Actor Richard T. Jones Improvs Embarrassing UMUC Commencement Speech (VIDEO)

If you're keen on delivering a great speech, a wise strategy would be to actually write one.

Tasked with responsibility of delivering the commencement address for the University of Maryland University College Class of 2011, actor Richard T. Jones, best known for his roles in the Why Did I Get Married films, attempted -- with limited success -- to improvise his way to inspiring remarks.

The video is circulating around the Web, and to say the least, the reviews are not pretty. As one member of the graduating class put it, "Richard T. Jones = Commencement Speech Fail!"

WATCH:

Comments

[CreateSun]

05:05 PM on 06/13/2011

Sad and totally uncalled for in the simplest sense. Dude needs to be taking out back and handled accordingly…Tuskegee puts out much better folks than this bad misrepresentation of our legacy.

[Joseph Schmoe]

06:55 AM on 06/07/2011

Sounds like they got what they deserved.
;-)

[mp60mp32]

08:19 PM on 06/06/2011

This is flat out horrible. I don't remember my college graduation speaker at all because I was pumped to get out with my degree. But I would have remembered this. I really would have remembered this.

[MarieNat]

06:19 PM on 06/06/2011

I'm perplexed as to why they thought he was a good choice anyway.

[aphextwin07]

03:03 PM on 06/06/2011

wow, after a 3 minute introduction this is what he had to say! I would feel robbed if I were a part of that graduating class.

[niv001]

10:19 AM on 06/05/2011

This is painful to listen to.

[Andra Claudia Garcia]

11:51 PM on 06/04/2011

he got an honorary doctorate degree but did not have time to write a speech...I will use the great Richard T. Jones word...WOW

[fem56]

11:44 PM on 06/04/2011

If graduation wasn't such a big deal and he was giving the speech for free it might have been cute. He is right that thoughts can be powerful so the speech could have been very good if he hadn't decided to wing it.

[Watersisland]

08:18 PM on 06/04/2011

LAME...and what an insult! A bunch of nothing----Didn't he think the students at Univ of Md deserved SOMETHING....written ahead of time...and given some careful and thoughtful consideration? When I think of all the commencement speakers I've heard, I've NEVER heard anyone use a lame excuse for not having anything better to say....and then actually follow through on it. Did he think that some "brilliance" was going to come from his mouth? Perhaps he believes himself to be witty, but even that's probably only good for "one liners". In his defense, I will say that I've heard Sarah speak ALMOST as long without anything really being communicated. But....at least HER audience doesn't have the intelligence to realize it.

[trulyweak]

05:43 PM on 06/04/2011

I have a thought about this. Just one thought. But it's a brilliant thought... Oh never mind.

[Mountaingrl]

11:56 AM on 06/04/2011

Once he got past the first few minutes, he picked up steam and did okay for someone who was winging it. I can't figure out why he didn't come up there with notecards or something as a reference though.

[DrJay1966]

09:00 AM on 06/04/2011

Painful.

[sk8queen]

07:51 AM on 06/04/2011

That's what they get for getting him just because he's an "actor." He's a B movie actor at best. He's never really had any seriously meaty roles. You can tell from his limited "improvisational skills" what kind of actor he is. He didn't even have enough respect for the occasion to at least pay someone to write him a speech and practice it before hand. I had 4 commencements and don't remember anything that was said in any of them. I will guran-dang-tee this will bw one commencement that class will NEVER forget. At least he was nice to look at while standing up there stammering and "improvising."

[armstrong st]

04:16 AM on 06/04/2011

Improvising is a good strategy but you also have to be prepared for it!

Steve from www.essaytask.com

[Rinehart]

04:19 PM on 06/03/2011

Oh lighten up, laugh and get laid! Prudes will be prudes and the "outrage" machine is always ready. I don't remember one word of my commencement. All I remember is it's hot and I'm ready to go! Obviously the guy felt intimidated by going on after doctors and professors AND he warned that he was going to improv. I thought it was a little comic relief sandwiched in between the stale typical stuff. Maybe it's a new trend, seems like everyone got a kick out of it. Commencement speech are OVERRATED. If you want serious then should someone come up and say whew, those student loans and this economy good luck!