back to article Spandau Ballet get the Tourette's karaoke treatment

Tourette's syndrome is no laughing matter, but it's hats off to Guy Daniel Francis, aka TheMainMeal, who was "diagnosed with Asperger's and Tourette's at 31", but is battling on like a good 'un. Down at his YouTube channel, dad-of-three Guy explains: "Once again one finds oneself ticcing like a 'mofo', so the only solution is …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. MartinBZM
    Thumb Up

    Incredible! What courage.

    This is amazing, I sometimes wonder how he manages to breathe at all.

    I find it courageous to show yourself like this on the internet, it gives an astounding insight as to the daily struggle Tourette patients go through.

    Thumbs UP, too bad there is only one pic allowed, I would have given him 10.

    Respect!

    Cheers.

    1. Matt Newton
      Coffee/keyboard

      TITLE?

      FUCK!

  2. LinkOfHyrule
    Thumb Up

    Always believe in f***.

    First I thought it was quite funny, then I felt really really sorry for teh poor chap. He seems to have a pretty bad touch of the Tourette's there. Good on him though.

    I know someone with an extreme case of Tourette's who actually sings while out in public to avoid calling passers-by c***s!

  3. GrumpyJoe
    Happy

    X-Factor calls...

    It'd be quite a show as well!

    Congrats, not a bad voice!

  4. iZmOliGy
    Thumb Up

    That was fekin hilarious.

    Nice one, that had me laughing so hard that I was crying. Tourettes, the only ailment that allows you to beat on your friends and family, spit and swear at strangers and say cunt with impunity.

    It must be hard on the sufferer, but I'd say the courage mostly goes to those within a 10' radius.

  5. SuperTim
    Go

    What a legend.

    This guy will be a huge hit.

    Still less swearing than gangsta rap though!

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Get this man on X-Factor

    He's better than most on there.

  7. StooMonster
    Thumb Up

    Brave indeed

    I think his best one is his Karaoke Tourette's of REM's Losing My Religion.

    Rare quality content on YouTube, the fella is a star.

  8. Cunningly Linguistic
    Thumb Up

    And even more thumbs up...

    ...to his wife and kids who probably had a harder job dealing with his AS and Tourettes than he does.

    As an AS diagnosee myself I know that it's harder for normals to deal with our condition than it is for us.

    1. OffBeatMammal

      they're

      not "normals", it's less offensive to use the term Neurotypical

      1. Cunningly Linguistic
        Troll

        Ah but...

        ...as an Aspie I really don't give a monkey's if I cause offence :)

  9. FreeTard
    Thumb Up

    Best utube video ever.

    Pure class. Get him on X-factor quick!

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Comedy Gold

    Do you see what I did there?

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    How does

    YouTube's auto-captioning get on with this?

  12. Annihilator
    Go

    And actually..

    .. he's not a bad singer. Go

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Pint

    The man deserves a beer after this.

    When viewing this I wondered what I was about to see. What I saw was:

    1. A version of Gold which was better than most karaoke versions I'd seen and totally original and honest and true to the performer.

    2. A man not afraid to show the world, through himself, the realities of Tourettes. But this is really clever, he's singing a song, something everyone recognises as a non agressive thing. When we meet sufferers in the town or supermarket, many of the ignorant "us" perceive such behaviour in terms of agression and are disturbed by it. But not this video, it's an education.

    3. Something to give me a kick up the backside not to worry about the little problems I think I have. Not pity, not charity, but respect.

    1. Elmer Phud
      Happy

      Yup

      His timing is good, even when you think he's disappeared in to the ticcing he nails the lines.

      Not only that he's in tune.

      Most of us are not doing the 'look at the strange funny man, Mummy' but 'Fuck the Tourettes, he's better than us at the karaoke lark'

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    Crash Test Dummies Mmmmm Mmmmm

    Respect due to the man. I have been crying in the office though.

  15. ahahaha you won't catch me that easy again

    so, like...

    you guys and popbitch gonna merge at somepoint in the future? "Reg-bitch" anyone?

    1. Chris Collins

      Circle jerk

      There was a bit of mutual masturbation on the popbitch mailout for the reg, as well. Perhaps Lester is knobbing the bird from PB.

      1. Sarah Bee (Written by Reg staff)

        Re: Circle jerk

        Hey, we satirical types respect each other, that's all.

        Lester won't appreciate that. I would hide if I were you. Hide somewhere far away.

        1. Richard IV
          Coat

          Lester only has himself to blame

          They'll only hide if Optimus Prime destroys another of the London boroughs. Otherwise people will start thinking that all Lester has to play with is Ultra Magnus. Or worse, the emasculated camper van version of Hot Rod - Rodimus Prime.

          Mine's the one with the key to Vector Sigma in the pocket.

          (Yes, I did used to have a subscription to Transformers magazine in the 80's)

  16. Code Monkey

    "not a laughing matter"

    Nope.

    Don't get me wrong, I'm sorry for those who suffer for Tourette's but it's bloody funny.

  17. Andy 97
    Unhappy

    This place gets more like Popbitch every day.

    IDNSHC

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I want to hear some RATM!

    Preferably "Killing In The Name". I wonder whether it would end up with more swearing or less...

  19. Graham Bartlett
    Pirate

    Massive respect!

    Reasonable singer. The balls to do this. And the tics are on the beat too!

    Pirates because of the salty language...

  20. Neil Porter
    Go

    Well done chap

    Does he do bookings? My birthday is coming up....

  21. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    Maybe NSFW but fuck it

    Half the office is now in tears laughing.

    The guy is awesome and I think his song choices just make it that much funnier

  22. Charles Osborne
    Thumb Up

    I knew a NASA engineer...

    ...who had a mild case -- but just the facial tics and the occasional upper body twitch. The only profanity he uttered was the day he was reading a newspaper, tic'd and tore it in half, clean down the middle. And who amongst us wouldn't have! It's a tough condition to have even with a great sense of self...and humor.

  23. solongandty
    WTF?

    Anon

    He was only diagnosed with Tourettes when he was 31??

  24. Hugh Jorgen
    Go

    Mash it up mon

    I'd love to hear his version of Insane Clown Posse's "Fuck the World"...

This topic is closed for new posts.