Show Notes
Ron Tite has some stories to tell about hotel rooms, but they’re a lot more wholesome than you might expect.
They’re also moving, side-splittingly hilarious, and perfectly crafted to deliver the powerful message in his talks – all with his signature effortlessness and charm.
For Ron, though, his signature story is the product of years of effort. It’s taken practice, tweaking, and questioning to get it to this stage, and he’s taking you Clappers backstage to explain the intricacies of how he developed his story and what he’s learned about speaking over the years.
Find out about:
- How Ron tests new material with his “new two” method
- What Ron takes from his experience of stand-up comedy to make him a better speaker
- How to know if your new bits are landing well – and what to do if they’re not
- Why personal stories are so special
- What to do when the stage doesn’t fit your talk
Quotes from the episode:
“Pan for silver, work for gold. You pan to see if there’s anything there, but you’ve got to work for gold.”
“Perfecting a funny bit takes hundreds of performances… People assume they’re not funny because it doesn’t naturally come to them, so they just give up.”
“If an improvised bit is good enough, funny enough, and powerful enough, I’ll remember it.”
Connect with Ron Tite
2 Key Questions
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given about the speaking business?
“I spoke to Michael and Amy Port about authenticity, I questioned whether I can be authentic and use something like forced errors in my talk.
Michael said: ‘This is a performance and if you are giving your all to that audience and you know that the way you say a line – if you know that it’s the best way to say it – who are you to not give that to this audience? You have to deliver your best every single time.’”
Who is your dream guest for Standing Ovation?
“One – Mitch Joel, a good friend and fellow comedian who I’d love to hear.
Two – Ann Handley is an absolutely dynamic speaker with great stories.
Three – Alison Levine who is one big, massive story with signature bits throughout all leading to conquering Everest.”
