Science and Communication: Alan Alda in Conversation with Neil deGrasse Tyson

What does it mean to be a true communicator? Two of the best, Academy Award-nominated actor Alan Alda and astrophysicist and science communicator Neil deGrasse Tyson discuss Alda’s new book, If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face? It’s a guide to improving the way we relate to each other using improv games, storytelling, acting, empathy, science and our own innate abilities.
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[@KedgeDragon]

I was struck by Alda's willingness to change as an essential to communication. I was reminded of what I was told when I was young, "Every person you meet knows something you do not know, learn from them."

[@timwoodward9799]

I love everything that Neil deGrasse Tyson is about everything that he does everything that he says he does have a habit of cutting people off frequently... Notice he didn't do that with Alan alda. He showed him nothing but the utmost respect. Listening to both of these men was a pleasure. It's too bad we couldn't get more of this on a regular basis.

[@wasntme9578]

It's a testament to Alda's and Tyson's ability to communicate that I watched this interview from end to end even replaying parts. I have a short attention span and conversations like this are usually pretty dry so I lose interest. As intelligent as both of these men are, they are able to articulate their thoughts on a level anyone can understand. That is a communication skill worth having. Many smart people like to talk over people's heads. These two make it seems so easy and comfortable. I need to read Alda's book.

[@jimwilley1957]

Two brilliant minds in totally different fields....great to observe

[@brianmccarthy6544]

Big fan of both these men. Mr.Alda for almost 50yrs. Great to witness them interacting on the same stage.

[@philhu6006]

"I don't think we're really listening unless we're willing to be changed by the other person." 21:25 Wow, Mr. Alda gets it.

[@jaimhaas5170]

Phil...that really caught my attn too.

[@2011littleguy]

On an NPR show I heard long ago, Alda said he hosted a science show decades ago and people didn't like his questions. He couldn't understand why. Then he realized he was trying to "show off" his own knowledge of a subject. He realized it was better to simply ask the basic question, without embellishment. He says that after his realization, people responded better to him as an interviewer.

[@93Jubilee]

@@2011littleguy Maybe that got through to Tyson? It seems difficult for him not to "show off".

[@Robil63]

What? I wasn't listening.

[@eklectrikmusic]

That struck me, too. I repeated it several times.

[@JesseDJ100]

"We are not listening unless we are willing to change be changed by the other person" Alan Alda is the best quote I have heard in a long time

[@jaimhaas5170]

I thought the same and also commented about this. Really.....Really.......goood.

[@carlosfdz7807]

Great quote.

[@CGeeThompkins]

Thank you COVID-19 for forcing me to find these great gems on KZbin! I love the feeling of my brain aching with an abundance of knowledge, questions, wonders, etc.!

[@LittleBlueOwl318]

Alan Alda is a legend!! So much more than just an actor... he's brilliant

[@debraderoos5225]

Totally devoted to his wife and family. He's a class act.

[@themayor6355]

I still watch M*A*S*H reruns every night. Each Episode was a great story. These two are great together.

[@ryanwdavies1]

Nicely said

[@marinigrey4913]

Alda has so much to offer our younger people I hope some one is taping his lecturers so that we can view them for years to come...

[@soundknight]

24:55 GOLD! "If you don't interrupt, I don't think you are paying attention"

[@Rottensteam]

Brian Cullen 24:51

[@pcbacklash_3261]

I never realized what a sharp cookie Alan Alda is until I watched this interview. Duly impressed!

[@ankitcho]

this was the best hour i have ever spent on youtube

[@williamnorton1113]

Me too. Wow! Amazing!

[@williamnorton1113]

I wasn't even looking for it, which makes it even more magical!

[@veronicacornavaca6562]

Watching and listening to these men is so refreshing.... thank you for posting this.

[@belkys120]

Veronica Cornavaca : ONLY ALAN . .!!!!!! . 👍🙏🏾....

[@MaryAnnNytowl]

@@belkys120 both of them! They're both great communicators!

[@bkembley]

21:32 Brilliant statement by Alan. Even better that Neil had the instinct to shut up and let it sink in before asking his followup question. Just fantastic!!

[@imuurme]

alan alda is 81 in this interview.. sharp , witty , looks great for his age and so fun to hear him all the way through this entire conversation..!! totally enjoyable.

[@pattybrown2100]

When my science teacher mother retired, she sent me a bunch of recorded Scientific American Frontiers episodes. I loved them! And, Alan Alda, of course. We both really liked him.

[@RiDankulous]

Alan Alda, sharp as ever: beautiful!

[@debradobbs196]

Love both these guys!!

[@aplato8576]

Yeah, hope he doesn't get a papercut.

[@terrybreiland4230]

Good to see the light is still on and shining bright.

[@TrapperAaron]

Love Alan Alda, have met him on several occasions, as back in early 2000s he was a benefactor of FAU. Great guy, always took the time to talk to students.

[@jenk2148]

This lesson would be VERY useful in America today!

[@TicketTim]

Amazing! Absolutely Amazing! I Love these guys MOST! BUTT? Whats this? 40K views? videos is a year old? only 800 likes? WTF 18 dislikes!!!?? huhhhhhhh? There just isn't a word to describe these two great people. Thank you gentlemen, my thinking has changed! Amazing! Absolutely Amazing! BRAVO!!! BRAVO!!!

[@edjones8706]

I can describe it for you.. Dipshit and atheist dumbass!!! There you go!

[@rbarajas86]

@@edjones8706 I'll pray God finds a way to ease your anger and hatred. Matthew 5:22

[@rbarajas86]

@Tim Bordonaro the numbers reflect the truth now but at least the dislikes make sense now 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@workingguy6666]

I didn't even know about this channel until KZbin auto-played it this morning after another video. I watch a lot of Star Talk with Neil, so I guess it was suggested. I just subscribed this morning.

[@wasntme9578]

@@edjones8706 For you to find no value in this interview says everything anyone needs to know about you.

[@soularddave2]

Great stuff!! I love that Mr. Alda's Big smile is the same as its always been (not an act).

[@djhuart8454]

Spectacular conversation! Alan & Tyson need to do this at least once a week, for three hours minimum. :)

[@Tupelo927]

Two of my favorite people on Earth! Fabulous!

[@Gamefreak8112]

It's sad we only got an hour of these two.

[@russell2165]

You can hear them talk again on Alan Alda's podcast 'Clear and Vivid', where he interviews Neil deGrasse Tyson

[@gnosticmom2805]

"Chances are he might find out doing the dishes is foreplay." Oh yeah! Listen to this man, he's brilliant!

[@MaryAnnNytowl]

#Truth

[@robzillaarocks]

For those too young to have watched the TV show M.A.S.H. please catch up and watch one of the best shows ever. Also Alan Alda lead performance is absolutely incredible.

[@davidevans3227]

yep.. 2024 and it's still on tv, here in britain 🙂 x

[@w8m4n]

Love listening to these while I work.

[@AnaMargaridaBritoAmaral]

what an amazing privilege to hear these two! thanks

[@paintinganimalsonrocks7633]

I love them together. (Now I m concentrating on my nouns and verbs, lol).

[@mindyenglish5305]

Soothing. It sounds like a silly description for an interview, but that's what it is. So comforting to know there are still humans who think and communicate like this. Like grown-ups. I watched this with my 11-year-old. We're gonna go watch it again.

[@possiblypoet]

"It might have, who knows, I think people should study it". If the world could say this more...

[@omaralsabbagh3606]

54:00

[@kathleenb1947]

"I don't think we're really listening unless we're willing to be changed by the other person." Profound.

[@westcoastkidd17]

I didn't really know who Alan Alda was, but man he is one cool guy.

[@tracymiller1149]

Dude! MASH...

[@jo-vf8jx]

Tracy Miller I love Mash! And he is so funny on that show.

[@lowellthomson1958]

If you want to watch maybe his best work he starred in 'Crimes and Misdemeanours' about 20 years ago as a doctor who may try to get away with murder. Awesome performance.

[@612Tiberius]

As a possible Capstone to his acting career, Alda went against his usual character type and portrayed a very convincing villain in 2011's "Tower Heist", with stars Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy. But to start out, there is his seminal 11-year portrayal of Capt. Dr. Benjamin "Hawkeye" Pierce on CBS's "M*A*S*H", a marathon tour de force of masterful ensemble acting with Alda as the main character through-line in the serio-comic series.

[@geologist1005]

Watch some clips on a tv show called mash. Alda is very funny

[@NeilBlanchard]

We need to have DARK NIGHTS - when we turn off ALL the outside lights; so we can see the TRUE awe and wonder of the night sky.

[@KaterinaTalantliva]

this is priceless. thank you

[@1HOUSEMD]

Amazing conversation

[@sreedathpr6539]

6:08 the cutest and most polite 'hello' i've ever heard :)

[@steveshepherd8921]

Great pair of minds and personalitys playing off each other makes for very entertaining and informative show, thanks guys

[@by6567]

Nothing has changed. Alan Alda is still the same with his quick retorts. ♥️♥️♥️♥️ Bless them ALL.

[@JOMANI]

Two of my fav people ever!!!

[@Bebopicarus]

So I just got this book yesterday thanks to this interview I heard about a year ago. I stumbled across it and know I had to get it. I’m I the only one who reads it in Alan Alda’s voice in their head.

[@nancykraus5127]

No, you certainly are not the only one. 😊

[@stephenjones796]

I’m 70 and I have that feeling in my head and my stomach then the chills go through me. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼🤬👍🏼

[@jimbojones8978]

This was almost nearly like watching an episode of Inside the Actor's studio. The tip on acting about being compelled to speak the lines that make sense at the time they are set up by the other actors in the scene. So. Good. Also, about dishes being foreplay. That's "choreplay" ;)

[@terp2726]

When my wife and I were having some intimacy issues, our therapist taught me two things that helped a lot. The first was "sex begins in the kitchen", and the second was to say to my wife "what you heard is not what I said." instead of accusing her with the phrase "you're not listening!" Some of the best advice I've ever taken.

[@thelvadam2884]

@@terp2726 That's a life lesson right there 😄

[@AlanCanon2222]

An entertainer who presents as a scientist and a scientist who presents as an entertainer. Perfect pairing.

[@90210julius]

this has to be my favorite interview ever !

[@glen6945]

DUM AZZ

[@MaryAnnNytowl]

@@glen6945 what a brilliant answer, so clarifying and helpful! Dumbass.

[@nicofonce]

Great talk, what an interesting & cool person Alan is!

[@donaldstorm4959]

It is so awesome to see these two gentlemen talk it's absolutely brilliant. Being born at home don't knock it until you try it my father was born at home. Can you imagine the doctor bills they saved!

[@coreys2686]

I've seen a bunch of Feynman's lectures online. The similarities between Alan's and Richard's voice are remarkable.

[@TimothyJMcCoy]

Awesome conversation! This is the first time I have noticed Alan Alda's hands shaking. I hope he is healthy.

[@beckyshock3099]

He had Parkinsons Disease.

[@boppob1343]

He came out recently and said he has Parkinsons :(

[@bolsesolheim7469]

Parkinsonismus not too heavy

[@DungeonFreak79]

What a wonderful conversation, and what a delight to watch. I didn't really know Alan Alda, but MAN, what a stand-up guy!

[@jo-vf8jx]

DungeonFreak watch a show called Mash. He’s fabulous in it!

[@belkys120]

DungeonFreak : CHEEK OUT THE TV 📺 SERIES MASH , ON ME TV 📺 .!!!!!!! FUNNY 😄 .

[@vivinpan]

"Mash" is a masterpiece series. Do find it and watch it. I don't know how old you are but if you are like, oh, I don't know, less than 40, it might take a bit of patience before you get into it, MAYBE. Alan Alda will forever be one of my favourite people because of the things this series showed me about who humankind is.

[@DungeonFreak79]

Thanks for the recommendation, guys. I've known about that series since I was a kid (I'm 40 today), but I've never seen an episode. Maybe I'll check it out :)

[@kylearmstrong21]

Oh brother he was such a brilliant actor and so underrated forever but if you get the chance to just watch MASH you will forever admire him

[@Ryan-on5on]

Such humbling humility from Mr. Alda. His life-long pursuit of knowledge and acknowledgment that he'll never know all there is to know should be an inspiration to everyone! I admire the man all the more after watching him here.....woe be the day when he leaves us }:

[@s4njuro462]

Jargon, major problem: in social science we tend to use "theory" when what we really mean is "hypothesis" ... it is a real problem because this has crept into the lexicon and people don't know the difference...

[@1971khaos]

Fantastic interview. Love Alan's humor..

[@ghostbuster9314]

Amazing people

[@KimiAvary]

What a great conversation between two of my favorite people! Thank you!

[@globalwarmhugs7741]

Two of my favourite people.

[@LasseHuhtala]

This made my otherwise crummy day feel much better, thank you.

[@hasan446]

Two most awesome people on the earth

[@keithhinchcliffe5629]

you haven't met me.

[@carljhirst]

David Attenborough? Carl Sagon? My Dad? Your Parents? Relatives? Mrs? Kids?

[@jonathansparks7558]

I like Neil deGrasse Tyson better when he does what he does best, and that’s lectures on Science. Alan Alda has a much more scientific intellectual mind than what I thought. I could sit and listen to these two all day.

[@mrustube2080]

We are currently living in covid-19 confinement, and I'm teaching my students online. The other day, on a TV talk show, an intelligent expert, was asked if the world would be different - would we learn - when we come out of confinement. The expert said he thought that online learning would boom, for we are witnessing how well it's working now! Alan and Neil discuss (around 22') the fundamental reasons why I don't think the expert is right. But they do it with such simplicity and clarity, that it is pure pleasure to listen to.

[@GreenLeaf1008]

Lots of wisdom here. I am about to talk with voters about the upcoming election, and I intend to put to use the guidance that Alan Alda shared about connecting with people. One thing in particular that struck me was when he said that we are truly listening to people when we are willing to be changed by them.

[@GeschichtenUndGedanken]

Now, THAT is communication!

[@noellakarthaus6358]

Doing the dishes is foreplay. So true especially looking after the kids is foreplay

[@Singr238]

So very warm and refreshing.

[@electricturtle3326]

I gained a new respect for Alan Alda from this. Great video

[@ApolloGreatKnees]

*Wait!!! This is not Howard Stern* ....So I'm working on a project and KZbin plays this video automatically and I'm 23 mn in just to check out the audience reacting to the powerful statement about what happens when we're listening rather than preparing and come back and found out this wasn't *#HowardStern* 😳👀🤯 this is really a great video to listen to

[@spinorman]

My goodness. Alan says Gell-Mann lead him to an evidence based understanding of the universe. Is this any wonder? I loved Alan forever. Hawk-eye helped me become a scientist.

[@Seldomane]

I didn't know Alan's name before this video, but immediately I knew I recognized his face and voice... I thought "is that Mel Gibson's boss from What Women Want? No way..." Its funny how time seems to fool me, seems like just 10 years ago that movie came out, but he looks 30 years older. Still, he's held up very well. "I don't think we're really listening unless we're willing to change..." Such a great quote.

[@ilsegomez8087]

This is beautiful!! I can sit down with a good cup of tea and listen to these two gentlemen for hours on end.

[@willburton490]

In regards to actively listening: 21:26 AMAZING. be open to influence!

[@marinigrey4913]

With all of the knowlage Allen Alda has I really hope that his lecturers are being recorded so that they can be used for years to come... Many of our children are becoming introverted due to the interactions of all the electronics from a very young age... Alot of people dont know how to act in person or to hold a conversation... Our children that are being baby sat by moms phone or tablets will be so much more desensitized to human stimulation we are fading out our social interactions with video game's and instant messaging that how would they know to fine a life or soul mate over the computer's..?????

[@lorenabullmsidtrd3955]

What a wonderful conversation between two of my idols! Thank you, so much!

[@JesseJOSmith]

MASH is one of my favorite shows!!!!

[@bartfloyd4538]

I be never seen it Jesse. Perhaps I should.

[@soundknight]

Awesome

[@atheistmecca971]

I love these guys.

[@Reason1717]

So I had respect for Mr. Alda's work before this interview. But now I've gained more respect for who he is as a man.

[@vanessadmitri5340]

I had to clap at the end, that was spectacular.

[@soulife8383]

I let videos play in the background at work so it's not silent in the office and I let this play without looking at the video. I thought it was Howard Stern this whole time 😂 I was like "I didn't know Howard Stern was in Mash", lmao.

[@oneyedphotog]

I grew up watching M*a*s*h on regular tv and then Syndication. I watched Alan Alda on PBS and The original COSMOS and now enjoy watching Degrass Tyson. So this interview was simply delightful.

[@jaimhaas5170]

What a great way to describe a TRUE conversation...IF you are listening you must be willing to let the person you are talking with CHANGE you.

[@johnday7362]

An excellent interview with an authentic human scientist. Thank you Dr. Tyson.

[@marctouss1862]

this is gold.. alan alda is the best..dr tyson is also the best.. this is great..

[@spectre2776]

Man it hurts to see Alan so old, what an awesome dude.

[@Zeupater]

Excellent.

[@vinothm1398]

Alan Alda, charming witty intelligent talented and some more. You can listen to him talk for a long time. I think he’s got this way of making you listen which is a rare trait. Neil is incredibly intelligent and has a lot of interesting discoveries he can share with us but he’s being overshadowed by Alan and there’s nothing he can do but humbly accept it. Neil and Alan make a great team.

[@jtvalentine6]

When I was a kid I loved Alan Alda but then not so much as I grew older Now I know why I still love him

[@franktorres3081]

Alan Alda great actor and smart smart with Neil Tyson awesome back and forth

[@TITOFROG1]

Since watching this interview, I have a different view and have more respect and adulation for Alan Alda. He is one smart cookie and very inquisitive about almost everything. We should all try to emulate him. More power to you, Mr. Alda, and wish you health and happiness always.

[@georgemanka]

I love Neil’s humility.

[@ryanx9372]

Great discussion and many points I'll try to apply. Thanks to the great guests and hosts!

[@sdoloooq5383]

my two favorite people on this planet

[@cheknfaks]

This just popped up randomly and started playing automatically. Turns out to be some great info and from two great wise men. Excellent interview!

[@tjmcguire9417]

Thank you Alan.You are so much smarter than anyone else in the room. More importantly, your kindness level is joyous. I have to say, at 63, you are loved. (Yep, seen every MASH and all else.) Watched you for years.

[@andreadeagon2301]

So glad this showed up on my auto play. What a great conversation and what humane and fascinating communicators.

[@charleselmore4707]

Did not think I would be particularly interested in this video...wound up watching the whole thing. These guys are great together!

[@DeconvertedMan]

great info on how to talk to people in general.

[@MESSI-fx1ob]

Greatest thing I’ve ever seen

[@MichelMawon4982]

This was such a great interview. Alan is wise and insightful.

[@barbaraconnett5057]

Alan I like and respect you, so much, thank you!