This may seem hard to believe, but I was almost 30 before I really realized I had a lisp, a sibilant S, any sort of speech issue. Apparently, when I was a child it had been suggested to my parents to send me to a speech therapist, but they didn't want it to become something I was self-conscious about. As a parent now, I completely understand and appreciate their decision to just let me be me. I am sure back then, they had no idea I'd want to be an actress. Fast forward to college, where my voice teacher mentioned it to me, but almost in passing, so I didn't think much of it and therefore didn't seek any assistance. I was only reminded of it when stupid college boys would mimic me, like they were funny and clever. But still, I guess I was dense or in complete denial, it never occurred to me that I
REALLY had a lisp.
Moving on to 2001, I had message on my answering machine (Remember those?) from a former co-worker who was studying to be a speech therapist and wanted to know about my speech therapy history, ya know, backstory. Y'all ( say that with the heaviest Southern accent possible), this threw me for a loop. You mean, people can tell I have a lisp? Seriously, this went through my mind. By this time, I had been working steadily in NYC, on Broadway and National Tours and in classes and no one had ever referred to any speech issue. I began to walk down a very dark tunnel of doubt, after this. I did seek out a speech therapist, who was somewhat helpful. However, by now I am 30 and it's tough to to teach an old dog a new way to speak. I was also on the hunt for a new agent at this time and I met with a particularly horrible man, with bad plugs I might add, who compared me to Winthrop, the lisping boy, in Music Man. To my face. This sent me reeling even further. I continued to study with the therapist for a while longer, but it wasn't cheap. My money would've been better spent on a psychotherapist, which came a few years later. (Best gift I EVER gave myself!!!!)
Here I am today. I am a grown woman turning 40 this year and fully aware and embracing this part of me. How I speak truly is a part of who I am. If I changed to sound like everyone else, I feel like I might be the Jennifer Grey of lispers. So I share this
clever lisper with you(beware, it is slightly off color), because I love it and it reminds me to be proud of
all partsssss of me.
This may seem hard to believe, but I was almost 30 before I really realized I had a lisp, a sibilant S, any sort of speech issue. Apparently, when I was a child it had been suggested to my parents to send me to a speech therapist, but they didn't want it to become something I was self-conscious about. As a parent now, I completely understand and appreciate their decision to just let me be me. I am sure back then, they had no idea I'd want to be an actress. Fast forward to college, where my voice teacher mentioned it to me, but almost in passing, so I didn't think much of it and therefore didn't seek any assistance. I was only reminded of it when stupid college boys would mimic me, like they were funny and clever. But still, I guess I was dense or in complete denial, it never occurred to me that I REALLY had a lisp. 
Here I am today. I am a grown woman turning 40 this year and fully aware and embracing this part of me. How I speak truly is a part of who I am. If I changed to sound like everyone else, I feel like I might be the Jennifer Grey of lispers. So I share this clever lisper with you(beware, it is slightly off color), because I love it and it reminds me to be proud of all partsssss of me.
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