A Very Good Speech

When I think of the phrase “public speaking” I immediately think of the speech the valedictorian gave at my high school graduation. He started out by talking about how when he started writing his speech, he wanted to add quotes in his speech about graduation. He then gave some examples of quotes that were quite entertaining. For example, he gave a quote from Jersey Shore that Snooki had said about graduating. I don’t remember the quote exactly, but it was something about after high school, it’s all about partying. The valedictorian went on to talk about our small community. He said he loved the fact that we all stuck together, were always there for each other, and always had each others’ backs. I think his speech was overall very well done, because by using humor he kept us interested, but also made good comments about the intended audience. He also kept it short and to the point.

Delivery is Key

When I think of public speaking, I immediately remember the speech the valedictorian of my high school gave at graduation. The speech itself was alright, but certainly not award winning. She did a great job putting it together, but fell short when it came to presenting. Some people think that content is the most important part of a speech, but really, delivery is what will make or break it. You could write the best speech in the world, but if you don’t deliver it properly, your audience will not get the message or feeling that you’re trying to provoke. When it came time for the valedictorian to give her speech, I was expecting to feel some sort of emotion. But as she spoke, I quickly lost interest because she spoke in almost complete monotone. Because of her poor delivery, I don’t think people got as much out of her speech as they should have. And it’s a shame because she had so many wonderful things to say. Public speaking is like any other performance and you must embrace your speech and practice it over and over in order to get it right. Delivering a speech with the right enthusiasm really makes it come alive. While the words don’t change, it’s amazing how different of a reaction you can get from your audience simply by the way you deliver your speech. I wish the valedictorian took this more into consideration so that her audience could have enjoyed and appreciated her speech more.

A Great Speech

One defining day of my last year in high school, was the day before Easter break, where the entire school gathered in our chapel and remembered those we lost in the past year. It was extremely upsetting to say the least. Toward the end, one of the teachers in my school took to the podium, he was the oldest, wisest, and jolliest teacher in the entire school, so the somber look on his face was unfamiliar to us all. He continued to talk about life, chances, and dreams you can’t let slip away. In one long pause, and final deep breath, he dropped the bomb on us that he had cancer. His tone was sincere, and his voice as sure as anything. He said he would be okay, but he wanted to address us and speak openly, honestly and publicly about what would be in-store for him in the coming weeks.

He spoke with such confidence, in a setting completely appropriate to what he wanted to convey. He was able to match the emotion already found in the room and almost turn it around into a life lesson. If I had to classify it, rather than it being a sad moment, he twisted it into a motivational speech, a moment to learn from and grow. It was a defining moment in his life, where his knack for public speaking transformed the audience from upset, into a group driven to get the very most out of life. The way the room felt after it all was said and done, was that of understanding compiled with many different emotions. The audience, my peers, reached a new understanding with my teacher, the speaker. Public speaking is not effective unless a connection between the audience and speaker is made. In this moment, the connection was very clear and blatant, which played into this speech becoming something that no one will ever forget.

Bullhorn Speech - George W. Bush

In his presidential address, President George W. Bush demonstrates what effective speaking is because of his delivery, content, and vision. Not only was this speech given to the Ground Zero team, but also it directly addressed to all of America. After 9/11, the country was caught with its guard down, so its appropriate to be comforted by the rhetoric of the president. It was indicative that the whole country stands together as one, and the entire United States of America hurt as one.

As the speaker, President Bush, said, “I can hear you! The rest of the world hears you! And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear us soon!” These lines are an example of delivery because it is evident of the persuasion that the president has on his country. The content of his speech shows that together we are resilient, and we will not let other foreign countries infiltrate our homeland. His visions for his speech is indicative when the whole audience chants for the U.S.A. showing that we all believe in what the president is directing to us as a country.

The Hangover "Wolf Pack" Speech

The "wolf pack" speech from The Hangover immediately comes to mind when I hear the phrase "public speaking". In this scene, Alan gives a speech to his three friends about how he no longer feels like a loner, and finally feels accepted among his peers. Although he is not addressing the entire general public, Alan is speaking to a group of peers to communicate how he feels. Like any good speaker, Alan projects his voice, makes eye contact, and is very clear about his main message. He fumbles over some of his words, yet makes it known that his friends mean the world to him. The actual content of Alan's speech may seem rudimentary, and even childish, but his passion and genuine love for his friends make his speech very effective. He relates to them by using humor and speaking from the heart. Alan's sincerity evokes emotion in his buddies, as shown by their smiling, and they realize that they are extremely important to him. This moment shared between them then becomes a bonding experience and leaves a lasting impression on them.

Making A Connection

When I first hear the phrase "public speaking" it immediately takes me back to my high school graduation that took place a few weeks ago. We had many administrators at the ceremony who spoke for various lengths of time. Some rambled on and on and some were so short that they barely constituted a speech. The only memorable speech on that day was the speech given by my high school principal. I actually found myself listening to what she was saying rather than tuning her out in my haste to graduate. I hadn't thought much of it at the time, but looking back I realize what about her speech captivated my attention. She paused before she spoke and took the time to look upon all of our faces. Then with a warm smile she began in a clear, steady voice to tell us a tale of a man who came upon a boy the was returning stranded starfish to the sea. The man asked why the boy would even bother because he could not possibly save all of the creatures, so what he was doing didn't matter. The boy answered in a sure voice, "It matters to them." My principal proceeded to explain that one person truly can make a difference in this world and that we all matter. The inclusion of the story really made me remember her words because she made a connection with her audience rather than just lecturing the class. She held eye contact, spoke at an appropriate volume, and took the time to let her words sink in instead of rushing through like so many speakers before her had done. Her delivery and personal connection to the audience are, I think, what made the speech so effective.

public speaking at its worst

Whenever I think of public speaking I automatically think of my eighth grade graduation. Now this example isn't about public speaking at its best, it's more about the down
\falls to public speaking and what one of the worst case scenarios can be. At the graduation ceremony, this girl Amber was the valedictorian and had to make a speech. As she slowly walked up to the podium, she looked out into the crowd, sucked in some air, and dived right in. She started off strong; looked into the crowd, kept focused and had a strong, clear voice. She talked about "moving on" and "growing up" and "that we are onto the next chapter in our lives". However, as she continued on her voice started to shake and she ended up starting at the ceiling. She started to pause and put gaps in between her words, which made her speech hard to follow and understand. All of a sudden her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she passed out on stage, in front of everyone. This example of public speaking shows the nervousness that all people go through when going to make a speech and what can happen when you aren't a strong speaker. Sure, maybe passing out is a bit extreme, but Amber's quirks before, such as looking up to the ceiling and slurring her speech, is what a huge amount of people go through. All that you can do is practice, practice, practice, and hopefully you'll become the talented, inspirational speaker you were meant to be.

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.

Public Speaking-Our Town

My first thought when Ithink of public speaking is an individual speaking to share a message. I picture a person in front of an audience speaking to appeal to their emotions. The most familiar example to me personally is theater. Whether it is a singular actor performing a monologe or a chorus speaking all together they are speaking in front of an audience to convey a message. My example is a monologue from the play Our Town by Thorton Wilder. I had the chance to be a part of this show during my high school experience but what I really love about it is the message. The central theme of Our Town is that most people do not truly appreciate life while they have it. This monologue is from the main character in the show, Emily. She is speaking from the perspective of a girl who has just died and just now understands how little she knew about life. She went back and relived one of her favorite days and realized now naive humans are about life. This is a good example of effective public speaking because it appeals so heavily to the audience's emotions. It is impossible not to be sucked in to the character's emotional recall of such a sad realization. This example also challenges commonly held assumptions about public speaking because the actress is not speaking as herself; she has become someone else. This monologue is a great example of public speaking because it teaches a valuable lesson to an audience that came prepared to learn.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnPx22NLWe4&feature=related

Example of Good Public Speaking

George Washington's farewell address is, in my opinion, an example of a great speech. He was a well respected leader and member of society. The way he spoke and his credibility both allowed him to have an impact on the whole world for years and years after he left office. He suggested to future leaders that the United States stay neutral when it came to foreign affairs. There was no rule forcing future leaders to take this advice, however Washington set many precedents that lasted a long time. Every leader to follow Washington pretty much until WWI remained neutral because of his advice. This was a presidential speech, which is a classic example of public speaking. Politicians need to say things that will appeal to everyone in the whole world, and deliver them well. Their speeches (in today's world) are broadcasted all over the media, which is a lot of pressure, and all political speeches, including George Washington's farewell address, require many public speaking skills.

The Best Speaker I've Seen (so far)

In my junior year of high school, we invited the musician Bill Miller to come and speak to us about his life. While we were crowded into the overheated auditorium, Miller told us about his life, and his climb up through a difficult childhood and home life into his current successful career. The students at my school aren't exactly known for paying attention to the speakers, seeing as we were about a hundred teenagers sitting in a muggy room, but every person in that room was silent and attentive as they listened to him. In his speech, Miller kept a consistant sense of humor, which kept the details from dragging on, but it also contrasted with the moments that were made serious to a point where it was jarring. Not jarring in a bad way, but in a way where it upset us at the points where we he meant for us to be upset. He had his message to give, which was something along the lines of 'anything is possible' and 'reach for the sky' and all that jazz, and it was certainly delivered. All throughout the speech, he was able to affect our emotions exactly the way that he intended to with nothing more than proper word choice and the inflictions in his voice, and by the end, the audience was laughing and crying all at once. He was really able to get the audience to sympathize with him, and I personally was motivated by the end and, as he intended, for that moment, I believed that anything was possible. I think that expressing yourself and getting people to see from your point of view is an important aspect of "public speaking", so Bill Miller remains to be one of the best speakers that I've ever witnessed.

The Last Lecture Speech

 
   When I hear the phrase "public speaking", I immediately envision Randy Pausch's 'Last Lecture' speech. Hopefully, someday my public speaking ability will reach the level of Pausch's; whether you're already familiar with this lecture or you're watching it for the first time, it's evident that Pausch succeeded in conducting an excellent speech. Pausch discusses a concern, that I'd imagine lies within everyone at some point in their lives; how can an individual succeed in achieving their childhood dream? Pausch reveals early on how he lives to achieve his dreams, and surprises everyone with the revelation that he's also dying with pancreatic cancer. Overall, the topic of the 'Last Lecture' relates to a broad audience, but Pausch's down-to-earth and comedic tone helps to really entrap viewers attention within his words and make the speech so successful. It should also be noted that Pausch practices comfortable eye contact with the audience, and hides any nervous mannerisms that may be haunting him.
    I enjoy listening to the 'Last Lecture' because it is so inspirational, and has been one of the only speeches  that has ever actually affected my personal thoughts to a vast extent. As most people do, I often stress myself out over small and insignificant daily events, which in turn causes me to fill my schedule with unnecessary busy work, and to lose track of my own personal goals. I find that after watching the 'Last Lecture' I seem to review my current situation, and to eliminate a large portion of that burdening stress. Randy Pausch uses himself as an example of how to live and dream, despite the fact that he's living with a huge stress factor; if he can be so relaxed and insightful, knowing that he will die shortly, shouldn't I be more grateful and less stressed out about the situation that I'm living in?  Pausch's speech was able to affect me as an individual, and the success of almost every speech can be measured by it's ability to affect individuals' pathos.

Bad Public Speaking

The first thing that came to my mind was an example of bad public speaking. The speaker was Miss South Carolina, Caitlin Upton, from the 2007 Miss Teen USA pageant. Her answer to the final question is an example of bad public speaking. Millions of people were watching her live on national TV as she was about to answer her question. She was asked why she thought Americans can't locate the United States on the map. She started off talking about education in the United States. Then, she got off topic. She began talking about how people in "South Africa and the Iraq" don't have maps. Some people's reactions were harsh because her answer was laughable. They said that her answer just added to beauty pageant stereotypes. I could tell that she was very nervous. If I was asked to speak on national TV, I couldn't do it. With this speech class I hope to become better at public speaking. Thanks to YouTube, Caitlin Upton's bad public speaking will never be forgotten.

Public Speaking example

For me, the best example of "public speaking" would be Martin Luther King Juniors "I have a dream" speech in Washington D.C. This was a speech given during the civil rights movement led by king in an attempt to end the racism being shown towards African Americans and other minorities in the country during the 50's and 60's. This speech did meet the requirements of "public speaking" in the fact that it was in front of a very large crowd in the public setting of a civil rights rally. King used this speech to try and create an image of a society without racism and convey this image to the people. The speech was definitely appropriate for the occasion because it dealt with the major issue of the time period and the people present wanted to hear kings' vision. Kings' vision was one of a unified society where all races can coexist equally. In his speech, king repeated the phrase "I have a dream" in order to convey his vision. He wanted to see the racism end not only for his generation but for his children and every generation after so they could grow up in a country without racism. I feel this was a very effective speech. King knew that the majority of the audience supported him so his speech did not focus on swaying opinions as much as it focused on reminding his supporters why they started the fight and what they were fighting for. This kept the audience interested. When presenting his vision, he used examples that the audience knew and could easily relate to and connect with. This created a stronger reaction to his message and allowed the audience to feel the emotion being conveyed. Overall I feel this was a perfect example of "public speaking".