Tourette’s on the job: Hidden lives (1/6) Monday 2 April: 21.00–22.00
Five’s human interest documentary strand returns for a third series of surprising real life stories. The six hour-long programmes promise more incredible tales from around the world, focusing on unusual and sometimes alarming personal stories. In tonight’s programme, we meet sufferers of Tourette’s syndrome who have overcome the disability to succeed in the workplace.
Tourette’s syndrome is a diverse condition that can manifest itself in many ways. “It ranges from a couple of mild tics to extreme ‘coprolalia’, which is uttering obscenities,” explains neuroscientist Professor Peter Hollenbeck. Only between ten and 15 percent of Tourette’s sufferers have such a condition; London-born Andrew Joannou is one of these few. He was diagnosed at 13 as having a wide range of conditions associated with Tourette’s, such as coprolalia, the urge to make obscene gestures, and a range of involuntary tics. “I’ve had pretty much everything,” he says.
Throughout his early adult life, Andrew found it difficult to gain employment, was often depressed and regularly considered suicide. However, his life changed when he attended a Tourette’s conference in America and met his future wife, Amy, with whom he has since had two children. “When we were dating, [Andrew] went to kiss me on the bridge of my nose, and had one of his ‘teeth tics’ and broke my nose,” laughs Amy. “In the same evening, he threw hot tea in my face.”
After moving to America, Andrew managed to get a job in the postal service where he has worked for the last few years. He has made firm friends in the depot, where everyone understands and sympathises with his condition. His boss, Bobby Johanson, remembers the furore Andrew caused when he first entered the multi-cultural company’s staff canteen: “He said the ‘N-word’ and nearly caused a riot. Now it’s not a major issue anymore – he doesn’t say it nearly as much.” Andrew has progressed in his job and is now responsible for training new staff, and is enjoying a happy and productive life.
Although he does not suffer from coprolalia, American Brad Cohen has had to overcome Tourette’s to become a successful teacher and author. Brad left teacher training college with an impeccable CV, but his first 24 interviews ended in rejection. He is sure that his failure was due to the extreme physical and vocal tics he has displayed since childhood. Instead of allowing the condition to defeat him, however, Brad used the discrimination he suffered to harden his resolve.
Brad was finally given his chance to shine at an elementary school in Atlanta by a more enlightened head teacher – and shine he did, soon winning the award of Teacher of the Year in the whole state of Georgia. He has since appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s chat show and written a successful book about his story. Tonight’s programme follows Brad as he travels to London as an ambassador for Tourette’s, educating children in the truth of his condition. “I was expecting a man whose Tourette’s owned him, who was overwhelmed by physical and verbal tics,” says onlooking teacher Cassie Smith. “When he started teaching he was a different person.”
The stories of Andrew and Brad show that many of the difficulties encountered by Tourette’s sufferers in the workplace lie not with the sufferers themselves, but with those who cannot understand or accept the condition. “It’s one of many examples in society when a little bit of tolerance and understanding goes a long way,” says Professor Hollenbeck.
Tonight’s programme also explores the stories of Gillian, a highly successful advertising executive who has used her Tourette’s to her advantage, and entrepreneur Noel, a Tourette’s sufferer who was not diagnosed until he was 40 but is now a millionaire who runs his own comedy club.
Gruff
What was the song that went something along the lines of "in dreams I've seen you before, you're so familiar."Anonymous
horrible
Amy (Broken Nose Wife)
Thank to You all for watching the programme and commenting. Andrew and I have been through some very tough times in the past few months since this programme aired and needed some lifting up. Thank you again. Amy and Andrew J.
Anon
the song, sung by a female, that goes 'shooby dooby doo wah' (at a guess), appears for the 2nd time during some dancing, involving or just before Noel.
i would apologise for all the focus on the music but i guess other people also responded well to it! a soundtrack would be handy.
excellent documentary.
Anonymous
Hi, just wondering as well about the song that plays while the guy who met the girl at the tourettes conference talks with his wife about when they first met? It's soft... sung by a girl...
I realise it's been a while since this thread's been used, but it has just been aired in New Zealand so it's open to a whole new audience
Liz Fox
Hi, which was the song that played while Andrew talks with his wife about when they first met? It's soft, acoustic and by a female? I couldn't catch enough lyrics to do a regular google search.
But I love the doco, well done.
Tim
The song is by a guy called Stuart James. His MySpace is - http://www.myspace.com/stuartjamesx and you can find more of his songs here - http://www.last.fm/music/Stuart+James/Stuart+James
Unfortunetely... I can't find the song he did for the documentary anywhere! If anyone can then please let me know!
Laura
I think the song lyrics go, "I can live without apologies but thankyou very much for your concern". If anybody knows the song, could you email me it please? Thanks x
Tim
yeah i know which song you mean! it was played two or three times, mostly during scenes/sequences with andrew. the singer sang/spoke really quickly. it was an amazing song - yeah please let me know what it was! the voice sounded like one of the guys from "amateur transplants" but i'm not sure if it's the same guy. have you got a list of all the songs that played?
amazing documentary by the way! i can't stop thinking about it.
tim
Ten
i think i know which song that girl, kim is on about... was it almost a rap sort of song? saying something along the lines of 'don't want to live with apologisies?'...if u could praps let me know beacuse i'm doin an enlish presentation on the lives of tourettes sufferes as i know how it feels, my brother has it an has suffered wif years of bulling because of it.
cheers
Teneille
Ten
i think i know which song that girl, kim is on about... was it almost a rap sort of song? saying something along the lines of 'don't want to live with apologisies?'...if u could praps let me know beacuse i'm doin an enlish presentation on the lives of tourettes sufferes as i know how it feels, my brother has it an has suffered wif years of bulling because of it.
cheers
Teneille
Steve Teers
Which song, Kim? There were several - pretty much all by friends of the director's daughter. They've mostly got mysapce pages. If you can give me an idea what was going on at the time it was played, I'll point you in the right direction. Glad you liked the programme, anyway.
Steve Teers, editor TOTJ.
Kim
Hi
we thought the programme was great. Andrew who is eight and has TS watched it with his brother and sisters he thought it was great. We only have one question.......what was the song!!!!!
The Kellys
David Dean
Barry - check out the Tourette forum at www.tourettefriends.org.uk You'll find people with TS and / or kids with TS and a lot of understanding what you are are going through
My son Tim (Dad of Tim is my name on the forum) is now 13 and has had huge numbers of different tics over the years - he is now down to mainly facial tics and occasional coprolalia - but he is really happy at school now and doing well at tests with expectations of good SATS grades - it has been a struggle - but worth it
Cheers and good luck
David
David Dean
Barry - check out a Uk Tourette forum site where you'll find plenty of folks - including myself - who have tourettes and / or have kids with Tourettes
The site is www.tourettefriends.org.uk
Cheers
David
Anonymous
hi i was just wandering can somebody tel me the name of the song played in that advert
Barry McFadyen
Hi,my name is Barry,My son Blair has got Tourette's
he was diagnosed when he was about seven or eight
we've had a tought old time of it not us ourselves
but Blair as well. For the last five years we've
not been beleaved when asked to go down to school
because of him being bad in class no teacher bel-
eaved it was his tic's.He had a time out card but
he ended out of class more than in.My wife and I
have decided to put him on medication in his seve
nth year at primary he now comes home and tells
us that he has a BRAIN.He feels so good that he
can sit and listen he has still got alot of face
tic's going on at the moment but he feels proud.
We're looking forward to a clearer future he's
still got alot of issuse to deal, with but
together we'll do it as a family.
bye for now throng thanks
for listening Barry.
Anonymous
((When we were dating, [Andrew] went to kiss me on the bridge of my nose, and had one of his ‘teeth tics’ and broke my nose,” laughs Amy. “In the same evening, he threw hot tea in my face.”))
Yep, yep, I threw my fiancee off of a bed. Poor gal she puts up with a lot
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