For Fullsail Public Speaking, March 2013

1. “The Shared Experience of Absurdity”

2. Charlie Todd
 Comedian
 Founded the group “Improv
Everywhere”
 Performs in the “Upright
Citizens Brigade”

3. The Shared Experience of Absurdity
 Thesis: When the absurd experience is shared rather
than experienced alone, it can be a positive experience.

4. Introduction
 Todd opens up with a prank video, “The Pantless
Subway Ride”, that gets the audience laughing and
attentive.
 He continues to use his group (Improv Everywhere)
videos which keep the audience engaged.
 Being a comedian, he also keeps a good pace and
speaking demeanor.

5. Commandment VIII
 “Thou shalt remember all the while: Laughter is good.”
 This is Charlie Todd’s obvious wheel house.
 The audience laughs through out the entire speech.

6. Dynamism
 Having experience in improv and stage, Charlie Todd
is clearly experienced in public speaking. While his
videos are enjoyable, the speech could have benefitted
from more time speaking on his topic than narrating
his videos.
 Dynamism 4.5/5

7. A Break from the Norm
 Todd’s motivation is to
give a “prank” that
everyone can share in and
most importantly is a
POSITIVE shared
experience.
 His “Rob wants to give
you a high five” segment
was a great example of
how a break from the
monotony of riding up a
subway escalator on one’s
way to work, put a smile
on everyone’s otherwise
blank faces.

8.  Todd states that none of his actors have “too much
time on their hands” but that these projects are simply
how they choose to spend their time instead of a
football game or watching television.

9. Ken Comparison
 Ken Robinson is an
educator, not a stage
comedian, yet his is
naturally funny and uses
that to his great advantage.
 Robinson mentioned the
other speakers which is one
of TED’s laws, while Todd
did not.
 Both have creativity as a
fundamental part of their
topic.
 Both use hand gestures.

10. Humor for Audience Connection
 TED has law VIII for a good reason.
 Even if it is not natural to the speaker, they will more
often than not, inject some humor into their speech to
keep the audience engaged.
 Entertainment keeps attention. An attentive audience
is an engaged audience.

11. Image Sources
 Charlie Todd profile picture:
http://www.ted.com/speakers/charlie_todd.html
 Video Screen Shots:
http://www.ted.com/talks/charlie_todd_the_shared_experience_of_a
bsurdity.html
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_c
reativity.html