TED Talk Got Punk'd [VIDEO]
Just because it's a TED Talk doesn't mean you have to believe everything the speaker says. This clip featuring comedian Sam Hyde was from an independently organized TEDx program held at Drexel University.
The comedian talked for 20 minutes about the "2070 paradigm shift", which initially seems like a thought-provoking subject until you read between the lines and realize it's all nonsense. Also, the fact he was wearing a DIY gladiator costume should have raised more than a couple of eyebrows.
Here's an excerpt from the epic speech:
"What inspire me, is teaching African refugees how to program Javascript. What inspires me is finding out how to use MagLev trains to get resources to the moon. These are the challenges that tomorrow's going to face."
So how did this notorious comedian manage to get on stage when a simple Google check would have revealed who he really is? Philadelphia Magazine explains:“I told them I had just returned from Mogadishu where I was shooting war journalism following this group of women cleaning up the neighborhood, and by picking up trash, they had lowered crime rate. So it’s like broken window theory there, or whatever the fuck. A little Malcolm Gladwell. [They] wrote back and said, ‘Wow, that’s exciting. We got some real hard hitting stuff here.’”
Since TEDx events are independently organized and anyone can host them means this doesn't reflect poorly on the TED organization. But you have to admit, that's a pretty wicked stunt to pull off.