The Art of Passion

I realize that Brad Paisley's 2010 CMA "Entertainer of the Year" award acceptance speech was probably not the first that came to mind for most of you upon first contemplation of public speaking. For me, however, it was. I remember being in my living room one evening while my family was watching the CMA awards. Not being extremely interested in country music, I was working on other tasks and only occasionally noticing the program. I looked up in time to see the presentation of this award and Paisley's speech caught my attention. There is a lot to be said about this particular speech. He stumbled a bit in his delivery and his thoughts were scattered, neither of which make for an effective speech, but he made it work. After a long pause, Paisley began with a comedic statement, which lightened the mood for the anxiously awaiting audience. Then, as he tried to find the words to say, his sincerity became evident. When addressing his fans he had to choke back tears as he thanked them for their support of not only himself, but of country music as a whole. He then moved on to an anecdote about how his grandfather influenced him to play guitar. This was a strong aspect of his speech because people can relate to personal stories. He then concluded with a lengthy list of "thank you's" displaying his abundant gratitude. Throughout the entire speech it was very apparent just how humbled Paisley was by the honor.

Brad Paisley's speech is far from what I envision as a well prepared and delivered speech, yet it had an impact on me. Isn't that what a speech is supposed to do anyway- evoke a feeling within people and fulfill a purpose? He demonstrated his appreciation for receiving the award and did so in an admirable, even noteworthy, manner. His speech was effective, and I believed every word. Though this is not a model of the type of speeches we will be giving in CAS1oo, it perfectly shows how passion can make an otherwise mediocre speech incredible.

In the video I attatched, the speech is only from 1:37-5:23.