten so used to just saying every thought that popped into his head out loud, he lost his ability to self-censor entirely and couldn't stop [[DidIJustSayThatOutLoud blurting out embarrassing secrets about himself]].

And occasionally, a show might ''just'' even feature a person with Tourette's who ''doesn't'' swear. (An episode of ''20/20'' profiled a real-life sufferer who said things like [[HilariousInHindsight "Help! My underwear's on fire!"]])

* Martin Silenus in ''Literature/{{Hyperion}}'' gets this for a while after being brain damaged, resulting in a SugarWiki/{{Funny Moment|s}}.

* [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Peter Griffin]] pretended to have Tourette's at least once to excuse away his potty mouth.

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' had an entire episode dedicated to Cartman ''[[ObfuscatingDisability pretending]]'' he had Tourette's Syndrome so he could openly swear as much as he wanted and say anti-Semitic things without getting into trouble. However, it also subverted the practice; the characters who actually ''had'' Tourette's Syndrome were portrayed more realistically. Only two of six people were cursing, and unlike Cartman, it was usually the same word. Cartman faking his Tourette's also [[LaserGuidedKarma came back to bite him in the ass]] by the end of the episode. Since he had gotten so used to just saying every thought that popped into his head out loud, he lost his ability to self-censor entirely and couldn't stop [[DidIJustSayThatOutLoud blurting out embarrassing secrets about himself]].

Like all neurological conditions, Tourette's Syndrome is a complicated and variable disorder that can manifest itself in many different ways. And like most neurological conditions, [[{{Flanderization}} this is not]] [[TheThemeParkVersion the case on TV]].

Like all neurological conditions, Tourette's Syndrome is a complicated and variable disorder that can manifest itself in many different ways. And like most neurological conditions, [[{{Flanderization}} this is not the case on TV]].

* Reuben Zeus from ''Series/GoodGuysBadGuys'' had realistic Tourette's, thus averting the trope. Typically he would mumble semi-comprehensibly - occasionally a swear word, but usually not.

-->-- '''Frankie Boyle''', ''Series/MockTheWeek''

* In ''[[SamAndMaxFreelancePolice Sam and Max]]: Season 2'', Jimmy Two-Teeth is revealed to have a son, Timmy Two-Teeth, who has "terminal Tourette's syndrome", with the result that about half of Timmy's dialog is bleeped out.

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' had an entire episode dedicated to Cartman ''pretending'' he had Tourette's Syndrome so he could openly swear as much as he wanted and say anti-Semitic things without getting into trouble. However, it also subverted the practice; the characters who actually ''had'' Tourette's Syndrome were portrayed more realistically. Only two of six people were cursing, and unlike Cartman, it was usually the same word. Cartman faking his Tourette's also [[LaserGuidedKarma came back to bite him in the ass]] by the end of the episode. Since he had gotten so used to just saying every thought that popped into his head out loud, he lost his ability to self-censor entirely and couldn't stop [[DidIJustSayThatOutLoud blurting out embarrassing secrets about himself]].

* ''Film/NotAnotherTeenMovie'' has a cheerleader with Tourette's Syndrome. She becomes very popular and even gets a boyfriend.

* Reuben Zeus from ''GoodGuysBadGuys'' had realistic Tourette's, thus averting the trope. Typically he would mumble semi-comprehensibly - occasionally a swear word, but usually not.

* Used in ''{{Mental}}'', in addition to compulsive germ-phobia.

* In an episode of ''TVFunhouse'', Chicky's New Years resolution is to start spending more time with his brother, who suffers from Tourette's.

* Martin Silenus in ''Literature/{{Hyperion}}'' gets this for a while after being brain damaged, resulting in a CrowningMomentOfFunny.

* Music/KanyeWest has diagnosed himself with "Little Baby Tourette Syndrome". [[http://www.cracked.com/blog/what-if-kanye-west-is-retarded/ Everyone else thinks he's an asshole]].

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' had an entire episode dedicated to Cartman ''pretending'' he had Tourette Syndrome so he could swear to his heart's content without getting into trouble. However, it also subverted the practice; the characters who actually ''had'' Tourette Syndrome were portrayed more realistically. Only two of six people were cursing, and unlike Cartman, it was usually the same word. The episode also had Cartman get a condition similar to Tourette's Syndrome; because he kept saying everything he thought, he subsequently developed a Truth Tic, and [[FreudianSlipperySlope lost his ability to filter what he said]], and at the end had to see a therapist because he couldn't stop shouting embarrassing secrets about himself.

* No swearing, since it was a kid's show, but Warpath's bizarre mannerisms in the ''TransformersGenerationOne'' cartoon (as well as some of the comics and the ''[[VideoGame/TransformersWarForCybertron War for Cybertron]]'' game) are pretty consistent with the condition.

* On the 7th season of the UK version of ''Series/BigBrother'', the producers cast a guy who had Tourette's Syndrome; naturally, his tic was that he muttered "wanker". He also flicked his neck, but not many people noticed that.
** He also whistled and tapped his chest with his fist. Somewhat hilariously, he was obviously cast because his disorder made him "mad" and "wacky" and generally "well good telly". Instead, he turned out to be a thoughtful, sensitive, and genuinely witty guy who at one point, every single girl in the house had a crush on, and was the favorite to win from day 2. Bookies were offering the lamest odds on him to win because it was practically a foregone conclusion that somebody that interesting wouldn't be voted out. Everyone in the house loved him, and so did everyone watching.

--> '''Commentator''': "Goalkeeper Tim Howard suffers from Tourette's Syndrome. Here's an ''interesting'' quote from him: *{{Beat}}* [totally innocuous statement]"

In TV land, though, Tourette's Syndrome ''is'' coprolalia. In most people's minds, Tourette's is a condition where people fire {{Cluster F Bomb}}s upon {{Cluster F Bomb}}s and nothing more. It makes sense that this is how it would be treated -- it gives the writers the chance for a VerySpecialEpisode about accepting others even if they are different... and the chance to [[CrossesTheLineTwice Cross The Line Twice]] with really, really dirty language.

** [[http://www.tsa-usa.org/news/1007responseTSA_SouthParkTourettes.html The Tourette Syndrome Association's reaction]]. They weren't completely happy, but even they had to admit the creators had ShownTheirWork. Additionally, Cartman was not merely portrayed as a hilariously unpleasant person, but viewers were firmly reminded how awful a person must be to fake an official syndrome for their own entertainment. It's certainly an improvement on the Family Guy takes...

* DanielTosh has wondered whether or not there is a "polite Tourette's", which causes those with it to blurt out compliments instead of obscenities.

* A teenager in a VerySpecialEpisode of ''[[Series/{{Quincy}} Quincy M.E.]]'' had this. It was played more correctly, with plenty of non-swear words and lots of tics.

* In ''Queer Duck: The Movie'', Queer Duck calls into a homophobic evangelical reverend's talk show claiming to have Tourette's, then proceeds to call the reverend words like "homophobe, "gay-basher," and "motherfucker."

--> '''Ridge''' "[cites many other qualities] ...and I adroitely control my Tourette Syndrom. ''*suddenly screams like a madman*'' KILL THE FATSOS WAAHAHARGHHH!"