News/Commentary

Chris Cuomo can’t hold back laughter in interview with Tourette syndrome victim

December 14, 2023 | | Print Article

Chris Cuomo responded to criticism after he appeared to be laughing during an interview with someone who has Tourette Syndrome.

The former CNN host was speaking with TikTok star and social media content creator Baylen Dupree on NewsNation’s “Cuomo” to create more awareness of the neurological disorder that manifests in tics, involuntary sounds and verbal outbursts – often profane.

In the uncensored interview, the 21-year-old called Cuomo a “fat a**” and told him, “F**k off, f**k off, f**k off,” and “F**k you, Chris!”

She flipped him off as he tried to keep his composure during the four-minute segment. Eventually, it appeared Cuomo could no longer contain his laughter and seemed to lose it on air.

In the ongoing verbal exchange, Dupree called Cuomo a “little baby weiner – banana up your a**” before telling him to “butter your own biscuit, fat a**!”

No sooner had the so-called interview ended when Cuomo was lit up on social media. Many X users called him out for mocking someone suffering from the disorder while others ripped him for not being more professional.

But Cuomo had a response for his critics, as he spoke to viewers about the encounter with Dupree.

“Last night, we did a story. It was a little dicey. People weren’t sure we could do it because there was going to be a lot of cursing and Dusty and I didn’t give a damn,” he said.

“And we were right. Why? Baylen Dupree has gone viral and for good reason. We loved giving her a platform to fight the stigma of having Tourettes Syndrome,” Cuomo continued.

“Too many are mean and judgey, people have shamed her and recorded her because she has unusual tics. Her tics are like phrases, they’re repeated and they’re often vulgar,” he said,

“So, Baylen decided ‘I’m not going to be held hostage by other people’s thoughts about me’. She takes the TikTok to live her truth and she now has 9 million followers. She is getting paid for what some see as a problem,” Cuomo told viewers.

“She is putting purpose to her pain and I love all the coverage it’s getting, and the coverage shows us something,” he added as he went on to read some of the headlines ripping him for his on-air reaction.

“They’re saying I was laughing at her, that’s what’s suggested. Why? Because that’s mean, and mean is clickbait,” he said.

“And taking a bite out of my behind is what makes them money, but it’s also what feeds the instinct to be nasty in the first place,” he continued, slamming news outlets.

“If you’re going to distort what it’s about – the kid didn’t come on my show to curse at me, it’s a tic. It’s not a quote. It’s not intentional,” he said. “And by the way, most of the things she said about me – true. So, it shows that that’s our inclination – being nasty sells.”

Frieda Powers
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