Man who suffers from pathological laughter like Joker opened up about his disorder
A man who suffers from pathological laughter - much like Arthur Fleck in Joker - has revealed what it's like to live with the uncontrollable disorder.
Scott Lotan, who hails from Virginia Beach, USA, has opened up on how the neurological condition called Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) can leave him unable to stop laughing - regardless of the situation he's in.
See what life is like for Mr Lotan with an uncontrollable laughing disorder in the footage below:
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Much like iconic DC character Arthur Fleck - played Joaquin Phoenix in Joker and upcoming sequel Joker: Folie à Deux - Scott suffers from the rare condition which causes him to have painful bouts of laughter which can last for up to 10 minutes at a time.
Speaking to LADbible about the condition back in 2021, Scott revealed that his PBA was caused by his multiple sclerosis and has often left him in awkward, and sometimes dangerous, situations.
"I have had issues with not being served at restaurants and been asked to leave because waitstaff were uncomfortable," he explained.
"Many times if I am out for a drink with friends, there is someone with low self-esteem that believes I am laughing at them and they will try and start a fight."
Scott went on to recall a particularly unwelcome bout of laughing which occurred after a tragic car accident in 2003 which killed his mother and fiancée.
"My fiancée died at the scene with my mother's death three days later," he explained. "I remember being at the scene laughing and being questioned by police.
"At the wakes for both my mother and my fiancée I would have to separate myself from everyone as I would burst into laughter at times."
For Scott, the disorder is also physically taxing as well, with the fits of laughter often leading to uncomfortable choking - something which he praised from Phoenix's Oscar-winning performance.
"The choking comes from trying to catch my breath, desperately needing to breathe. Also, spit builds up in your mouth and as you pull in a breath the spit goes down the wrong pipe," he said, adding that Phoenix's portrayal of PBA was completely accurate.
"My neck gets really sore and I am moving my head to try to relieve strain and sometimes that cuts off air."
There's also the mental impact of having to constantly explain the condition to people, something which Scott says can often be 'difficult'.
"It weighs heavy on the mind, people just look at you," he said. "You try and explain but they have preconceived notions that you are a drug addict or just a deranged lunatic. I think he captured the feeling of isolation and frustration with the lack of understanding from others."
However, Scott was keen to stress that despite the misconceptions and awkward situations he often finds himself in, he doesn't let PBA stop him from living his life.
"There are a lot of comments of empathy [online], and although they are offering well wishes, they also seem to think I am living this horrible life filled with pain and suffering," he said.
"Just like anyone else I have my ups and downs - sure, at times I laugh uncontrollably, but there could be much worse things to happen.
"For the most part it turns into a humorous thing when interacting with my kids."
Joker: Folie à deux is set to be released on 4 October 2024.
Brenna Cooper