posted
For the past couple of years I have been seeing videos about a foul mouthed angry screaming man called 'Tourettesguy' on various funny websites. I was wondering if anybody knew the story behind this odd fellow? Is he for real? Is he being exploited (like the late 'Uncle Godamn') or a true sufferer of Tourettes?
-------------------- The views expressed in the above Post does not necessarily reflect those of snopes,The Infopoop Corporation,the Internet or most of society for that matter. Posts: 2474 | From: Scranton, PA | Registered: Apr 2003
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quote:Although he has been diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome, his actions are exaggerated by other problems (including alcohol) and are not consistent with most Tourette Syndrome sufferers.
My feeling is that the videos aren't faked, in the sense of getting someone to pretend to have TS, because how he bahaves: firstly, if it were fake then I would expect to see more of the random swearing (coprolalia) that is most peoples' sterotype of TS sufferers' behaviour, and secondly the way he moves reminds me of a friend (who I haven't seen for a while) who has TS. However, I reckon the actual videos are probably set-up to some extent - unless someone is constantly following him around with a video camera, how else do they have the videos?
Posts: 61 | From: UK | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
I read the disclaimer on the site as well. It still doesn't give any real insight into the guy in question. It still doesn't dimiss the fact that it could be all staged and faked. My gut feeling is that the video are for real or at least his condition is. The only things I have learned from watching all the videos is: he lives in a modest home,has children and an ex wife. The kids and wife seem to feed into his condition by setting him up.
Now what I would like to know if there is any information that delves deeper into a guy we only know as 'Dennis'? Does he know he has a cult following of fans? Does he mind being video taped for amusement of others?
-------------------- The views expressed in the above Post does not necessarily reflect those of snopes,The Infopoop Corporation,the Internet or most of society for that matter. Posts: 2474 | From: Scranton, PA | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
I don't know about anyone else, but I find these videos disturbing and explotive; whether they are staged or not.
It would seem to me that if the people who run this site were really portraying TS realistically then they would have more information about him and would not just make these videos avalible for viewing as "entertainment" as they are currently being presented.
-------------------- "Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don't they?" --the Scarecrow
"The Christian Right is neither." Posts: 72 | From: Minnesota | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
Where can you get one of those garbage disposals that sounds like Chewbacca?
Posts: 18 | From: New Zealand | Registered: Feb 2006
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-------------------- Ain't got no quarrels with God Ain't got no time to grow old Lord knows I'm weak Won't somebody get me off of this reef? Posts: 10 | From: Boise, ID | Registered: Feb 2006
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posted
I have only known one person with Tourettes and from what I understand it is one of those diagnoses that more or less describes a set of behaviors which no one has yet figured out exactly why they happen. So one Tourettes sufferer may not be like another. Having said that (and also, I only watched a couple of the videos), this does not look at all like the Tourettes I have seen. My family member who had Tourettes didn't seem nearly as deliberate in his actions as this guy. When talking to him his eyes would dart all over in a very unnerving way and his head would jerk around a good bit. A lot of times there were just smaller spasms, but sometimes big ones that would cause him to hit his head or injure himself. Also, the loud sounds and words (most of them not "bad words")he made seemed very unrelated to whatever was going on, whereas Tourettes guy just seems to be very angry at everyone. I will happily report that my family member grew out of the Tourettes and thankfully doesn't have to deal with the difficulties associated with it anymore. According to his mother, about 1/3 of Tourette's sufferers do recover by adulthood. My vote is that the whole thing is a set up and that Tourette's guy is probably an odd and angry person who is either somewhat or completely "in" on the whole thing. Or maybe that's just what I'd rather think!
quote:Originally posted by snoozn: I have only known one person with Tourettes and from what I understand it is one of those diagnoses that more or less describes a set of behaviors which no one has yet figured out exactly why they happen. So one Tourettes sufferer may not be like another. Having said that (and also, I only watched a couple of the videos), this does not look at all like the Tourettes I have seen. My family member who had Tourettes didn't seem nearly as deliberate in his actions as this guy. When talking to him his eyes would dart all over in a very unnerving way and his head would jerk around a good bit. A lot of times there were just smaller spasms, but sometimes big ones that would cause him to hit his head or injure himself. Also, the loud sounds and words (most of them not "bad words")he made seemed very unrelated to whatever was going on, whereas Tourettes guy just seems to be very angry at everyone. I will happily report that my family member grew out of the Tourettes and thankfully doesn't have to deal with the difficulties associated with it anymore. According to his mother, about 1/3 of Tourette's sufferers do recover by adulthood. My vote is that the whole thing is a set up and that Tourette's guy is probably an odd and angry person who is either somewhat or completely "in" on the whole thing. Or maybe that's just what I'd rather think!
snoozn
I have tourette syndrome. My case is pretty mild. My symptoms are similar to those of the relitive you mentiond. I don't have the uncontolled searing but I am prone to blurting out words or phrases for no reason. The video to me looks a little staged. He very well could have Tourette Syndrome but he may be exagerating a bit for the camera.
Ever notice how we always fall in love? We never climb gently in to love, or step lightly in to love. If love is such a good thing than why is it described as a fall. Posts: 918 | From: La Salle Illinois USA | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
A teacher at my school and my friend's younger brother both had the form of Tourette's cubbie described, and knew a girl who had the swearing kind. As has already been mentioned, this guy seems to just be shouting angry phrases at least semi-purposely, rather than blurting things out unintentionally.
Should I feel bad for laughing at this? Perhaps I'm being immature, but I can't not laugh at someone saying "These fishsticks are hard as tits!" or shouting "Bob Saget" or "Fashion Bug"
-------------------- Me: "He's 19? Uh oh, I bought him a beer." A: "You contributed to the deliquency of a minor in drag!" "Sweet spell check: keeping drunks off the radar since 1995."- IND GodRe-AnimateGreenPorkBush Posts: 3986 | From: Illinois, jealous? | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
Maybe making a joke of it is his way of coping-- and putting it on the web is his way of getting people used to seeing episodes. While it may seem undignified to put out Tourettes as entertainment, there's little dignity in losing control of oneself in any way, whether it be outbursts of strange words, twitching, or falling to one's knees unable to get enough oxygen to one's legs to walk. (I have asthma and the last has happened all too frequently) I joke about my asthma. Miasma's causing my asthma. Darth Vader imitations. It's all a way of not letting it get me down.
Tourette's main consequence, if I'm not mistaken is social? That is, people who are unaware of what's going on may treat the sufferer with scorn, assuming they are drunk, high, ill-mannered, or crazy? So if people recognize... "Oh, that looks familar, like Tourettesguy," instead of moving away in fear or calling the cops or something, they might be more rational and patient.
In fact, I can say there's a social element to asthma. People who don't know, start giving a person who is breathing heavy and has unfocussed eyes funny looks. Except for a person who knows has a relative who suffers and recognizes the signs.
Posts: 457 | From: Sacramento, CA | Registered: Jan 2006
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quote:Originally posted by candy from strangers is sweeter: Should I feel bad for laughing at this? Perhaps I'm being immature, but I can't not laugh at someone saying "These fishsticks are hard as tits!" or shouting "Bob Saget" or "Fashion Bug"
My favourite has to be: "It's what happens when Alex Trebak has a picture of a giraffe in his ass during an earthquake." I am thinking of making that my sigline. A classic!
-------------------- The views expressed in the above Post does not necessarily reflect those of snopes,The Infopoop Corporation,the Internet or most of society for that matter. Posts: 2474 | From: Scranton, PA | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
I had a friend who had the swearing kind of TS. He developed a habit of trying to cough over the swearing, and it kinda evolved into coughing fits. He also has lots of tics (ticks?).
-------------------- "I saw weird stuff in that place last night. Weird, strange, sick, twisted, eerie, godless, EVIL stuff... and I want in."- Homer Simpson Posts: 2161 | From: Delaware | Registered: Aug 2005
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