Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Upset Tourette's girl, 15, booted from Avengers: Endgame screening for squawking

Emily Womack began squawking during the trailers in a bid to get the tics out before the movie started - but her mum Tina said she was pulled aside by a manger, and asked to leave

metro.co.uk

Sobbing Tourette’s sufferer, 15, booted from Avengers: Endgame screening for squawking like bird

author image Jimmy McCloskey
Saturday 27 Apr 2019 12:09 pm

A 15 year-old Tourette syndrome sufferer sobbed after being pressured to leave an Avengers: Endgame screening for squawking like a bird.

Emily Womack’s mother Tina, 47, was pulled aside by a manager who told her nine people had complained. The worker spoke out after Emily began to experience tics during the trailers before the Marvel superhero movie at her local AMC theater in Duncan, Oklahoma, on Thursday night.

Tina, who had scrimped and saved for the $61 surprise treat told Metro US: ‘One of Emily’s ticks happens to be a very loud squawk.

‘What she does is where we go anywhere in public, is that she gets them all out before she has to try and suppress them during the movie.

‘So she was extra tic-y because she was around people.

‘A manager came and tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to come out in the hallway.

‘When we got in the hallway he told me nine people in the theater had come out and complained about her tics.

‘I said “Oh well thats not a problem, she’s not going to do it during the movie…you wont hear a peep out of her.”’

‘And he said “Well I do have to ask that you guys would possibly consider leaving the theater, because I do have to go by what my patrons are concerned about, and they paid to see the movie. “

I said “Are you for real?”

He said “Yeah, I can’t tell you to leave. I’m not allowed to tell you that, but I think that would be best.”’

Legal worker Tina put her foot down and refused to go – but said Emily, whose condition makes her emit sounds involuntarily, was so distressed when she realized what had happened that she no longer felt comfortable staying.

She recalled: ‘Emily’s getting stressed and so tics are getting worse. She’s starting to tear up and she said “I don’t think I can stay in here now.” Everybody’s watching me. We got out into the hallway, the manager rushed us out the door.

‘We were devastated for my daughter. She is a good good girl.

‘She’s a good student, she loves people and she didn’t deserve that.

‘We don’t have a lot of money, so taking her to this movie was a huge deal for us.

‘We experience a lot of issues with her Tourette syndrome, but this was one of the most heartbreaking.’

Tina, her husband Andrew, 43, and Emily, were handed four free movie passes and vouchers for food and drinks.

But the family was so upset by the experience that they now plan to drive 45 minutes to a drive-in theater so Emily can watch the movie without being stressed.

The Womacks contacted AMC’s head office to complain, but have yet to hear back from them.

Tina says she appreciates that no-one wants their movie spoiled by noise.

But she says Emily sat quietly through the previous Avengers installment, and is angry her Marvel-mad daughter was denied the chance to do the same again.

She explained: ‘I understand if you’re paying to see a movie you want to see a movie not listen to noise.

‘I get that 100% and I wouldn’t take her if there would be noise. ‘My biggest issue is that they didn’t give her a chance.’

Metro US has contacted AMC for a comment.

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