My Favorite Speech of Last Year
I gave a lot of speeches last year that I enjoyed a lot.
I gave very enjoyable keynotes on "Technology and The Future of IT." I had a blast talking about "Blogs and Their Business Uses." I gave a wonderfully self rewarding speech on "Technology, Its uses, and Problems" to a non-technical audience, highlighting that computers annoy us all, even we computer nerds! They dubbed me a "Standup Technologist," a title I gladly accepted. My "Excess in the Pursuit of Excellent" keynotes were very well received and generated a lot of discussion! (and some told me they would flop - Ha!)
But what was my all time favorite speech of the last 12 months?? Easy, it was an impromptu speech introducing a film I knew *nothing* about, not even its title!
My old friend Chip Hourihan was showing his film Glissando, or rather he has trying to. I was looking forward to seeing Chip for the first time in many years as well as his film. I sensed something was wrong, very wrong. I barged my way into the projection room, where Chip nerviously explained there were technical problems beyond his control and it would be quite a few more minutes. The audience was getting restless, so I offered to "introduce" Chip's film.
I didn't wait for him to accept. There was a podium and I seized it! No microphone, but no problem - I have a booming voice. I mesmerized the audience with my vague platitutes, starting with Ed Sullivan's "We've got a really really great show for you tonite" and went from there. They expected a movie, not a speaker, but I made my introducing the film seem natural. Although perhaps full of it, I was honest: I admitted I hadn't seen the film yet but was very much looking forward to it as they were. I went on for at least 15 minutes, until the movie was ready.
I had fun, the audience had fun, and Chip was relieved as well. As far as I can tell, no one figured it out, because there was nothing to figure out. I spoke to the audience, I related to the audience, I shared the audience's anticipation, I WAS part of the audience. I just happened to be the part of the audience standing up in front at the podium with no microphone shouting!
The only downside? I didn't get paid for this one :)
Oh, the movie? Superb!! No wonder it won awards!
More About Ted's Speeches
I gave very enjoyable keynotes on "Technology and The Future of IT." I had a blast talking about "Blogs and Their Business Uses." I gave a wonderfully self rewarding speech on "Technology, Its uses, and Problems" to a non-technical audience, highlighting that computers annoy us all, even we computer nerds! They dubbed me a "Standup Technologist," a title I gladly accepted. My "Excess in the Pursuit of Excellent" keynotes were very well received and generated a lot of discussion! (and some told me they would flop - Ha!)
But what was my all time favorite speech of the last 12 months?? Easy, it was an impromptu speech introducing a film I knew *nothing* about, not even its title!
My old friend Chip Hourihan was showing his film Glissando, or rather he has trying to. I was looking forward to seeing Chip for the first time in many years as well as his film. I sensed something was wrong, very wrong. I barged my way into the projection room, where Chip nerviously explained there were technical problems beyond his control and it would be quite a few more minutes. The audience was getting restless, so I offered to "introduce" Chip's film.
I didn't wait for him to accept. There was a podium and I seized it! No microphone, but no problem - I have a booming voice. I mesmerized the audience with my vague platitutes, starting with Ed Sullivan's "We've got a really really great show for you tonite" and went from there. They expected a movie, not a speaker, but I made my introducing the film seem natural. Although perhaps full of it, I was honest: I admitted I hadn't seen the film yet but was very much looking forward to it as they were. I went on for at least 15 minutes, until the movie was ready.
I had fun, the audience had fun, and Chip was relieved as well. As far as I can tell, no one figured it out, because there was nothing to figure out. I spoke to the audience, I related to the audience, I shared the audience's anticipation, I WAS part of the audience. I just happened to be the part of the audience standing up in front at the podium with no microphone shouting!
The only downside? I didn't get paid for this one :)
Oh, the movie? Superb!! No wonder it won awards!
More About Ted's Speeches
posted by Ted Demopoulos at 1:01 AM
Comments on "My Favorite Speech of Last Year"
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paul said ... (Thursday, March 24, 2005 3:27:00 PM) :
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Ted Demopoulos said ... (Thursday, March 24, 2005 11:10:00 PM) :
post a commentnice. sometimes it's "on the fly" that works best. didn't realize u are such an avid fisherman. what's some of the best fishing you have done?
Hi Paul,
Been enjoying your blog!
When I was single and child free, I fished all over.
Coldwater honors to New Zealand trout and New England striped bass (especially Maine and Marthas Vineyard).
Warmwater honors to Key West (tarpon, bonefish, and permit).
I'm rumored to be a flyfishing purist, but still fling live eels a couple of times a year. And I even fished in super polluted Hong Kong Harbor with hotdogs as bait and had fun!
I talk a bit about my love of fishing and working to improve in my Excess in the Pursuit of Excellence speeches. I like fishing even more now that I'm pretty good - or at least semi-competent :)
And how can I not mention Christmas Island, Alaska, and that little stream near work where I used to have a blast flyfishing during lunch in the late 80s (you could easy jump across the widest part, but it had a few trout)