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The best conversationalists / speakers

post #1 of 28
7/12/11 at 12:11am
Thread Starter 
Hi,

Recently, I realized that I am always incredibly impressed by eloquent people.

While I'm a relatively good speaker, I'd love to work on my delivery and charisma.

Does anyone have examples of their favorite celebrities, historical figures, or other people that they find incredibly inspiring?

To further clarify - I am looking more for people who are good at everyday conversation - not necessarily grandiose speeches. ( I'm not looking for a list of Martin Luther King types ).

Like:
- cool, smooth flow of conversation
- witty but laid back

Dislike:
- pretentiousness
- using fancy vocabulary unnecessarily

Anyone come to mind?
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post #2 of 28
7/12/11 at 1:13am
Tom Ford Henry Rollins
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post #3 of 28
7/12/11 at 3:32am
I have always found Bill Cosby to be a wonderful teller of stories.
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post #4 of 28
7/12/11 at 3:36am
Stephen Fry. A natural conversationalist if there ever was one.
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post #5 of 28
7/12/11 at 3:59am
Hate to say it, but Kevin Smith is a great storyteller; at the very least, he's a better storyteller than he is a director.
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post #6 of 28
7/12/11 at 5:43am
george clooney? oh yeah kevin smith has that show dinner for five.
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post #7 of 28
7/12/11 at 6:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by zerostyle View Post
Hi,

Recently, I realized that I am always incredibly impressed by eloquent people.

While I'm a relatively good speaker, I'd love to work on my delivery and charisma.

Does anyone have examples of their favorite celebrities, historical figures, or other people that they find incredibly inspiring?

To further clarify - I am looking more for people who are good at everyday conversation - not necessarily grandiose speeches. ( I'm not looking for a list of Martin Luther King types ).

Like:
- cool, smooth flow of conversation
- witty but laid back

Dislike:
- pretentiousness
- using fancy vocabulary unnecessarily

Anyone come to mind?
P J O'Rourke
Barry Humphries, for humour
Rush Limbaugh
Chris Hitchens
Oscar Wilde
David Farrar
Marilyn Manson

I tend to like people with a sense of humor too, find them more persuasive
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post #8 of 28
7/12/11 at 7:13am
David Bowie Simon Schama David Foster Wallace James Watson Tom Wolfe Larry Summers
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post #9 of 28
7/12/11 at 9:09am
william f buckley
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post #10 of 28
7/12/11 at 9:45pm
And after seeing Alice Cooper on Top Gear. He is also a pretty darn laid back, intelligent, humourous and charismatic conversationalist.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pliny View Post
P J O'Rourke Barry Humphries, for humour Rush Limbaugh Chris Hitchens Oscar Wilde David Farrar Marilyn Manson I tend to like people with a sense of humor too, find them more persuasive
I am not sure where you can find a video of Oscar Wilde :P
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post #11 of 28
7/12/11 at 9:50pm
Truman Capote Jane Goodall Ira Glass Agnes Martin Garrison Keillor Steve Jones Barney Frank Mr. Rogers +1 to Buckley
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post #12 of 28
7/12/11 at 9:55pm
Fiona Apple
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post #13 of 28
7/12/11 at 10:05pm
listen to Alton Brown explain something.
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post #14 of 28
7/14/11 at 1:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by blahman View Post

And after seeing Alice Cooper on Top Gear. He is also a pretty darn laid back, intelligent, humourous and charismatic conversationalist.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PlinyView Post
P J O'RourkeBarry Humphries, for humourRush LimbaughChris HitchensOscar WildeDavid FarrarMarilyn MansonI tend to like people with a sense of humor too, find them more persuasive
I am not sure where you can find a video of Oscar Wilde :P

smile.gif heard a recording of Wilde (died early last C I think, must have been a wax drum rec ) and he sounded v. reedy, like the old fairy he was. But reputedly best/funniest dinner party guest ever.
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post #15 of 28
7/14/11 at 2:37am
Russel Brand, based on late night talk show interviews.
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