LIP STINK: SCOOBY DOO'S VELMA HAS A LISP

LIP STINK: SCOOBY DOO'S VELMA HAS A LISP

LOS ANGELES (Wireless Flash) -- A popular cartoon character is hiding a shocking secret: A speech defect. According to voiceover artist B.J. Ward -- who provides the voice of Velma on "Scooby Doo" -- her character actually has a lisp that causes her to slur her words. Ward -- who also provides the voice of Betty Rubble -- admits Hanna-Barbera execs have asked her to tone down the lisp and she thinks the decision may be an attempt at "political correctness." However, Ward thinks that Velma's lisp could be inspirational to kids with cleft palates and confesses she tries to slip in a lisp as often as possible when she's recording her dialogue. Later today, Ward and fellow voiceover actors Casey Kasem, Gary Owens and June Foray will hold a press conference announcing the April 1 kickoff of "Boomerang," an all-Hanna Barbera cable network.