The life and death theatre of espionage | Jonna Mendez | TEDxBermuda

NOTE FROM TED: This talk only reflects the speaker’s personal political views and experiences. TEDx events are independently organized by volunteers. The guidelines we give TEDx organizers are described in more detail here: storage.ted.com/tedx/manuals/t...
As a retired CIA intelligence officer with 27 years of service, her career comprised of multiple under cover assignments. She joined the CIA’s Office of Technical Service (OTS) in early 1970, (often compared to “Q” Branch in the 007 movies), holding the position of Chief of Disguise. She also worked closely with her husband in writing Argo and Moscow Rules. Jonna is a founding board member at the International Spy Museum.
As a retired CIA intelligence officer with 27 years of service, her career comprised of multiple under cover assignments. She joined the CIA’s Office of Technical Service (OTS) in early 1970, (often compared to “Q” Branch in the 007 movies), holding the position of Chief of Disguise. She also worked closely with her husband in writing Argo and Moscow Rules. Jonna is a founding board member at the International Spy Museum. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@-roejogan-]

_"I spent 27 years at CIA, undercover"_ Did they know you were there

[@krissy7342]

Sheogorath 😆

[@arteblack13]

Elder Scrols much?

[@-roejogan-]

@@arteblack13 If I changed my name to Abraham Lincoln what's the difference.

[@arteblack13]

@@-roejogan- ¿que?

[@ramonpinyataro8255]

In A previous video she mentioned that she had been working for the CIA for 25 years

[@gentleeyes]

Eternally fascinated by Jonna Mendez.

[@aerolchristopherinfante]

So am I.

[@gregoryallen0001]

she makes imperialism look so cool 😐

[@octaneblue6]

@@gregoryallen0001 Spying on a communist superpower is imperialism now? The US has been the biggest anti-imperialist force in history.

[@kamilestone8346]

Same!!!

[@ebl36]

she is the coolest

[@missprizm]

Thinking of the hundreds of stories she has that will probably never be told.

[@Deimos_the_Autist]

Bet it will just not to us

[@johnlim509]

Yay another brilliant talk from this lovely lady! Been waiting for new content w/ Jonna Mendez. Thanks, TedX Talks!

[@Dr.Cosmar]

100s of stories she made up...the lady is clearly a liar. Some of us either know someone in CIA, or have listened to other agent stories on Joe Rogan's podcast or Info Wars. She lacks a decent swath of vocabulary, and she's constantly giving off the body language of a liar. We just can't prove it because she hides behind the work of a patriot with someone's help.

[@grantchallinor5263]

A lot of what she says are just that: Stories, with no basis in fact. Jonna Mendez is just telling her stories to a gulliable audience to presumably fatten-up her retirement.

[@Nucleotide5313]

@@grantchallinor5263 what makes you think she’s outright lying? She may alter some specific points to protect operational effectiveness but I’m sure they aren’t complete fabrications.

[@lewismassie]

"I don't have to kill you" The way that is phrased implies that she totally could

[@RoseInTheWeeds]

I don't doubt it.

[@alina2542]

yeah the only thing I didn't believe her in this

[@wordsculpt]

@@alina2542 It is a simple, straightforward statement. It doesn't imply any such thing.

[@MultiNaruto900]

She sounds like she could shoot you dead in broad daylight in the middle of Times Square and vanish off of the face of the Earth.

[@OgbondSandvol]

Just a comic relief previously written.

[@peggyharris3815]

Imagine the stories she can tell her grandchildren. Imagine the advice she gives them. Imagine what those kids could grow up to be. I want her as my grandmother

[@alexandermayr7]

Imagine not having a grandmother who most probably worked on underminding and killing foreign governments in latin america your corporate overlords dont like

[@peggyharris3815]

@@alexandermayr7 ...do you have to take the fun out of everything ;)

[@Deimos_the_Autist]

@@alexandermayr7 you seem fun at parties

[@arteblack13]

@@Deimos_the_Autist Jonna Mendez would be great at parties.

[@MrBikboi]

@@alexandermayr7 Welcome to life there kiddo, the strongest nations flourish. If you don't like it too bad you can't do anything about it. Sack up boyo.

[@marielaperriere]

I've been binging all of Jonna's videos. She's the coolest! I wish we were neighbors, or family, so I could have her over for dinner and CIA storytime.

[@wordforger]

@Harim Abif Well, there's a LOT of stuff that has since been declassified that she is now allowed to say... but probably just as much she is still not allowed to say. And you absolutely KNOW that much of the operations/disguise/gadgets etc. she's talking about are out of date compared to the stuff they've come up in the decades since. Sure, some of the basic principles are the same... but those principles are well-known by every spy agency in the world, so she's not revealing anything there either.

[@MrNightwood]

​@@wordforger Oh definitely, the only reason it's declassified is because it's so out of date that they don't use it any more. Still, espionage at the height of the Cold War is probably the source some of the most intriguing stories the CIA has to offer. Espionage these days likely revolves around computers more than anything.

[@jessicafreeborn4997]

Totally agreed! Even having her as a mentor or teacher would be incredible. She’s gotta have way more stories that aren’t in these videos, and just the way she explains things is so fascinating, plus her passion and confidence really draws you in and inspires

[@arabmoney3339]

Having Dinner with a CIA agent seems like a freaky night of Dinner😂

[@wordsculpt]

@@arabmoney3339 Why? Don't you ever enjoy the company of any interesting and intriguing people? Expand your acquaintance!

[@Bobs2cents]

Wow, I did NOT expect her to have such a high up role in the CIA( and no, not because she is a woman{Gina Haspel is the head of CIA}), she looks like a dean of some college, the lady showing me watches in the jewelry department of Macy’s or my state’s DMV driving instructor. To then realize she coordinated dangerous operations all over the world.... I’m just speechless. She KNOWS her job and damn, the CIA knows theirs. This is one of the many reasons why I love TEDx! My hats off to the staff of TEDx, you have the most interesting people, stories and ideas I have ever seen. Great job!!👍

[@seafoam6119]

Issa disguise.

[@justinthompson2887]

C_A

[@Vertutame]

now you know why she's successful.

[@MildMisanthropeMaybeMassive]

The most successful spies are the ones you don’t notice.

[@elchamakito336]

She is a white collar.

[@JudyCZ]

Oh, this is the wonderful woman who did a video with Wired a couple months back! I need to see this.

[@ComplexPortal]

I can't imagine the stress these people had working in Moscow. The constant fact that a mistake might cost someone their life must have been just exhausting.

[@vitorossi7839]

Let's be real - they didn't care about lives of said people in that capacity. Only in terms of how hard it is to find a new "agent" of same caliber to work for them.

[@Gradysmokestoomuch]

@@vitorossi7839 Well if that asset's information will save other lives than its not just that asset's life on the line.

[@sharonwilson9077]

They really did have the Weight of the world on there shoulders.

[@wordsculpt]

@@vitorossi7839 Stop projecting .

[@vitorossi7839]

@@wordsculpt projecting what? Lol. That's just the reality

[@fernandojunior2256]

“Know your enemy and their terrain intimately” - Sun Tzu

[@andec6240]

She's one of the guests I'd invite to my Dinner Party. So very interesting and intriguing.

[@therealadawong1290]

Better check twice, she might be wearing a mask!

[@marionlacebal9498]

And she had to kill all of you afterwards...

[@Alane314]

any one else find spy culture so fascinating?

[@drichards4426]

yepp.

[@buckanderson3520]

I've learned the hard way to ignore my instincts at my own peril. The hard thing about instincts is that you only know they were right when you ignore them and wish you hadn't. Better safe than sorry!

[@jtjc7705]

What a fascinating woman. I am genuinely interested in everything she ever has to say, and I hope they allow her to continue to speak. What wisdom you must have after being in that world for 27 years. What thought processes go through your mind that that every day normal people would never consider. You take people who may exist in absolute ignorance of the fabled CIA, and make them start searching videos just to learn. That's a pretty good tool for the CIA and recruitment TBH.

[@karenkingrey6142]

I just adore this woman! The I formation she has is astounding! And, that’s just what we know.

[@tabby73]

Her IQ and discipline must be through the roof. Hats off!

[@esk8er900]

Arguably one of the best TEDTalks ever

[@elizabethlumu8027]

She's brilliant, very brilliant. I wonder what else she hasn't told us.

[@Auburn92122]

I love this woman! To be able to have a nice long chat with her is a true dream. Oh, the wonderful stories she could tell.

[@aisadal2521]

Today's TedTalk has been brought to you by the letter, X

[@topgames1113]

Twisting Dervole haha 😂

[@krissy7342]

Yay another brilliant talk from this lovely lady! Been waiting for new content w/ Jonna Mendez. Thanks, TedX Talks!

[@nikop3571]

CIA did unbelievable damage to various countries around the world. But, this lady is cool and I love hearing her speak. This is the 5th video of hers I'm binge watching.

[@ojitekunu5133]

Exactly

[@gruweldaad]

The president used the CIA to do damage. The problem isn’t the agency, it’s the fact that the president can use it to do whatever he wants.

[@AudreyShinder]

She just has a sparkle to her!

[@LVLouisCyphre]

My condolences to the Mendez family with the loss of Tony from Parkinson's. He's someone I would have loved to share a bottle of wine or a pitcher of beer with and just hear his accounts of the ops he can talk about. I'm sure with every husband/wife op, it was a success. After all they did live to see retirement and served on the board of directors of the Spy Museum in DC.

[@janetlewis7381]

A major point here, that Janna repeated over and over: if they're caught,(Soviet agents) they were killed. I'm loving this talk- I've read the Moscow Rules, and remember a lot of this. One thing to remember though- Jenna tells us how the Rules applied in Moscow, but then relates it to every day life- we're not risking our lives like the agents were.

[@mariaamador9786]

So Thankful for everything you & your husband did.

[@brownskinladyiam]

She is absolutely amazing

[@soygenialnumero1693]

I wish this was a mask and that she took it of at the end of the Ted talk

[@therealadawong1290]

Would've been amazing, however she did actually wear a mask to a briefing at the Oval Office with President HW Bush, she fooled him and he was former director of the CIA. The mask is amazing and made her look like business woman from the 80s, that hair...

[@soygenialnumero1693]

@@therealadawong1290 what a legend. I have a new idol

[@solomonreal1977]

@@soygenialnumero1693 ya nice try Mrs. Mendez :p

[@zehraoksoy1137]

Another fascinating and very interesting talk. Truly enjoyed it. Very intelligent and never to be underestimated lady.

[@WatchDoggyDog]

Incredible! Thank you for the great talk!!

[@steveowen7475]

SIMPLY outstanding........both her and her husband simply inspirational in covert intelligence.......Argo just one aspect of the ingenuity

[@youngculturephotography]

This entire time I’ve been waiting on her to pull off her mask and reveal a 26 year old man who could make the entire audience disappear no questions asked

[@hunkydory3521]

NOPE. This is a very real lady who served many great years helping her country .

[@aerolchristopherinfante]

This needs more views.

[@turaykalliemohamed8008]

Great talk mendez.

[@therealdeal3672]

Amazing!!!!

[@obadaodeh1625]

This is very very very very impressive.

[@audradietz]

So cool LOVE this

[@cesarleon5232]

Wow, this is great

[@annaw7437]

BRILLIANT!!!

[@morriganwitch]

This woman is one of my heroines xxx She inspires me xxx

[@theblondeone8426]

such wisdom

[@brunoterlingen2203]

RESPECT!!!!

[@charlesvire7517]

Love ❤️ listening to her experiences through out her career for the Agency. Now use your gut and bring me into the fold. God Speed

[@samuel9052]

"It will save you, if you will let it." Yes!

[@voldevie]

What a great ending :D

[@akhildeora]

I am grateful to TED because your content helped me a lot I recently started a KZbin channel to help wantrepreneurs become entrepreneurs with some great content.

[@TheLisamarie2323]

Amazing woman right there

[@Adam.G.Trapper]

as a Belarusian I have so much appropriation to Jonna and all American the cold war solders, you did the great job

[@EXplorer1.6180]

I have seen her wearing that necklace in many videos.. So it might be very close to her OR we know what is it?

[@dylanstinman5621]

She always wears that necklace!

[@rachelgroth7108]

She’s retired but honestly it’s a good thought ...

[@EXplorer1.6180]

@@rachelgroth7108 Once a spy, always a spy...!

[@frostyskeletons8950]

This tickles the imagination

[@popejesus3851]

I love her ☺

[@raph3156]

She reminds me so much of my Grandma 🤕

[@yazanibrahim9472]

I love her

[@dexterplameras3249]

Tony and Jonna Mendez Are American heros, especially within the CIA. I don't think they would have been allowed to declassify so many secrets if it the CIA weren't enamored with these two. What's more is I heard Jonna said that her husband didn't want to declassify any of it, but was overruled by the CIA director. Takes a special kind of person to achieve so much for one's country and not even take any credit because he was more interested in protecting his fellow agents then the adulation of his accomplishments.

[@tylermoses7829]

6:16 The face of every disappointed mother.

[@inasatok]

Hearing all these cool stories, I wish i could hear from the other side too. I bet they had similar things.

[@landocommando8]

The Moscow Rules is a fantastic book! I recommend everyone supporting this American hero and checking out her book!

[@mr19471985]

Jonna is the best

[@nathanb5579]

What an interesting life she has led

[@arteblack13]

I'd love to be a fly on the wall if she had a candid conversation with Russell Targ.

[@myownvideo5292]

Imagine meeting jonna mendez in person. Me: screaming like crazy..

[@annalese135]

I love this lady. She is so badass.

[@senortenpiedad8515]

Truly a certified badass

[@BenThe-nx3le]

Always trust your gut: wise words! We have many a Target who ignores what their own intuition is telling them, ignoring it to their own detriment! What I wouldn't give to be able to Don a disguise without anyone seeing, for when you're under constant surveillance, someone, anyone will see u!

[@BritneyMorales13]

Yessss the queen of disguisee

[@queenofthepierats3488]

She's so fascinating! I found out about her today by accidental recommendation and I've been watching a bunch of her videos. I love the advice about going with your gut. But, question: When your gut gives you anxiety and constant overthinking, how in the world do you know when it's telling the truth? lol

[@rutemalumadance4449]

The gut its precise and quick and short, like: go right, or left; wait, do it, or don´t; etc. the anxiety after comes from the mind perhaps with the resistence of listening, acepting, dellaing or following the gut. Gut: quick and simple message. Dificult: mind. Hope it helps.

[@aaronneiberg8357]

the dislikes are from the KGB

[@maryatkinson2006]

If you sense danger, listen. That is the body speaking to you and the body does not lie.

[@MarianaCarvalho-gu8zx]

Yes, precisely.

[@fearsomefawkes6724]

I wish she had elaborated on "trust your gut". It's not bad advice, but it works best in situations you're trained for or knowledgeable about. Trusting you're gut if you don't know what you're doing at all can be a bad time.

[@MarianaCarvalho-gu8zx]

It is what it is: trust your gut. If you sense something is wrong, you need to trust it. Otherwise, you risk a serious threat to escalate considerably into danger in whatever form it may take, depending on the situation.

[@waynehearst317]

it's 2023 and that moment at @16:58 when a TOP CIA SPY specializing in Disguises talks about "changing you into ANYTHING", a man into a woman...etc., and today that is just normal stuff....LOL

[@zappawench6048]

"Wouldn't you like to know what Putin's going to do in the next election" she said this on 20 Jan 2020. I think she should have said the last two elections

[@thereisalwayshopeinjesus2333]

Thus comment did not age well....

[@nplacid6]

I think a lot people missed the other disguise in this Ted Talk

[@nimrodag]

So... does anyone know about the four books?

[@ModernDayRenaissanceMan]

To think this is what she CAN say. I don't have to kill you. Perfect.

[@DungHuynh-th6sx]

One smart woman!

[@pipermoonshine3281]

I so want to meet her.

[@supermat1937]

Most badass grandma

[@SuperBigshot99]

Most of been east to join cia 50 years ago

[@millardburch3403]

🧡

[@SARAH79482]

Such a badass!!!

[@terencewinters2154]

Everywhere is moscow now

[@BlindFury00]

I wonder if Ms Menez has any stories of GOOD c.i.a operatives have to either shoot(which i dnt think spies carry guns really in many cases) their way out of or have to think so quick n clear to escape their enemies like Russian operatives or police. That wld be cool. Love this lady and her storiess. Wish he hubby was still alive n hear some stories from him as well.

[@andrewwelker7287]

Does anyone know how to spell that one mission with the old lady disguise? C K Toa?

[@HistoryNerd808]

CKTAW

[@emilianozapata2051]

The lady at the end was a spy 🕵️‍♂️ in character

[@TheJcfclark]

Thanks for this. I had no idea why the audience was laughing. Thought maybe the woman who came in had taken off her mask, but the cameras weren't on her so who knows?

[@nameless8847]

The two institutions/organizations I would love to know all stories and secrets the most: The Vatican and The CIA. Damn!

[@brookerangel-legris]

She is amazing. What a badass women.

[@icykickflip]

the audience was NOT ready

[@hamzakhiar3636]

i have some decent english and i mean by decent as not good english so please if someoe can clarify to me this ted talk i didn't really get her points someow i can uderstad the words but not the ideas

[@lachesarborisov9531]

1. Trust your instinct (sometimes) and don't overanalyze 2. Don't look back at the people that are trying to stop you 3. Being generally consistent leads to long-term growth and success 4. Knowing the opposition's plans and goals helps you become better than them

[@opalgoo3170]

I met a man in a VA hospital...he had one foot in a shoe with a 3 inch lift. Sadly he had an accident in Kuwait.... he said " I fell off the 4 the floor of a parking garage..onto a pile of construction materials..( rebar ect.) He had a Kryptonite clearance..at least....he calibrated delicate devices inside missles. We had to sit and wait along time,...so we were.talking about women. And after we were both seen ( it was Manhattan ). we went for drinks. He was a. Marine so he could drink like no tommorow....He liked most of all to talk about. A Chinese woman he'd met in Kuwait. Yo Fang...l think was her name...... "....Yo Fang and l had been out all night the car was up on the parking garage 4 th....,.level......," It dawned on me....much later....he might have ...been .......... too drunk to realise Yo Fang..... had pushed him......off... the..^°^^•√••√¶÷π°¥^¥¥`|```````````√^^••••^|¥√€¥¥^¥¥^•^^°°•••^^^^ ( Langley readout )

[@nicklight7818]

17:55 I don’t HAVE to kill you”

[@ivorydelights]

So the movies are real?! 😯

[@BasementDwellers]

haha all fiction has some basis in reality

[@vitalieverejan4593]

she is "Q"!

[@thundergrace]

Bugs in the walls!!!

[@avarielle1582]

Is that the Master of Disguise lady

[@rayelynn7749]

I need food yes.

[@krissy7342]

I need food Yes. Her book "The Moscow Rules" is a great read too! I'm not into books too much. I have adhd, its hard to concentrate for me. But, T.M.R. Was so captivating!

[@avarielle1582]

Krissy oh really. What was the plot?

[@KNIGHTJUMPS]

I remember when reality was fun now it sucks.

[@S2daUZ]

KNIGHT JUMPS, how do you like it now?

[@richardcopeland6859]

Big Mon ting 5/18/2021

[@chrislong590]

She is more badass than ill ever be!!!

[@rlswichar6169]

Anyone catch the names of the missions?

[@SDinay]

one was codename TRIGON and another CKTAW

[@rlswichar6169]

@@SDinay thank you!

[@krissy7342]

Din Sharipov Poor TRIGON has to take the L-Pill. R.I.P. Alexander 💔

[@andrewsinclair4022]

Get her " The Psyche Social " 2019 Kingston MA " Bridge the Gap " reference after reference . Dispatcher , was loosely based on Joanne .

[@orangewarm1]

The Russians had a woman implanted in the house of commons staff in London. With an english name. Deep cover. They use women. Her name was Anna Chapman.

[@yourmamaboo]

at 12:51 ck what?

[@MLD.Ltd.]

Random motivation to become the POTUS: your CIA agent put on a cool reveal for ya on Tuesday.