Public Speaking

March 21, 2025

Raise a Glass to the Messy, Cringey Wedding Toast

Some of the most dismally wrongheaded performances I have ever seen have been wedding toasts — and I used to review Off Off Broadway theater. There […]
March 6, 2025

Kieran Culkin Asked for More Kids at the Oscars. When Is an In-Joke Worth the Risk?

Some personal stories can make the jump to crowd-pleasing anecdote without a hitch. But taking a private joke to prime time has its risks. Awards shows […]
August 6, 2016

Cultural Studies: Hillary Clinton’s Hand-to-Heart Gesture: How Did It Start?

When Hillary Clinton told her audience at a rally in Las Vegas on Thursday “Here’s what I believe,” she punctuated those words with not just a […]