As people grow more accustomed to an increasingly media-saturated society, audiences tend to become more jaded-or at least cynical. In these times it can be a daunting task to sincerely inspire and move a modern audience. However, some speakers have proven to be consistently inspiring, uplifting, and often hilarious commentators on the human condition-and have enjoyed a rewarding career in the public eye as a result. Here are a few of the top inspirational speakers of 2009.
Bill Cosby As one of the most consistently charming comedians of the last forty years, Bill Cosby is known the world over as a very funny man. However, as countless audiences each year will attest, he's also a highly original, thought-provoking, and inspirational speaker.
From his early days on the comedy club circuit, to his groundbreaking role in the Sixties hit TV series I Spy, to his creation of the vastly influential Eighties sitcom The Cosby Show, Bill Cosby has proven time and again to have a timeless appeal that stretches across cultural and socioeconomic barriers. For nearly as long as he's been in the public eye, Bill Cosby has also been a tireless crusader for scores of causes, always working towards a better world and an improved social climate. For decades, Bill Cosby has been a significant presence in many social service, educational, and civil rights organizations.
His recent speeches at college commencements and non-profit events infuse calls for responsibility and level-headedness with his trademark charm, gentle wit, and wry observations, making his speeches as enlightening as they are entertaining.
Ben Stein Although perhaps best known to the world at large as the monotonous, dreadfully boring economics teacher in the film Ferris Bueller's Day Off, the real Ben Stein is actually one of the most engaging and inspirational speakers around.
With a long and eclectic career, ranging from politics-he was a speechwriter for Presidents Nixon and Ford, to countless acting roles (often playing a variation on the snoozefest teacher from Ferris Bueller), to writing dozens of books-both novels and non-fiction, to filmmaker, to game show host, Ben Stein's speeches draw on a wealth of unique experiences.
Stein is renowned for his humorous, yet highly informative speeches, such as “Yes, You Can Still Retire Comfortably,” and “Ben Stein on the Economy,” which manage to do the seemingly impossible by infusing fiscal facts, graphs, and charts with humor, entertainment, and passion-all while delivering practical and useful information to the audience. But Stein is also known for thoughtful, well-crafted, and always funny one-of-a-kind speeches, custom composed for each audience. It's ironic that the man so closely associated with repeatedly boring a classroom full of students has proven to be such a consistently engaging speaker in real-life.
Aimee Mullins Aimee Mullins was born without fibula bones in her shins, and at the age of one her legs were amputated. However, she was always determined not to allow being a bilateral below-the-knee amputee impede her dreams, and has continued to achieve success in numerous filed.
With the assistance of artificial legs, Mullins set Paralympics records in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash. She then moved into acting and modeling, and has even been named as one of People Magazine's “50 Most Beautiful People.”
In addition to her acting and modeling careers, Mullins has also found a passion for inspirational speaking. Her speeches focus on “not adhering to social constraints on what is possible,” and communicate the importance of recognizing and eliminating the mental blocks that can be responsible for so many of life's setbacks.
Yossi Ghinsberg Noted adventurer and author Yossi Ghinsberg combines his inspirational speeches with his innate gift for storytelling in order to create a memorable and significant experience for his audience. Following a three-year stint in the Israeli Navy, Yossi became a world traveler, visiting and interacting with a variety of cultures around the globe-all the while attempting to learn as much as possible about their religions, philosophies, traditions, and outlooks. He published his first book, The Jungle, about his life-changing journey through South America.
His travels and encounters have lead him to cultivate many humanitarian ventures, such as The Chalalan Project, an in depth study into new methods for preserving the threatened ecology of the South American Rainforests. He has also incorporated knowledge gained from his journeys into his work as Vice President for the Investigation and Treatment of Addiction, which has established worldwide clinics dedicated to the humane treatment of opiate addiction.
As a speaker, Yossi relates his personal adventures as a means to underscore a variety of widely relatable topics, including The Power to Survive and Sailing the Seas of Change.
Brad Meltzer Brad Meltzer is an accomplished novelist, television writer/creator, and even comic book author. He has written many bestselling novels, including The Book of Fate, a New York Times #1 bestseller that was authored with research assistance from former Presidents Bush and Clinton. He co-created the cult favorite TV series Jack – Bobby, and his work for DC Comics has earned him the prestigious Eisner Award-the comic industry's equivalent to an Oscar.
In addition to his writing work, Meltzer is the founder of Ordinary People Change the World, a charitable organization. He is also involved in the national service program, Americorps.
Meltzer's writing skills have taken him to great heights. His novels have spent over ten months on the New York Times bestseller lists, and his work has proved popular around the globe-being translated into over twenty-five languages. However, years before all of this success, the author received twenty-four rejection slips from publishers who were disinterested in publishing his first novel (which remains on his shelf, unpublished to this day). Meltzer uses this humble origin to inform his inspirational speaking, impressing on audiences the rewards of persistence and dedication.
Knowledge comes from many places, and not always from where you expect it. From from serious adventurers who can make you chuckle while you think, to career funnymen with something serious to say, a great speaker can continue to inspire long after their speech is complete.Inspiring Speakers.com provides the ideal speaker for meeting and event planning professionals, and facilitate the selection process for corporate events. Discover which of the world's best minds and most capable presenters are right for putting your organization on the fast track to success. For more information on our speaker bureaus, visit online today.
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