• As long as the intended reading was conveyed, what’s the problem?

    Using commas as pauses in speech gets the intent across, even if it isn’t the “correct” punctuation. That’s why people keep doing it. People read your examples of Shatnerisms with commas and think its fine, and if enough people think it’s fine then it actually is. Rules aren’t real.

    The OP is garbage, though. It comes across as stuttery and, like you said, minced.