After it aired, the 9 Rules Acceptance Speech given by Chris Pratt on the MTV Awards show was shared throughout the Internet. You can find several versions on YouTube. I discovered it on Facebook when it was shared in a group for speakers as a good example of a speech.
Watch it first, then read my comments. It is 4 minutes and 12 seconds long.
What I liked about this presentation
Pratt’s Rule #4 is his advice about how to feed a dog medicine. Chris Pratt said, “When giving a dog medicine, put the medicine in a little piece of hamburger. They won’t even know their eating medicine.”
This is how he wove together his speech, which is brilliant.
He shared his clear, strong message about God and the care of the soul (the medicine) while surrounding it with humor (the hamburger).
Pratt’s voice was clear and strong. He used pauses to help emphasize his points. He made eye contact with the whole audience, not just one section.
What I didn’t like about this presentation
That all said, I really think his story about pooping at a party went on way too long. I know Chris Pratt was using it for comic effect, but for my taste, it was a bit too graphic.
Lessons to take away from this presentation by Chris Pratt
- Model your message. Your speech should be congruent in content and delivery. If you are asking your audience to behave in a certain way, model that behavior in your presentation.
- Adding humor to a serious subject makes it much easier to listen to. Laughter relaxes your audience so that you can then deliver your message.
- Make eye contact in all directions of your audience. They are all there to hear your message. They all deserve a little of your attention.
