Help me pick a speech topic

[Popinjay]

I am a college freshman taking a class called Introduction to Public Speaking. Basically we get up and make speeches. I've done 2 practice ones, 1 graded one, and all of them have elicited an above-average to very good amount of laughes from class.

Next up is the 6-7 minute informative speech. It can be on any subject as long as it is approved by the teacher. In about 11 hours my topic must be approved. I would probably think of my own but there are a lot of bored people here who need something to do. SO, let's hear em.

And please remember, the topic is going to be approved by the teacher, so no blatantly offensive or inappropiate suggestions. I'm thinking it's going to be a subtly funny subject that is usually not regarded as such. But who knows, I might get surprised.

Results and trip report probably to follow.

[diebitter]

Belgium

or critique boxtree's sex Haiku (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=exchange&Number=3508897&pa ge=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=14&fpart=1).

or talk about the various approaches to handling a man who insults your significant other.

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
Belgium

[/ QUOTE ]

This made me laugh but I have no idea why.

[DougShrapnel]

How to give a speech about giving a speech.

Belgium - Thanks for the waffles now fck off.

[lem45216]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Belgium

[/ QUOTE ]

This made me laugh but I have no idea why.

[/ QUOTE ]

Same, those belgians crack me up every time.

[rusty JEDI]

A speech:
-full of acronyms
-on Johnny Cash
-on college urban legends
-about historical events of 1986 or whatever other year most freshmans in your class were born. Or take that and spend a very short amount of time on each year from the birth year to now with major world events or pop culture.

rJ

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
-about historical events of 1986 or whatever other year most freshmans in your class were born.

[/ QUOTE ]

Christ that made me feel old. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[rusty JEDI]

A speech about what everyone will do with their lame arts degrees.

rJ

[ChipWrecked]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
-about historical events of 1986 or whatever other year most freshmans in your class were born.

[/ QUOTE ]

Christ that made me feel old. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Hell yeah! I boned their mom!

[diebitter]

[ QUOTE ]
Belgium

[/ QUOTE ]

Go on - I dare ya. I double dare ya. At the risk of breaking playground etiquette, I triple-dog dare ya.

[ChipWrecked]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Belgium

[/ QUOTE ]

Go on - I dare ya. I double dare ya. At the risk of breaking playground etiquette, I triple-dog dare ya.

[/ QUOTE ]

How the hell is he going to do six minutes on Belgium?

"Once upon a time there was a country. They made waffles, and chocolate. Then the nazis overran it on the way to France. The end."

[swede123]

Belgium is a pretty solid topic, but if you don't do this, pick something you are passionate about, at the very least something you already have some knowledge about. Speeches are so much easier when the speaker seems to know what he's talking about.

Swede

[rusty JEDI]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Belgium

[/ QUOTE ]

Go on - I dare ya. I double dare ya. At the risk of breaking playground etiquette, I triple-dog dare ya.

[/ QUOTE ]

How the hell is he going to do six minutes on Belgium?

"Once upon a time there was a country. They made waffles, and chocolate. Then the nazis overran it on the way to France. The end."

[/ QUOTE ]

What about the muscles from Brussels and Belgian fries.

rJ

[diebitter]

[ QUOTE ]
How the hell is he going to do six minutes on Belgium?

[/ QUOTE ]

That's the challenge!

But to help, two words: Asterix, Tin-Tin

or is that three?

[ChipWrecked]

meh. If he hasn't already covered the phenomenon of the current explosion of [card game], he should do that. But I figure it's odds-on that was his first speech.

[ChipWrecked]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
How the hell is he going to do six minutes on Belgium?

[/ QUOTE ]

That's the challenge!

But to help, two words: Asterix, Tin-Tin

or is that three?

[/ QUOTE ]

He could talk about how the diamond traders in Antwerp are responsible for thousands of African kids getting their arms hacked off.... not much humor in that I guess. Damn I'm in a miserable mood today /images/graemlins/mad.gif

[swede123]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
How the hell is he going to do six minutes on Belgium?

[/ QUOTE ]

That's the challenge!

But to help, two words: Asterix, Tin-Tin

or is that three?

[/ QUOTE ]

Asterix, Tin-Tin,
what else can I saw about
Belgium, not too much.

Swede

[diebitter]

Swede's got it

Your topic is: Belgian Haiku

[steelcmg]

In my speech class my topic was on the difference between the types of beer. Everyone loved it i got an A. I think i got alot of people to atleast try good beer.

[swede123]

Did it involve sampling these different beers? For that even I would have given you an A, and I'm a hard-ass grader when it comes to speeches.

Swede

[steelcmg]

[ QUOTE ]
Did it involve sampling these different beers? For that even I would have given you an A, and I'm a hard-ass grader when it comes to speeches.

Swede

[/ QUOTE ]

HAHA i wish. But my teacher was really cool and he even said he tried some of the beers i talked about and it changed the way he thought about beer.

[bholdr]

I was a TA in a speech class once... (i DO know what i'm talking aboput for once!)

here:

A speech will always be superior if it's about soething you know and love, vs about something you pick because you think OTHERS will find it intresting- an audience will generally, if the speaker is good, be exactly as involved in the subject matter as the speaker is.

so why not poker or some other form of gamboooooooooling?

-how to play texas holdem in 6 easy minutes... edit: better name for the speech: "how to beat the crap out of your buddies in your NL holdem home games" (people will pay attention to this one, and i'm sure you can come up with a way to pack enough info into a short time to seriously improve the skills of a bunch of amatures)
-you can't beat the table games, and i can prove it; just say NO to martingale and other betting systems... (this one's got big potential for some subtle humor)
-somthing like that... i don't know what your other intrests are. a usefull, but uncommon skill is always good, the best grade in that particular class's informative speech went to a dude that explained how to properly wrap a gift with common 'found' materials. it was actually really cool to learn that.


oh, and if you can, bring props. props are a big grade-booster in speech classes.

one more thing.. if you use one of these topics, i'd be happy to edit that mother for you if you'd like. i actually kinda miss editing stuff. (I will get you an 'A' or your money back!) PM me!

[diebitter]

Seriously, take care if it's a subject you're passionate about/know a lot about - really, really easy to overshoot your time and end all wrong.

[bholdr]

[ QUOTE ]
Seriously, take care if it's a subject you're passionate about/know a lot about - really, really easy to overshoot your time and end all wrong.

[/ QUOTE ]

diebitter raises a good point, and reminded me of another important one: remember, or rather, assume, that your audience knows very little about your subject; Don't write a speech about poker and use the word 'variance' without a good, succint explanation, for example; also, remember that they're probably not as 'into' the subject as you are... it's your job as a speaker to generate that intrest.


bet, what does 'diebitter' mean? isn't it 'the please' in german? WTF is that? or am i WAYYYYY off? /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[ChipWrecked]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Seriously, take care if it's a subject you're passionate about/know a lot about - really, really easy to overshoot your time and end all wrong.

[/ QUOTE ]

diebitter raises a good point, and reminded me of another important one: remember, or rather, assume, that your audience knows very little about your subject; Don't write a speech about poker and use the word 'variance' without a good, succint explanation, for example; also, remember that they're probably not as 'into' the subject as you are... it's your job as a speaker to generate that intrest.


bet, what does 'diebitter' mean? isn't it 'the please' in german? WTF is that? or am i WAYYYYY off? /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

It's German for die Bart.... die.

[diebitter]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Seriously, take care if it's a subject you're passionate about/know a lot about - really, really easy to overshoot your time and end all wrong.

[/ QUOTE ]

diebitter raises a good point, and reminded me of another important one: remember, or rather, assume, that your audience knows very little about your subject...


...what does 'diebitter' mean? isn't it 'the please' in german? WTF is that? or am i WAYYYYY off? /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I expect to die bitter.

Another important tip - which probably doesn't apply for your very short talk - best approach is:
1) Tell em what you're gonna tell em
2) Tell em
3) Tell em what you told em

ie prepare em for recieving wisdom, dispense it, review the key points at the end

[Lazymeatball]

Tupac vs Biggie Smalls feud,

or eulogize Gilligan (Bob Denver)

[Shajen]

the history of the "crop duster".

I got nothing.

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
the history of the "crop duster".

[/ QUOTE ]

It's the perfect spot for it.

[bholdr]

[ QUOTE ]
It's German for die Bart.... die.

[/ QUOTE ]

NH, sir.

[mslif]

[ QUOTE ]
Asterix, Tin-Tin,


[/ QUOTE ]

Caution: Thread Hijack!

Those were some of my favorite comics growing up... Asterix was so funny! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[diebitter]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Asterix, Tin-Tin,


[/ QUOTE ]

Caution: Thread Hijack!

Those were some of my favorite comics growing up... Asterix was so funny! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok, mslif, quick, we gotta go. So many threads to hijack, so little time.

[mslif]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Asterix, Tin-Tin,


[/ QUOTE ]

Caution: Thread Hijack!

Those were some of my favorite comics growing up... Asterix was so funny! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok, mslif, quick, we gotta go. So many threads to hijack, so little time.

[/ QUOTE ]

I just took a trip down memory lane when I read about those comics, it made me smile. Sorry for the hijack. /images/graemlins/frown.gif

[shakingspear]

If you're in a frat give a speech about doing something while intoxicated. Everyone in class will laugh and laugh, and you'll attain hero status.

But don't do it if you're not in a frat. They'll all just think you're a lamer.

[Matt Flynn]

Gotta be poker.

[Popinjay]

final entries time!

The speech should be about the ingenious way the French unblock the sewers in Paris when they clog up with solids.

They have a wooden ball with a 90% diameter of the sewer. The ball floats along until it meets the blockage. The pressure then builds up behind the ball until it is forced through clearing out the solids. Also, they've got dudes who ride boats in the sewer.

Chicks who like either Paris or poop will be all over you like solids on a sewer ball.

[Popinjay]

[ QUOTE ]
Gotta be poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

But how to make it funny? I have a feeling it'd be funny but only to me.

[swede123]

Ok, all joking aside. Do your speech about PEZ dispensers. There's some interesting facts about the origin of Pez, the crazy collectors of rare dispensers, the various candy flavors during the years and so on. You can even offer samples of various flavor of Pez candy. It's easily enough to cover a 6-7 minute informative speech. How do I know all this? Cause this was the topic I chose for a similar assignment back in school. It went over quite well, if I recall correctly.

Swede

[Shajen]

great idea. I'd listen.

[jgorham]

"How to give an impromptu speech." But you are probably less lazy than me /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[M2d]

SIIHP-a viable form of birth control