This contest winning Toastmasters speech was quite a turning point, personally. This experience got me thinking seriously about taking comedy full time. I found a wonderful mentor in DTM Kartik Srinivasan. As I joined Toastmasters in 2010, Kartik asked me what my goal was in Toastmasters. I said, I want to be as good as Robin Williams on stage. Kartik was a big influence as never before I thought I will entertain in English.

Kartik pushed me to contest. We made fun of Toastmasters contest process and the speech won the contest. I learnt to walk the fine line of making fun of something and still show a lot of respect for it. This talk was considered a departure from the usual Toastmasters speech and was getting closer the standup comedy in tone and format.

You must have been a Toastmaster and gone through a contest to enjoy this speech fully, though!

This speech is dedicated to the memory of my dear mentor, DTM Kartik Srinivasan. I cherish the years spent with him. I believe, he lives through the joy that spreads through my humor.

~Alexander Babu / Alexander the Comic

00:25 Contests Build Pressure to be Number One