MovieChat Forums > Wag the Dog (1998) Discussion > Stanley MOTSS - the meaning of his name?

Stanley MOTSS - the meaning of his name?

posted 20 years ago by twospiritbear
2 replies | jump to latest

Dustin Hoffman's character is named "Stanley Motss ('the T is silent')". It's an odd surname - so odd that "motss" didn't turn up once on superpages.com, a national phone directory.

But the acronym "motss" is old Internet lingo in newsgroups for "members of the same sex," a genteel way of referring to gays and lesbians.

I'm wondering if Mamet is making an oblique reference to the sexuality of Hoffman's character?

[–] rogerhamley 20 years ago

I don't think so. I was listening to the director's commentary, and he points out that there are no sexual/emotional relationships in this movie. The one between Motss and Breen is "ultimately one of respect".

So, perhaps the silent "t" is just part of the pretentious Hollywood producer's character.

[–] 20 years ago

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