An obligatory follow-up to yesterday’s items from both Erika and Allahpundit, who jokingly (I think) asked whether Georgia Tech student Nick Selby’s message to incoming freshmen constituted the “greatest speech ever.”   The producers of Neil Cavuto’s Fox News program tracked Selby down and booked him, resulting in this lighthearted interview about America’s mega-viral hit du jour (via Greg Hengler):

Watching the original clip engendered a sense of respect for the guy, at least in me.  It doesn’t get much tougher than impressing a college audience during new student week; Selby took a real risk in front of his peers.  Virtually every person in that room was inwardly grappling with the jumble of emotions associated going off to college, while straining to project an outward sense of studied nonchalance.  Selby’s routine absolutely could have bombed.  But he went all in, and it didn’t.  Props.  The Cavuto interview makes me like the kid even more, for a few reasons:

(1) Points for self-awareness.  Selby transparently understands that he’s living out his personal ’15 minutes of fame,’  and makes no apologies for enjoying the ride.

(2) Major kudos for giving full credit to his high school speech teacher back home, from whom he borrowed the concept for the fired up/musical crescendo approach.

(3) Love the authentic surprise that flashes across Selby’s face when he learns that Microsoft is trying to get in touch with him (right around the 6:00 mark).

(4) When he’s asked about a possible future in politics, Selby’s reply is gracious yet pointed:  No thanks, I think I can accomplish “a little more” through engineering than through politics.  A nod to the private sector, perhaps?  Could Mr. Selby be…one of us?   After all, whether intentional or not, his entire message is a refutation of a certain someone’s “you didn’t build that” mentality.

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