Playwright/Actor Anna Deavere-Smith on TEDTalks

Anna Deavere Smith brings the TED audience to their feet as she brings to life a series of quintessential Americans. The chameleon-like Deavere Smith transforms herself in and out of character, as she embodies legendary author Studs Terkel, followed by convict Paulette Jenkins, a Korean merchant in Los Angeles after the '92 Riots, and finally a rodeo bull rider. The monologues — adapted verbatim from tape recordings — are drawn from interviews she conducted for "On the Road: A Search for American Character." Each is a response to a probing question, such as, "What is a defining moment in history?" (Recorded February 2005 in Monterey, CA Duration: 23:50)

Download this performance: Video (MP4)

More TEDTalks: TEDTalks website | iTunes (audio) | iTunes (video)

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Comments

[Loke Uei]

Your download link still points to the previous video (pilobolus)

[David Leffler]

The Pilobolus clip is nice, but I'd sure love to see the Anna Deveare Smith clip!

The streaming video on this page doesn't work, and when I downloaded the clip for Anna Deveare Smith I got Pilobolus.

[twitter:techsavvygirl]

Thank you for finally posting another Ted Talk featuring an inspirational woman. I love Ted Talks and have been using the videos as part of my work connecting girls with role models in the area of design and technology. The earlier Ted Talks offered a nice balance of men and women with great ideas. The 24 wonderful Ted Talks prior to Anna's video were all men, making it difficult to drive home the idea to today's girls that women should and can contribute to the shaping of today's society in the area of technology and design. I look forward to more Ted Talks, including talks from the women whose ideas our shaping our world.

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