The humour-hopabout contest has been running since 1980 and it always draws fierce competition, a large audience, and lots of laughter. To compete, you need to present a 3-4 minute long humorous speech. I believe that the more you speak, the more you learn (stage time), so I entered the contest.

Well, imagine my surprise when I won the contest with my speech, which examined the lighter side of mobile phones. Clearly, I must be learning something from the Champions Edge. I also re-listened to Darren?s Make em Laugh set the week before the contest, which helped me to focus on and edit my speech.

Download the podcast.

Monday evening was the annual humour-hopabout contest, hosted by Table Bay Toastmasters club in Cape Town. Since I am a Toastmasters district officer, I am usually not allowed to enter contests. However, because this is not an official contest, I was able to enter.

The humour-hopabout contest has been running since 1980 and it always draws fierce competition, a large audience, and lots of laughter. To compete, you need to present a 3-4 minute long humorous speech. I believe that the more you speak, the more you learn (stage time), so I entered the contest.

Well, imagine my surprise when I won the contest with my speech, which examined the lighter side of mobile phones. Clearly, I must be learning something from the Champions Edge. I also re-listened to Darren?s Make em Laugh set the week before the contest, which helped me to focus on and edit my speech.

So, at least for the next year I am the humour champion in Cape Town!

Oh, and I have just realised that this is my 100th post on my blog!

Here is the audio-only version.

Download the podcast.

In some ways, public speaking has changed dramatically over the last 100 years, but in others it as barely changed at all. 

Read about 78 lessons in public speaking from 1916 that are still as relevant today as there were in 1916.

These lists are from the book Talks on Talking by Grenville Kleiser. It was originally published in 1916, and it is amazing how almost 100 years later, the principles hold.

DON’TS FOR PUBLIC SPEAKERS

1. Don’t rant.
2. Don’t prate.
3. Don’t fidget.
4. Don’t flatter.
5. Don’t declaim.
6. Don’t be glib.
7. Don’t hesitate.
8. Don’t be nasal.
9. Don’t apologize.
10. Don’t dogmatize.
11. Don’t be slangy.
12. Don’t antagonize.
13. Don’t be awkward.
14. Don’t be violent.
15. Don’t be personal.
16. Don’t be “funny.”
17. Don’t attitudinize.
18. Don’t be monotonous.
19. Don’t speak rapidly.
20. Don’t sway your body.
21. Don’t be long-winded.
22. Don’t “hem” and “haw.”
23. Don’t praise yourself.
24. Don’t overgesticulate.
25. Don’t pace the platform.
26. Don’t clear your throat.
27. Don’t “point with pride.”
28. Don’t tell a long story.
29. Don’t rise on your toes.
30. Don’t distort your words.
31. Don’t stand like a statue.
32. Don’t address the ceiling.
33. Don’t speak in a high key.
34. Don’t emphasize everything.
35. Don’t drink while speaking.
36. Don’t fatigue your audience.
37. Don’t exceed your time limit.
38. Don’t talk for talking’s sake.
39. Don’t wander from your subject.
40. Don’t fumble with your clothes.
41. Don’t speak through closed teeth.
42. Don’t put your hands on your hips.
43. Don’t fail to stop when you have ended.

DOS FOR PUBLIC SPEAKERS

1. Be prepared.
2. Begin slowly.
3. Be modest.
4. Speak distinctly.
5. Address all your hearers.
6. Be uniformly courteous.
7. Prune your sentences.
8. Cultivate mental alertness.
9. Conceal your method.
10. Be scrupulously clear.
11. Feel sure of yourself.
12. Look your audience in the eyes.
13. Be direct.
14. Favor your deep tones.
15. Speak deliberately.
16. Get to your facts.
17. Be earnest.
18. Observe your pauses.
19. Suit the action to the word.
20. Be yourself at your best.
21. Speak fluently.
22. Use your abdominal muscles.
23. Make yourself interesting.
24. Be conversational.
25. Conciliate your opponent.
26. Rouse yourself.
27. Be logical.
28. Have your wits about you.
29. Be considerate.
30. Open your mouth.
31. Speak authoritatively.
32. Cultivate sincerity.
33. Cultivate brevity.
34. Cultivate tact.
35. End swiftly.

This list is from the book Talks on Talking by Grenville Kleiser. It was originally published in 1916. While many of the phrases have fallen into disuse, it is amazing how many are still being used today! What do you think we should add to the list?

1. I rise with diffidence
2. Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking
3. By a happy stroke of fate
4. It becomes my painful duty
5. In the last analysis
6. I am encouraged to go on
7. I point with pride
8. On the other hand (with gesture)
9. I hold
10. The vox populi
11. Be that as it may
12. I shall not detain you
13. As the hour is growing late
14. Believe me
15. We view with alarm
16. As I was about to tell you
17. The happiest day of my life
18. It falls to my lot
19. I can say no more
20. In the fluff and bloom
21. I can only hint
22. I can say nothing
23. I cannot find words
24. The fact is
25. To my mind
26. I cannot sufficiently do justice
27. I fear
28. All I can say is
29. I shall not inflict a speech on you
30. Far be it from me
31. Rise phoenix-like from his ashes
32. But alas!
33. What more can I say?
34. At this late period of the evening
35. It is hardly necessary to say
36. I cannot allow the opportunity to pass
37. For, mark you
38. I have already taken up too much time
39. I might talk to you for hours
40. Looking back upon my childhood
41. We can imagine the scene
42. I haven't the time nor ability
43. Ah, no, dear friends
44. One more word and I have done
45. I will now conclude
46. I really must stop
47. I have done.

Are struggling to find good quality images that you can use in your presentations? If so, you need to watch this 4 1/2 minute long video.

It shows you how to use the photo-sharing website – www.flickr.com to find images that you can commercially use at no cost.

Enjoy