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Billie Eilish Describes Suppressing Tourette’s Tics During Interviews

Her account highlights the pressure performers face to hide neurological symptoms.

Overview

  • Billie Eilish told Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast she suppresses her Tourette’s tics during interviews and lets them out once she leaves the room.
  • She said her knees, elbows, and fingers often tic under the table as she clenches to keep visible movements off camera.
  • She added that her vocal tics are mostly quiet noises and that certain words can turn into tics she tries to hold back.
  • She explained that people with Tourette’s can blurt intrusive thoughts without choosing to, which fuels confusion and stigma.
  • She called suppression a privilege not everyone has, noting she said in 2022 that long shoots reveal her tics and that laughter at them offends her.