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Billie Eilish Says She Suppresses Tourette’s Tics During Interviews

Her podcast remarks highlight how tic suppression to avoid distraction fuels misunderstanding and stigma.

Overview

  • Eilish, speaking on Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast Tuesday, said she works to hold back tics during on-camera interviews to avoid being distracting.
  • She described mostly quiet vocal tics and constant motor tics in her knees and elbows, adding that she clenches her arms and hides movements under tables when filming.
  • She said that once an interview ends she has to let the tics out, and she called suppression a privilege that many people with Tourette’s do not have.
  • Eilish explained that intrusive thoughts can come out as spoken tics, which people often mistake for jokes or deliberate outbursts.
  • Diagnosed at 11 and previously candid on David Letterman’s show in 2022, she has renewed public awareness as outlets highlight her comments and cite recent real-world misunderstandings.