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December 2, 2008, 1:09 pm

Does Steve Jobs lisp?

Steve Jobs Macworld 2008The creators of The Simpsons are getting a lot of attention — and Hulu clicks — for the clever send-up of Apple (AAPL) that aired Sunday night. (See Bart Simpson channels Steve Jobs.)

Although most of the jokes are self-explanatory — the “MyCube” that glows to confirm that it’s off, the fake white MyPhonies earbuds that cost $40 — there’s one bit that’s a headscratcher.

Why, many viewers are asking, does the “Steve Mobs” character have a pronounced lisp?

We put the question to one long-time Apple watcher: Does the real Steve Jobs lisp?

According to this source, Jobs doesn’t lisp, but he does have a minor speech impediment — an extra sibilance at the end of certain words.

That was news to us. So we dug out some old Macworld keynotes to see if we could hear it.

Judge for yourself. Below the fold, two clips:

  1. The scene from The Simpson where Lisa meets Steve Mobs in his underwater headquarters.
  2. Steve Jobs’ Macworld 2008 keynote, condensed into 60 seconds courtesy of Mahalo.

Steve Mobs from The Simpsons:

more about “Hulu - The Simpsons: Think Differently“, posted with vodpod

Steve Jobs at Macworld 2008:

That Simpsons episode might be some more publicity for Apple. Not a bad time too, holiday season…
But, I am liking the Simpsons a just a little less right now.

Posted By Sham, Mauritius, Mauritius : December 6, 2008 12:32 pm

My gosh, you people are beyond fanboyism. You defend SJ and Apple to the tooth and nail. Its just satire, get over it. I thought it was funny and clever. I am also a mac user and ipod owner but by no way do I eat, drink, and sleep apple. My macbook serves its purpose but its not revolutionary or amazing, its just a work machine. All of you who say we need to get a life because we bash on Steve Jobs or Apple are the ones that need to get a life. You, including myself are making SJ and BG richer everyday, lets not make them gods.

Posted By Serge Adrian, Charlotte NC : December 4, 2008 8:46 am

This was one of the funniest Simpsons episodes that I have seen in quite some time. It seems to me that Apple and its minions have forgotten that old maxim….if you can’t laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at? The arrogance is starting to shine through.

Posted By Jasper NY, NY : December 3, 2008 1:07 pm

It’s minor, but yes he does. The portrayal of SJ falls down in other ways, actually. They had him in khaki pants. He doesn’t wear those, that’s Bill Gates. He wears the black mock turtleneck and jeans. Usually with visible wear spots. Plus the Simpsons Mr. Mobs has WAY too much body fat to be SJ.

Posted By Poster to be Named Later, Cupertino, CA : December 3, 2008 11:28 am

I don’t know if anyone caught the satire of the first Mac ad, courtesy of comic book guy with a sledgehammer, but I think it was a pretty accurate satire of the religious devotion of the average annoying Machead. The Simpsons after 19 seasons manages to be a hilarious take on modern society.

Posted By Jason, Beaumont, TX : December 2, 2008 10:44 pm

I have noted the “extra sibilance at the end of certain words,” but didn’t really think of it as a full blown lisp.

Like his sparse facial growth, it I think it was exaggerated to enhance the “reality distortion” — I mean — caricature.

They remembered the black mock turtleneck sweater, but forgot the blue jeans and jogging shoes.

Posted By Robert Morgan, Julian, CA : December 2, 2008 6:56 pm

NO, there is no lisp; just bad editing.

Posted By R. Kay Southampton, PA : December 2, 2008 5:56 pm

No, not slander. Satire.

And although the clip wasn’t extremely funny, The Simpsons is one of the funniest shows of all time. (It’s very silly humor, beware.)

I have to laugh at all the Mac Fanboys having a fit about this clip. Hah!

Oh, wait a minute. I’m a fanboy too!

Bot
Mac Fanbot

Proud Kool-Aid drinkin owner of the following: G4 Desklamp iMac, G4 iBook, MacBook Pro, iPod touch, Compaq Armada 486DX

Posted By Bob Illume, Lansing, MI : December 2, 2008 4:17 pm

If only other American companies put half as much heart into what they produce . . .

The Simpson’s hint that Steve Jobs doesn’t care about his customers is as far from the truth as it gets. (And, honestly, was there anything funny about that clip? Makes me relieved that I haven’t wasted my life watching TV.)

While I’ve had 4 or 5 Macs since the early 90’s, only one of them ever died on me (the rest still work perfectly). And the one that died was a G4, nearly a year after I’d bought it. I brought it in to the local Apple store. As it was still under warranty, they gave me a brand new $2,600 dollar Intel Mac Pro, at no charge whatsoever. They did so without any hesitation.

(By contrast, at May D&F, I was once wholly denied any chance to exchange a leather jacket (a Christmas gift) that didn’t fit.)

There are many reasons that Apple is as successful as they are. Among the reasons, Apple genuinely cares about its customers and takes heartfelt pride in its products.

Apple is an exemplary and cutting-edge company, run by a man who demands a lot of himself; it is a company to which other American companies should model themselves — consider our arrogant and now crashing auto industry.

I suppose some of you will be tempted to deride what I’m saying by calling me names, a fan-boy, etc. No doubt I am a fan. But who would not be a impressed given my experience with them? You would. And being honest about that experience does not make me worthy of a derisive name.

Posted By Patrick, Indianapolis, In : December 2, 2008 3:12 pm

Well this certainly explains Apple’s funding of anti-Proposition 8 activities. Yes, it appears that Steve Jobs has a lisp.

Posted By Dirk deJonge, Laguna Niguel, CA : December 2, 2008 2:33 pm

You People ARE REALLY PATHETIC. WHY DON’T YOU PICK YOUR NOSE INSTEAD of on STEVE JOBS AND APPLE??? Don’t you have anything better to do? Do you actually get paid to facilitate this CRAP?? PERSONALLY I THINK THAT THIS STUFF IS SLANDER.

Posted By Dave, Boston, MA. : December 2, 2008 1:59 pm
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Philip Elmer-DeWittSilicon Valley veterans like to joke that Steve Jobs must be surrounded by a reality distortion field; if you get too close to him, you start to believe what he's saying. Thanks to the success of the iPod, the launch of the iPhone and the renewed interest in the Mac, Apple has made believers out of millions of customers - and made a lot of investors rich. But Philip Elmer-DeWitt believes that an ounce of skepticism never hurts when writing about the company. He should know. He's been covering Apple - and watching Steve Jobs operate - since 1982, first for Time Magazine, then for Business 2.0, and now for Fortune.
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