Wah-waht!
Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX
BRAD: My name is Bradley Cohen.
Waht!
But when I was a kid, people called me by lots of names.
My brother, Jeff, called me Dr. Bobo.
My mom called me [chuckles] "Honey."
And the kids at school...
Jah-jah-drop!
Well, they called me everything from "spaz" to "freak."
I didn't have many friends, actually,
but I did have a constant companion.
Wah-wah-waht!
I can barely remember a time it wasn't there.
[kids laughing]
Jah-jah!
Now, sometimes it wasn't a problem for me.
Waht!
[kids chanting]: Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!
Other times, it was.
Jah-drop!
Drop what? Your books?
Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!
What'd you say, Brad? Wah-wah!
Leave me alone.
Are you a baby?
BRAD: Wah-waht!
What did you say?
Stop making those stupid noises!
TEACHER: What is going on?!
Stop! Stop that fighting right now! Stop it, Brad!
Get back to class! Wah-waht!
Stop that nonsense![babbling]
You are in big trouble, Mister.
Wah-waht! Wah-waht!
WOMAN: The girl fell in the mud and got dirty.
One thing my constant companion and I agreed on
was that we hated school.
I couldn't wait till I got out.
No more homework, no more books,
no more teacher's dirty looks.
Wah-waht! Waht! Waht! Waht!
[kids laughing]
My companion first showed up when I was six,
but it was years before it had a name.
The shrink said I was just hyper
and made funny noises and acted weird
to draw attention to myself.
It was just a phase.
I'd grow out of it and be normal...
Wah-wah-waht!
[barks]
...like everybody else.
[barks]
Through it all, my constant companion stuck with me.
[bark]
Now, to my friends, I'm just regular old Brad Cohen,
the guy who likes baseball
and who loves cheesy '80s music,
which they think is much weirder than the noises I make.
♪ Ba-ba-ba-ba
♪ Ba-ba-ba-ba, baby
♪ Don't forget my number
♪ Whoa, whoa
♪ Whoa, whoa, baby
♪ Love is stronger than thunder ♪
[siren wails]♪ Ba-ba-ba-ba, baby
♪ Don't forget my number...
Wah-waht.
Afternoon, officer. Was I speeding?
12 miles over the limit.
Saint Louis, huh? You a tourist?
Uh, no, I live in Atlanta now. I just moved here.
I guess I was a little distracted.
[babbling]
Son, you been drinking?
No, no, sir, I, uh, I have Tourette's syndrome. Yah!
Take it easy, son.
I'm going to need you to sign this.
So, what kind of job you looking for?
Teaching. Yah!
I'm going to be a teacher.
[chuckles] Uh-huh.
I get that look a lot.
But I never let it get to me.
Wah-waht! Wah!
Wah!
I see you have a BA from Bradley University.
That's, uh, in Illinois,
isn't it? Yes, ma'am. [soft bark]
Graduated cum laude, high recommendations.
[barks three times]
Your student teaching evals are outstanding, excellent.
What made you decide to go into teaching?
Uh, it's all I ever wanted to do.
I feel like I was born to teach. Wah!
Okay, but why choose Atlanta?
I-I mean, Missouri is your home.
Yeah, no, I'm, uh,
I'm thinking of becoming a Braves fan.
So, uh... [chuckles]
Georgia honors my Illinois teaching certificate. Wah!
Plus I fell in love with Atlanta
when I worked down here as a camp counselor. I live here now.
So does my dad and, uh, my stepmom.
Wah!
Well, it's nice to have family here to give you support.
Maybe we should talk about the elephant.
Elephant?
In the room. My Tourette's.
No, the Americans with Disabilities Act doesn't allow me to ask...
I know, but I would like to tell you
just like I tell the kids in my classes.
See, I explain to them that
it's a brain thing that causes me to make these strange noises.
They're like sneezes, irrepressible.
When you have to, wah-waht, you have to.
Well, how do they react?
Once they understand, they're fine with it.
It's never caused a problem in the classroom. [barks]
All I want is a chance.
Just get me the interviews and let me prove to them
that I can do the job. [barks three times]
The Americans with Disabilities Act
says I'm entitled to a chance.
Ron!
So, how'd it go?
Oh, you know...
"Who wants a teacher that barks like a dog?
"You should try another line of work."
Are you serious?
Didn't they look at your résumé?
Oh, you're kidding.
Yeah, they're setting up interviews with some principals.
Fantastic! When?
Uh, I don't know, I've got to wait for their calls. Wah!
Get changed. We got to go celebrate.
Haven't you got a date?
Yeah, I'll see if she's got a friend.
It's about time you started meeting some chicks.
I can't focus on dating right now. [barks]
Has anybody ever told you that you're obsessive?
Uh, only every shrink I ever saw.
Well, have fun focusing.
Oh, your dad called again.
Maybe you should call him back.
You know? [barks twice]
All right, see you later.
[door closes]
Returning Dad's call... [chuckles]
I had to prepare for that.
See, Mom and Dad had divorced when I was a little kid
and my relationship with Dad had always been...
let's just say, complicated.
Jah-jah-wah-waht!
I mean, I wore out his patience like nails on a chalkboard.
It didn't help that my brother, Jeff, was also a little hyper.
Dad said he's waiting to get back to his home in Atlanta.
He's waiting to say good-bye.
Good-bye!
You're going to make him mad!
Come on. I'll race you!
Against the Green Dragon? You got to be kidding.
Shortcut!
Cheater!
Jah-jah!
Wah-waht!
Shortcut!
Oh, yeah?! Wah-waht!
Wah-waht.
[Jeff shouting]
Wah-waht!
Hey, that's not fair!
[yelling and laughing]
You're not gonna beat me.
See, I'm gonna win.
Oh, that's no fair!
You got a bike!
Okay, guys, all right, quiet down, guys.
Quiet down. We do have neighbors, you know.
Come here.See, I did beat you!
Yeah, calm down.
Brad, come here. Come on, honey, focus, will you?
Come here, come here.
Stand here, listen, listen up. Focus, please, all right?
I need you guys to do me a favor.
I want you both to make life a little easier for your mom, okay?
You are driving her nuts!
Guys! Listen. Hey! Stop it!
Brad! Help her out around the house, but most of all,
stop the obnoxious behavior, okay?!
[barking]
Hey, listen, I mean it!
Okay, quit the clowning.
Your brother may think it's funny, but I don't.
Wah-waht! I can't help it. Wah!
Yes, you can. There's nothing wrong with you
that a little self-control wouldn't fix.
Now, stop it.
[door opens]Norman?
They're not going to hold that plane for you.
Okay, all right. Okay, give me a hug.
Bye, Dad!Bye-bye, J-Man.
I love you, Dad.
Love you too, kiddo.
And listen up!
We'll stay at my house next time, okay?
I'll get tickets to a Braves game.
And Brad, remember what we talked about. Self-control.
All right?!
Need any help with anything, Mom?
Well, now that you mention it...
After the divorce,
Jeff and I helped Mom with her new business:
sort of a high-class traveling boutique.
Well, maybe "helped" isn't exactly the right word.
WOMAN: Oh, Ellen, these things
are exquisite.
You never find styles like this in Saint Louis.
Well, it's direct from California. Beverly Hills.
This is what everybody's wearing. Look at...
Boys!
Boys!Hide and seek?
Now, Ellen. I don't want to see anything in double digits.
Oh, honey, everything in California runs small.
Oh, go ahead. Just try it on.
Wah-waht! Waht!
Brad, could you please calm down?
He's barking like a dog, for goodness' sake!
Now, look. Don't take this the wrong way.
You know I wouldn't say this to you if we weren't friends,
but have you considered an exorcist?
You know, I think you might face the fact that you're a size 12.
I can cut the label out if it makes you feel better.
It's a new doctor.
Let's just listen to what he has to say.
Wah!
I know what he'll have to say.
Do you feel any anger towards your mother?
Because of the divorce?
Wah! No, no.
Do you resent your father
because he doesn't live with you anymore?
Wah! No.
Do you blame yourself for the divorce, Brad?
It happened when I was a little kid. Wah-waht!
I don't even remember it.
Mrs. Cohen, Brad has some serious
denial issues regarding the divorce.
What he needs at home
are some clear boundaries. He needs to understand
that this behavior is totally unacceptable,
and that, Mrs. Cohen, is your job.
The hardest part was knowing
how tough I made things for Mom.
I tried as best as I could for her.
Make sure he keeps taking his medication, yeah?
And for Dad...
Strike three!
I played sports.
[cheering]
On the ball field, I fit right in.
I mean, everybody makes funny noises
and has strange tics at a baseball game.
Waht!
Swing batta-batta-batta!Come on, Bobo!
Get him out, Brad! Get him out!
Come on, Brad! Come on!
Yeah, double play!
[cheering]
Yeah, Brad!
Thank you very much.
Hey, guys, I got something pretty exciting to tell you.
Honey, don't eat so fast. You're going to get the hiccups.
He's always got the hiccups.
You're a hiccup! Jah-jah! Jah!
Listen, hey, would you just relax?
Mom says you're not taking your meds.
How are you ever...
How are you ever going to calm down
if you don't do what the doctor tells you to do?
Pills just make it worse.
Oh, I see, so you're a doctor now, too, huh?
JEFF: He's Dr. Bobo.
Shut up! Ow!
All right, guys, listen, guys.
I have a very important announcement to make.
Guys? Guys! All right, that's it.
We're going back in the car.
Come on.
I'm still hungry.
You know what would be nice? Jah-jah!
One day without you acting up!
One!
JEFF: Wait up, Dad.
Jah-jah!
[banging noise]
So, what's the announcement, Dad?
I've been seeing somebody.
What do you mean seeing somebody?
Her name is Diane and she... Jah!
Brad, please! Stop doing that!
I can't.
I mean, nothing's happened yet, but...
how would you guys feel about having a stepmom?
No way!
We've already got a mom.
Well, now you're going to have two.
I talked to your mom about it, and she's fine with it.
She said... I said stop it!
Stop it!
See, I couldn't really blame Dad for losing it.
My tics drove him nuts because like my teachers,
he had no name for my strange behavior
except "insufferable."
[school bell rings]
Now, somehow... [chuckles] I don't know how,
I made okay grades, but...
what would take a normal person an hour took me two or three.
I mean, I loved learning, but I hated, hated reading.
Trying to concentrate brought out theworst
in my constant companion.
J-J-jah-jah!
Jah-jah!
[children laughing]
Brad? Come up here, please.
Wah-waht! Wah.
I know you think you're the class clown,
but I've had it with you!
I can't... wah-waht, help, wah, h-help it.
That's what you always say.
I don't want to hear any more excuses.
Your classmates are trying to study... Wah!
Wah-waht! Jop! Jop-waht!
And your clowning makes it impossible.
I'm sorry.
Don't apologize to me.
Apologize to them.
Eyes up here, everyone.
Sit up straight, please.
Brad has something to say to you.
I'm sorry. I...
that you can't study because of me.
And?
You promise never to make any more silly noises ever again.
I promise I won't make any more silly noises ever again.
Take your seat.
All of you, back to your books.
Jah-jah![children laughing]
As difficult as this may be for you, Mrs. Cohen, I assure you,
the teachers are at their wits' end.
I understand that, of course.
Sharon, would you hold my calls?
No, no, this might be the last chance.
I mean, thevery last chance.
Brad, look, I sent for your mother
because things have just gotten out of control here.
Now, she's going to take you home today.
And you can come back...Jah-jah!
Jah-jah! I can't help it.
Sorry, what did you say?
He said he can't help it.
Right.
What if he's telling the truth? Hmm?!
You've got a bright boy, Mrs. Cohen,
but making excuses for him...Jah-jah!
Jah.
Making excuses is not going to help.
Now, he needs to use this time to ask himself this question:
Brad, come on. Let's go.
"Why am I sabotaging myself?"
I don't care if they expel me.
I hate that school.
Well, it's that school or another one.
I hate all schools. Why are we going here?
To find some answers.
I can't go in the library.
They'll throw me out. Please, Mom.
All right, come here.
Sit over here.
Well, maybe we're just going down the wrong track.
Who?
All of us.
Drop-drop.
JEFF: Get off me!
Chihuahua! Chihuahua!Wet Willy!
I know you're busy, Norman.
I won't take up much of your time,
but I really think that you should hear this.
Boys! Keep it down. I'm talking to your dad!
I want to talk to him!
In a minute! Keep it down!
Listen, you know, those teachers and that doctor,
to them it's all about bad parenting
which, of course, comes down to me
because I'm the only one here.
No, I'm not blaming you, Norman.
In fact I'm going to stop blaming myself.
I was talking to a friend, and she thinks that
the doctors are missing something.
I got this stack of medical books from the library
and I've been doing a little bit of research.
Stop saying he just needs more discipline, Norman!
Nothing I do helps.
He is out of control, and I am at the end of my rope.
Wup.
Can I talk to Dad?
Can you just wait a minute, honey?
JEFF: Mom!
All right, but give him back to me when you're done.
What is it, Jeffrey?
Hey, Dad. Wah!
Yeah, it was a great game.
I got two base hits and a walk.
I'm sorry I cause you so much trouble, Mom.
I want you to read something in this book I found.
It's a medical book that might explain
why you make all those noises.
I hate reading, Mom.
Read.
Tourette's syndrome.
Th-That's Brad, isn't it? The noises and the twitches.
I'll still need to do more tests, but, uh...
You could be right.
We may have been headed down the wrong road here.
Jah-jah!
I've never actually seen a case of Tourette's before.
So, at last my constant companion had a name.
Look, this says there's no cure.
But that may have changed. This is an old book.
That hasn't changed, Mrs. Cohen.
I'm very sorry.
Yeah, but they're still looking for a cure, right?
I mean, they will find one, won't they?
They have...
They have to.
[sobbing]It's okay, Mom.
We'll get through this, all right.
Oh, come here.
BRAD: See, there's a reason, Dad. Drop-drop.
I'm not being weird on purpose.
Listen, uh, Brad.
I, um...
All right, well, that's all I wanted to say.
Bye.
Finally, my dad believed me, but he never believed in me:
that I would succeed; that I could teach.
[ringing]
[barking]
Hello, this is Brad.
A dog? Um, yes, yes, ma'am. That is my dog, uh-huh.
Uh, okay. Yes, yes, I can be there at 11:00 a.m.
My very first interview.
Great, that sounds great. Okay, thank you.
I tried not to overreact.
I held in my tics.
Yes! Waffle! Yes!
After the first call, I got two more.
Three interviews with three principals.
Needless to say,
my constant companion was more than a little enthusiastic.
Hmm, well, I see you only have your bachelor's degree.
Are you planning to get your master's?
Yes, sir. Jah! As soon as I can.
We don't require it for entry-level...Jah-jah!
but if you're serious...
I'm very serious.
I want to make teaching my life. [barking]
I, uh...
I make these noises because I have Tourette's syndrome.
I'd like to tell you about it.
It's a neurological disorder where my brain
sends mixed signals to my body.
It's like a sneeze. It's irrepressible.
...weeks and I'll give you a call.
Okay, great. Thank you very much.
Thanks. Take care.[barks]
Well, strike one.
But like Mom always said: Don't ever give up.
When I was little, Mom never stopped researching.
Because while there was no cure,
but there might be ways to live a normal life.
BRAD: It's a church, Mom.
ELLEN: Honey, you're not going to have to get a Bible lesson.
It's just a support group.
Do I have to?
You need to connect with other people
who have Tourette's.
Find out how they live with it.
Okay... let's do it. Jah-jah!
[barking and grunting in distance]
I'm not going in there.
Honey...
I'd never seen anyone with Tourette's before.
Drop-drop.
There were eye-blinkers and nose-twitchers,
foot-stompers and neck-jerkers.
Some of them yelped and coughed.
Is this what I looked like to other people?
Wah!
Come on, Bobo. We're here to learn.
Let's start learning.
The Americans with Disabilities Act gives us the right
to do anything or go anyplace that we want to.
But try going to a movie.
Or a concert or a restaurant.
That law doesn't mean anything
when people are yelling at you to shut up.
I come home and my parents close the windows and blinds
'cause they don't want the neighbors to see me tic.
No one was even trying to be accepted.
The adults were out of work; the kids stayed at home.
I knew one thing: I didn't want to be like them.
Even the coaches on his team wouldn't accept him.
Oh, I'd had it.[grunting]
Of course, you're home-schooling, too?
No. Brad goes to school like any other kid.
These kids aren't like any other kids.
School's a waste of time for them.
I took him out at the third grade
just to save my sanity.
You want my advice,
Wup.you'll do the same.
Yeah. Thanks.
Let's go, Bobo.
It's supposed to be a support group.
Where's the support?
You're supposed to just hide away for the rest of your life?
I'm really so sorry that I brought you there, honey.
Let's just forget this.
I don't want to forget this, Mom.
Those people let Tourette's win.
I'm never going to do that.
It's difficult to imagine that, at the age of 12,
I would find a genuine philosophy to live by.
But here it was: this defining moment.
Wup.
To always face my adversity head-on.
When I went to my next interview,
I decided to be even more upfront:
get the Tourette's stuff out of the way first,
and then dazzle them with my approach to teaching.
[yelps]You seem to have been very successful
in spite of your Tourette's.
I've worked very hard to become the best teacher I can be.
Thank you for coming in.
I'll let you know.Thanks.
So much for being upfront.
For my third interview,
I decided to avoid discussing my Tourette's at all.
Each week, I like to send home a progress report
to my students' parents... Wha...
I like to give my students a voice in their learning.
Chop, chop! To be hands-on
and interactive in the classroom...
Drip, pa, wha!
...but also to keep the parents closely involved... Yurp!
Yurp! Whop.
Ron, it was a huge mistake not mentioning my Tourette's.
Whup! Whup!
It was like, you know, I was trying to hide it.
Fat chance. Whap!
Okay, that's a negative.No, the negative
is you got to stop stressing out.
You're stressing me out.
But the positive is
that, hey, the others didn't seem to have
a problem with it, right? Ftt! Ftt!
I just... I got to wait for the call.
The positive is, you're coming out with me.
My new girlfriend--
she has a roommate.
Will you stop trying to set me up? Wha! Wha!
When I'm ready to date, I will date.Come on.
She's heard all about you,
and she still wants to meet you.
Oh, thanks.
Real kind.
Listen, I want to relax, okay?
I want to watch the Braves.
We all want to watch the Braves.
Get changed.
GIRL: So, Ron tells me that you're on a big job hunt.
How's it going?
Pretty good... Wha! Wha!... except no one's hired me yet.
I guess they're all too busy fighting to get to me.
[bar patrons chanting]
You do this?
I am impressed by this.
You should be.I was not expecting this.
That's amazing.
But I'm pretty good.You are.
Wha! Wha! Wha!
Wha! Wha!
So you are really a sports fan?
Ah, yes. Big-time. Okay.
Soccer, softball, tennis. Okay. Mm-hmm.
Yep. I played a lot in college,
but I'm not good enough for the pros.
I hear that because I wish I was good enough to be him.
Who? Him.
[laughs] Oh, you want to be a mascot?
His name is Homer.
Homer. Whup!
And it's a lifelong ambition.
Okay. All right.Fa! Fa!
Wha! Wha!
Wha! Fa! Fa!
Don't look now. Don't look now, but there's this guy behind us,
and I don't know what his problem is. He keeps staring.
Ah.
I actually get that look
a lot. Wha! Wha!
It's a look of envy.
He's thinking, "How can I make cool noises like that guy?"
You have such a great attitude about your...
Bye, Homer.
Bye... bye, Ron. Bye-bye.
Bye, Homer.
Go, Braves!
So, that must have gone well, huh?
Did you ask her out again?
Yeah, I asked,
but it's second date syndrome-- p-wha!
You know, I'm a great guy;
she had a lot of fun, but, uh...
Your tics are just too cool for her?
Actually, no, she says
because my roommate's breath smells so bad.
What do you mean? You know what I mean.
Wa!
Ra![phone ringing]
Yop! Wa!
This is Brad.
Oh, hey, Dad.
Yeah, no, Ron-Ron-Ron told me
you called, I just, uh,
you know, I've been so busy that...
No, I haven't had lunch yet.
Wha! Wha!
All right, that sounds great.
Where do you want to meet?
Lunch at Dad's work.
He wouldn't have to worry about my noises there.
[machines roaring, men yelling]
Yip! Wha!
Yip!
Let me know if you need any more of those trusses, okay?
All right. Hey. Hey.
Hey, Dad.See you found your way.
Yeah.Let's go have lunch outside my office.
It will be a little more private.All right.
Diane's wondering when you're gonna come by.
I guess you've been pretty busy with the job-hunting.
Any luck?
I'm still interviewing.
How is that going?
Are they giving you any trouble with your, uh...?
You can say the word, Dad: Tourette's.
Some of them are; some of them aren't.
How's your money holding out?
I'm not asking you for money.I know that.
You never ask me for anything. No.
But if you ever do get short,
you know you got a job with me.
I'm gonna teach, Dad-- drop! drop!-- okay?
I can't let anything get in the way of that.
Okay... I'm just saying
there's nothing wrong with keeping your options open
in case things don't work out.
You know, there are other things besides teaching.
Not for me.
Dad could never understand my optimism.
Like when I graduated to middle school.
I was really hopeful things would be different.
What's the matter, Brad?
Eating alone?
Make a fresh start.
New school, new friends.
J-J-jup!
Same result.
Today, we're gonna be talking about fractions.
Fractions are your friend.
You use fractions in everyday life.Jup-whup-jup!
[children laughing]
You just don't realize it.
For example, say your mother bakes a pie.
She cuts the...Jup-whup-whup!
[children laughing]
Cohen...
just go to the principal's office.
CHILDREN: Ooh...
Not the best way to introduce myself to the principal.
Whup-whup!
Whup-whup-whup![clears throat]
Whup.
Whup-whup.
[sighs]
What do you think a school is for, Brad?
Whup-whup-drop!
I'm sorry I keep disrupting the class.
You're not answering my question.
What's a school for?
To educate, isn't it?
Whup-drop!
To use knowledge to wipe out ignorance.
The school's orchestra is having a concert
this afternoon-- you planning on going?
No, sir, my tics will ruin the music.
Hmm.
I want you to be there.
[playing classical music]
BRAD: Drop-drop.
Jup-jup.
Drop-drop.
Drop-drop!
Wha-wha.
J-jup-jup.
Jup!
Shh.
Jup!
[music ends, applause]
Everybody, just keep your seats for a minute, please.
Thank you.
Did you enjoy the concert?
[applause]
Great job.
Did you hear any noises during the quiet parts?
ALL: Yes. BRAD: Wha-jop-jup.
Yeah, so did I.Drop-drop.
They're pretty annoying, aren't they?
The person making those noises
is Brad Cohen.
Come on up here, Brad.
J-jop-jop.
Jop.
Whup-whup.
[microphone feedback]Whup-whup.
Whup-whup.
Do you like making noises and upsetting people, Brad?
No, sir.
Then why do you do it?
Wh-wha!
Because I have Tourette's syndrome.
Drop. What's that?
It's a thing in my brain
that causes me to make weird noises.
But you could control it if you wanted to, right?
Yop... no, sir.
It's a sickness.
Hmm.
Well, why can't you just get cured?
There isn't any cure.
I don't like making noises any more
than you like hearing them.
They're even worse when I get stressed.
When you don't accept that I can't stop them.
But when I feel accepted, then they're not so bad.
What can we do?
And I mean everyone in this school.
What can we do to help you, Brad?
I just want to be treated like everybody else.
[whispering]: Good job.
You can sit down.J-jup.
Drop-drop.
Drop-drop-wha.
Drop.
A few words, a little education,
and it was like opening a door to a brand-new world.
Now someday, some way, I knew...
Tourette's or no Tourette's,
I was going to be a teacher.
I had no choice but to prove Tourette's
would never get the best of me.
If I quit, I'd be agreeing with everyone
who had ever told me I was barking up the wrong tree.
Mm-hmm.
Hmm.
Hmm. Uh, sorry about the air-conditioning.
It's supposed to have already been fixed by now.
Oh, that's, uh... [barks]
Well, your, um... your résumé looks okay,
and we do have an opening in the fifth grade.
Okay. I...
But I do have to tell you,
this is a tough place to work. [barks]
Um, we've got some really hard cases.
Well, I take that as a challenge.
I don't believe that any kid is hopeless.
[clicks tongue] They all want to learn.
You can't ever give up.
You just, uh, got to find the right way to teach them.
You got something stuck in your throat.
Would you like a drink?
I have Tourette's syndrome.
[barks] I'd like to tell you...
Tourette's? Isn't that where you yell out obscenities?
That's coprolalia. It's a rare symptom
that a small percentage of people with Tourette's have.
I don't have that.
Listen. They did not tell me
that you were going to be handicapped.
How do you expect to handle a bunch of wild students
with a handicap like that?[barks]
Well, by educating them.
By letting them know it's okay to talk about it.
These students would laugh at you.
Uh...
Not... when they understand it's simply...
Okay, I have seen teachers with disabilities before
[barks] and never with what you've got.
I just don't see how you could ever teach a class.
I can teach... [barks]
Look at my résumé.
Look at it.
Okay, I was very successful as a student teacher.
My Tourette's never posed a problem.
[barking]
I can teach.Okay, bottom line.
I need somebody now for the fifth grade.
You want to teach here, you're going to have to refrain
from making these noises in class.
You know what? Thank you very much
for the interview.But don't you want the job?
Yes, actually. I want it really bad.
But I would never ever work for a man
that doesn't care about his students.
So I'll take my portfolio and, uh,
and take no more of your time.
You got a great boss.
Wow.
[barks]
[panting]
[sobs]
[sobbing]
That was the worst interview I've ever had.
All he could see when he looked at me was my Tourette's.
[barks] That's all any of them see.
Well, honey, if they can't see what a great teacher
you would be, that is their failure, not yours.
Well, it sure seems like my failure.
Well... [sighs]
If you say so.
You know what?
Why don't you just throw in the towel and come home, huh?
I'll buy you a ticket.
I'm not saying that.
Really? It's sounds like that's what you're saying.
It sounds like you're letting Tourette's win.
I am not letting Tourette's win.
Really?
Yes, really.
Look, I'm never going to give up.
I just... [sighs]
I have to find the right school.
You will, Bobo.
You will.
So I decided it wasn't Tourette's.
I just hadn't found the right school yet.
I'd keep barking, and I wasn't quitting
until I found that principal.
I made a map of every school where I hadn't interviewed.
[barking]
If the principal wasn't in, I'd give my résumé
to his secretary or a janitor
and ask them to drop it off when the principal returned.
I didn't care; I needed a job.
I wasn't going to stop until I had one.
[barks]
You'll be starting at the bottom,
but that's no big deal.
That's where I started.
And you're working 7:00 to 4:00.
I told you this was only part-time.
I need to keep my mornings open for interviews.
I thought that school had started already.
No, not all of them.
Well, we'll see what happens.
Here are your tools of the trade.
At least for the time being.
Like I said, at the bottom.
But every job is important here,
and who knows, maybe you'll end up liking it.
And if you put your time in...
Didn't you hear what I just said?
[barks] I'm only working here until I get a teaching job.
All that stuff has to go in the dumpster.
[barks]
The hiring season was ending.
My interviews had dried up.
School had started.
I was running out of time and money... and hope.
[doorbell rings]
[barks]
Diane.
I gave up on you ever coming to me,
so I just came to you.
You busy?
It was my stepmom Diane,
trying to build bridges with bagels.
Your dad built his business with his own two hands.
You can't blame him for wanting you to be a part of it.
[barks]He's just being a dad.
He wants you in his life.
So how do you like Atlanta?
You meeting any nice girls?
[sighs]
I'm just saying all the right things, huh?
[chuckles]
Let me get you a refill.
Brad, Brad.
Your dad loves you...
Da! ...so much.
Wa!
He just doesn't want to see you get hurt.
The only thing that hurts is the fact
that he has never accepted who I am.
Ja! Ja!
See, he's got this idea of a perfect son...
who is normal and does normal things.
Well, I'm never going to be normal.
Well, maybe that's not hisidea, Brad.
Maybe that's yours.
And you're right.
[chuckling]: You are not normal.
You have the gift... to teach.
And it's not in spite of your Tourette's.
It's because of it.
[sighing]: I have to go.
[door opens]
[sportscaster talking indistinctly over television]
[phone rings]
Ba! Ra!
Hello, this is Brad.
Uh... yes, uh, that's a sheepdog.
Uh-huh.
Yep, Brad, Brad Cohen.
10:00 is, is perfect for me.
Absolutely.
Okay, great.
[school bell rings]
Wa!
Ba! Ba!
Ba!
Da! Da!
[female teacher talking indistinctly]
Da! Ha!
Raise your hand. Raise your hand.
You got to raise your hand. Come on...[door opens]
MAN: You must be Brad Cohen.
Hi.
Ja! Ra!
Jim Ovbey. I'm the principal around here.
Hilarie Straka, assistant principal. Hi.
Come on in the office, Brad.
We heard you coming all the way from the parking lot.
[laughter]
I hear you've been making the rounds.
Uh, 25 schools so far.
Ja! Ja!
And, uh, here's, here's my résumé.
Oh, here... Oh.
We can look at that in a minute, Brad.
Just come on in and tell us why you want to be a teacher.
Okay.
Well, it's, uh...
[chuckles]
...it's all I ever wanted to be-- wa!--
ever since I was in school.
You must have had some pretty inspiring teachers.
Uh, well, I had an inspiring principal-- Mr. Myer--
but my teachers-- they really only inspired me
to be the kind of teachers that they never were.
Ja! Wa! Wa!
What kind of teacher is that?
One who makes it possible for a kid to learn,
even if he's different.
In a way, the best teacher I ever had was my Tourette's.
Y-You don't have to talk about that, Brad.
N-No, it's okay.
I make a point of being open about it.
It's never off-limits to my students.
They can ask me anything they want about it at any time.
Wa!
You must get some pretty interesting questions.
[laughing]: Oh, yeah.
Sometimes it gets really personal.
I hope this question
isn't too personal, Brad.
Do you make those noises
in your sleep?
I don't know.
I'm asleep.
[all laughing]
No.
No, I, I don't tic in my sleep.
When I'm relaxed, the noises give me a little bit of a break.
Like just now.
Okay, Brad.
I want to hear more
about your teaching philosophy.
Yeah, I'd love to tell you about my teaching philosophy.
We talked for nearly two hours.
It was the best interview I had ever had.
Well, Brad, it was a pleasure to meet you.
Yeah, you, too, you, too.
We've still got a few more teachers to interview...Wa! Wa! Wa!
...but we'll let you know when we've made a decision.
Okay, great. [chuckles]
Thank you. Thank you, thank you.
Yes!
[bird squawks]
Still, my constant companion, as always,
warned me not to get my hopes up.
But hope is a hard habit to break.
[chuckles]
[birds squawking]
Ba!
[clears throat]
Ba! Ja! [squawking]
[squawks]
[birds squawking]
Ja! Wa! Wa!
[birds and Brad squawking]
[laughs]
[squawks]
I was called one last time
and asked to come in and meet with the second-grade staff.
Ja!
Oh, so you student-taught second grade?
Oh, I love second grade.
The kids are still so open-minded.
They're open to everything.
[chuckles]Yes, but you do manage
to maintain a little discipline, right?
While they're being so open?
Fa! Wa! I do let them know what the boundaries are, yes.
Fa!
So, Brad, what do you think
is the most important thing youhave to teach?
Yeah.
Uh, well, besides the importance of reading
and the value of math,
that it's okay to be yourself.
Wa! Ja! Wa!
It's okay to color outside the lines
if that's who you are.
So, um, it's okay to ignore the boundaries?
No, and I, I didn't... ja!
Fa! Fa!
Ja! Ja! Wa! I'm sorry,
but how can you expect kids to learn
when you're doing that all the time?
Oh, come on, Brenda.
No, no, no. It's okay.
It's a valid question, and I want to answer it. Ja!
Before they know me,
kids sometimes do think I'm just weird, or even scary,
but once I educate them about my Tourette's...
Fa! Fa! ...and they can see that
that Mr. Cohen's a real person,
who just happens to make funny noises,
well... then they accept me
as a good teacher. Ja!
Just like they accept all of you.
SUSAN: Well, maybe we should all
try to be more like second graders.
[sputters]
Does anyone have any other questions for Mr. Cohen?
Brad, thanks for coming in.
The school will be in touch with you,
and, so just be patient.
It's hard to be patient when you feel as though
you've blown your last chance,
and patience was never
my constant companion's strong suit.
NORMAN: I'm guessing you never heard from that school.
No, not yet. They're still interviewing. Wa! Wa!
I'm not worried. Ha.
Okay.
What's that supposed to mean?
I just said okay.
Wa! Wa! I know what you mean.
You don't think anybody would hire me
if they had a choice. Wa! Wa!
What are you, a mind reader now?
You know what, Dad?
This is gonna be my last day here.
Well, why don't you wait and see if you got the job first?
I'm gonna get the job, Dad. Wa!
I just have to stay focused.
Why can't you stay focused and realistic at the same time?
What's wrong with that?
Here. Wa!
[microwave beeping]Huh!
Wa! Wa![glass shattering]
Whoa! Are you all right, man?
You'll knock yourself out doing that.
What if that happens
while you're driving?
I'm fine. Oh, yeah. I don't know.
You ought to see another doctor.
I've seen doctors
my whole life, Ron.
Okay? They don't help.
Well, don't you think you need to see
somebody?
I really don't.
So just...
[glass shattering]
♪ Come on
♪ Everybody...♪
There I was waiting for the phone to ring again.
I tried to convince myself something good would happen.
[doorbell rings repeatedly]
♪ Everybody get on down...
Wa!
♪ Let's get down...
My kid brother.
Not exactly what I had in mind.
[laughs] Oh!
[laughing] How you doing, Bobo?
Jeff! What-What are you doing here?
Why didn't you tell me you were coming?
You know you're in your boxers, right?
Did, uh, Mom send you to check up on me?
Why? You need checking up on?
No, but... Where do I put my stuff?
That's
great.
You get the couch.
Whoa! Nice clubs.
Are these new?
Uh, they're Dad's.
He let me borrow them.
Thought maybe you and I could, uh...
Wa! Wa! Wa! Wa! ...play a little golf.
He got us a tee time at his club.
BRAD: So, what do you think, a three iron from here, little bro? Ja!
Hey, by the way, thanks for the round.
Well, thank Dad.
Oh, wait. Ja! Wa! Wa!
I forgot. You guys aren't speaking.
I don't want to talk
about Dad right now.
You're just saying that to rattle me because you know...
ja! wa! I'm going to beat you.
I'm serious, Brad.
You-You and Dad got to start getting along.
We get along just fine.
Ja! Wa!
As long as we keep it long-distance.
Is that why you moved down here?
To keep him long-distance? Wa! Wa!
I mean, it's not like
you have anything to prove to him, right?
What are you now, Jeff? A shrink?
Dr. Jeff, huh?
Wa! Wa! I'm sorry.
Sir,
I'm going to have to ask you to stop making those noises.
Look, pal, he's not doing it...
No, no, no. I can handle it, Jeff. I got it.
Look, it's just not fair to the other golfers.
No, I understand. Um, I can't help making these noises. Ja!
Wa! Ja! because I have Tourette's syndrome.
It's a neurological disorder.
I'd like to tell you about it. Ja! Ja! Ja!
You're going to have to leave the course.
I got to think of the other members.
Hey, Joe, leave the guy alone. He's fine.
Hey, man,
we're a twosome, and our buddies don't appear...
Ja! Ja! ...to be showing.
Would you like to join us?
If you don't leave,
I'm gonna have to call security.
Okay. Okay. Um... Okay.
Thanks, guys.
Maybe next year, all right? Ja!
Jeff, come on. Come on, buddy.
Thanks.
[man grunts]Come on, Jeff.
It's not like you haven't seen it before.
How can you stand living in a world
where everybody is soignorant?
Everybody's not.
You saw those golfers back there. Wa!
They went to bat for me.
My life is full of people like that.
That's not always my experience. Wa! Wa!
Well, that's cause you're always getting into fights
sticking up for me. You and Mom.
You've always been there for me and my tics.
You know what? What?
You're beginning to tickme off. Oh, yeah?
Race you to the car. What?
Hey! Hey! Sucker!
Cheater!
Jeff's visit did give me a break from my worries.Uh! Uh!
And right after he left, I got a call from the school.
The principal wanted to see me in his office.
Ha!
Just like old times.
[bird squawking]
[squawking]
[sighs] JIM: Pretty noisy, huh?
And yet somehow the kids manage.
Don't they?
Yes, they do.
They do.
Hilarie and I discussed you with the teachers.
Ja!
And we talked about how proud we are of teaching our kids
to never let anything hold them back in life.
And Hilarie said if we're going to talk the talk,
we need to walk the walk.
She's waiting to show you your classroom.
[chuckles]
Welcome.
[laughing]: All right.
The second grade is overcrowded,
so we've had to create a new class.
Your kids are being taken out of other rooms,
so some of them might be a little confused.
They've already been in school for three weeks.
Ba!
There's your student roster.
The fun starts Monday, Brad.
Let me know if there's anything you need.
[chuckling]: I need everything.
Fa!
I looked down at that roster like I was announcing
the starting lineup for an all-star baseball game.
Hilarie, this is, uh... Thank you.
Hey, we thought you might need these.
Hey, everybody, bring 'em in.
Just put 'em down anywhere.
We'll get 'em arranged.
The... Here, let me help you with that. Thank you.
[laughs]
Wa!
Welcome to Mountain View. Wa!
Yeah, Mom, it's phenomenal, but, you know,
it's taken me so long to get here,
I still have to remind myself that I'm just
at the beginning. Wa! Wa!
Oh, honey, that is...
that is wonderful news!
That's wonderful.
Yes, Mom,
it is absolutely wonderful, but, you know,
they've only given me a contract for a year.
Okay? Pa! Pa!
I still have to prove to them
that they've made the right choice.
Honey, listen, just take a moment to enjoy this.
Oh, my gosh.
Oh, my... Did you call your father?
He is going to be so proud.
Wa! I will, Mom,
but, you know, right now, I literally have about two weeks
of preparation to do in about two days,
and, uh, you know, now that I have the job,
I got to really, seriously start working
on getting my master's degree.
Okay, one thing at a time, all right?
Listen, are there any cute teachers at that school?
Mom!
Well, I want you to be happy.
Okay, all right. Yes. Don't worry.
I'm working on that, too.
I got to go. Good-bye.
[typing]
Ha! Ja! Wa!
Whoa!
You must be Brad.
You must be Nancy. Ra!
Ra! Ra! Hi, I'm Brad.
I know.
Right, of course.
I guess I'm a little nervous.
Please.
Ha!
This is my first time, uh, computer dating, so...
Ga! Wa! Oh, yeah.
Ra! Me, too.
My mom thinks it's dangerous.
Ra! Well, yeah.
I mean, you never know what kind of weirdo you might meet,
but you look pretty normal, so...
[laughs]
[both laughing]
Good, I'm glad.
Yeah. Actually, you look much better than normal.
Thank you.
So, uh,
I guess we're just supposed
to tell each other our life stories, or...?
Um, okay,
do-do you think I... Ya! Ha!
Do you think I could get a cup of coffee first?
Cup of coffee? Yeah.
Right. Yeah. Of course, coming up.
Thanks. Uh, do you want, like, a muffin?
Uh, I'm on a diet.
But I would love a muffin.
My roommate is driving me absolutely crazy.
She never makes her bed. She's got clothes everywhere.
She's, like, always blasting her music...
Ba! Ha! Wa! Ba!
...night and day, but of course,
whenever I want to listen to my music,
she's all like, "You need to keep it down."
Da! So what kind of music do you listen to?
Well, um... Yeah?
Mostly oldies stuff.
Uh-huh. Especially Sting. Oh, I love Sting.
[chuckles]Uh, Madonna, Bon Jovi,
you know...Milli Vanilli?
I love Milli Vanilli.
Really?
Wait, you, too?
We've got to be the only two people on Earth--
ja, ja!--
that love Milli Vanilli.
You do not. [laughing]: Yeah.
Well, I had a really nice time.
Thank you.
I shouldn't have had that muffin, but...
[both chuckle]
Uh, I...
I really enjoyed meeting you.Yeah, me, too.
Fa! Fa!
Okay, well,
thanks again, Brad.
[car door opens]
[car starts]
[chuckles]
Aah! Yeah.
[chuckles]
Ya! Ya!
I can't believe you.
You said she was perfect.
She was perfect.
I just didn't want to ruin it.
Oh, by asking her out again?
Wa! Ah... right.
Second date syndrome.
So is that going to be your life?
Nothing but first and only dates?
How do you ever expect to have a relationship?
Maybe I don't.
[grunting]
Ba! Ba!
[computer chiming]
[strikes keyboard]
[computer dings]
[sighs]
[typing]
["Baby, Don't Forget My Number" by Milli Vanilli playing]
Ba!
♪ Baby, don't be shy when you're holding my hand ♪
♪ 'Cause as time goes by, you got to understand ♪
♪ It's you
♪ Can I dance with you?♪
♪ B-B-B-Baby, in your eyes I see it so clearly ♪
♪ That our love, it's so strong ♪
♪ When you never go wrong
♪ Baby♪♪ I got the best for you
♪ So when you're in doubt and needing someone ♪
♪ Baby, call my line, call me anytime ♪
♪ Baby♪♪ I'll be there for you
♪ You, you
♪ I've been searching high ♪ High, high♪
♪ I've been searching low...
Come on in. Get in there.
[barks]
Weirdo!
[barks]
Did your teachers warn you
that Mr. Cohen makes funny noises?
CLASS: Yeah.
She said you had... Tour... Tour...
Tourette's syndrome.
Okay, anything you want to know about it...
wah, wah, wah... I want you to ask.
Yes.
Is it catching?
No, absolutely not.
You have to be born with it like I was.
Mm-hmm?
Does it hurt?
Well, sometimes, like when my neck jerks,
but the noises do not hurt at all.
These are great questions.
Keep 'em coming.
It's okay. Ask anything... [barks]
about Tourette's. Yes?
Can you go to movies?
Yes.
I can go to movies, but sometimes I get kicked out,
and that makes me sad.
What's the bunny's name?
Wa-Wa-Waffle.
Wa-Wa-Wa-Wa-Waffle?
[laughter]
His name is just Waffle.
All right, guys.
[barks] Any more questions about Tourette's?
Anyone?
Are they ever going to make you well, Mr. Cohen?
Well, right now there's no medicine
that can cure Tourette's... fi-fi... but it's okay.
I've learned to accept it.
I don't let it run my life.
Uh-huh?
What can't you do? Like can you not eat?
[laughs] I can eat. I eat a lot.
In fact, I can do anything that anybody else can do,
but there is... one thing that Mr. Cohen can never do.
[barks]
CLASS: What is it?
[clamoring]
Mr. Cohen can never play-- wa, wa-- hide and go seek.
[laughing]
Why can't you play hide and seek?
'Cause they hear him, stupid.
Well, that's the right answer, but it's the wrong words.
Because there won't be any name-calling
in Mr. Cohen's class.
Wa, wa.
Excuse me, where you going?
Bathroom.
And what's your name? Thomas.
Okay, well, Thomas, if you want to leave your seat
you have to ask for permission.
Weirdo.
[class gasping]
Bye, Mr. Cohen.
Bye, Gaylon.
Good-bye, Mr. Cohen.
Oh, bye, Heather. Ba, ba.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Ba, ba, ba.
I really like your class, Mr. Cohen.
Oh, well, thank you, Amanda.
How you doing, Mr. Wright?
I'm fine.
Four Eyes! Stop.
Four Eyes, give them up.Leave me alone.
BOY: Okay, take them, Thomas.
Eli, Thomas, which one
of you guys thinks that you
can help me, huh?BOTH: I can, I can!
All right, here's the deal.
I need to get this ball and put it back in that bin.
Why don't you guys shoot for it.
Rock, paper, scissors, shoot.Rock, paper, scissors, shoot.
All right, Eli, you win today.
Boom.Aw, man.
It's okay, Thomas. You can help him.
[both barking]
Sorry I stuck you with Thomas,
but he was making my class impossible.
He's got a whole alphabet of problems.
ADD, ADHD, OCD.
You want my advice, you'll pass him on to special ed.
No-- Ta, ta--
Ca, ca.
I can't, uh... I can't do that.
Oh, see how you feel after he's trashed a few classes.
He'll be all right.
I just need to get settled.
I can't wait for tomorrow.
Okay.
Fa, fa.
Wa, wa, ta.
Fa, fa, whop, whop.
Hup, hup, hup.
You make more noise than my air horn.
Sounds like you got a healthy case of Tourette's.
I was just kiddin' with you, son.
Got a dispatcher buddy with TS.
You ever need
any cross-country hauling, just call for Maxine.
Hey, um, do you have a card?
I wasn't being serious, son.
Unless you're in the shipping business.
No, I teach second grade.
Whop.
Here's my card.All right.
Maxine gave me a great idea for a geography lesson.
Thank you so much, Maxine.You're welcome.
Safe trucking.
[air horn honking]
I found myself focusing on teaching all the time.
Well, almost.
[laughing]
[quacking]
Know what I just realized?
What?
Wa, wa.
All ducks have Tourette's.
Why is that?
Wa, wa. I don't know. We're birds of a feather.
[laughing]
So it really doesn't bother you, does it?
What?
You know what. My Tourette's.
My noises.
Not when I compare them to the noises other guys make.
You know, like braggers, loud talkers,
and those, like, egocentric, humor-challenged idiots.
Seriously, no, your noises don't bother me at all.
Long as you keep me laughing.
Well, don't say that.
You know how I get under pressure.
Ba, ba.Oh, I'm sorry.
[both laughing]
My dad always said I was going to marry someone
who made me laugh.
Not that that has anything to do with...
with anything.
Say something.
Quack!
Hey, don't laugh.
That was a serious quack.
I got you, though.
[murmuring]
Mr. Cohen.
Hey.
My mom said to ask if it's okay.
Is what okay, Heather?
If I give this to Waffle.
Bah!
You tell your mom that I said that's fine.
Okay? [chuckles]
Did he say it's okay?Yeah.
Feel okay?
Mm-hmm. Yeah?
I love you. I love you, too.
You have a good day, okay?Okay.
I'll see you right after school.Okay.
Bye-bye.
Amanda?
Is everything all right?
I want to be in your class, Mr. Cohen.
You are in my class, Amanda.
Jup!
No, he made them take me out.
See you after school, honey, okay?
It's not fair!
BRAD: Is everything okay?
I'm Amanda's teacher, Mr. Cohen... jup!
We met yesterday.Oh, no, no, no, there...
there's nothing wrong.
I just have to do what's right for my daughter.
Come on, Amanda.
Come on.
He's concerned about Amanda's ability to concentrate.
He just thought that
you'd make it a little harder for her.
Can't he just give me a chance?
Jup-jup! We've only just started.
I pointed that out.
And? He said he's sympathetic,
but that Amanda needs, as he put it,
a normal teacher. Jup!
Don't take it to heart, Brad.
Parents are the hardest part of the job.
BRAD: All right, who can tell me the names of the capitals
Maxine and her big, red truck have passed through?
Anybody?CHILDREN: Ooh, ooh!
Whoa, all these hands.
Wha-wha... excuse me.
Excuse me.
Ah, man, who do I choose?
Wha-wha.
I don't know.
Oh... Heather.
Atlanta, Nashville,
um... Springfield?
That's great because a lot of people
think it's Chicago.
And, uh, this is Springfield, right?
CLASS: No!
GAYLON: That's Indianapolis.
Oh, that's right.
What am I thinking?
This is Springfield.
No!
BOY: That's Columbus.
Springfield's over there, Mr. Cohen.
Where is it, Eli, over here?
CLASS: No! Wha-wha-wha!
Where is Springfield?
I don't know. You guys got to point it out for me.
Point it out.[class shouting]
Point it out.
I-I don't see it still.
[class shouting]
Oh, I see it.
Wha-wha!
You're telling me that this is Springfield, right?
CLASS: Yes!
You don't have permission to leave your seat, Thomas.
That's right: Mr. Cohen has eyes
in the back of his head.
Go back and sit down, please.
And next time, ask.
But I need to sharpen my pencil.
Now, Thomas.
Wha!
All right, now, where's Maxine
and her big, red truck gonna be on Tuesday?
[school bell ringing] BRAD: See you bright and early tomorrow, David.
Jup-whup-whup!
All right... hey, remember to walk.
I really like your hat,
Mr. Cohen. Oh, thank you, Heather.
I like your hair.
It's just short 'cause of the medicine.
Bye.
WOMAN: Hey, honey.
HEATHER: Hi, Mom.
Um, can you wait right here for just a minute?
Sure.
Okay.
Hey.
Um, I've been meaning to come
speak to you about...
I think I know. Yeah.
Um, we were just reluctant to tell anyone at first.
Of course, it was only a matter of time
before the chemo became obvious, so...
Wha... is, uh... is she gonna be okay?
Um, Heather just loves your class.
She can't wait to get to school every day.
And, um, I'd be grateful
if you kept our secret a little longer.
I just don't want her to be singled out.
Yeah.
Thanks.
All right, baby girl, let's go.
Bye.
How about...
some ice cream?
Yeah. [laughing]: Okay.
Uh-oh.
What do you think? What do you think?
I already have that one. Wha! What?
Looks great on you, though.
[chuckling]
Hey, what's wrong?
Oh, nothing. I'm just focusing on school stuff.
Can you focus on me for a minute?
Sorry.
Hey, hey, hey, try this one on.
It will make you feel better.
[chuckles] Yeah.
Okay, yes.
Yeah? Yes.
Really? Oh, my goodness.
This suits you-- mm-hmm.
More than you know.
I've, uh, decided it's time
to go for my master's degree.
Wow.
Wow, does that...
does that mean you'll be going away?
No, I'd go locally... wha!
Anyhow, I have to pass the entrance test
to graduate school first, so...
Oh, wait, isn't that like the SATs?
Do you have to take that in a big room
with a lot of people?
Yeah, they said I could have a room all to myself. Wha!
Oh, good.
Tourette's does have its privileges.
Would it bother you if I did go away?
Of course it would. Are you kidding me?
Get out of here.
Come here, I want to show you something. Crazy.
[barks]
Next.
Hey, uh...
Brad Cohen.
Here you are, Mr. Cohen.
All right, I need you to take this package,
and I need you to go
right in there for me.
I'm supposed to have special accommodations.
I don't have any notation of that.
I mean, everybody tests on the same conditions today.
Okay, yeah, but I called and they said-- Wha! Wha!
they said that I could have a space to myself.
You know what? I need you
to talk to the administrator about that.
His office is right over there.
Ja!
I can't make an exception.
Ja! Ja! Okay, but...
We're not set up that way.
They promised-- Wha! and I have the right
to special testing accommodations.
Listen, I'm sorry about your disability,
but there isn't anything that I can do.
If you want to take the test, Ba! Ba!
you need to go in there now.Fa! Look at me.
How could anybody possibly concentrate if I'm in that room?
Ja! Ja!Listen, I have to start the exam now.
Wha!
Do you need me to call you a doctor?
Isn't there anyone you could call for help?
Fa! Fa!
Brad, calm down. I can't understand you.
But they said you could take it alone?
Okay, all right, no problem.
I'll be right there.
Did something happen?
Wha! Wha! Fa! Fa! Ja!
You can take the test.
And you'll have a room to yourself.
What did you say to them? Fa!
The magic word: lawsuit.
I gotta get to work.
Hey, Dad...
Yeah?
Thanks.
Good luck on the test.
As it turned out,
I needed more than just dad's good luck.
I needed time.Ra! Ra!
Ja! Ja! With the clock and my Tourette's ticking away
I failed to get all the way through the test.
Ja!
Ja! Ha!
[children singing]
Ja! Ja! Fa! Fa! Fa!
Good job, guys.
Thomas, I am so proud of you. Wha! Wha!
Thank you, Mr. Cohen.
Wow, look at that
turkey, Heather.Thank you.
So,
are you gonna have a big Thanksgiving this year?
Uh-huh. Mom says
all my grandparents are gonna come.
Well, that sounds special.
Except when they cry.
Ba! They try to hide it, but I always see them.
Ba!
Can I pet Waffle?
You bet you can pet Waffle.
Are you gonna have a good Thanksgiving, Mr. Cohen?
Yes, I am.
Me and Waffle are gonna take a little trip
to see my mom in Saint Louis.
I know where that is!
Oh, yeah. Wha! Wha!
Well, that is super, Heather.
That's exactly where it is.
Now, do me a favor, will you? Hmm?
And I'm going to trust you to take good care
of my friend Waffle.
All right? Sure.
And I will be right back.
Mm-hmm.
Hi, Amanda.
Shouldn't you be in your class?
All right, come on. I'll walk you to your room.
Why can't I be
in your class, Mr. Cohen?
Well, uh, your father had to do
what was best for you, Amanda.
Ja! Ja!
And you know what?
You've got a great teacher.
Okay.
See you later, Mr. Cohen.
Ja!
Busted.
Where did you learn those words, Thomas?
[sighs]
You know you're not supposed
to leave the class without asking.
Well, you're going to clean that up. Ja!
Ja! And then, uh,
you're on detention-- no recess.
But you do get an "A" for spelling.
You can't read it if you don't open it, Thomas.
I hate reading.
[sighs]
So do I.
You do? Yeah.
Reading's really hard for me.
It's not hard for you.
You're a teacher.
You want to bet?
Let's play a game.
You be Mr. Cohen
trying to read,
and I will be Tourette's syndrome, okay?
Read this page.
"Once upon a time...Wha! Wha!
Wha!
Keep reading.
"...upon
a time, there was a..."
That itches!
Does it itch a little bit? All right.
Keep reading.
"...there was a..."
Hey, Thomas!
All right, that's hard, isn't it?
It's hard to concentrate. Fa! Fa! Fa!
That's how hard reading is for me.
It's not that hard for you, is it?
No, it's easy for me.
But how can you be a teacher if you hate books?
Hate books?
I don't hate books.
Everything in the world is in books.
I just have to work extra hard to get it out.
I'm not going to give up on you, buddy.
Okay?
And I'm not going to let you give up on yourself.
Now keep reading. Right here.
"Once upon a time there was a..." Wha! Fa! Fa!
"magi... magi... magi..."
Ma-gi-cian.
"A magician who met a small boy.
"A small boy who was trying to pull a big sword Wha!
out of a big rock."
Weird.
Why would a sword be in a rock?
Well,
I don't know, but if you, uh,
keep reading, you might just find out.
"The magician told
"the small boy that whoever could pull the sword
"out of the rock
would be the true king."
Cool.
Keep going. What happens next?
♪ Love will see you through
♪ I've been searching high
♪ And I've been searching low ♪
♪ I've been searching low
♪ Wanna spend my life
♪ With you
♪ Ba-da-ba-ba-ba
♪ Ba-da-ba....
Hey, what's wrong?
I'm so nervous.
What's there to be nervous about?
You're just going to meet my mom.
Wha! Thank you.
That-that's helpful.
And Jeff!
And my aunts and uncles.
And anybody I've ever loved in my entire life.
[grunting]
Prepare yourself. This is big.
I'm ready. I'm ready.
That's right.
Prepare yourself.
Oh, you're here!
Oh, hi!
I can't believe I'm finally...
Oh, Nancy!Hi.
Oh!
Oh, my God!
You're even prettier than I thought!
Brad has told me so much about you, Mrs. Cohen.
Oh, Ellen. Well, that's more
than he tells me about you. Wha-what?
What? I tell you all about Nancy.
Oh, you never tell me the real stuff.
Come on, Nancy. Bobo, get the bags, honey.
Yes, Bobo, get on that.
Thanks. ELLEN: So are you exhausted?
NANCY: No.Oh, good,
because we have a pedicure
appointment in an hour.
Oh.
This is Nancy.Hi.
Who I was telling you about.So nice to meet you.
And, don't wait... Janice.Oh, okay.
Hi. Here come and meet-- Nancy.
Hello.
And one other person over here. Mom's going
a little overboard making Nancy feel like family.
Is that a possibility?
Her being family?
I don't know. Ja!
I mean, you know, I know, but I don't...
I don't, I don't, I don't know. Oh, yeah, it's serious.
Has she met Dad? No.
No, no, no, no, no.
No.What are you waiting for?
Hey, back off, will ya?
Ja!
WOMAN: Like a horse.That was his favorite bike.
And he ended up falling flat. He loved that.
And then he hit his head straight against the curb.
Yeah. Gave himself a concussion.
Oh.
Will you excuse me?
Nancy's needed in the kitchen.
I'm just going to steal her for one second.
Needed in the kitchen.
[giggles]
Are you rescuing me?
'Cause I don't need rescuing.
Uh, I do.
Ja! Ja! What's going on?
How was your pedicure?
If you're wondering what your mom and I talked about,
we talked about you.[chuckles]
And us.
Is something wrong?
I was just wondering
if I told you...
Ja!
I love you.
I mean, it just... it scares me, right?
I never thought about it before.
Ho!
I never dared think about it. Ja!
Look, Brad. Jo!
She understands about your noises.
She doesn't care.
You know, you make her happy.
She told me that, Brad.
You make her laugh.
Ja!
Well, what if one day she stops laughing?
Ra!
What if one day
she gets fed up
of living with someone who... Ja! Ja! Ra!
Ja! Ja!
Shh.
I just...
I don't want to hurt her, Mom.
Maybe you don't want to get hurt.
Both.
The only thing
that can hurt either of you is if you
let Tourette's drive her away from you.
If you let it win.
BRAD: Ja! Ja!
Heather's mother had called
to say Heather was no longer able to attend school.
So the class all pitched in to cheer her up.
Oh, wow, look at this table.
Wha! Wha! Wha!
Looks very good. Ja!
Oh, this looks great over here. Wha!
Ra! Ra!
Ja!
[sighs]
The news we'd all been dreading came a few weeks later.
Ra!
Hey.Hi, Mr. Cohen.
What's up, Henry?
Hi.
Hey, Eli.Hi, Mr. Cohen.
Hey, Mr. Cohen.What's up, Gaylon?
These are my grandparents,Hi.
James and Shirley.
Ra!
[sniffling]
Ja!
Wha! Sir,
they're about to start the service.
You, you go ahead.
Mr. Cohen?
Aren't you coming in?
I'm sorry. Ja!
I thought I could, but I, uh,
I think I'd be too disruptive.
Ja!
You made such a huge difference in Heather's life.
You were her favorite teacher.
Please don't leave without saying good-bye to her.
[sighs]
Ja! Ja!
Bop! Bop!
Ra! Ra!
[sniffles]
Ja.
Okay, Thomas, what is your team's word? Wah! Wah!
Weird!"Weird."
Anybody not on Thomas' team
know what that word means? Bop!Strange.
Creepy.Scary.
BRAD: Very Good. Wah! Wah!
Who can use the word "weird" in a sentence?
Wah! Wah! Wah! KIDS: Ooh, me! Me!
25, 30, 35, 40.
40, the girl in the pigtails, 50-- Gaylon!
[class laughs]
I like weird movies.
Sorry, Mr. Cohen, I know you
can't go to them 'cause you get thrown out at the movie theater.
Well, that's okay, Gaylon.
Boom! 'Cause I can rent movies, and I also like weird movies.
Drop! Wah! Bop! Wah!
So weird is a good word, right?
But what if someone comes up to you
and they say, uh, "Hey, you!
Yeah, you, I'm talking to you. You're weird."
Is it still a good word?
ALL: No.[diesel horn honking]
[gasping]What's that?
I want to see. Come on!
Okay, everyone, stay in your seats.
[diesel horn continues, class gasping]
It's Maxine and Big Red.Yeah!
Mr. Cohen, can we go see them?
[class clamoring]
Okay, but everyone, inside voices.
Everyone, line up by the door, and no running.
Wah![class clamoring]
Bop! Bop!
Go.
Shh! Shh!
Ja!
BRAD: Tanner, you got it.
Yeah, exactly, exactly.
That's called a pigtail.
Eli, get in there, man.
All right, but be careful.
[grunts]
[class chattering happily]
What do you think of it? Pretty cool, huh?
[diesel horn honks]Eli!
What did I tell you?
All right, no pulling the horn.
Or else you guys are coming down.
Sorry, Maxine.
[chuckles]: That's all right. Wah-wah!
Kids will be kids. Yes.
Yeah. Yeah, they will.
They still getting along?
Well, it looks like it.
Give 'em time.
BRAD: Wah!
Ho!
Bop! Oh!
I like Nancy.
She reminds me of your mom when we first met.
BRAD: They don't look anything alike.
I'm not talking about looks.
I'm talking about that
spark, you know, that spirit.
That, uh, je ne sais quoi.
How are things at school?
Oh, you know...
We got more books than bookcases,
roof leaks, budget cutbacks...
A little worried they might not ask me back next year. Ja.
There's plenty of teachers
with a lot more experience than me.
I'm proud of you, regardless.
Drop!
Doesn't feel that way. Wah!
Why do I feel like you're still embarrassed by me?
Drop! Wah!
And it's okay, Dad. You can admit it.
You're not trying to start something, are you?
No, no-no, but, you know, we're talking.
Fa. And, uh, it's good, so let's talk.
I've always been an embarrassment to you.
I have, haven't I? Even when you used to come to visit me,
you used to squirm when all those eyeballs would click my way.
Drop, wah!
You've never been able to accept it.
[utensil clatters]
You're right. Drop!
It is tough being with you sometimes.
I hate it when we go to restaurants
and people give you those looks.
Sometimes I want to just...
I just feel so helpless.
You know, I've always been a guy who could fix things.
Ja. But the one thing I could never fix
was the one thing that was hurting you most.
It doesn't need fixing. Bah!
Nobody can fix it.
I know. I know.
But... maybe it's my fault.
Maybe I gave it to you.
I think these babies are done.
Ja!
BRAD: Come on, guys.
We only got two minutes until the media center closes.
Hurry up back there.
Stay to the side, guys. Stay to the side.
What did I tell you?
Guys in the back, come on, hurry up.
Dad? Bah!
What are you, uh... what are you doing here?
You said you needed bookshelves, didn't you?
JIM: Your father's built us
new bookshelves for the library.
Things are a little slow at the office.
This way, gentlemen.
Oh, and I got you something for your collection.
Put it on, Mr. Cohen.
[class laugh]
A hard hat for an extremely hard head.
Hey, class, that's my dad.
KIDS: Hi, Mr. Cohen. Hi.
Come on.
And-and Hilarie didn't say what this was about?
No idea.We were at recess, and she said
she needs to see you in the classroom.Fah, fah!
I think it might be about next year.
[whispering]
JIM: Here he is. Brad, uh...
can you come over here a minute, please?
Hilarie has got an announcement to make.
Some of you may have noticed
an observer hanging around school
the last few weeks.
Well, he was here to assess
one of our teachers, Mr. Cohen.
And I'm here to announce
that our very own Brad Cohen
has been chosen from amongst
all new educators in the state Ra!
of Georgia to be Sallie Mae's
First Year Teacher of the Year.
[cheering and applause]
BRAD: As I look at my students, I felt like a kid inside
because children look at life differently than most adults.
They see the world and say,
"I will," not "I can't."
And so did I.
[cheering and applause continue]
BRAD: This shirt is too tight.
The label's digging into my back.
I cut out the label out.
I don't know what you're so nervous about. Bah!
You're in front of a crowd every day.
Well, these aren't second-graders.
You know. Wah, wah!
Oh, man, I wish I was invisible.
[chuckles]: That is something you will never have to worry about.
Hold still. Hold still.
JIM [on microphone]: ...bring up Brad Cohen.
[applause]I love you.
Go, Mr. Cohen!
Go, Mr. Cohen, yeah!
[cheering and applause]
Wah! Wah!
Wah-wah! Wah!
Wah, drop!
[clears throat]
Come on, Bobo. You can get through this.
Don't worry. He's going to get through it.
The noise you just heard is the Tourette's syndrome
I've been living with since I was six years old.
I'm standing up here today because the love and support
of a lot of people put me up here.
Wah. My family,
[chuckles] my school family,
my students
and all my friends... drop, wah!
I owe this award to all of them.
But I also owe it to the toughest
and-and most dedicated teacher I have ever had:
my constant companion, my Tourette's.
[crowd murmurs]
Now, some of you may think that's pretty weird
to thank a disability.
And calling it a "great teacher,"
that's really weird-- wah, wah!
I mean, what could I possibly learn from a disability?
Yes, Gaylon.
You learned to keep going.
[laughter]
Eli?
You learned not to let it stop you.
[crowd "awws"]
Yes, Thomas?
You learned to not let it win.
[crowd "awws"]
[scattered laughter]
That's right.
Ba! Coping with my Tourette's
has taught me the most valuable lesson
that anyone could ever learn.
And that is to never let anything stop you
from chasing your dream. Wah!
From working.
Or playing.
Or falling in love.
[crowd "awws"]
That's right. Ja!
[Brad sighs]
Coping with my Tourette's has
taught me the most valuable lesson that...
[chuckles]
Yes, Thomas?Can you bring that award
to show-and-tell on Monday?
[laughter and applause]
You bet.
[cheering and applause]
Yay, Mr. Cohen!
[cheering and applause continue]
[camera shutter clicks]
♪