Where are ye all coming from? Yet another GOTG with lots and lots of new faces. Word seems to be getting around. We had more than 70 packed into Smiley's to hear our five contestants battle it out for a place in the final in March. Emese Jankó started us out with a hilarious account of how her boss (known to many of us as Rupert Slade) had suggested some public speaking training. While she was imagining all sorts of prestigious instruction involving at least a week away somewhere exotic, he had the GOTG in mind. This woman is seriously funny, clever, and has some killer shoes. During her impromptu speech on legalising prostitution (the audience voted on this topic rather than the less imaginative one of Hungarian beauties), she managed to align Rupert's antics and her resultant capitulation with the prostitution of her soul. Remember, you saw her first at GOTG!
Next up was Judy Nix who enthralled us with the origins of sayings like paying through the nose and descriptives like hangers on. Judging by the sea of bobbing heads and the collective round of ah-has!, both native- and non-native-speakers alike learned something from Ms Judy. Her impromptu speech about roomates gave us an insight into the wild living of young bank officials in Waterford back in the day. It's the quiet ones we have to watch.
Our first male performance of the evening was given by Julian Ingram, who, having attended Round II as a judge decided to give the judges themselves valid reason for giving him high scores. And it worked. A former opera singer, Julian isn't at all backward about coming forward and the audience got a little more than they bargained for. Nothing like a bit of culture to wake up an evening. His impromptu speech (the audience had to choose between one-night stands and Margit Sziget) gave us a little more insight into the real Mr Ingram and the collateral damage caused by poor lighting.
David McCall, a regular GOTG goer, took us to South Dakota, a place where even those who have lived there are in no hurry to see again. The highlight of the social calendar is sitting on the porch, listening to the corn grow (apparently it sounds like popcorn in July). His impromptu on energy vampires led many to hope for insights into how to 'borrow' their neighbour's electricity. Had David realised that Budapest's regional vampire expert, Anna Laszlo, was in the audience, he might had taken a different tack.
Stepping in at the last minute for Richard Holmes, Steve Collison was obviously taking notes during his competitors' speeches and the comments from the judges. In classic presentation style, he structured his speech - told us he would tell us three jokes, he told us the jokes, and then he told us that he had told us. His rather difficult impromptu topic - Lonely boys and fishes - had him waxing poetically of countryside thickets and ponds. There's a stand-up routine in there somewhere!
First-time GOTG'ers reportedly had a blast and one audience member has already signed up for January which means that we have only three spots left in February. Amazing stuff. The other great news is that thanks to a very generous donation by a certain someone, we have doubled our charity fund! Am well impressed.
Thanks again due to Kath and Molly for doing the door; Diz for taking the photos; Jeremy for scoring and being his inimitable self; David for doing the website; the Fun Palace for sponsoring the trophy; PHD media for sponsoring the bottle; and Smiley's for hosting us. Thanks, too, to our judges - Julia, Molly, Diz, Hunter, and Lorenciu - and to all who showed up to support this worthy cause. See ye all again in January.
Next up was Judy Nix who enthralled us with the origins of sayings like paying through the nose and descriptives like hangers on. Judging by the sea of bobbing heads and the collective round of ah-has!, both native- and non-native-speakers alike learned something from Ms Judy. Her impromptu speech about roomates gave us an insight into the wild living of young bank officials in Waterford back in the day. It's the quiet ones we have to watch.
Our first male performance of the evening was given by Julian Ingram, who, having attended Round II as a judge decided to give the judges themselves valid reason for giving him high scores. And it worked. A former opera singer, Julian isn't at all backward about coming forward and the audience got a little more than they bargained for. Nothing like a bit of culture to wake up an evening. His impromptu speech (the audience had to choose between one-night stands and Margit Sziget) gave us a little more insight into the real Mr Ingram and the collateral damage caused by poor lighting.
David McCall, a regular GOTG goer, took us to South Dakota, a place where even those who have lived there are in no hurry to see again. The highlight of the social calendar is sitting on the porch, listening to the corn grow (apparently it sounds like popcorn in July). His impromptu on energy vampires led many to hope for insights into how to 'borrow' their neighbour's electricity. Had David realised that Budapest's regional vampire expert, Anna Laszlo, was in the audience, he might had taken a different tack.
Stepping in at the last minute for Richard Holmes, Steve Collison was obviously taking notes during his competitors' speeches and the comments from the judges. In classic presentation style, he structured his speech - told us he would tell us three jokes, he told us the jokes, and then he told us that he had told us. His rather difficult impromptu topic - Lonely boys and fishes - had him waxing poetically of countryside thickets and ponds. There's a stand-up routine in there somewhere!
First-time GOTG'ers reportedly had a blast and one audience member has already signed up for January which means that we have only three spots left in February. Amazing stuff. The other great news is that thanks to a very generous donation by a certain someone, we have doubled our charity fund! Am well impressed.
Thanks again due to Kath and Molly for doing the door; Diz for taking the photos; Jeremy for scoring and being his inimitable self; David for doing the website; the Fun Palace for sponsoring the trophy; PHD media for sponsoring the bottle; and Smiley's for hosting us. Thanks, too, to our judges - Julia, Molly, Diz, Hunter, and Lorenciu - and to all who showed up to support this worthy cause. See ye all again in January.
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