[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.04,0:00:04.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I didn't know when I agreed to do this
Dialogue: 0,0:00:04.60,0:00:10.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whether I was expected to talk or to sing.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.28,0:00:15.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But when I was told that the topic was language,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:15.33,0:00:20.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I felt that I had to speak about something for a moment.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:20.10,0:00:24.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I have a problem.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.45,0:00:26.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's not the worst thing in the world.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.47,0:00:27.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm fine.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.66,0:00:29.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm not on fire.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:29.41,0:00:31.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I know that other people in the world
Dialogue: 0,0:00:31.31,0:00:35.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have far worse things to deal with,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.48,0:00:41.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but for me, language and music are
Dialogue: 0,0:00:41.43,0:00:45.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,inextricably linked through this one thing.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.87,0:00:53.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the thing is that I have a stutter.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:53.56,0:00:56.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It might seem curious given that I spend
Dialogue: 0,0:00:56.10,0:00:59.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a lot of my life on the stage.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:59.90,0:01:02.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One would assume that I'm comfortable
Dialogue: 0,0:01:02.93,0:01:05.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the public sphere and comfortable here,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:05.36,0:01:07.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,speaking to you guys.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:07.80,0:01:12.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But the truth is that I've spent\Nmy life up until this point
Dialogue: 0,0:01:12.57,0:01:16.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and including this point, living in mortal dread
Dialogue: 0,0:01:16.92,0:01:20.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of public speaking.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:20.23,0:01:24.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Public singing, whole different thing. (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:01:24.94,0:01:28.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But we'll get to that in a moment.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.43,0:01:34.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I've never really talked about it before so explicitly.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:34.34,0:01:36.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think that that's because I've always lived in hope
Dialogue: 0,0:01:36.67,0:01:39.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that when I was a grown-up,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:39.22,0:01:45.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I wouldn't have one.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:45.49,0:01:48.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I sort of lived with this idea that when I'm grown,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:48.70,0:01:51.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'll have learned to speak French,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.91,0:01:55.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and when I'm grown, I'll learn\Nhow to manage my money,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.19,0:01:57.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and when I'm grown, I won't have a stutter,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:57.47,0:01:59.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then I'll be able to public speak\Nand maybe be the prime minister
Dialogue: 0,0:01:59.79,0:02:03.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and anything's possible and, you know.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.16,0:02:06.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:02:06.56,0:02:09.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I can talk about it now
Dialogue: 0,0:02:09.60,0:02:13.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because I've reached this point, where —
Dialogue: 0,0:02:13.43,0:02:17.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean, I'm 28.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:17.37,0:02:19.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm pretty sure that I'm grown now.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:19.86,0:02:21.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:02:21.68,0:02:23.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I'm an adult woman
Dialogue: 0,0:02:23.68,0:02:27.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who spends her life as a performer,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:27.76,0:02:30.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with a speech impediment.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:30.66,0:02:34.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, I might as well come clean about it.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:34.87,0:02:38.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There are some interesting\Nangles to having a stutter.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.85,0:02:42.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For me, the worst thing that can happen
Dialogue: 0,0:02:42.22,0:02:45.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is meeting another stutterer.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:45.48,0:02:48.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:02:48.70,0:02:51.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This happened to me in Hamburg, when
Dialogue: 0,0:02:51.91,0:02:53.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this guy, we met and he said,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.91,0:02:57.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Hello, m-m-m-my name is Joe,"
Dialogue: 0,0:02:57.53,0:03:01.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I said, "Oh, hello, m-m-m-my name is Meg."
Dialogue: 0,0:03:01.79,0:03:04.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Imagine my horror when I realized
Dialogue: 0,0:03:04.45,0:03:06.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he thought I was making fun of him.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.36,0:03:10.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:03:12.20,0:03:17.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,People think I'm drunk all the time.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:17.23,0:03:20.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:03:20.63,0:03:24.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,People think that I've forgotten their name
Dialogue: 0,0:03:24.31,0:03:28.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when I hesitate before saying it.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:28.100,0:03:31.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it is a very weird thing, because
Dialogue: 0,0:03:31.22,0:03:35.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,proper nouns are the worst.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:35.46,0:03:39.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If I'm going to use the word\N"Wednesday" in a sentence,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:39.25,0:03:42.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I'm coming up to the word,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:42.15,0:03:45.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I can feel that I'm going to stutter or something,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:45.12,0:03:48.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I can change the word to "tomorrow,"
Dialogue: 0,0:03:48.43,0:03:50.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or "the day after Tuesday,"
Dialogue: 0,0:03:50.49,0:03:52.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or something else.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:52.88,0:03:57.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's clunky, but you can get away with it,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:57.87,0:04:00.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because over time I've developed this
Dialogue: 0,0:04:00.41,0:04:04.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,loophole method of using speech
Dialogue: 0,0:04:04.80,0:04:07.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where right at the last minute you
Dialogue: 0,0:04:07.93,0:04:12.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,change the thing and you trick your brain.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:12.21,0:04:15.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But with people's names, you can't change them.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:15.92,0:04:18.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:04:18.59,0:04:21.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When I was singing a lot of jazz,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:21.76,0:04:27.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I worked a lot with a pianist whose name was Steve.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:27.28,0:04:29.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As you can probably gather,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:29.90,0:04:33.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,S's and T's, together or independently,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:33.17,0:04:36.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are my kryptonite.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:37.29,0:04:39.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But I would have to introduce the band
Dialogue: 0,0:04:39.44,0:04:42.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,over this rolling vamp,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:42.65,0:04:45.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and when I got around to Steve,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:45.50,0:04:51.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'd often find myself stuck on the "St."
Dialogue: 0,0:04:51.27,0:04:56.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it was a bit awkward and uncomfortable \Nand it totally kills the vibe.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:56.96,0:04:59.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So after a few instances of this,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:59.29,0:05:04.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Steve happily became "Seve,"
Dialogue: 0,0:05:04.39,0:05:08.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we got through it that way. (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:05:09.89,0:05:12.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I've had a lot of therapy,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:12.24,0:05:14.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and a common form of treatment is to use
Dialogue: 0,0:05:14.52,0:05:19.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this technique that's called smooth speech,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:19.43,0:05:24.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is where you almost\Nsing everything that you say.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:24.86,0:05:27.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You kind of join everything together in this
Dialogue: 0,0:05:27.21,0:05:31.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,very singsong, kindergarten teacher way,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:31.48,0:05:35.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it makes you sound very serene,\Nlike you've had lots of Valium,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:35.45,0:05:39.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and everything is calm. (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:05:39.25,0:05:42.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's not actually me.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:42.37,0:05:45.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I do use that. I do.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:45.70,0:05:52.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I use it when I have to be on panel shows,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:52.53,0:05:55.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or when I have to do radio interviews,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:55.91,0:06:00.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when the economy of airtime is paramount.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:00.77,0:06:03.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:06:03.83,0:06:08.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I get through it that way for my job.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:08.22,0:06:10.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But as an artist who feels that their work
Dialogue: 0,0:06:10.93,0:06:16.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is based solely on a platform of honesty
Dialogue: 0,0:06:16.90,0:06:20.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and being real,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:20.94,0:06:24.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that feels often like cheating.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:24.67,0:06:27.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Which is why before I sing, I wanted to tell you
Dialogue: 0,0:06:27.88,0:06:31.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what singing means to me.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:31.54,0:06:35.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's more than making nice sounds,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:35.60,0:06:40.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it's more than making nice songs.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:40.100,0:06:46.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's more than feeling known, or understood.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:46.53,0:06:52.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's more than making you feel the things that I feel.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:52.70,0:06:55.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's not about mythology,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:55.38,0:07:00.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or mythologizing myself to you.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:00.43,0:07:05.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Somehow, through some miraculous
Dialogue: 0,0:07:05.80,0:07:10.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,synaptic function of the human brain,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:10.30,0:07:15.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's impossible to stutter when you sing.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:15.76,0:07:19.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And when I was younger,\Nthat was a method of treatment
Dialogue: 0,0:07:19.52,0:07:21.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that worked very well for me,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:21.97,0:07:27.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,singing, so I did it a lot.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:27.85,0:07:31.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's why I'm here today.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:31.99,0:07:36.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Applause)
Dialogue: 0,0:07:36.36,0:07:39.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:42.01,0:07:46.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Singing for me is sweet relief.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:46.58,0:07:55.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It is the only time when I feel fluent.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:55.43,0:07:58.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It is the only time when what comes out of my mouth
Dialogue: 0,0:07:58.86,0:08:01.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is comprehensively exactly what I intended.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:01.45,0:08:03.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:08:03.73,0:08:06.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I know that this is a TED Talk,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:06.67,0:08:10.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but now i'm going to TED sing.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:10.42,0:08:11.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is a song that I wrote last year.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:11.98,0:08:14.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you very much. Thank you.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:14.37,0:08:19.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Applause)
Dialogue: 0,0:08:27.32,0:08:33.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Piano)
Dialogue: 0,0:08:42.82,0:08:46.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ I would be a beauty ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:08:46.69,0:08:50.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ but my nose ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:08:50.17,0:08:53.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ is slightly too big ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:08:53.80,0:08:57.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ for my face ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:08:57.30,0:09:01.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ And I would be a dreamer ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:09:01.18,0:09:04.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ but my dream ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:09:04.64,0:09:08.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ is slightly too big ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:09:08.25,0:09:11.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ for this space ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:09:11.84,0:09:15.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ And I would be an angel ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:09:15.78,0:09:19.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ but my halo ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:09:19.45,0:09:22.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ it pales in the glow ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:09:22.89,0:09:26.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ of your grace ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:09:26.41,0:09:30.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ And I would be a joker ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:09:30.16,0:09:38.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ but that card looks silly when you play ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:09:38.94,0:09:43.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ your ace ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:09:55.70,0:09:59.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ I'd like to know ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:09:59.47,0:10:03.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ Are there stars in hell? ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:10:03.24,0:10:06.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ And I'd like to know ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:10:06.92,0:10:10.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ know if you can tell ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:10:10.72,0:10:17.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ that you make me lose everything I know ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:10:17.70,0:10:24.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ That I cannot choose to or not let go ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:10:38.02,0:10:42.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ And I'd stay forever ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:10:42.19,0:10:45.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ but my home ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:10:45.47,0:10:49.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ is slightly too far ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:10:49.15,0:10:51.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ from this place ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:10:51.97,0:10:56.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ And I swear I tried to ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:10:56.33,0:10:59.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ slow it down ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:10:59.94,0:11:06.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ when I am walking at your pace ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:11:06.88,0:11:09.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ But all I could think ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:11:09.17,0:11:14.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ idling through the cities ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:11:14.62,0:11:21.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ do I look pretty in the rain? ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:11:21.78,0:11:25.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ And I don't know how someone ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:11:25.21,0:11:28.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ quite so lovely ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:11:28.73,0:11:34.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ makes me feel ugly ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:11:34.39,0:11:37.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ So much shame ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:11:43.60,0:11:47.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ And I'd like to know ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:11:47.30,0:11:50.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ Are there stars in hell? ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:11:50.85,0:11:54.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ And I'd like to know ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:11:54.62,0:11:58.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ know if you can tell ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:11:58.28,0:12:05.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ that you make me lose everything I know ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:12:05.46,0:12:12.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,♪ that I cannot choose to or not let go ♪
Dialogue: 0,0:12:40.62,0:12:45.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you very much. (Applause)