Awesome Speeches

In May 1964, Dick Van Dyke attended a civil rights event alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He read a speech written by Rod Serling about humanity, brotherhood, and equality. At age 97, the beloved actor and entertainer read the speech again, reminding us how important it is to embrace our fellow humans.

“Time is something that cannot be bought… Time is simply how you life your life.” Sports reporter and flamboyant suit wearer Craig Sager speaks about life with cancer after receiving the 2016 Jimmy V Perseverance Award. Mirror here.

(PG-13 Language) Self-confessed bed spiller Taylor Mali performs a poem about proofreading. At first it seems like a cheap way to get away with double entendres at a poetry reading. Well it is, but it’s also hard to intentionally speak like that at length.

(PG-13 Language) “It’s time to cause trouble… and this time, from the inside.” Risqué artist John Waters told the 2015 RISD graduates to not just be creative, but to infiltrate established institutions and revolutionize them from within.

“I didn’t even know if I’d make it here.” Sports anchor Stuart Scott received the Jimmy V. Award for fighting cancer for 7 years and counting, as evidenced by the fact that he was hospitalized just a week before receiving the award.

“The audience wants the control. They want the freedom.” Kevin Spacey spent part of his lecture at the Edinburgh International Film Festival encouraging his colleagues to embrace digital distribution. Full lecture here. Transcript here.

Georgia Tech sophomore Nick Selby welcomes the 2013 freshman class to join the university’s rich legacy of talented engineers and challenges them to reach new heights (and make the Iron Man suit.) Full speech here. (Thanks Ben!)