Analysis of a Speech by Conan O’Brien
On 12 June 2011, Conan O’Brien delivered the commencement address to the 2011 graduating class of Dartmouth College. In chilly, windy weather, he took the stage and wowed a crowd of hundreds 24 minutes.
Conan’s jokes, one-liners and humorous anecdotes elicited a gradual stream of laughter and applause. But then the path of the speech changed, and he spoke brazenly and poignantly about his current setback with The Tonight Show. In so doing, he original an vital message for the students. Clearly, he put plenty of effort into the speech, and was rewarded with a 30-second standing ovation when it was over.
In some respects, this appears utterly natural. Conan is an expert comedian and seasoned talk present host. He should be able to ship a dynamic and memorable speech. However even a professional can get nervous, significantly when he is performing on unfamiliar ground. Given the occasion, the illustrious backgrounds of the dignitaries with whom he shared the stage and the truth that he was receiving an honorary degree, I’d be prepared to guess that Conan had his share of butterflies.
There's a lot that we can study from this speech. At 24 minutes, it is too lengthy to undergo it line by line, but I have noted a number of things that made it excellent.
* Conan was assured sufficient to be spontaneous. His opening comments about the cold and how he wanted gloves was not in the text of his speech.
* He used self-deprecating humour recurrently and to nice effect. For instance, when acknowledging former President George Bush Sr., “[B]ehind me sits a extremely admired President of the United States and adorned conflict hero while I, a cable tv talk present host, have been chosen to stand here and impart wisdom. I pray I by no means witness a more damning instance of what is mistaken with America today.” (zero:forty five)
* He poked good-natured enjoyable on the Dean. “He served because the chair of the Department of International Well being and Social Medication at Harvard Medical School, spearheaded a process force for the World Well being Group on International Health Initiatives, gained a MacArthur Genius Grant and was one of Time Journal’s 100 Most Influential Folks in 2006. Good God, man, what the hell are you compensating for? Seriously. We get it; you’re smart.” (three:30)
* Conan incorporated references to locations and issues that would resonate with the scholars at Dartmouth. For example, “In actual fact, just this morning I left Baker Berry with my Tripee Barry to eat a Billy Bob at the Bema when my flitz to Francesca was Blitz-jacked by some D-bag on his FSP.” (6:00)
* He also had enjoyable with an expertise that many university college students all over the world know only too well. “After I bought the call two months ago to be your speaker, I decided to arrange with the same intensity a lot of you have got devoted to an important term paper. So late final night, I began.” (5:10)
* He poked good-natured enjoyable on the school.
o “Your faculty motto is Vox Clamantis in Deserto, which means ‘Voice Crying Out within the Wilderness.’ This is easily the most pathetic college motto I've ever heard. Apparently, it narrowly beat out ‘Silently Weeping in Thick Shrub’ and ‘Wimpering in Moist Leaves with out Pants.’ (6:35)
o “Your insecurity is so nice, Dartmouth, that you don’t even think you deserve an actual podium. What the hell is that this factor? It seems like you stole it from the set of Survivor: Nova Scotia. Seriously, it seems to be like one thing a bear would use at an AA meeting.” (8:20) [NB - In truth, a podium is the platform on which you stand; a lectern is the furnishings on which you place your notes.]
* He had the arrogance to pause for extended intervals of time, notably to let the laughter run after his many effectively-obtained bits of humour.
* He used rhetorical devices.
o Metaphor: “I went from being in the middle of the grid, to not solely off the grid, but underneath the coffee table that the grid sits on, lost within the shag carpeting that is underneath the coffee desk supporting the grid. It was the making of a profession catastrophe, and a terrible analogy.” (18:05)
o Parenthesis: “To at the present time I still don’t understand exactly what occurred, but I've never had extra fun, been extra challenged, and-this is essential-had more conviction about what I used to be doing.” (19:20)
* Though he learn from his notes and the 2 teleprompters, he nonetheless made great eye contact with the audience.
* To convey his most important message, he instructed a story.
* He shared some memorable words of knowledge for the students at an important time in their lives.
o “In the end, I deserted all preconceived perceptions of my career path and stature … I did a number of silly, unconventional, spontaneous and seemingly irrational things and guess what … it was probably the most satisfying and fascinating 12 months of my professional life.” (18:45)
o “[T]here are few things extra liberating on this life than having your worst fear realized.” (19:35)
o “It's our failure to turn into our perceived preferrred that in the end defines us and makes us unique. It’s not easy, however should you settle for your misfortune and deal with it right, your perceived failure can be a catalyst for profound re-invention.” (21:15)
o “I'm right here to let you know that no matter you think your dream is now, it should in all probability change. And that’s okay.” (22:40)
* He appeared like he was genuinely having fun with himself.
So, what may Conan have executed to make the speech even better? Two suggestions.
First, I would have favored to see him take a bit of more time with the conclusion. To me, it felt barely rushed and that’s a shame as a result of a speech that good deserves a becoming conclusion. Right here’s what Conan stated:
I have informed you a lot things immediately, most of it foolish however a few of it true. I’d like to end my deal with by breaking a taboo and quoting myself from 17 months ago.
On the end of my final program with NBC, simply before signing off, I stated ‘Work onerous, be sort, and amazing issues will happen.’ Right now, receiving this honor and talking to the Dartmouth Class of 2011 from behind a tree-trunk, I've by no means believed that more. Thank you very much and congratulations.
“Work onerous, be kind and amazing issues will happen.” is a wonderful line. It could have been worth repeating the words. And it wouldn’t have taken much. For instance, the ultimate paragraph above might gone something like this:
At the end of my final program with NBC, simply earlier than signing off, I stated ‘Work onerous, be type, and wonderful issues will happen.’ Right now, receiving this honor and talking to the Dartmouth Class of 2011 from behind a tree-trunk, I have never believed that more. I encourage each of you to work arduous and be form, and you’ll see … amazing issues will occur to you. Thanks very much and congratulations.
Second, someplace across the last third of his speech, and undoubtedly because of the wind and the cold, Conan began to sniffle. With the amplification from the microphone, I found it distracting. Audio system should at all times have Kleenix or a handkerchief useful, particularly when speaking outside. There is nothing wrong with stepping back and blowing one’s nose. It’s better than protracted sniffling.
But for me, this was a unbelievable speech, filled with humour and emotion and wisdom. I don’t know what prompted Dartmouth to decide on Conan O’Brien to offer the commencement tackle, however he was an excellent choice.
I remember feeling bad for Conan when he left The Tonight Show. (OK, “dangerous” is a relative term. He received a multimillion dollar payout, so I didn’t feel that dangerous for him.) Nonetheless, I didn’t think that he had been handled fairly. As we speak, however, I’m glad that it occurred as a result of it turned out to be an ideal opportunity for Conan and, in turn, for us as well.
Conan’s jokes, one-liners and humorous anecdotes elicited a gradual stream of laughter and applause. But then the path of the speech changed, and he spoke brazenly and poignantly about his current setback with The Tonight Show. In so doing, he original an vital message for the students. Clearly, he put plenty of effort into the speech, and was rewarded with a 30-second standing ovation when it was over.
In some respects, this appears utterly natural. Conan is an expert comedian and seasoned talk present host. He should be able to ship a dynamic and memorable speech. However even a professional can get nervous, significantly when he is performing on unfamiliar ground. Given the occasion, the illustrious backgrounds of the dignitaries with whom he shared the stage and the truth that he was receiving an honorary degree, I’d be prepared to guess that Conan had his share of butterflies.
There's a lot that we can study from this speech. At 24 minutes, it is too lengthy to undergo it line by line, but I have noted a number of things that made it excellent.
* Conan was assured sufficient to be spontaneous. His opening comments about the cold and how he wanted gloves was not in the text of his speech.
* He used self-deprecating humour recurrently and to nice effect. For instance, when acknowledging former President George Bush Sr., “[B]ehind me sits a extremely admired President of the United States and adorned conflict hero while I, a cable tv talk present host, have been chosen to stand here and impart wisdom. I pray I by no means witness a more damning instance of what is mistaken with America today.” (zero:forty five)
* He poked good-natured enjoyable on the Dean. “He served because the chair of the Department of International Well being and Social Medication at Harvard Medical School, spearheaded a process force for the World Well being Group on International Health Initiatives, gained a MacArthur Genius Grant and was one of Time Journal’s 100 Most Influential Folks in 2006. Good God, man, what the hell are you compensating for? Seriously. We get it; you’re smart.” (three:30)
* Conan incorporated references to locations and issues that would resonate with the scholars at Dartmouth. For example, “In actual fact, just this morning I left Baker Berry with my Tripee Barry to eat a Billy Bob at the Bema when my flitz to Francesca was Blitz-jacked by some D-bag on his FSP.” (6:00)
* He also had enjoyable with an expertise that many university college students all over the world know only too well. “After I bought the call two months ago to be your speaker, I decided to arrange with the same intensity a lot of you have got devoted to an important term paper. So late final night, I began.” (5:10)
* He poked good-natured enjoyable on the school.
o “Your faculty motto is Vox Clamantis in Deserto, which means ‘Voice Crying Out within the Wilderness.’ This is easily the most pathetic college motto I've ever heard. Apparently, it narrowly beat out ‘Silently Weeping in Thick Shrub’ and ‘Wimpering in Moist Leaves with out Pants.’ (6:35)
o “Your insecurity is so nice, Dartmouth, that you don’t even think you deserve an actual podium. What the hell is that this factor? It seems like you stole it from the set of Survivor: Nova Scotia. Seriously, it seems to be like one thing a bear would use at an AA meeting.” (8:20) [NB - In truth, a podium is the platform on which you stand; a lectern is the furnishings on which you place your notes.]
* He had the arrogance to pause for extended intervals of time, notably to let the laughter run after his many effectively-obtained bits of humour.
* He used rhetorical devices.
o Metaphor: “I went from being in the middle of the grid, to not solely off the grid, but underneath the coffee table that the grid sits on, lost within the shag carpeting that is underneath the coffee desk supporting the grid. It was the making of a profession catastrophe, and a terrible analogy.” (18:05)
o Parenthesis: “To at the present time I still don’t understand exactly what occurred, but I've never had extra fun, been extra challenged, and-this is essential-had more conviction about what I used to be doing.” (19:20)
* Though he learn from his notes and the 2 teleprompters, he nonetheless made great eye contact with the audience.
* To convey his most important message, he instructed a story.
* He shared some memorable words of knowledge for the students at an important time in their lives.
o “In the end, I deserted all preconceived perceptions of my career path and stature … I did a number of silly, unconventional, spontaneous and seemingly irrational things and guess what … it was probably the most satisfying and fascinating 12 months of my professional life.” (18:45)
o “[T]here are few things extra liberating on this life than having your worst fear realized.” (19:35)
o “It's our failure to turn into our perceived preferrred that in the end defines us and makes us unique. It’s not easy, however should you settle for your misfortune and deal with it right, your perceived failure can be a catalyst for profound re-invention.” (21:15)
o “I'm right here to let you know that no matter you think your dream is now, it should in all probability change. And that’s okay.” (22:40)
* He appeared like he was genuinely having fun with himself.
So, what may Conan have executed to make the speech even better? Two suggestions.
First, I would have favored to see him take a bit of more time with the conclusion. To me, it felt barely rushed and that’s a shame as a result of a speech that good deserves a becoming conclusion. Right here’s what Conan stated:
I have informed you a lot things immediately, most of it foolish however a few of it true. I’d like to end my deal with by breaking a taboo and quoting myself from 17 months ago.
On the end of my final program with NBC, simply before signing off, I stated ‘Work onerous, be sort, and amazing issues will happen.’ Right now, receiving this honor and talking to the Dartmouth Class of 2011 from behind a tree-trunk, I've by no means believed that more. Thank you very much and congratulations.
“Work onerous, be kind and amazing issues will happen.” is a wonderful line. It could have been worth repeating the words. And it wouldn’t have taken much. For instance, the ultimate paragraph above might gone something like this:
At the end of my final program with NBC, simply earlier than signing off, I stated ‘Work onerous, be type, and wonderful issues will happen.’ Right now, receiving this honor and talking to the Dartmouth Class of 2011 from behind a tree-trunk, I have never believed that more. I encourage each of you to work arduous and be form, and you’ll see … amazing issues will occur to you. Thanks very much and congratulations.
Second, someplace across the last third of his speech, and undoubtedly because of the wind and the cold, Conan began to sniffle. With the amplification from the microphone, I found it distracting. Audio system should at all times have Kleenix or a handkerchief useful, particularly when speaking outside. There is nothing wrong with stepping back and blowing one’s nose. It’s better than protracted sniffling.
But for me, this was a unbelievable speech, filled with humour and emotion and wisdom. I don’t know what prompted Dartmouth to decide on Conan O’Brien to offer the commencement tackle, however he was an excellent choice.
I remember feeling bad for Conan when he left The Tonight Show. (OK, “dangerous” is a relative term. He received a multimillion dollar payout, so I didn’t feel that dangerous for him.) Nonetheless, I didn’t think that he had been handled fairly. As we speak, however, I’m glad that it occurred as a result of it turned out to be an ideal opportunity for Conan and, in turn, for us as well.
