Patrica Kitchen, writing in Newsday reported years back that some celebrities over-use filler language such as "likes," "umms," "ya knows," "I means." Britney Spears, was caught uttering 73 "likes" and "ya knows" in a five-minute video interview.

Rapper Eminem and golfer Michelle Wie, "used 15 'ya knows' and 'I means' in a one-minute interview. "

"A certain number of fillers are normal, but when speakers flip into overuse, they can come across as unfocused and unprepared," says Judy Cavallo, a speech-language pathologist and director of New York Speech Solutions, which evaluates and treats speech disorders. Her first step is to heighten awareness among clients, who are "usually shocked" when she plays back tape recordings of them speaking.