Billie Eilish’s Tourette Syndrome has been the subject of intense fan discussion ever since the enigmatic pop star first opened up about it. According to People, during an interview on David Letterman’s talk show, “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction,” Eilish clarified she’s happy to discuss what it’s like living with the condition, since she barely understands it herself and recognizes it’s a fascinating topic.
Eilish’s main tics are wiggling her ears, raising her eyebrows, clicking her jaw, and flexing her arm muscles. “These are things you would never notice if you’re just having a conversation with me, but for me, they’re very exhausting,” Eilish explained. Although she’s been exhibiting small, physical tics since she was a kid, the pop star acknowledged they don’t present as often when she’s focused on the task at hand, such as singing. Sadly, because little is known about the syndrome, people often react badly to her.
Eilish revealed, “The most common way that people react is they laugh because they think I’m trying to be funny. They think I’m [ticcing] as a funny move. And so they go, ‘Ha.’ And I’m always left incredibly offended by that. Or they go ‘What?’ And then I go, ‘I have Tourette’s.'” As Billboard notes, Eilish went public with her diagnosis in a 2018 Instagram Story, after a compilation of her various tics was shared online. At the time, she made it clear Tourette’s doesn’t define her.
