# Popeye's Accent **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 14, 2002, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/132286 "2002-10-14T22:43:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2017, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/132286/21 "2017-09-05T15:52:15Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I had a friend with a speech impediment who used to challenge people to identify her "accent’. People came up with the wildest things, and usually ended up embarrassed when she told them the truth. I have a friend with a speech impediment who tells people that he moved a lot when he was young. ---
**Author:** ![Trancephalic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trancephalic/32/380_2.png) [@Trancephalic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trancephalic)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2017, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/132286/22 "2017-09-05T16:47:02Z")
I thought it was a result of poor education and a smoking habit. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2017, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/132286/23 "2017-09-05T17:03:19Z")
[Doctor Hartman](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NToDMpoViv0) weighs in. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2017, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/132286/24 "2017-09-05T17:46:47Z")
For what it’s worth, apparently Segal based the character on a one-eyed, pipe-smoking, toothless, abnormally strong man named Frank “Rocky” Fiegal. Fiegal was from Segal’s hometown of Chester, Illinois. Haven’t found anything reporting if he had an accent or not, but considering the above, I would imagine he didn’t have a “normal” voice. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2017, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/132286/25 "2017-09-05T18:27:31Z")
I figured it came as a result of talking with a pipe in his mouth. Teeth clenched on the pipe, speaking through one side of his mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2017, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/132286/26 "2017-09-05T19:14:16Z")
He always sounded like he came from Brooklyn to me (Brooklyn native here) ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2017, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/132286/27 "2017-09-05T19:55:21Z")
Billy Costello did a really good job of interpreting the “accent” that Segar used in the comic. To me it’s just an extremely broad comic way to show how uncouth and uneducated Popeye was. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![GMANCANADA](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gmancanada/32/2837_2.png) [@GMANCANADA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GMANCANADA)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/132286/28 "2017-09-06T00:41:23Z")
Just curious, but is there a record kept anywhere for longest zombie thread revival? (not a slam on reviving, I’ve done it a few times too.) Looks like this one was just shy of 15 years old. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/132286/29 "2017-09-06T01:15:04Z")
Besides the quality of his voice, he definitely has a distinctive accent and dialect. I thought ninits a perfect reasonable question to wonder if they were based on any real accent or dialect. ---
**Author:** ![Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/132286/30 "2017-09-06T01:35:32Z")
Yhh-kkkkkkkkkkk! Blow me, Olive. ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/132286/31 "2017-09-06T02:03:34Z")
Here’s an episode of To Tell The Truth with Jack Mercer. I have to say, these people are idiots. Jack’s normal voice sounds just like Popeye when he mutters. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8VCYKkrwuE) ---
**Author:** ![Miles\_Standoffish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/54ee81/32.png) [@Miles\_Standoffish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miles_Standoffish)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/132286/32 "2017-09-06T02:34:38Z")
Someone mentioned New England. FWIW The original voice of Popeye, Billy Costello, a.k.a Red “Pepper” Sam, was from Rhode Island. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/132286/33 "2017-09-06T03:17:33Z")
> [@caligulathegod](#): > > Here’s an episode of To Tell The Truth with Jack Mercer. I have to say, these people are idiots. Jack’s normal voice sounds just like Popeye when he mutters. > > [https://youtu.be/S8VCYKkrwuE](https://youtu.be/S8VCYKkrwuE) I remember the cartoon in that clip. It was one of the King Features TV cartoons from the 60s. I haven’t seen it in over 50 years, but I remember it. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/132286/34 "2017-09-06T22:07:45Z")
Guys he is a cartoon character…he was born on a piece of sketch paper…no ethnicity there!!but he always sounded pirate-y to me ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/132286/35 "2017-09-06T23:27:11Z")
Kinda different google page with a very young [Jack Mercer](https://www.google.ca/search?sa=X&dcr=0&biw=1085&bih=809&q=Jack+Mercer&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAONgFuLQz9U3MC3JSlHiBLEMk8vTSrRMspOt9NMyk0sy8_MSc-JL8zLLUouKU5GEkjMSixKTS1KLrMryM5NTUxSSKh8xZnMLvPxxT1gqadKak9cYY7jIMkZIhYvNNa8ks6RSSIqLRwruPg0GKS4uOI8HAHD-U867AAAA&ved=0ahUKEwic7LuZ2ZHWAhVS3mMKHYmkDoUQri4IJg) ---
**Author:** ![Trancephalic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trancephalic/32/380_2.png) [@Trancephalic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trancephalic)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/132286/36 "2017-09-07T01:05:12Z")
He was also Felix the Cat, if you can believe it ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/132286/37 "2017-09-07T02:28:54Z")
This thread has inspired me to go “skiddly-bum-bee-bum, da-bee-bum-da-boh” ad naseum next time I go out for a walk. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/132286.md?page=1)