Freelancer Anne Miller, writing in the Washington Post, says ‘American Idol’ contestant Dave Pittman is part of of a rising movement of people with Tourette’s syndrome who are putting a public face on the disorder.

Pittman, a singer from Arkansas, performed a four-minute audition on national television earlier this year but failed to make it to the final rounds after he forgot some song lyrics. He has now embarked on a motivational speaking tour.

Among other people who have Tourette’s: Brad Cohen, a teacher who was featured in the TV movie “Front of the Class;” political cartoonist and author Jeff Koterba; New York City Council member Jumaane Williams; and Miller’s husband, Michael Davoli. An excerpt:

Now that we’re married, people with Tourette’s or parents of kids with Tourette’s sometimes put Michael on a bit of a pedestal: He got through school, he has a good job and he married. That’s probably the biggest concern of Tourette’s sufferers and their relatives: Will their life be normal?

At a recent public appearance, Koterba met a mother and her young daughter with Tourette’s. The woman asked Koterba if her daughter would have a normal life. It broke his heart, Koterba recalled. “No,” Koterba told the girl. “You’re going to have a great life. An amazing life. A creative, beautiful, wonderful life.”

See also:

• Dave Pittman’s ‘American Idol’ fame helps children with Tourette syndrome — Baxter Bulletin [Mountain Home, Arkansas]
• ‘American Idol’ singer isn’t hampered by Tourette’s syndrome — Washington Post

(Fox photo from the Washington Post)

This entry was posted on Friday, April 23rd, 2010 at 1:21 pm and is filed under advocacy, entertainment, genetics, NOT2BEMISSED, public attitudes, tourette's. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.