Wallace Shawn without his lisp?

October 15, 2020 3:49 PM

Wallace Shawn has a lisp, but I have a definite memory of seeing him on screen speaking without a lisp, pronouncing perfectly normal esses. Unfortunately, my definite memory does not include details such as the show or movie. Does anyone else have a similar memory but with more information?

I'm pretty sure it's a real memory, not a remembered dream, but who knows.

posted by mpark to Media & Arts (8 answers total)

Best answer: Manhattan?
posted by jabah at 4:04 PM on October 15, 2020 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: "Symposium on semantics" lol. Nice find, @jabah. Not the scene I was looking for (never saw Manhattan) but this increases the probability that my memory is real, not imagined. Keep 'em coming.
posted by mpark at 4:33 PM on October 15, 2020

It’s been forever since I saw it, but maybe My Dinner With Andre?
posted by Thorzdad at 4:35 PM on October 15, 2020

No, I saw My Dinner with Andre again recently and he definitely has the lisp.
posted by Redstart at 4:58 PM on October 15, 2020 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Maybe just look to his older movies? Atlantic City maybe? I can't find his clip from Prick Up Your Ears.
posted by latkes at 10:26 PM on October 15, 2020

Best answer: You've sent me down quite the Google rabbit hole
posted by latkes at 10:36 PM on October 15, 2020

I don't think he had a lisp when he was on The Cosby Show?
posted by dotparker at 9:05 AM on October 16, 2020

Response by poster: Thanks everyone! I didn't find the scene I remembered, but at least I know that WS can apparently turn his lisp on or off at will, which is what I really wanted to know.
posted by mpark at 9:17 AM on October 16, 2020