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He may be better known for his comedic skill and verbal prowess on shows like The Steve Harvey Show and Family Feud, and more likely, for his infamous blunder on live television when he announced the wrong name as the winner of Miss Universe 2015. But recently Steve Harvey made waves for a very different reason.
During the Hey Steve segment of his daytime show, the host was asked what he had done to overcome his stutter. The nervous guest struggled to get the words out, and asked:
"I'm 25 and I'm single. I have a stutter and I'm trying to find love, and I feel that guys, and people, don't really take me seriously... I know you talked about having a speech impediment when you were a kid... I was wondering if you have any advice."
In typical Steve Harvey fashion, the entertainer revealed the anti-stutter methods he had used as a child, adding his personal theory that, "What makes you stutter, is the anticipation that you're going to stutter... that's the one thing therapists don't know."
Are you a parent to a child who stutters? What has been your approach? Tell us your story by emailing to chatback@parent24.com and we could publish your letter. Do let us know if you'd like to stay anonymous.
Here are Steve's pointers:
1. Repeat it in your head three times
"You should not respond to anybody until you've said the answer to yourself three times."
2. Practise in a mirror
"Stand in front of the mirror and talk out loud, all the time. Then, bring a close friend or relative in and have them stand behind you in the mirror. Don't look at them, what makes you stutter is eye contact.
"What happens to the stutterer, is that they see your anxiety, it puts more anxiety in them and then they lock up."
Watch the clip below:
Mixed reactions
The viral video has received mixed reactions from the stuttering community, with one YouTuber noting that even though his intentions were good, for her, his claims of being able to "cure" stuttering was problematic.
In a video response posted after watching the segment, Grace Mcmahon said "When I was a child, all I could think about was fixing myself so I wouldn't be bullied anymore... your stuttering is not a flaw, you can't control it, so you might as well just love it. It's not something that shouldn't be loved, it's not something you should hide and cower from."
Fellow YouTuber and comedian Drew Lynch felt differently, finding what Steve said relatable. "He's so on the money... everything he says is so true."
- Also see: I am a stutterer
Advice from people who stutter
According to the Johannesburg-based organisation Speakeasy, stuttering is unique to every individual, and what could help one person, may not have the same effect for another.
Here's advice from the Reddit community r/Stutter about what helps them:
Think about the vocal chords
Working with it
Getting enough sleep
Books that help
Self acceptance
Are you a parent to a child who stutters? What has been your approach? Tell us your story by emailing to chatback@parent24.com and we could publish your letter. Do let us know if you'd like to stay anonymous.
Read more:
- A stutterer speaks
- My child can’t talk properly
- Teach your child how to talk about someone with a disability, without being a jerk
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