Inspiration, education, contemplation… TED Talks can offer all of these, and sometimes, with a side of humor. Here, five TED Talks that will certainly add some levity to your day!
ANNE LAMOTT: 12 TRUTHS I LEARNED FROM LIFE AND WRITING
Novelist Anne Lamott shares her list of “Things I Know for Sure.” In this 2017 TED Talk, Lamott offers dry wit and wisdom on writing, family, death and God in a paradoxical world that encompasses “floods and babies and acne and Mozart.”
JAMES VEITCH: THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU REPLY TO SPAM EMAIL
British writer and comedian James Veitch’s 2015 presentation is one of the 25 most popular TED Talks of all time. Nigerian princes, relatives stranded in a foreign country… most of us just hit “delete.” Veitch, however, provides a hysterical account of what happens when he engages with Solomon, an email scammer offering an irresistible investment opportunity.
RANDALL MUNROE: COMICS THAT ASK “WHAT IF?”
Web cartoonist and author Randall Munroe, creator of the webcomic xkcd, answers hypothetical science questions (“What if you tried to hit a baseball moving at 90% of the speed of light?”) with math, science, physics and humor.
ZE FRANK: NERDCORE COMEDY
The TED staff’s choice as one of the funniest TED Talks, this hysterical 2004 TED Conference talk has over 6 million views. Web comedian and performance artist Ze Frank discusses the online creative processes that have influenced a generation of YouTube vloggers.
EMILY LEVINE: A THEORY OF EVERYTHING
Comedian/writer/philosopher Emily Levine discusses science and the human condition with her signature cerebral wit. With intelligence and humor, Levine muses about science and society, life and death, quoting sources as diverse as René Descartes and David Lee Roth.
Ted Talks are a wealth of information for everyone to enjoy and grow. It’s amazing what conference and event attendees can learn from the right speaker, like the ones we’ve shared above. Contact us if you are needing engaging and inspiring speakers for your upcoming corporate meeting.
