I am jealous and you are fortunate you grew up in an environment that allowed you that interpretation. I wish I got this universe!  In my experience growing up 80s-90s he's there to be a joke to everyone watching, he's there to get a laugh and all he taught me is that I'm alive to be laughed at.  His character also teaches the audience that stutterers are expected to just understand or not feel bad if you just laugh at their existence. People where I live did not make it past their own laugh to notice that the other characters RARELY point out his stutter in the show. Before age 16 it was rare for me to speak out loud in public and not have someone say something. Never helpful.  Also every bully in school had a ready made pillory to beat me on. To this day I fear for anyone who would do the impression at me because I would seriously have to restrain my physical sensation of anger.  Sincerely and I sarcastically jealous!  Literally Winston Churchill is the only role model I was given and at that the model was "see you can talk as much and as publicly as him someday!" Which did not feel good as a bullied kid who just wanted to be left alone.