View Full Version : Indentifying With Characters Who Stutter
When I was a kid, I always thought it was cool to see or read about people who stuttered in movies, TV shows, and books. Even though they were just characters in a story, it still made me feel like I wasn't alone. It helped a lot when I was younger.
What sticks out the most is Stephen King's It miniseries. I saw it when it premiered on TV, in 1990. I was 5 and it pretty much stuck out as the coolest thing to watch. It had a kid like me who stuttered. Especially since I loved horror movies even back then and certainly now, it was something special to me. I was also the "fat kid" and it also had a fat character. So really, it had two characters that I could identify with. The novel is even better. It delves so much deeper into the characters that wouldn't be possible in a movie. I recommend to watch the miniseries and read the book. It's really a genuinely scary story and quite inspiring. It's really so much more than a horror story, it's about overcoming your worst fears.
So yeah, I thought I would try out a totally random, rambling post about a stupid thought I had. What do you guys think?
Box of Clocks
09-28-2008, 10:19 AM
Yes I have seen both the film/miniseries and read the book and I find myself identifying with the stuttering character (Bill) also.
There is a line in IT that is delivered by Bill's friend Eddie that I rather like as it helps show that stutterers aren't stupid even though it may sometimes appear that way to people who don't know much about stuttering. It is something like this...
"His voice may stutter but his brain doesn't stutter".
I don't remember if that quote is just in the show or just the book or even both but it is definiltely a line that stuck with me.
It was also nice to see a character with a stutter being portrayed as something of a leader because if I recall Bill was seen as the leader of the group.
It was also nice to see a character with a stutter being portrayed as something of a leader because if I recall Bill was seen as the leader of the group.
Yeah exactly! I remember the book saying Bill was the best looking out of the whole group, and he was the leader. It was like Stephen King purposefully tried to turn around the cliche that there is something wrong with stutterers.
If you remember the film and book, the only people who were mean to Bill about his stutter were the "bad guys" like Henry Bowers and his friends. Everyone else was cool about it and looked up to Bill. He was never the butt of jokes like most movies/books that have stutterers. There was a line definitely drawn between the good guys and the bad guys.
idk
it used to make me sort of curl my toes that is to say it was uncomfortable for me. still is to tell u the truth.
JDRow
09-28-2008, 11:39 PM
idk
it used to make me sort of curl my toes that is to say it was uncomfortable for me. still is to tell u the truth.
Same here. I think it's really uncomfortable to watch a movie where somebody stutters, especially if somebody else is watching with me.
happy7117
09-29-2008, 12:13 AM
I always have enjoyed watching Porky Pig whenever Looney Tunes airs which it hardly does.
I fully know he stutters too.
I find him hilarious wheather he stutters or not.
It does not offend me that Porky stutters.
I just love watching him.
And if Bugs stuttered, I would be fine with that!
happy7117
09-29-2008, 12:18 AM
IT scared the crap out of me. That damn clown movie!
I liked it when Bill stood up to Henry Bowers at some point in the movie and said "Your finshed B-B-Bowers. Get out!"
Then Bowers says something like "You stuttering freak".
Bill's friend standing next to him then hurls a rock at Bowers leg!!
Then the good group of kids: Eddie, Bev, Bill, Ben all gang up on the bullies!
Derek181
09-29-2008, 12:57 AM
i remember in highschool when my french teacher put on a movie named "paulie"and it was about a little girl who stuttered severely and about her going through intensive therapy or something to overcome it and i remember i felt so uncomfortable watching it with my class, especially when a few of them would glance over at me during the movie.
Yeah sometimes it made me uncomfortable too. But in the case of It, that made me feel better in a way. In most other instances they made a big deal of stuttering, but in that miniseries/book it didn't.
I hate Porky Pig, and I still do. I remember watching those cartoons in school, and kids used to look at me, too. I always dreaded the end of EVERY Looney Toons show. "Bd-bd-bd-That's all folks!" I don't even stutter like that, so it makes it worse. How strange I haven't thought about that until now.
So I guess there are two sides to this topic.
Happy, I'm glad you like It as much as I do. It is a classic. :)
It makes me feel really uncomfortable.Anyone watch southpark? The character jimmy stutters.He's my favorite character for that reason.
It makes me feel really uncomfortable.Anyone watch southpark? The character jimmy stutters.He's my favorite character for that reason.
Do you think Jimmy stutters? I always thought it was because of his other mental handicaps. I never thought it was a stutter. :o
peebee
09-29-2008, 05:18 AM
I can't even watch other people stutter i'm so disgusted by it. I've turned off shows/movies before. When jimmy is on southpark I either leave the room or change the channel because it honestly makes me sick.
I'm not sure if it's the fact that 99% of the time when someone who stutters is on TV they're a joke and people laugh at them or if I hate my stuttering so much it makes me sick to my stomach and I get mad/pity myself when its brought to my attention. Either way, its probably not a good thing--I wish I could laugh about it like you guys can
Standingtall
09-29-2008, 06:42 PM
I was touched by a few tv shows that had a statement to make, well that is whay i though then. The guy on Mash and he played piano and winchester was so passionate in helping him. He played a recording of a niece and she was stuttering and he looked like he was enjoying what she had to say.
the little house on the prairie, when this one girl was crying and trying to convince her grandfather that nobody understands her. I really felt that one.
I enjoyed my cousin vinny, and recently, forget the title, but this guy was part of this debate team. He showed guts and determination. He turned his back on that one girl. statement, i don't give a s--- what u think. LOL :D
I enjoyed my cousin vinny, and recently, forget the title, but this guy was part of this debate team. He showed guts and determination. He turned his back on that one girl. statement, i don't give a s--- what u think. LOL :D
You're talking about Rocket Science. It was a pretty good movie!
Infinite
09-30-2008, 12:44 AM
New Jack City is the first movie that came to my mind when I read this thread...There was a character in the movie named Duh Duh Duh Man who stuttered...He only talked like 4 times in the movie...and they killed him off at the end...but I still thought he was pretty cool :cool:
The only thing that I don't like about some movies is stutterers are usually jokes. Like in A Fish Called Wanda. I still can't watch that movie because of it.
i hated a fish called wanda, it scared me so much that one day i would be like that. of course it sorta came true, but i over it :D :D
i hated a fish called wanda, it scared me so much that one day i would be like that. of course it sorta came true, but i over it :D :D
That's one of the movies that's an example of using stuttering as a joke. I actually have never watched the movie before because I don't want to see the stuttering character hehe. :o
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