42. VLOG! Behind the Scenes of a Keynote: The Standing Ovation Wasn't the Best Part

From Laugh or Death with Paul Osincup | Humor, Resilience, Humanity · 32:43

Show by Paul Osincup: Keynote Speaker

I got a standing ovation at a recent keynote. Which is pretty freaking cool. And also feels incredibly weird to podcast about because now I sound like a guy casually telling you he got a standing ovation. 😂 But when you become a speaker, that's one of those moments you imagine. Big stage. Big audience. People laughing. You finish the talk and everybody stands up. What you don't see is everything that happens before those few seconds. So this week on Laugh or Death, I'm taking you behind the scenes of a couple recent speaking trips to show you what traveling as a keynote speaker actually looks like. Spoiler: significantly less glamorous than you might think. It starts with me trying to cram almost 70 pounds of The Humor Habit into a suitcase like I'm competing in some kind of keynote-speaker Tetris championship. Then there's airports, luggage, Ubers, hotel rooms, tech checks, rehearsals, eating breakfast alone, signing books in my hotel room, waking up way too early because my brain has decided 4:30 a.m. is the perfect time to start thinking about my presentation, and drinking enough coffee to become a functioning human being. Basically, the stage is only a tiny percentage of the job. I also take you through some of the stuff I actually do before a keynote: walking the room, thinking about how close the audience is to the stage, moving things that might create barriers between me and the crowd, testing the technology, going through slide transitions, practicing impressions, and eventually reaching the point where there's nothing left to prepare. About ten minutes before I go onstage, I'm done looking at slides. Done checking my phone. Done trying to memorize anything. At that point, the only job is to go out there, be present, have fun, and give the room everything I've got. And this event was especially meaningful. I was speaking to hundreds of people whose work centers around helping and protecting kids — social workers, counselors, educators, people working in juvenile courts and other incredibly demanding roles. That hits close to home because my mom worked as a guardian ad litem in the juvenile court system. So yes, getting the laughs felt good. The standing ovation felt good. But then I walked out to sign books and started talking to people. One person told me something I said about losing my mom had resonated with her because she had lost hers too. Someone else told me she doesn't laugh very often and thanked me because she really needed it. Another person wanted a book for her son because he was going through a difficult time. And watching those conversations back afterward completely changed what I thought this episode was about. A standing ovation lasts a few seconds. Then everybody sits down, goes home, and moves on with their lives. But if something I say can give one person a break from whatever they're carrying… If they laugh when they haven't laughed much lately… If something in the talk or the book helps them live their life just a little lighter… That means way more to me. Which is funny, because I've spent most of my life much more comfortable speaking to hundreds of people than having a really meaningful conversation with one person. And somehow, those one-on-one conversations have become my favorite part of the job. So yes, this episode is a behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to get from my house to a keynote stage. But it also ended up reminding me why I wanted to be on that stage in the first place. And for the record, I'm not saying I never want another standing ovation. If you come see me speak, please continue laughing loudly and standing at the end. I'm still that guy. 😂 Links: FREE GIFT! Download the Fun Over Funny Guide For Leaders! https://www.paulosincup.com/freegift If you enjoyed this episode and want to build your own humor habit, make sure to follow the podcast and share it with someone who could use a little more levity in their life. To learn more about Paul's work, book him for speaking engagements, or explore the science behind humor and resilience, visit: 👉 https://www.paulosincup.com You can also dive deeper into the tools discussed in this episode in Paul's book: 👉 The Humor Habit: https://www.paulosincup.com/thehumorhabit All Links For Paul: https://stan.store/PaulOsincup Episode Minute-By-Minute: 00:00 – I Got a Standing Ovation…Now Let Me Show You Everything Before It 01:00 – What You Don't See Behind a Keynote 02:00 – Playing Tetris With 70 Pounds of Books 😂 03:00 – The Luxurious Life of an International Keynote Speaker 05:00 – No Private Car Here…Uber, Baby 08:00 – Arriving at the Conference + Tech Check 09:00 – What Backstage at a Conference Actually Looks Like 10:00 – Making Sure the Virtual Audience Can Join In 11:00 – Why This Audience Means So Much to Me 12:00 – Why I Hate Podiums 😂 13:00 – My Favorite Night-Before-Keynote Ritual 15:00 – Sometimes the Book Is Just a Really Good Coaster 16:00 – My 4 A.M. Keynote Routine…Just Kidding…

More episodes of Laugh or Death with Paul Osincup | Humor, Resilience, Humanity

More episodes

PodSearch is a free, independent podcast search engine. Read about PodSearch, the privacy policy or contact us.