John Hodgman: A brief digression on matters of lost time

www.ted.com Humorist John Hodgman rambles through a new story about aliens, physics, time, space and the way all of these somehow contribute to a sweet, perfect memory of falling in love.

[@MintyMindedThinks]

Wow, great job making this extended metaphor sound like a quirky, entertaining monologue. Before he goes off accusing people of being aliens, he establishes how vast the universe is, and how he had trouble relating. Each of the people he told stories about were people that reached out in some way to him, and how he lost an opportunity to spend time or connect further with them. How the aliens guided our evolution, and how his latter relationship had him doing things he'd never tried before. Great stuff, bravo.

[@EternalTina]

This one always (yes, I've seen it more times that I bother to count) send shivers down my spine. It's so beautiful.

[@bassemb]

Same here.

[@FeederForLife]

You can tell how shy he is when he's doing public speaking. Even though that's kind-of his job, he still glances around nervously and looks ill at ease. Nevertheless, this is a truly beautiful story. The alien stuff serves as a sort of extended metaphor/recurring motif to tie it all together and to provide some great laughs, but the heart of the story is, in my view, the truly moving comments on the human condition, growing up, adolescence, loneliness, companionship, and love. It's hard to classify this presentation: It's sort of like stand-up comedy with soul and with occasional emotional gems nestled in between the jokes.

[@Unlocktube]

Shyness is not really relevant to public speaking. Anybody who has had occasion to speak in public to a room of a couple hundred people will understand that you will always feel a bit hot under the collar. If you didn't there would be something wrong.

[@muimuiovo]

hes not quite shy, if you listen to his podcast,which is halarious.its called Judge John Hodheman

[@OneMoreTag]

"And so, I sure am glad I did not slow down to talk to her. I sure am glad I never saw her again."

[@davidgori4500]

"That's not true, but it is strange." John Hodgeman at his best.

[@iHooDoo]

he has such a way with words

[@StephenDeagle]

Wow, I had no idea John Hodgman was such an impressive storyteller. That was really enjoyable to watch. Thanks again, TED!

[@Fortress333]

Sublime. One of my favorite TED Talks.

[@rayloewe6502]

I did not watch the skies, but the very end of the street where the buses and cars and pedestrians and little scooters were moving along. And I watched those constellations shift, hoping that they would part and I would see her face. It was at that moment, in that very small town of 30,000 or so, that I truly appreciated the vastness of the universe and the searching we might do in it. So beautiful :)

[@fjafjan]

A funny and emotional story about love and strangers. I think you might want to watch it again and think some more.

[@Ch28Kid]

I think this is the best TED talk ever! His new book, SOOOOOOO FUNNY! Go to amazon and buy it.

[@frenzalrhomb109]

Ch28Kid what's life like nine years later?

[@puellanivis]

I enjoyed this. It was a sweet rambling story, and I thought it was cute and adorable. I suppose I can only hope that the guy who falls in love with me has such a sweet story to tell.

[@someguynamedelan]

Geez, his timing is so perfect here. 21st century straight man.

[@SoundMusicVideo]

Thank you for sharing John

[@snapfest10]

I love this talk, I always come back for this! His books are excellent as well!

[@sauen20]

Gotta love this... He really pulls you into his story!

[@ridita5221]

This man is amazing. I wish I could meet him in person.

[@badmovebaker]

Aw, I think I love him more now.

[@nicechordwiwi]

Hi I'm a PC

[@AriasFco]

"John Kellogg Hodgman[1] (born June 3, 1971) is an American author and humorist. In addition to his published written work, such as The Areas of My Expertise, he is best known for his personification of a PC in Apple's "Get a Mac" advertising campaign and his correspondent work on Comedy Centrals The Daily Show with Jon Stewart." Taken from wikipedia xD LoL

[@MissVelvetElle]

That made me smile! Very romantic at the end, too!

[@Elaina43]

There can never be "Too Much Information," John! Thanks for sharing this bit.

[@Diamnds10]

Beautiful story, and so entertaining.

[@killlersquid]

So great. Hodgman is amazing.

[@PhilWithCoffee]

I don't know what it is, but I could listen to more of these stories. Very good.

[@MartyKane217]

I wish I had more thumbs to up

[@cripmeister9104]

I go back and watch this talk a couple of times each year - I'm weird :)

[@martian2lee]

Beautiful story!

[@muttbuttdotcom]

I found the ending very touching and enjoyed his dry winding storytelling style. bravo!

[@quackerzdb]

That story at the end was beautiful.

[@Cerberus221]

3:50 you can see he is trying not to giggle. ^^. Great TED talk.

[@walop]

Wow! Windows 8 is now lecturing at TED.

[@papertigers142]

Brilliant

[@AngilasGuy]

That is, the most cute geeky, nerdy.... Thing I've ever heard. Loved it.

[@mastertheillusion]

Brilliant and funny.

[@4merphie]

I think he's my favorite

[@TiniestViolin]

Hodgman himself has been a Macintosh user since 1984. He broke my heart.

[@theoriginalanomaly]

The PC guy... I see, I knew he looked familiar. Dune was an excellent book!

[@MonkeyBallZ214]

I never realized that he was more than just a comedian. I thought he just did jon stewart show. He's a pretty descent thinker.

[@johndehner]

John Hodgman thanks sharing

[@Linuxrat]

Oh I agree! Hhe is such a delight to listen to.

[@GnosticAtheist]

Very good presentation of a lengthy point. We are not alone, we have each other. :)

[@svladcjelli4236]

Everyone should read "The Areas of My Expertise". Eventually I believe it will replace the internet as the most ubiquitous reference tool.

[@mconn2112]

Hodgeman is an entertaining guy.

[@XeKZeN]

This is awesome Very entertaining "Hi, I'm a PC, and I'm the most advanced Bio-Computer on this planet" (only if I knew how to tap into its amazing capabilities I probably wouldn't be writing on here)

[@rcpastor777]

great!

[@smartiboi]

very enjoyable to watch

[@Geoshi]

This is awesome! So amazing.

[@BoozyBeggar]

"Hey, I'm a Mac." "And hey, I'm a real computer."

[@rsr789]

That was so epic.

[@waori]

This was very entertaining and very clever, I like the concept.

[@cromicus]

yes. he also appears occasionally on the Daily Show

[@awimagic]

oh yes i completely agree... he is a great orator and very entertaining one at that :D

[@glebber8709]

and he's going to be in the first episode of series G in the brilliant Brit TV show QI!!

[@ChrisOrillia]

I'd look good on apple if he got more famous than the commercials, people noticing that the PC guy is smarter in real life.

[@PinkiePyro2011]

I really wish that this one was uploaded in higher resolution.

[@NewMessage]

yeah.. the full effect of the comedy is lost without being able to count his nose hairs.

[@thinnairr]

So many of these jokes just go right over me, high-level humor (something I don't hear often). lol

[@micheldvorsky]

Amazing stuff.

[@eccemarco]

very good! loved it! Is he the same guy of the MAC vs PC's ads?

[@ZetaLancer]

50 people were replaced by alien clones.

[@karobiawho6845]

He reminds me of Person of interest's Finch.

[@12233445566abc]

Hey John - I just wanted to tell you don't worry about people who say they "didn't get it" or "wtf was that about". Your story was clever, funny, and sweet, and I totally "got" it. Incidentally, I am open-minded enough to believe that encounters with under-cover ETs are possible and I think you probably are too and that's a big complement.

[@firegirl4708]

Tbh I don't understand this video could you explain a bit?

[@zzsql]

I wonder how he memorizes all this stuff.

[@RIOThacky]

240p WHY

[@adnauseam23]

Because there's not much to see?

[@Cryptiic6]

I actually rather enjoyed it. Humour is a rather subjective topic however.

[@because88]

I love how I was played into the stereotypical nerd vibe, only to be fooled by a sweet and heartwarming (and well written) story. It only adds to my increasing suspicions that nerds are sexy. hella sexy.

[@Freefalldreams]

It really is. Agreed.

[@adoomator]

An 18 minute apple commercial COOL. And for HL2 fans, does anybody notice his name is John HodGMAN. He is the Gman. :P

[@Katalyzt]

★★★★★

[@mccote]

take THAT Mac!

[@Kings34100]

I and this woman--we'll call her "Catherine Fletcher."

[@ScottishAtheist]

Lovely and funny stories. :)

[@phantom902]

Soren brought me here.

[@Vadergeek]

So I'm not the only one who liked the navigators.

[@boxant]

Dune humor, awesome :)

[@RadioLaboratory]

explain the construction of "Gobekli Tempi"

[@elwynbrooks]

Three ... two ... one ... Awwwwwwwwwwwwww

[@SuperAtheist]

is that you PC? linux says hi!

[@boomtastic67]

Maybe now i want to be a PC...

[@Anonymous-rj7gc]

How is this not prolific? especially now

[@undocumentedspot]

Yes, I know, but I'm basing the assessment on his role. (; He is actually Microsoft Hodgman Build 7100.43.21 Ultimate Edition SP2 His glasses is Nvidia 3d vision Microsoft deployed him to spy on Mac users, otherwise why he is so funny and he is a PC in Mac ads. couldn't they make the non-nerd guy a PC guy, and kept Hodgman the funny guy for a Mac? Coincidence? I don't think so

[@maggitrymbill]

I'm really not sure if he was joking about everything or if he is serious and just talking about it with sarcasm .. :-/

[@jussts]

"He had become, in his isolation, so deformed and so sexy that he had to talk through a kind of old timey radio to the outside world..."

[@SteveBarton13]

Well, he makes up stuff like Sedaris, I'll give you that.

[@AriasFco]

he is just the sameee XD Hi! i'm a pc.. =D

[@Waranoa]

Lolol. I'm typing lol and I'm actually laughing hurrah!

[@FHB71]

Different discussion. I "love" my Mac :-) I can just say "Once gone Mac, never gone back" ... and I am a computer scientist.

[@aquaknot]

Obviously you're wrong as Hodgman has quite a following and many people including myself find his satire extremely funny at times and at other times not. Your opinion on what your feel is Comedy is strictly that: an opinion.

[@Aaberg123]

Why Star Trek? My guess is "Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy".

[@TheGinsan3]

Damn that alien looks damn creepy. Why do you have to keep showing the damn thing

[@Joe-Harringt0n]

Wahoo!

[@markcollins9142]

Sheldons ted rant

[@davensteve]

If you liked this, listen to his Almanac of complete world knowledge- "the areas of my expertise" audio book you can get it from itunes music store. Hilarious.

[@g0m99]

He looks like the PC guy from the Mac vs. PC commercials

[@Frabjous1]

"...And I'm a PC"

[@toh192]

Because a mac was suddenly not a personal computer.

[@MultiPaulinator]

I've experienced this 'lost time' before. My friends drove me to this bar for my birthday one year and after my seventh long island, I just knew they contacted their alien buddies telling them that they had me prepped to see what it looks like up my ass. Come to think of it, I've had more alien ass probes than I can count. There was even one alien who was strangely upfront about it, saying he was something called a "gastroenterologist" while this kind lady smiled and drugged me up...

[@mikedubya4427]

You know, for the longest time I thought they were one and the same

[@NikolaNS2]

IM PC LOL

[@Bluehawk2008]

David Lynch's Dune is actually very un-Lynchian.