Nardwuar the Human Serviette, of recent Lil B and Odd Future interview fame, but a man with a legacy stretching back before today’s rap stars kindergarten years, gave a 20-minute TED talk last November, just uploaded to YouTube this week, on the power of asking, being yourself or at least being something. In between clips of his greatest interviews and stories about interviewing Kurt Cobain, Jay-Z and Canadian politicians, he drops all sorts of journalistic inspiration: “The interviewer's job is to make the interviewee exciting,” “Who cares if you have an audience?” and “Once you become a member of the media you’re going to get embarrassed.” It’s a little trying watching the Nardwuar shtick for so long, but it’s encouraging too, the twisted courageousness and conviction he brings to doot-doola-doot-doo–doing it yourself.
