The 5 Great Speeches You've Never Heard of

Whenever I meet someone new, I like to ask a question which immediately tells me a lot about the person I'm talking to.

I want to know who they love as a public speaker, and normally, I can predict the names I'm about to hear. If they strike me as young and ambitious, then it'll be an Obama. If they're technical or sales focused then it's Steve Jobs, and if you get a sense that they want to see a fairer society then it's Martin Luther King. And if it's none of those then you can basically guarantee it'll be David Attenborough, the omnipotent savior of the planet, guiding calamity penguins away from killer whales with whispered sentences.

But what about the names that never come up? What are the great speeches that haven't received the justly deserved accolade of "I Have a Dream" or the consumer response of Steve Jobs announcing the launch of the Ipod?

I want to introduce you to five that I think are both brilliant and underrated:

5. "Patient Zero" by Monica Lewinsky, June 2015, International Festival of Creativity in Cannes

In 1998 a political sex scandal involving 49-year-old US President Bill Clinton and a 22-year-old White House intern was uncovered, and Monica Lewinsky was shamed into silence for 17 years.

But at last, we hear her story. She stands in front of us, vulnerable, clear, but unashamed, as she describes herself as "Patient Zero" of cyber bullying. Without asking for pity or sympathy, she describes her experience in a matter-of-fact way:

"Public shaming as a blood-sport must stop... online we've got a compassion deficit, an empathy crisis."

She hauntingly predicts the potential for suicide from those that are pursued online for entertainment, comparing reality TV, click-baiting and trolling to an "online Colosseum", before calling for a return to compassion and understanding to off-set the negativity.

Again, it's worth looking it up on YouTube. Even if it's not your favourite, you'll find you throw yourself back to the late nineties and wonder exactly why the female intern was told by the world that she was the main perpetrator of the incident, whilst her older male boss was met with a more blase attitude.

(On a sidenote, the incident was the catalyst for my favourite lie: "I did not have sexual relations with that woman", but that's for another day).

4. "Make Good Art" by Neil Gaiman, May 2012, Philadelphia's University of the Arts

Hilarious, moving and powerful, the author Neil Gaiman weaves a series of errors into a compelling tale, in the way only an experienced storyteller could. His audience bursts into applause early on, as Gaiman encourages the young graduates in front of him to push their creative boundaries:

"If you don't know it's impossible, it's easier to do, and because nobody's done it before, they haven't made up the rules to stop anyone from doing that particular thing again."

Gaiman shows absolute integrity for the creative process, and tells them to make up their own rules through a 'fake it to make it, to become it" approach. For me, the greatest line is

"The moment you are walking down the street naked, exposing too much of your art and your mind and what exists on the inside, showing too much of yourself, that is the moment you may be starting to get it right".

It comes as little surprise that the man is able to conjure up fantasy worlds, outlandish and wondrous characters and situations and experiences that feel so close to our own and yet so far away. It's always been a challenge for artists to verbalise the creative process, but that's exactly what he's able to do.

3. "You Have to Give Them Hope" by Harvey Milk, March 1978

Harvey Milk was the first openly gay elected official in the history of US politics, and was an incredible orator to boot. In a similar style to Obama, he has an 'iron fist, velvet glove' approach when he delivers; gently drawing his audience in with warmth and humor, before building to hell of a celebration with that final line:

"It's the fact that if a gay person can be elected, it's a green light. And you, and you, and you - you have to give people hope."

It's one of those speeches that champions a cause with a startling blend of humility and pride. Milk treads the line carefully, never forgetting the face of the individual as he addresses the vast crowd in front of him. A mere 8 months after he delivered this speech, he was assassinated.

By the way, there's an abridged version on this speech on YouTube, read by Sir Ian McKellan, and it's well worth a watch. Oh - and there's a film about Harvey Milk's life too, simply entitled "Milk" which you can get on Amazon.

2. "I Believe in the Human Race" by Jackie Robinson, 1952, New York

In 1947, Jackie Robinson became a pioneering figure in American professional athletics by becoming the first black player in Major League Baseball. Long after his prolific career as a sportsperson ended, he remained in the public eye for campaigning against segregation amongst other political matters.

In this speech he eloquently conveys his journey, and conveys in a concise and compelling way the struggles he has had to face along the way.

In 1952, this must have come across as quite a statement, and there are certainly parallels that can be drawn within today's society. The speech reads as a stoic but personal reminder of one man's battles in the face of adversity, yet even with an acknowledgement of past mistakes there is a poignant focus on facing forward.

The repetition in the speech adds emphasis to his message:

"I believe in the human race, I believe in the warm heart, I believe in man's integrity, I believe in the goodness of a free society."

Here is a person who has faced discrimination but is choosing to set his sights on a brighter future for the generations that follow on from him. It still holds relevance in 2021, meaning both the message and the script have stood the test of time.

1. "I am personally going to shoot that paper-hanging sonofabitch Hitler" by George S Patton, June 1944

Believe it or not, George Patton was a real person, and this was a real speech. It's bombastic, profane, and somehow leaves you with an overwhelming urge to get to your feet and salute the nearest flag.

Patton was well known for delivering this speech in different situations and there is no one confirmed version, but a historian called Terry Brighton pulled together a relatively comprehensive version from the accounts of soldiers who heard it first hand.

It sounds like something from Quentin Tarantino film, with its straightforward 'gung-ho' attitude, and you can't imagine any soldier being overcome with a spell of nerves after being hit with that. In fact, if you like the speech, you should check out the film "Patton".

The most iconic line of the speech often gets cut, and certainly doesn't feature in the movie. Naturally, that's what makes it the best bit:

"No b*****d ever won a war by dying for his country. You won it by making the other poor dumb b*****d die for his country"

It had to make my list because I like the drama. I like the honesty. I like the way it felt fresh every time it was delivered despite the fact he reused it again and again. It focuses entirely on the audience he had in front of him and that time and delivers everything they need to hear in that moment. Brilliant motivational speeches show heart, and this has inspiration by the bucket load.

So those are my five unknown greats. All good for extremely different reasons and all from a wide variety of timelines, situations, and events. One of the reasons I love speeches so much is that they're a tiny slice of a large chunk history, one that exposes the feelings in that moment, and a perfect way of capturing the zeitgeist.

I'd never turn down getting to listen to anything by Obama, Jobs or Attenborough, but who doesn't love an underdog? The speeches I've chosen are ones I can read or listen to over and over again, often giving me fresh insight into a moment, or a adding whole new meaning to a situation that I hadn't considered before. They were groundbreaking in their time, which explains why even as they age they never seem to lose their power.

I'd love to know who you think I've missed off the list. Any new names or suggestions are always appreciated!