Tom Fine wrote:
>I agree that the "so" thing has permeated all demographics.

I think the "So" phenomenon is simply a "page break" inserted by speakers to 
indicate that the following opinions are their own.
Far more annoying to me are commentators who think they are having a 
conversation with someone, instead of thousands of people. "Um"s and "ah"s 
abound,
but I think it is really our language adapting to the times we live in. Have 
you ever seen someone react to a joke with "LOL" instead of a laugh?

Elements of Style is the "Rules of the Road" for writing, and still retains 
validity.

Regarding "vocal fry", The phenomenon is well documented in Lake Bell's 
movie "In a World", which focuses on the life of a young female voice-over 
artist in LA.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2013/08/09/lake_bell_s_in_a_world_is_a_movie_about_women_in_the_voiceover_world_so.html

-Matt Sohn