Fall Forward Speech Analysis

The commencement addresses to Penn State's class of 2011 by Denzel Washington and Tulane University's class of 2015 by Maya Rudolph are parallel and distinctive speeches in their own style. Washington's and Rudolph's speeches use humor to make them relatable to their group of graduates. While also telling stories that are also humorous give their messages integrity and hooks the audience. Their techniques and underlying message, taking risks for a greater reward, are the same. However, they differ in the methods, by either falling forward or saying yes, to taking chances. Washington centers his speech around The statement "Fall Forward". Fall forward goes against the phrase fall back and intended at taking risks that create innovative and

This among other thoughts is the advice she wishes she could offer herself when she was 21. In her story concerning her time in college, the way she speaks of herself creates a picture of a lost individual with no utter directions realistically and figuratively. Her choice to be a comic came from her saying yes to her dream and conscious hope to be on Saturday Night Live. This and a little guidance from her father lead her to graduate school where she learned the general phrase "yes and" as the first rule of her improvisation class. Saying "yes" opens up the opportunity, while "and" adds information that acts not to contradict however builds on all prior assertions. She then gives an example:

If she was in a scene with President Fitts and he says, "hey, you're Oprah Winfrey." And Rudolph says, "No I'm not." The scene would be over. However, if she says, "Yes I am…and today Class of 2015??? Look Under Your Seats! Because you are all leaving here today with a COLLEGE DIPLOMA!!! YOU GET A COLLEGE DIPLOMA! YOU GET A COLLEGE DIPLOMA!" (Rudolph,

In my opinion, her jokes were just more relatable to my generation's idea of comedy. Her joke about Birkenstocks being something she used to wear and Urban Outfitters selling these shoes makes it prevalent and sneers at hipsters and hippies. Then at the end she sings the National Anthem in a vivacious and incoherent manner that ridicules Beyoncé lip-syncing the National Anthem at the 2013 inauguration. Just knowing the little ideas behind her humor allows me to relate to her jokes and makes it more