Seth MacFarlane – Presentation Guy

For the uninitiated, Seth MacFarlane is the creator/writer/voice(s) behind hit cartoons like Family Guy and American Dad. It’s hard to imagine that Family Guy could exist without the ground-breaking efforts of The Simpsons, the first show that demonstrated that there was room for cartoons in prime time television. However, in some ways, MacFarlane’s creations have ushered in a new age – and a new edge – revealing his creations to be something else entirely.

A lot of what makes MacFarlane’s special brand of humor stand-out from the rest of the pack is not so much a crop of brand-new innovations as much as it is a tweaking of familiar elements. In a sense, MacFarlane has simply cranked the dials to 10 when it comes to what cartoons can express – and how. In doing so, he has also revealed interesting possibilities for how we can remake our pitches, pumping up the volume in our next PowerPoint presentations.

Raise your Voice(s)

One of the most astonishing aspects of MacFarlane’s talents is his range of voices. He speaks for many of his characters himself, producing an array of dialects, impediments and distinctive utterances that reveal him to have a tremendous talent for creating voices. Although no one would suggest a Robin-William’s-like array of characterizations for your next PowerPoint presentation, it is worth considering “what character you are playing” from presentation to presentation. Perhaps one presentation requires you to play the role of “Stewie, the precocious genius”. Maybe the next one is more suited to the “Lois, the loving mom”. Understanding your presentation through the eyes of a certain, familiar character can build your delivery skills quickly. 

Rambling Man

One of the hallmarks of Family Guy is the rambling asides MacFarlane employs. A little of this would go a long way in an actual presentation, but MacFarlane’s chains of barely-connected-ideas are a wonderful example to be followed at your next brainstorming session!

Refer Referentially

Many of MacFarlane’s funniest jokes relate unrelated instances through the use of pop-culture in-jokes and references. Borrowing ideas – and referring to them directly – in your presentation isn’t just OK, it’s recommended! Referring to familiar cultural touchstones is a great way to connect to your audience, and references can yield a bumper-crop of laughs as well.

What Story?

Although we are big advocates for presentations that tell a story, that doesn’t mean that you have to become a Hemingway or a Faulkner over night. In fact, why not take a lesson from MacFarlane: Let the story find you! Many of his cartoons’ best episodes wander – seemingly at random – for scene after scene before they really find their stride in some sort of plot. Although you may want to tighten up your narrative by presentation time, don’t be afraid to play fast and loose as your ideas are just beginning to take shape.

Here Comes the Upsetter

One of the most powerful techniques MacFarlane employs is his upsetting of his audience’s expectations. Making use of long – LONG – pauses, hairpin plot twists, and shocking, vulgar humor, MacFarlane zigs when he should zag, and this lack of predictability has created a fanatical following. What is your next audience expecting? How can you use this to your advantage and give ’em a PowerPoint presentation they won’t soon forget?

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