Yesterday in the car I was listening to CNN and one of the people being interviewed kept saying “ummm”. I suspect the reason people say this is because they are thinking, and it’s a word to stall while your brain is figuring things out and sending them to your mouth.
A while ago a buddy and I started doing a podcast called the Odd and Offbeat Podcast. When listening back to the episodes and editing them, I noticed how much I say, “ummm”. It’s not just me, it’s my cohost and guests that do it. Being conscious of it really helps cut it down. I’ve now developed a couple of new stalling words. Ideally I’ll have none, however they are better than “ummm”.
There are techniques to help you stall while you think. Contestants in beauty pageants uses these all the time. A common one is restating the question, and that gives you time to think.
Using stalling words is less of a problem in a scripted routine. This is also why routines should be scripted, so you don’t have to stall to think, you know what’s coming next. If you watch an amateur show and a professional show, the main difference is the tightness. They profession know what’s coming next. It’s not just in speech, but prop management, etc.
TLDR: Learn what’s coming up next in your show.
Ummm…
Yesterday in the car I was listening to CNN and one of the people being interviewed kept saying “ummm”. I suspect the reason people say this is because they are thinking, and it’s a word to stall while your brain is figuring things out and sending them to your mouth. A while ago a buddy and … Continue reading “Ummm…”