who's the best one you've had the chance to listen to?

 

The best I've ever heard (and seen!) is a gentleman named Cary Trivanovich. He's a mime as well as a motivational speaker (talk about a Jekyll and Hyde existance!) and he's incredible! Take a look at his website: www.carytrivanovich.com

 

The best graduation speaker I heard was Joe B. Costello because he was honest, funny, and intelligent. It was at my graduation and it was weird because our speaker was supposed to be Douglas Adams but he passed away 2 days before graduation so they called Joe and he flew down and did a great job.

 

hahah....you reminded me of my commencement speech at the U. of Texas. It was keynoted by none other than Ann Richards, who I cannot stand. And my dad said that if she was elected, he was moving out of the state. She was and he did! Actually my parents moved for other reasons, but still a funny story. She's a gnarly old bag and epitomises all that is evil and wrong in politics...IMO, of course...

Well, she did the speech and at her VERY FIRST WORD, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE looked at the person sitting next to them with jaws dropped and eyes wide open. Apparently old Ann had been hitting the cooking sherry or MD 20/20 all day because she was SLOSHED! It was amazing. She rambled on for entirely too long and everyone was thrilled when she finally stumbled off stage. There were tens of thousands of people at the ceremony.

Totally amazing...

 

We had Maya Angelou last year and the Fonz this year.

Angelou was very overrated IMO.

 

I was on a flight with Maw Richards while she was Gov. We stopped at DFW and she got off the plane but left her purse on it and they pulled us back to the gate so she could re-board to get it. Gov. Goofy caused me to miss my next connection and caused me a 12 hour delay. There were a whole bunch of people on that flight who wouldn't have voted for her.

 

At my commencement, we had Art Buchwald. He was hilarious. He had somewhat gone to USC (unoffically attended, wasn't an official student there). He was able to tell us his stories of attending school there and was really pleased when he got his honorary degree, after the speech. His speech was funny as well as thought provoking.

 

I don't remimber who spoke at either of my graduations but I do remimber what my high school principal (and little league coach) told me as he handed me my diploma. He shook my hand firmly, looked me in the eye and with a look of total confidence and enthusiasm said "I expect great things!"

He set the bar extremely high for me yet his confidence in me let me know I could do it.

His expression and words during that brief moment in time still motivates me today, 30 years later!