Ruth Sherman on Steve Martin & Audience Expectations - Public Speaking, Media Training

[MJimiD]

Please, stop the false intonation.This isn't going to sound intellectual, but nobody should care about audience expectations. They paid to observe Steve Martin speaking HIS peace, not theirs. If they want to pay for something THEY like, there's endless pornography for sale (And for free) over the internet or they can just stand in a mirror and recite their own guff to themselves. Point taken? Art and artists don't step aside. The audience does.

[RuthSherman]

@MJimiD We disagree on this. I stand by my comments - gotta know what the audience, the paying customers want and give it to them. Or not. But then deal with any pushback. Seems it just wasn't clear between Martin and the 92nd St. Y what the topic would be and, thus, not communicated to the audience before they purchased their tix. If they had known in advance what the topic would be, no refunds would've been necessary. (BTW, saw your earlier comments. Appreciate you rewrote.)

[JenSarahSpilsbury]

Personally, I think pretty much all Mr. Martin has done is interesting. He's an artist in every sense of the word. As an avid collector, this was important to him to talk about. This lady, Ruth, is quite annoying, really. She comes across as sarcastic and I don't like it at all. And yes, her furniture does suck. Oh, dear, sorry. The hotel furniture sucks. Although, would you expect more from Motel 6?

[RuthSherman]

@JenSarahSpilsbury Thanks for writing. I wasn't being sarcastic and regret you perceived it as such.

[JenSarahSpilsbury]

@RuthSherman Ms. Sherman, I owe you an apology. My comment wasn't very nice. Although I have met Mr. Martin and he was an absolute dear and most importantly, very kind to my little 4 year old son, Blake. He was a real gentleman, as well, and I took him as a polite and reserved man when not on stage entertaining. Mr. Martin has earned the right to be upset about certain things like this. He probably felt a bit insulted. But I still feel strongly about the hotel furniture. haha.

[RuthSherman]

@JenSarahSpilsbury Thank you. I appreciate your apology. I love people who are nice to my kids, too. But, it's hotel furniture -- what can you do?

[Kerpify]

What a sack of potatoes.

In an INTERVIEW, "it's not about you and your interests" but about where the interviewer takes you!

[spdrwrtr]

Very good suggestions, maybe someone will forward your video to Steve Martin

[MalnourishedGoat]

Wow, maybe you can meet with Steve and help train him.

[mikesnair]

Ruth, what I expect from you as part of an audience is that you prepare a little better. Steve Martin does not draw or paint and does not sell those works. Take your own advice.

[RuthSherman]

@mikesnair You know, you may be right about Steve not being an artist. I had thought he'd dabbled, but perhaps not. If I was mistaken, I apologize. That, however, isn't relevant. Speaking is always about what the audience is interested in. Any speaker worth his/her salt will check in advance. I guarantee you his appearances in many other venues were carefully thought out and constructed according to audience needs.

[Winifred214]

It's really about what the audience NEEDS?? Wow, this is scary. Steve has nothing to be humiliated about!!! (unless he wants to take on the burden of the current climate of shallow 1D existence...not his fault!!) "Considers himself an artist"...what an arrogant phrase from this woman. Another person trying to make themself look wise (failing) at the expense of a better one (Steve)!

[OregonBacon]

900 people paid $50 to watch this interview so what did the promoter advertise and was Martin and Solomon at least handed one of those promo flyer's? Solomon and Martin tried to fix it.. audience questions 1/2 way through sounds fair.

[RuthSherman]

@OregonBacon Nope, it's always the speaker's job to know what the audience wants, not the other way around. Called research.

[mackjay2]

I disagree with Ms Sherman. Martin et al should have announced exactly what they were going to discuss. This way they would have had a different audience and there would have been no problem. They have a right to discuss what they want, only they shoud have made it clear what it was going to be before people bought tickets

[RuthSherman]

@mackjay2 I don't think we disagree. You're saying the speaker should've made clear what the interview was going to cover. If that was clear to the audience, it would've been fine and no refunds would've been necessary. There was, however, an obvious disconnect. Someone missed the boat and considering that Steve Martin and Deborah Solomon are professional communicators , I think it was they.

[spectertracy]

Interviews should not require pandering. I personally would be quite interested to hear Steve talk about art. I think it is really sad that modern people are not cultured enough to be interested an intellectual conversation about art.

[RuthSherman]

@spectertracy So would I. But the actual audience did not. That's the point.

[ginormousbones]

I agree with Jeromepurple- what a goof you are Ruth.  You are so fake- I wanted to take a shower after watching. Barf.

Bones

[jeromepurple]

steve martin has paid his dues, done enough catering to audiences, playing the joker. it is the man behind all that that should interest people, if thats what he wanted to talk about, well, then they got to know the real steve martin. frankly ruth, you seem to be soulless and thoughtless, stop using all your brain cells concentrating on smiling throughout the whole damn video and you might be able to think about what you are saying.

[RuthSherman]

@jeromepurple It's not a matter of paying dues. He's very well paid for his "catering" and this career is his choice. A pro like Steve Martin (and interviewer Deborah Solomon) should never blame the audience for not liking him. Furthermore, his reaction did not help his case or his book sales. He would've been much more successful had he reacted in a less petulant, entitled way. He should have simply said he regretted what happened and left it at that.

[330rx]

I hate your furniture.

[RuthSherman]

@330rx Haha, I was in a hotel.

[FreeCapital]

Dang. I only came because it said "0 views" and I've never won anything, so I figured, "I got this". But, no. So, I guess I agree...with...whatever is going on here.

Who's stev marton?