Ben Katchor's comics of bygone New York

[jimbrown257]

Wtf?

[MellumFellum]

This is actually one of the more brilliant, creative, and insightful TED talks out there, and I've seen almost all of them. It's a bit stunning that it hasn't been rated higher. Pay attention to the actual message, and see how many startling and new connections he makes (Christ and ventriloquism!). Now compare that to, say, the TEDtalk "Felix Dennis' odes to vice and consequences," where the poetry is invariably trite and only occasionally 'new.' The difference? Dennis has a badass voice. Deep.

[runescape332]

I thought that was john malkovich talking at first.

No Joke.

[MrCrammer]

Monotone story telling. Polite applause. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

[ashtray45]

This is some jackass trying to sound smart, but really everyone can see that in his desperate attempt to be unique, he lost all reason. Almost as pathetic as abstract drawing, a 2 year olds brain fart. No talent and no place on TED.

[cihge]

This guy is on TED?!? EXCUSE ME?!

[Juggernaughty824]

He's just sharing his idea to the world... and it's TED... can't blame him for that. Moreover, if you think the same as i am that his voice was mind-blowing, just switch it off like I what I will do in 15 seconds...

[cihge]

I need a translator here... or maybe two.

...srsly tho, wtf?

[MysteryManoLove]

Better than Eve Ensler, god she made no fucking point at all, I tore her up in my video.

[niniomigrania]

It reminds me a little bit to the voice of Jhon malkovich, but less entertainment, and pretty boring to be honest, i almost fall asleep.

[cthulhex]

The public should snap their fingers instead of applauding, that would complete the beatnik poetry feeling to his voice

[waitingastar]

i should listen to this before i go to sleep =P

but aside from that its very thought provoking

[hairbird]

his language is unique -- this guy is currently blowing my mind

[Treknologist]

"That's the end of that. [I tell you that now so that you all might take the opportunity to bathe me in the applause and aural accolades of which I am so very deserving for engaging your puny intellects with rhetoric most droll.]"

[LacusOdii]

Why did they invite this clown?

[Danelleya]

omg I fell asleep after halfway through

[uexplorer]

I don't got a problem with the click, sounds like "Begin"

[DaVeej]

I love how he talks.

[spencer7890]

dude he sounds like a super boring priest in a church, so glad i dont have to go tehre anymore :|

[kriptonis]

test

[kidmecha]

Very interesting and intriguing.

If you don't have patience and like to think or don't appreciate art and poetry, don't watch this.

[ScepticalPenguin]

I like alternative and deep perspectives on everyday life, comedians such as Michael Mcintyre and Dylan Moran are brilliant at them - but this guy sounds like like self indulgent prick. These overly arty types just piss everyone else off.

I was half expecting him to start explaining how much he suffers for his work.

[facelessone86]

Not boring. Very entertaining.

[simchamo]

he sounds a bit like john malkovitch

[Chavalierdeon]

good for him he can sell his comic book

[icey0076]

he puts ma to sleep... good night.

[JLProud]

Wonderful!

[ratholin]

so...bored...losing...will...t­o...live...soul...leaving..bod­y...must...get...nachos.

[325982668]

what the fuck is this dude talking about.... light switch sounds?????

[ExMachine]

What's boring is the tumorous capitalist growth at the end.

[gr1283]

Whoa Ben! calm down...

[Icrokis187]

borring

[Angaraman]

I wouldn't have said "boring" but it did put me to sleep. He has a soporific voice quality.

[HAH1970]

I'm sorry I'm an electrician and his first story I found to be rather off. Yes a lot of switches do go click and make noises as their turned on and off. That is because of the general contractor or owner wasn't willing to spend $5 a switch and chose the .79 cent switch. Not because of the electrical contractor.

[tepozjonny]

This guy needs to keep on keeping on. It is great to listen to his view and insight on ordinary things. It is poetry.

[logicalcognition]

why does he tlk like that with his s's its annoying

[rowanrockhopper2]

Geezus, is everyones comment here negative? This was a breath of fresh air!

Pure poetry!

[FOUADMKHAN]

it's faux intellectualism... bullshit that sounds great but is meaningless or half-baked and uninformed... anti-TED.

[theseanze]

It sounds like he's reading the text of a graphic novel he's showing slides of, like beat poetry set to images.

I kind of dig it...

[DesireSpasm]

I agree. I really dig it.

I saw the best minds of my generation...

[acaraway1]

he speaks of the "architect" as if he was the savior of the unwashed masses.....and the "some contractor" which he so easily dismisses, has probably had to save his bacon on missed design many many times. Oh yes, I know these architects, I save their asses daily....

[jonsuther]

Think you missed the point of the line.

[rowanrockhopper2]

Well, seeing as you feel unappreciated, thanks for your hard work.

Im not involved with the industry though :P

[aarondkeogh]

I'd love to draw a dick on this guys forehead

[beeohhski]

lol

[codbug]

TED is doing its damnedest lately to get me to unsubscribe...

[acaraway1]

I am most agreeable to that

[rowanrockhopper2]

Why dont you?

[Archael2]

hahaha yeah I hear ya

[user11235813213455]

This guy is 1) not funny 2) speaking in monotone and 3) WAY to in love with his own voice which is absoultly hideous.  I could only go about half way through before shutting off that awful sound

[henjokongo]

This is trying too hard. Anything more substantive would have been better.

[Ikhalis]

Crap video. Shouldn't someone be able to speak normally to be a TED speaker? One of the worst talks in a while. Way to fucking go!

[beriukay]

Zoidberg lives!

[Cyllid]

HOLY CRAP IT IS ZOIDBERG!

[Atoyota]

very disappointing... a pretentious Andy Warhol imitation

[bararistheman]

i was waiting for the talk to be meaingful...in the end I want my 13 minutes back.

[CirqueDuCloud]

I was more entertained by the BMW advertisement at the end of the video...

[Hindsite502]

I'm confused by this clip, what was the message?

[namnack]

That people with a self imposed speech impediment can get the mic at TED's and spout their prosthetic musings.

[CheeezMaster]

how annoying is this guys voice

[BottomContributor]

This guy sounds more monotone than Ben Stein on the Wonder Years.

[rackslap]

yea. i think he sounds a lot like john malkovich!!

[namnack]

OMG, that was Ben Stein?

[Airave]

pretty cool. nice artwork.

[trylonperisphere]

Can't stand this guy's voice for more than a minute.

[namnack]

praise to you for holding on so long..

37 seconds myself...

[HubertCumberdale22]

Highscore! Got all the way to 2:13. But then the Mushroom killed me as I tried to go down the green pipe... Uhm...

[namnack]

TED is not what it used to be 'mfraid...

What's next.."How amoeba's can help to turn our faeces into a bio fuel"?

Oh no, they posted that last week...

[crayzal]

nice commercial at the end? How come the dont mention how much carbon and fuel would we save if we switched to electric cars? wonder why...

[NastyDHL]

i'm going to go ahead and ignore this video (after all who cares about substance?) and instead claim this territory as nastydhl's 'second' because I DO get a sense of satisfaction by showing off something meaningless...it's almost my form of rap music except instead of bragging about how I have more money than you I'm bragging about how much of an internet addicted loser I am

[snoggerforce76]

having missed your 'claim' by at least 30 seconds, i can only imagine how excruciatingly embarrassed you must now feel.

[NastyDHL]

I hope you are being as sarcastic as I was :p

[lukessummer]

Hold on a mo'...am I getting this right, your saying rap music is shallow!!???!!....

Epithany....:)

[MrFrankBullitt]

What is this trash?

Why hasn't TED posted the talk by Nassim Taleb?