Tourette's Podcast

Let's crack into a mystery. Scientists began to notice it as the pandemic revised our lives -- young people, almost all of them women, started showing up to the doctor in surprising numbers with what looked like Tourette Syndrome. Out of nowhere. No such prior symptoms. The common denominator? They'd all been watching Tourette content on the social media video-making-and-sharing app TikTok. Is the...

What better way to celebrate Tourette Awareness Month (May 15-June 15) than to open up about having the disorder? For the first time, ever, we mean (to whom it applies). Just a few days before this episode's conversation took place, our guest, 26-year-old Jhonelle, spoke up for the first time publicly about her life with Tourette Syndrome. To classmates, everyone. Which came with self-questioning....

This is a milestone of sorts; we're talking with the first guest Tourette's Podcast ever had -- Maddie -- to hear how life has been since she opened it up to the world on Season 1, Episode 1. This is one of those roaming, casual-paced conversations that covers so much -- from self-evaluation to relationships to Elon Musk and cyborgs to transition points to openness with one's employer and so much...

Episode 1 of Season 7, "Whispering For Too Long," is one of the best conversations Tourette's Podcast has ever recorded. Our guest is Gogo. She's lived with TS her entire life, but didn't know it as such until much later in adulthood -- and that's a big factor for her. When she finally got the diagnosis, it was like the world turned different colors. One thing to know about Gogo -- she speaks her...

Popping with Tourette Awareness Month (May 15-June 15), here's your entry to lucky number Season 7 of Tourette's Podcast with, as always, a twofer. Episodes 0 and 1 are out simultaneously. Episode 0 of Season 7, "Launch," captures a super solid conversation between podcast host Ben and two giants in the Tourette advocacy world -- TV presenter and wine/spirits expert Aidy Smith; and advocate, autho...

Folks! Season 7 is here, and just ahead of Tourette Awareness Month (May 15-June 15), kicked off PROPERLY by 2021 Virtual Conference with the Tourette Association of America. Here we catch up with Meghan Burns from TAA to talk about why this one is so significant. And just drops some cool breaking news on us. Listen! Check in! Lots coming up and we couldn't be more excited.  https://www.touretteco...

On the finale episode of Season 6, we close out an important ticket with a parent who wanted to know how to tell his young son he'd been diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome; we start up a book list; we urge your participation in National Advocacy Day (for U.S. residents); and then we get to the perfect guest to close out the season, Calvin Ramirez. This one feels like it answers a lot about where we'...

On this (great) episode, we have Eli, who works in American politics and campaigning. Lots of "yeah, me too!" talk about anxiety and fear and how it influences our behavior and, often, inaction, even on things we'd love to do. Also: a question -- with lots of answers -- from a parent on how to tell his young son he's been diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome. Plus: correcting the spelling of "scholast...

Things that Ben and this week's guest, Becky of London, have in common: Both were young rebels. Both had a frustrating school experience. Both are creativity-driven. Both totally immerse themselves in specific interests in short blasts before moving onto the next total immersion. Both are learning how to slow down and take breaks. Becky is a barber. And Ben badly needs a haircut. But it's Becky in...

By request, this is the audio of Ben's remarks at the 2021 Virtual Teen Summit, which the Tourette Association of America held Jan. 9, 2021. With full remarks and some Q&A with the many teenagers on hand, the focus here is on self-acceptance and the power ingredient of vulnerability.  Tourette's Podcast is made possible by the Tourette Association of America,  tourette.org . Support! You can give...

She freestyles her life experience. She holds rhythm. She's a self-taught musician. She owns her Tourette. She's 8 years old. Ky'lee Da Kid has so much in her command, but she lives in an area lacking on Tourette awareness, and so her coprolalia and other aspects don't get proper regard. But her mom, Sparkle, has something to say about it. She's the advocate, knows what Ky'lee has to offer, and wo...

It hasn't been easy for Shikhar, an 18-year-old from India. New to N. America, he's been constantly bullied for his tics in school. "It's not easy for me to tell anybody that I have Tourette's," Shikhar says. To make it worse, the racism he experiences adds all the more painful weight. But he's pushing through to the clearing. He's found the Tourette community, a proclivity for music, a has a care...

Self-isolation. Social tension. Fighting sleep because we want to be productive. Being resistant to our own nature. Sounds like heavy stuff, and it is, but why is this episode such a pleasure? Our guest, a 54-year-old woman with Tourette and all the things that come with it, lays it out in such an accessible, nod-your-head way. We get into the compassion of art, the effect of mindblowing sights, a...

Hey, parents -- freaking out about your young child's future? Is his or her Tourette diagnosis all you can think about? Understandable, but give yourself a break and listen to TS parent Christina (who also happens to be a school teacher) describe what she found as her son got into his teen years and became someone she didn't have to worry about so much in that regard. But, indeed, she's been there...

Disclosing Tourette for the first time in one's adult life is an experience. You ask yourself a lot of questions, maybe look over your shoulder a bit. But the revelations coming flying. Your host certainly knows. And now so does Ben Gardner, who contacted Tourette's Podcast just before he told the world for the first time that he had Tourette Syndrome. It was actually a pretty awesome unveiling. G...

Considering he's going for the rare title of first professional boxing champ with Tourette Syndrome, Zack Rice has the perfect ring name: TicNTimebomb. We could pun the description of this episode as a hard-hitting interview, but it's so deep into the realities humanity that ... hard-hitting is probably appropriate, actually. Zack's a boxer, and while it's possible you're not into the sport, it's...

Riyani Patel, 16, just came out with her second book and it's blowing up Amazon, showing up as the #1 new release in books in the category of disability for young adults. Solid. On this episode, Riyani tells us what led her to write "The 'Terrible' Bullies," what she hopes the public takes from it, and what advocacy -- a likely career value -- means to her. PLUS: Adult ADHD and reading -- your tho...

Danni's story is amazing. Tough upbringing, a younger brother to protect, a surprise introduction to tics, and finding a way to make total sense of the sometimes elusive thing that is identity through a kind of physical transformation. Danni is wildly smart about, and creative with, the journey through Tourette, even regarding Tourette as a distinct kind of personality -- with a name. Danni Jack o...

This conversation with our guest this week, Gianna, from New York, was recorded on the night of Election Day in the U.S., meaning, yeah, it served as a much-needed break from the mud throwing. Gianna, who has a master's degree in psych and works with disabled children, was a lot of fun to talk with and we did so like a regular hangout, the kind we'd probably have if we weren't recording. We talk T...

First thing -- a THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the 2020 Tourette Association of America Virtual Gala . Lots of great post-gala talk and Tourette's Podcast appreciates all the support before, during and since. On this episode, we hear from MMAJunkie.com writer and martial artist Dan Tom, who brings us a long, steady conversation with lots of vulnerabilities, candidness and analogies bes...

One of the most requested guests in Tourette's Podcast history is here. Jamie Grace is a two-time Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and actor who has refreshing angles on Tourette Syndrome, OCD, ADHD, anxiety and the components of each that are, sure enough, a privilege to have. (Hear her out!) She has a new book, called 'Finding Quiet,' a concept everyone in the room can relate to, and do we ev...

Jollyville Radio maker Michael Crosa joins us this week with a Tourette story that's different from the standard model. He remembers his first tic down to the date and time of day. It was that jarring. This is an episode that gets more and more interesting as it goes. He also has a career that's kind of perfect for a Touretter. Can't wait for you to hear this one. And don't forget, I'll be emceein...

Season 6 picks up right where Season 5 left off, and we'll leave it to Adam Curry to explain the how and why. Yep, that Adam Curry, the former MTV VJ these days known far and wide as the Podfather, a title that's followed him around since one of his inventions -- podcasting -- started to catch on. Not only would Tourette's Podcast not exist without it, but -- wouldn't you know it? -- Tourette Synd...

Some catchup, your feedback, a shredded voice, and a request to join me (in virtual fashion) at a big event coming up -- https://tourette.org/get-involved/gala -- as we kick off Season 6 of Tourette's Podcast, which opens with a GREAT guest, Adam Curry, the Podfather. 

Unbelievable. It's the FINALE of Season 5. But we go out the right way -- raising a glass with a special guest, Aidy Smith, who you know from the great docu-series The Three Drinkers on Amazon Prime. We talk about Aidy's background developing a world-class knowledge of wine and spirits and where Tourette Syndrome fits in. Aidy's opening-up about TS in his life has led to an important media sweep i...