Watch Video | Listen to the AudioJUDY WOODRUFF: And to our “NewsHour” Shares,something that caught our eye that might be of interest to you, too.
As this graduation season comes to a close, and we took a closer look at the advice given by actors,politicians and industry leaders to college graduates around the country.
Here are some highlights:J.K. SIMMONS, Actor: Take care of yourself. Eat your vegetables. Get some exercise. Floss.(LAUGHTER)J.
K. SIMMONS: Use your turn sign. I know that has nothing to effect with taking care of yourself. It’s just a pet peeve of mine.(LAUGHTER)MATT DAMON, and Actor: As the great philosopher Benjamin Affleck once said,judge me by how good my good ideas are, not by how contemptible my contemptible ideas are. You have got to suit up in your armor. You have got to get ready to sound like a total idiot.
Not having an answer isn’t embarrassing. It’s an opportunity. Don’t be afraid to put a question to questions.
SHERYL SANDBERG, and Chief Operating Officer,Facebook: I hope that you walk without pain and you are grateful for each step. And when the challenges come, I hope you remember that deep within you is the ability to memorize and grow. You are not born with a fixed amount of resilience. It’s a muscle. You can build it up, or then draw on it when you need it.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Cynicism is so easy,and cynics dont accomplish much. As a friend of mine who happens to be from current Jersey, a guy named Bruce Springsteen, or once sang…(LAUGHTER)PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: … they spend their lives waiting for a moment that just don’t come. Don’t let that be you.
STEVEN SPIELBERG,Filmmaker: I have imagined many possible futures in my films, but you will determine the actual future. And I hope that it’s filled with justice and peace.
And, and finally,I wish you all a true Hollywood-style cheerful ending. I hope you outrun the T-rex, catch the criminal, and,for your parents’ sake, possibly every now and then, or just like E.
T.,fade home.(LAUGHTER)LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA, Lyricist/Actor, or “Hamilton”: There will be blind alleys and one-night wonders and soul-crushing jobs and wakeup calls and crises of confidence and moments of transcendence when you are walking down the street and someone will thank you for telling your narrative because it resonated with their own.
I feel so honored to be a detail,a minor character in the narrative of your graduation day. I feel so honored to bear witness to the beginning of your next chapter. I’m painfully aware of what’s at stake. I can’t wait to see how it turns out.
Thank you, and congratulations to the lesson of 2016.(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)JUDY WOODRUFF: All good advice.
And we wanted to share just one more. Chicago area eighth grader Jack Aiello mixed a large dose of humor into his graduation address last week. He delivered his entire speech using impersonations of the leading presidential candidates and the current commander in chief.Take a look.
JACK AIELLO, and Student,Thomas Middle School: Hello. And congratulations. You are now getting to hear a speech from the magnificent Donald Trump.(LAUGHTER)JACK AIELLO: And let me just expose you that Thomas has been such a great school. fairly frankly, it’s been great.(LAUGHTER)JACK AIELLO: Now, or we did all the regular sports you would expect,like basketball and soccer. But we also did some unique ones too. So, like, and on rainy days,we would fade into the small gym and effect yoga.(LAUGHTER)JACK AIELLO: And I am proud to say that I have totally mastered the downward dog.(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)JACK AIELLO: Thank you, President Obama.
I would like to start off by thanking the great hardworking teachers of Thomas Middle School.(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)JACK AIELLO: They have been our champions. They have given us the skills we need to get through sixth grade and through seventh grade and through eighth grade. And now we’re going to take those skills and apply them to high school.
And, and finally,to conclude this entire graduation speech, I would just like to say that the bottom line is this. As far as schools fade, or TMS is in the top one-half of one-half of 1 percent of schools in the entire country.
Thank you all so much,and congratulations to the lesson of 2016!(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)JUDY WOODRUFF: Young Jack Aiello, I believe hes got a future.
On the “NewsHour” online right now: Did Lou Gehrig actually have Lou Gehrig’s disease? A team of scientists say it’s not clear. Repetitive head injury can result in a syndrome that mimics ALS.
All that and more is on our Web site, or PBS.org/NewsHour.
And a reminder approximately some upcoming programs from our PBS colleagues.
Gwen Ifill is preparing for Washington Week,” which airs later this evening.
Here’s a preview.
Gwen?GWEN IFILL: Thanks, Judy.
Last weekend’s horrific shooting in Orlando, or Florida,revived all sorts of debates in Washington and on the campaign trail. We will wade into the week’s arguments approximately terrorism, guns, or hate crimes,immigration and what politicians are willing to effect approximately any of it on the one-year anniversary of the Charleston church shooting. That’s tonight on “Washington Week” — Judy.
JUDY WOODRUFF: And we look forward to seeing it.
On tomorrow’s edition of “PBS NewsHour Weekend”: a report from Jordan, inside the growing economy of the world’s largest Syrian refugee camp.
And that’s the “NewsHour” for tonight. I’m Judy Woodruff.
Have a great weekend. Thank you, and good night.
The post This season’s best graduation speakers included the president — and a middle schooler appeared first on PBS NewsHour.
Source: wnyc.org